[C320-list] Perkins Perama M30 Overheating

[Christian]

How is your oil looking?  If it's milkly/coffee cream at all, then coolant
has gotten in your oil.  I only ask because of the color of the smoke you
reported.

The antifreeze in your bilge was likely because you got over the boiling
point of the antifreeze. On the receptacle container, there should be a
vent hose that leads to your engine sump, and it probably boiled out of the
receptacle container into the sump.  So check your coolant level as you are
likely low.

What kind of anti freeze are you using?  Green, purple, or pink color?  The
purple color has very little anti freeze "smell" to it.  Pink color has
some.  The green color has the most smell.

I don't think you "blew" your heat exchanger.  I recently cooked the hell
out of mine, and it survived.  They are hearty.  The end cap on both sides
of the heat exchanger have two clamps.  Smaller diameter clamp clamps onto
the heat exchange tube, and prevents the raw water from mixing with the
anti freeze.  Larger clamp is what secures the cap to the radiator unit,
keeping raw water from leaking.  I guess it's possible in high heat, if
smaller clamp wasn't tight, your raw water and antifreeze could mix.

The heat exchange unit is easy to pull, as described above.  Should have
two large holes on one side of tube, and then a pin hole on the bottom side
of the tube.  Inspect for corrosion build up when you peer inside the two
large holes on the side of the tube, and peer at the "straws" on each end
of the tube and ensure clear.  I like to put the tube back in with the
large tube side holes facing up, pin size hole facing down.

I don't know anyone that had tried the acid clean of the hat exchange, but
last April I attended a diesel class at Crowley's in Chicago, and they
listed that as a service they recommend on corroded heat exchange units.

But, like others have said, intermittent heating problems suggest raw water
intake flow problems or torn impeller.

Eager to hear what you find, and best of luck.

Christian Caperton
1994 C320 "Canuck" #138
Monroe Harbor, Chicago, IL