[C320-list] Sudden blue smoke, Perkins M30
Dave Hupe
hoopdtwo at yahoo.com
Sun Feb 18 05:02:25 PST 2024
I agree with other posts....especially with your comment about a sweet smell. It likely is a blown head gasket. That should be evident with loss of coolant ( check if your level is low in the heat exchanger tank) and increase in your oil level and contamination (white/milky).
Assuming this is the case, it is a fairly easy fix....not a major overhaul.
Dave Hupe
1994 C320 #32
Holland, MI
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android
On Sat, Feb 17, 2024 at 1:10 PM, P.F. Ross via C320-list<c320-list at lists.catalina320.com> wrote: All,
We had been motoring yesterday at our normal 2600 RPM for about an hour
when suddenly the engine lost power, revs dropping down to 1800 or so. At
that same instant I noticed smoke from the exhaust like I had never seen
before. I throttled back, gave the admiral the wheel, went below, removed
engine covers and checked everything. All appeared normal.
We were just about to enter a busy harbor, so not knowing what was going on
I decided to shut the engine down and called for a tow. We were about 10
miles from home so decided to go back there. Fortunately, winds were light
and seas were flat.
The week before I had changed both fuel filters and the fresh water
impeller, preparing for a cruise. Fuel tank was topped up with the same
Shell brand terrestrial diesel I have used for the past 9 years.
I have owned the boat since new (1994) and the engine has 550 hours, the
majority of those accumulated since I moved the boat to SW FL in 2015.
Regular oil, filter and coolant changes are known since I have done them
all.
Today at my dock, the engine starts and seems to run ok, but still belching
clouds of what I would call blue smoke and is leaving a sheen on the
water. It also has a peculiar smell, perhaps somewhat sweet.
So it seems like oil smoke, but for the life of me I cannot imagine what
failure would cause sudden oil burning. I suppose a fuel injector could
suddenly malfunction (I have never messed with the injectors) but that
would seem to be black smoke.
I will try to find a diesel mechanic to come check it out next week but
thought I would see if anyone on here had an idea of what may be going on.
Thanks and regards,
Frank Ross
Beta Wave #206
Naples, FL
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