CD 330/33 diesel not spitting water after port tack-overheat

[John383]

Our 330, which we recently purchased, twice now...after being on port tack with good degree of heel, once engine started, will not spit water. Previous owner reported when running engine on port tack in stronger wind, he would have to monitor temp gauge as she would overheat at times. Suspect raw water intake too close to water line, so with heeling water drains out, creating a air lock/bubble...preventing intake.

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution? Thinking of:

*close seacock when engine off
*install bleeding on hose between seacock and strainer
*somehow move intake lower down hull
Help!

Thanks all
John

[Frenchy]

Hi John, - I wonder how far off the center line the intake is located on your boat. It seems that since
you don't have any trouble until you're heeling far on port tack, the location might be the culprit. For reference,
my intake (CD 33) is mounted 12" off the center line. -Jean

[John383]

Hi Jean, thanks for your reply-

Could you help me understand that measurement you mentioned? How do you measure 12 inch off the centerline?

I imagine my 330 must be same as yours-- my seacock for seawater intake is located just inboard from the sink seacock..both accessed via cabinet door under the sink?

Thanks again,
John W.

[John383]

Hi Jean,
so, forgive me....the pictures are implying you moved the seawater/cold water engine intake lower? Close to midline? what prompted that change? Thanks so much, and forgive my inexperience here, all the questions.. John

[Steve Laume]

Not to diminish the problem, but at what point does it become one? That is at what angle of heel. It might only be a matter of reefing earlier or easing off on the sails to correct the problem.

I know I have had Raven heeled way over with the engine running. My first trip home after buying her comes to mind. I just try not to do it too often. If you are heeled over so far that you are sucking air then there must be some good sailing breeze and that might be a better option in those conditions. Another thing to consider is what is happening in the oil sump when the boat is heeled that far. It is one thing to not be getting cooling water for a short time but you don't want to be running the engine with questionable lubrication.

All that said, this could be a design flaw on that particular boat but you should be looking at what angle this starts to occur and determine whether the problem is the heel angle or the placement of the seacock, Steve.

[Bill Goldsmith]

Sure, it could be that the engine intake is too far from the centerline and dries out on that side's tack. Have a friend try to observe that through hull from another boat while you are heeled.

You may also want to look at the heat exchanger. Last fall my engine stopped spitting, and I traced it to lots of pieces of broken zinc pencil clogging the exchanger tubes. It's possible you have some gunk blocking the cooling tubes only when the boat is on a significant heel.

[Frenchy]

Hi John, Sorry for the delay in responding. The intake thru hole is original - I didn't move it. I just removed the seacock
to better clean up the area for a new engine. I think that intake is underwater on any "normal" angle of heel. It is
12" off the centerline of the boat (measured with my uncalibrated eye), using the bilge area as a reference.
I'm assuming that if the intake breaks the surface, water in the intake hose runs out and an "air lock"
is created when it is again submerged. Maybe if you close the seacock after running the engine and then open
it again (after sailing hard on port tack) when you need it would at least tell you if the problem is an air lock,
or something else. It sounds like one of those problems that are a devil to run down and solve. - Jean

[Paul D.]

I do not have this issue on Femme but here is a couple things to consider. I remember them from my time working in a marina. One is tracking the intake water flow below decks from the through hull to exhaust. Any kinks or loops that constrict the hoses? Sometimes on a steep heel the system may behave differently so imagine it at that angle of heel you have problems with. Good idea to pull the hose from the water lift and check too as mentioned. Second is the intake strainer. If you had the stock round one you may consider changing to a forward facing strainer which seems to help certain engine systems with consistent water intake. Especially if the water pump is anemic.

Hope this helps. Good luck,

[John383]

Thanks all!
Jean, in the photo you sent of the hull with
through hulls, are we looking towards the stern, or bow (is this port orstarboard side?)
And which of the two openings is the sea water intake?
And what is the other one?


Thanks so much,
John

[John383]

Where is the raw water intake located on33s?
On 330 it is under the galley, port side, close
to the seacock for the sink.

Same in33?
JW

[Paul D.]

On our 33 the engine raw water intake seacock is located on the port side next to the motor in the engine compartment. Just above the engine beds.

[Frenchy]

John, on the interior shot, you are looking toward the stern. On the outside shot, you are looking toward the bow.
The other intake you see farther forward is the sink drain. Paul's engine intake is located right where mine is -
in the engine compartment.
If your boat's intake is located near the sink drain, it is a bit more outboard than mine. Perhaps you
could move it, if you've eliminated all the other possibilities. I would think if the intake location is
not good, other 330 owners would have the same problem. Good luck tracking this down. - Jean

[Frenchy]

One other idea you could try is close the intake seacock and move the intake hose to a bucket of water. With the engine
running, remove the hose briefly and re-emerge, simulating the intake screen breaking the surface. This might tell you
if the pump is stumbling on an air pocket or to look elsewhere. - Jean