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I recently purchased a 1989 CD flybridge cruiser (hull #174) powered by a 200 hp volvo diesel engine. The problem I'm experiencing is excessive exhaust soot at anything over 2500 RMPs. At 3000, my preferred cruise speed, there is a large black soot ball that hangs just behind my transom, which then becomes just black with oil and difficult to clean. I would appreciate hearing from anyone else experiencing a similar situation, and wonder what is your typical crusing RPMs.
Also I have gel coat blisters on my flybridge. Some just buldge the gel coat, others have turned brown in color and popped open. They are dry with no sign of ooze. Anyone with this one?
Thanks,
Britt
Although we tend to think of blisters occuring just below the waterline with the resulting ooze, they can occur above the waterline on the hull and in the deck. These are generally dry and generally appear in deck or hull areas which may be exposed to the sun (heat).
I had a non-CD sailboat which had a few appear shortly after the boat was manufactureed and the deck was exposed to the sun.
To fix mine,the factory repair folks drilled two very small holes at each end of the blister. In many cases, the blister could be then depressed. Repair epoxy was then injected into one of the holes until it was clearly coming out the opposite end hole. The hole areas were then touched up with colored gel. Much care was taken to limit the repair by making the holes as small as possible.
I never did get a clear explaination of the causes other than a statement of "impurities" with the laminate. I took it as anything from additive resin reaction to just bad resin mixing.
Britt Miller wrote: The problem I'm experiencing is excessive exhaust soot at anything over 2500 RMPs. At 3000, my preferred cruise speed, there is a large black soot ball that hangs just behind my transom, which then becomes just black with oil and difficult to clean. I would appreciate hearing from anyone else experiencing a similar situation, and wonder what is your typical crusing RPMs.
I assume you have a 28'. My 30 has twin TAMD41B turbo diesels, and gets on plane around 3000 RPM. Other than checking the engine, you might make sure that your boat isn't putting an unusual load on it - i.e., is the bottom pretty clean, the prop free of barnacles, the prop shaft aligned and packing not overtight (can hand turn the shaft in neutral), etc.
Britt Miller wrote: I recently purchased a 1989 CD flybridge cruiser (hull #174) powered by a 200 hp volvo diesel engine. The problem I'm experiencing is excessive exhaust soot at anything over 2500 RMPs. At 3000, my preferred cruise speed, there is a large black soot ball that hangs just behind my transom, which then becomes just black with oil and difficult to clean. I would appreciate hearing from anyone else
I'm not a mechanic (nor do I play one on TV), but . . . it sounds like you are getting incomplete combustion:
First, make sure your engine is getting enough clean air. Check your air filter and also make sure that the engine has easy access to fresh air (not bilge air sealed in an engine compartment).
Also, make sure your fuel filters are good and that your fuel is clean and free of biological organisms.
