why do I have a lot of oil dripping from my air filter ?-gctid803332

[Guest]

I just took a trip from Steveston across the straight to Poets Cove and found half way across my oil pressure gauge was going nuts and then tanked. I am running turbo charged 250 hinos with after coolers. Checked down below while under way and saw no evidence of anything wrong so kept going, When I arrived and checked below with engines shut down there was a lot of oil dripping from my K&N air filter. Does anyone have any idea what the cause of this could be? The engine didn't skip a beat the whole way. What can a guy do to get the boat back home without destroying something? Any and all replies would be appreciated.

[Bay39]

Sorry you are having issues on a cruise. What RPMs were you running when you had issues with the oil pressure? Do you know how much oil has been lost? Check your oil dipstick if haven't already. If not much? Add some. You might have a faulty oil sending unit. Make sure it buzzes when you turn on the ignition and buzzer silences after starting. Then go down and check for oil leaks. If no issues Take the engine up different RPMs in NEUTRAL (unloaded) to verify no leaks.

[builderdude]

Sounds like the gauge or the sender or thier electrical connections should be looked at. I had a similar experience on a different boat, ended up being a bad gauge. Can't help with the oil dripping from the air filter thing, is there a breather tube connected there? Curious as to where the oil level was on the stick?

[Pcpete]

First, Welcome to the BOC! I'm very concerned about the apparent loss of oil pressure. It would help if we knew the year and model of your boat. If you have a helm you weren't running the boat from, is there a reading on that oil pressure gauge? Check the oil level, how much is it down?

As to the oil all over the air filter, that's probably from blow by. There is probably a tube that points at the side of the air cleaner that, under normal conditions would shove the oil soaked air from the crankcase into the air filter to be burned off in the engine. That it is blowing a relatively large amount of oil there could mean there's too much pressure in the crankcase from something like a piston with a hole in it. Since the engine appeared to run okay, I doubt that the issue.

I don't know the 250's, but is there an oil line to the turbo near the air filter? Or maybe the oil pressure sending unit? I think I would wipe everything down then start the engine and look for leaking oil including running the rpms up to your normal cruise rpms. Let the oil get good and warm.

If you determine that the engine should not be run, then you are going to have to pick your time to return to Steveston or head to Sidney to get things right. If you are running on one engine, I have heard that the prop shaft on the non operating motor should be locked down. Reasons I've heard are to keep the transmission from burning, like towing a car with an automatic transmission, and that it actually helps the handling. Although that one is counterintuitive. Others will no doubt offer opinions based on experience rather than hearsay.

Good luck, I guess you could be stuck in worse places although our last stay at Poets Cove Resort was far from one where we would want to return.

[rogerkarenorth]

You might also check to see that the engine has the correct amount of oil - our dip stick was marked one gallon too high on one engine. So when I filled the oil to the mark, it was so high that I suspect the crankshaft hit the oil causing an oil mist that is sucked up the breather tube.

[Ridgedown]

I have the same engines and had the same problem. It is blowby. A few fixes. What worked for me was to extend the blowby how so that ot was touching the air filter. This sucks the oil better because it is closer to the air intake and the it burns it burns it. Alternatively, some BOC'rs have made catch cans for the blow by. If you search the site, you should see how they are made. Blowby is natural in these engines, no worries. Too much blowby though can be an indicator of other problems. As well, I keep the oil level at 1/2 way up on the markings. I no longer have a problem

[ksanders]

To combine information and advice give above into one post...

I think you probably have two separate unrelated problems.

First the oil pressure senders on these engines are highly unreliable, and when they fail it is exactly as you described.

Second is the oil dripping.

It might and probably is coming from the breather tube. As was posted above try running your oil level down a bit. It wont hurt anything and is very likely to solve the problem.

[smitty477]

"To combine information and advice give above into one post...

I think you probably have two separate unrelated problems.

First the oil pressure senders on these engines are highly unreliable, and when they fail it is exactly as you described.

Second is the oil dripping.

It might and probably is coming from the breather tube. As was posted above try running your oil level down a bit. It wont hurt anything and is very likely to solve the problem."

Yes - +1 to this.

But the OP needs to give us some more feedback in order for more help.

Oil 'leaks'....

- Are you 'using' oil on one or both engines

- If yes at what rate

- Are you using the correct type and volume of oil (the 250's take a mot less than the 310's)

- Do you show excessive smoke or transom soot when cruising

- at what rpm are you cruising at

- What is your WOT rpm as a brief test as the boat sits now

- When did you last clean the K & N's

- Have you checked the Turbo compressor wheel for play

- Is the turbo oil drainback line clear

Oil pressure...

- Have you checked the terminal connections at the sender

- Have you test grounded the sender

- Do you get a low oil warning from the separate 'buzzer' warning when at hot idle

- Can you temporarily 'jumper' the port and stb sender wires to see if the problem follows the sender

- Can you replace the sender or temporarily add a mechanical gage for safety

Hope this helps

[Guest]

Just a fyi... on my 4 cyl 210's I lost oil pressure indication twice in the last 5 years of ownership.. both times indication problem that required a Transmitter replacement. on the 2nd occurnace I found a that a 24" stainless steel braid that covered oil pan drain line that are clamped to the main oil cooler were just long enough to eventually be moved or migrate over and short out the oil pressure transducer located on the stbd side of each engine... (not even sure if those lines factory or installed by a PO) a zip tie now ensures that line cant reach that sensor... again that is on my 4 cyl 210's FWIW...

[smitty477]

Here is a picture showing the extra oil "puke" can added before the air cleaner to help capture some of the blowby before fouling the air cleaner and intercooler, it is a white PVC item added immediately before the K & N air filters ....

[weiss]

Follow the leads the others have said... do you have the dipsticks on the side of your engine VS the original ones running along the top [ and to aft end of the oil pan} ? I have both of these, which makes it easier to check the oil BUT the side dips read on the low marks when the top dipstick reads full. You can buy Walker Airsep's for the Hino W06 engines. I have a set on mine and they work perfectly eliminating any oily air in the ER.

As far as the oil px gauge flickering... check connections including the main multi wire connector near the aft of the engine { on my 4788 at least}.

Cheers, Gary