On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:04:53 GMT, Brian Whatcott
wrote:

On Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:05:13 +0100, "Alec"
wrote:

...
Try a heavier grade of oil, not one of the modern wide range synthetic or
semi synthetics multigrades.

Alec

I'm not arguing with this general advice. But the sentence I
quoted shows a mindset that may not tie to reality.

A synthetic almost as thin as water when cold, can STILL be thicker
than a thick mineral oil when really hot. Its viscosity vs
temperature slope is that much flatter. That's why they are rated
multi-grade. The synthetic doesn't burn off and has better high
pressure film strength.

Brian W


One thing to try before anything else is pull the oil cooler and see
whether it is stopped up. If you have ever broken a water pump
impeller the bits are still probably in the inlet of the oil cooler.

I nearly went crazy trying to solve a similar problem after a fellow
ran aground on a mud bank. Finally discovered the heat exchanger tubes
full of mud after someone told me the boat had been aground and I
noticed there was no inlet strainer.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
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Bruce in Bangkok wrote:
I nearly went crazy trying to solve a similar problem after a fellow
ran aground on a mud bank. Finally discovered the heat exchanger tubes
full of mud after someone told me the boat had been aground and I
noticed there was no inlet strainer.

Also the heat exchanger tubes can get slowly clogged with marine buildup
so the engine eventually starts to run hot. The problem seems to just
appear suddenly so its easy to misdiagnose, and can appear in older
engines as a drop in oil pressure due to the higher engine temp. I am
working on an engine now that this has happened to. There are some
commercial products to clean this growth out. I have this heat exchanger
pickling in Rydlyme Marine solution which seems to be working, but I
suspect most of the products are the same.
Red