Another Bilge Question

[GreenLight]

I have a '92 Catalina 30 MKII.

The drip from my stuffing box (owner's manual says it should be 1 - 2 drops per minute when the engine is not running) and other water coming from the rear of my boat, drains into a sump under my engine. The water does not get into my main bilge, where the electric pump is, until it has risen to about 6 or more inches in the sump and overflows the dam between it and the main bilge. Then whatever water flows into the main bilge has the potential of having oil etc iwhich has come off the engine in it. It's also not a good idea to have the water in the sump up around the bottom of the engine. So I keep a manual pump stuck in the engine sump so that I can pump that water out once a week or so.

This arrangement doesn't seem right and from the comments in some previous discussions it doesn't seem like other folks have similar problems. Am I missing something or is it just a set up that everyone has and deals with routinely?

A surveyer suggested that I drill a hole in the wall between the sump under the engine and the main bilge but that would seem to lead to eventually pumping oily water overboard. So that idea was quickly discarded.

I'd appreciate youtr thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks.

 

[Bob S]

I changed the flax in the stuffing box to GFO which reduced the flow a lot. I don't have any flow when not running and only a few drops a minute while running. It accumulates just under the stuffing box and doesn't make it to the sump under the engine at all. I can usually dry it out with a few paper towels or a sponge. It sound like you have too much flow. I think you could try tightening the nut to reduce your flow. As long as the shaft doesn't get hot while running. Mine is slightly warm after 2-3 hours of motoring.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Bob's right. The Catalina manual was written for old flax, not the newer material that claims to be drip free but is just short of that. But way better than just plain old flax. Do a search on stuffing box and you'll find many handy references.

 

[GreenLight]

Thanks, I've got repacking the stuffing box on my agenda.

What troubles me though is the way that things flow into the engine sump and not directly into the bilge. I was wondering if it was supposed to work that way or if something on my boat wasn't working right.

Thanks Again JG

 

[Bob S]

It's supposed to work that way. Keeps oil out of the bilge and prevents it from being pumped overboard. Try tightening it. That might be all you need again as long as your shaft isn't to hot to the touch you should be fine.

 

[Calif. Ted]

On boats built in the 90's there may already be a couple small weep holes in the forward (towards the bilge) corners (at the bottom) of that sump under the engine, try poking around a little with a piece of baling wire. It does drain the engine area into the bilge but with oil absorbent pads nothing but water should reach the bilge.

 

[shipwreck66]

I always leave a absorb sheet in bilge just below engine. this catches what little oil gets down there so the pump only pumps water. The Hunters are set up even worse now, the bilge pumps fore, not aft.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Greenlight,


This is in answer to your comments on oil in the engine sump.


A properly maintained engine should not have any oil drip into the sump. I would check thoroughly for any telltale areas where oil may be escaping. In addition, this may be a result of oil changes. I had trouble and it can be a problem in bilge water. One tablespoon of oil in water disperses like the BP oil spill.

I do know that oil changes can be tricky and like on my C30, difficult not to lose some. For oil changes, I have a drill mounted pump that I use.


On my 3M20A, the oil pan drain hose rises up from the pan to a bracket up on the side of the engine. I removed the close off fitting and replaced it with a larger inside diameter fitting allowing a larger hose to insert all the way down to where the drain hose attaches to the tank. I do not use the dipstick tube for oil draining as many others do (just too damn small). This works well for pumping out the oil.

Another trick I use is at the oil filter. My filter is horizontal and I only have a 1/4" above my motor mount support. No room for a catch pan under the filter, and by the time I unscrewed the filter, oil was all over the place.


What I do now is after pumping the old oil out; I drill a 5/16” hole in top end of the filter. You can feel the drill bit cutting thru the filter mesh. I insert a smaller diameter fitting (sized for the hole I drilled) just deep enough to seal and attach it to the same hose I used for sucking out the old engine oil. Turn the drill pump back on and you can hear it sucking out the remaining oil. Very little oil will drip out when removing the oil filter.

Be careful when drilling the hole, as you don't want to penetrate the bottom. After the first one is done this way, you'll have it down to a science.

Hope this helps as we all hate any oily bilge water. Maybe the oil you see is leftover from previous change outs.


CR