The service dept. at my marina adjusted the alignment of the diesel on my boat. On my next trip to the boat there was a thick slick of oil in the bilge. Could they have caused it during engine alignment? And, more importantly, what is the best way to remove the oil and clean the bilge?
oil in bilge
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First things first
Disable your bilge pump. You can buy oil absorbers at your local marine supply. Luckily oil floats so you should be able to absorb it off the surface fairly easily. As far as why, the only reason I can come up with is that by repositioning the motor caused the rear seal on your transmission to fail because the drive shaft is now in a different position. Tim R.
Disable your bilge pump. You can buy oil absorbers at your local marine supply. Luckily oil floats so you should be able to absorb it off the surface fairly easily. As far as why, the only reason I can come up with is that by repositioning the motor caused the rear seal on your transmission to fail because the drive shaft is now in a different position. Tim R.
Diapers
Disposable diapers will not only suck up the oil but will also get rid of the last of the water in your bilge. They also don't drip when you're moving them to a garbage bag. Then just throw them in the dumpster.
Disposable diapers will not only suck up the oil but will also get rid of the last of the water in your bilge. They also don't drip when you're moving them to a garbage bag. Then just throw them in the dumpster.
Oil soaked anything is a hazardous waste
(at least here) and can not be disposed of in the trash. Oil absorbant pads will pick up oil and leave the water, either must then be properly disposed of. I fear you have a problem, in the normal course of things re-alignment would not result in any oil leak. First cause to come to mind is someone prying on the engine with a bar to move it and distorting/destroying seals for oil pan and bearings. Gonna have to inspect very careful when cleaned to see where the oil is coming from.
(at least here) and can not be disposed of in the trash. Oil absorbant pads will pick up oil and leave the water, either must then be properly disposed of. I fear you have a problem, in the normal course of things re-alignment would not result in any oil leak. First cause to come to mind is someone prying on the engine with a bar to move it and distorting/destroying seals for oil pan and bearings. Gonna have to inspect very careful when cleaned to see where the oil is coming from.
Talk to Your Marina
Have the service manager at your Marina check it out sooner, rather than later. If they did it, they should take care of it at no cost to you. I wouldn't even clean it up first, let them how much is leaking.
Have the service manager at your Marina check it out sooner, rather than later. If they did it, they should take care of it at no cost to you. I wouldn't even clean it up first, let them how much is leaking.
Engine Prying or Coincidence
I agree during alignment they may have used a pry bar and damaged the oil pan or oil filter. I know I recently aligned my engine and had to be careful to not pry on anything that could be damaged. However, it might also have been coincidence, so I'd suggest without cleaning it up, first try and discover where the oil is coming from, and what type of oil it is (tranny oil often is automatic transmission oil and is lighter and has a color -- red/pink, versus engine oil is dark/near black). Then, armed with knowledge, approach marina manager, this way you can't be 'snowed'. Good luck... Hope this helps...
I agree during alignment they may have used a pry bar and damaged the oil pan or oil filter. I know I recently aligned my engine and had to be careful to not pry on anything that could be damaged. However, it might also have been coincidence, so I'd suggest without cleaning it up, first try and discover where the oil is coming from, and what type of oil it is (tranny oil often is automatic transmission oil and is lighter and has a color -- red/pink, versus engine oil is dark/near black). Then, armed with knowledge, approach marina manager, this way you can't be 'snowed'. Good luck... Hope this helps...
Clean The Mess...
...then go sailing and run the engine as you normally would, maybe they just spilled some oil while in there working. You may not have a problem.
...then go sailing and run the engine as you normally would, maybe they just spilled some oil while in there working. You may not have a problem.
Re: Clean the mess
I'm not sure I'd want to leave the dock until I've verified that it didn't come from a damaged engine. What did service dept have to say about the oil?
I'm not sure I'd want to leave the dock until I've verified that it didn't come from a damaged engine. What did service dept have to say about the oil?
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