WATERLOCK MUFFLER QUESTION

nramsey · Sep 10, 2023

Sounds like it's overloaded. Could you be overcrowded?

nramsey · Sep 10, 2023

Damned autocorrect. Over propped.

Ralph Johnstone · Sep 10, 2023

twodzusfittings said:
My Universal 5614 will not go any higher than 2000 rpm's and when its up there I see black sludge like in the exhaust water.

I've got this niggling feeling way back there somewhere that this is not an injector problem. Did this suddenly appear one day or come on slowly ? The usual symptom with faulty injector(s) is that you should be seeing great plumes of black smoke if you can't exceed 2000 RPM. You should be seeing black smoke from idle (800 RPM) up to whatever you can get. Do you always have black smoke ?

Did you ever check your oil level when you see this sludge problem ?

Tally Ho · Sep 10, 2023

How is the water flow out of the muffler? If you have decent flow, I don’t think that the muffler is plugged up/full of stuff.

I would inspect your prop for growth….how clean is the hull?

On my Yanmar 2GM20F, I get black soot put the exhaust (unburned fuel I believe) when I push the engine above 3000/3200 RPMs. It is supposed to get to 3600 max I thiink.

I tried running WOT to see if I could “blow the carbon out” of the exhaust. Never worked, but I can get to 3600 in neutral, so I suspect I am slightly over propped (14x14 2 blade Michigan).

I am ordering a new prop over the winter (folding or feathering) and will get something slightly less pitched or adjustable, so I can try to reach WOT.

I think you have some growth issues that is holding the engine back.

Greg

kappykaplan · Sep 10, 2023

twodzusfittings said:
What does WOT mean? (pardon my ignorance)

wide open throttle

nramsey · Sep 10, 2023

Tally Ho said:
How is the water flow out of the muffler? If you have decent flow, I don’t think that the muffler is plugged up/full of stuff.

I would inspect your prop for growth….how clean is the hull?

On my Yanmar 2GM20F, I get black soot put the exhaust (unburned fuel I believe) when I push the engine above 3000/3200 RPMs. It is supposed to get to 3600 max I thiink.

I tried running WOT to see if I could “blow the carbon out” of the exhaust. Never worked, but I can get to 3600 in neutral, so I suspect I am slightly over propped (14x14 2 blade Michigan).

I am ordering a new prop over the winter (folding or feathering) and will get something slightly less pitched or adjustable, so I can try to reach WOT.

I think you have some growth issues that is holding the engine back.

Greg

Look at the Campbell Sailer prop. They have a great reputation.

Tally Ho · Sep 10, 2023

nramsey said:
Look at the Campbell Sailer prop. They have a great reputation.

Yes, good reputation. But I am focused more on clawing back some of the 1/2 knot sailing speed…which I don’t think I can get with a fixed blade prop…even a creative one like Campbell Sailor.

thanks,

Greg

Richard19068 · Sep 10, 2023

Have you looked under the boat? I might suspect something wrapped around the prop or prop shaft.

With the transmission in neutral (and engine off) how hard is it to turn the shaft by hand from the inside of the boat?

edit: I just saw this in your post so I guess you have looked at that. "PS (my stuffing box is loose enough and is not binding the shaft."
But if you can get 3,000 in neutral and only 2,000 in gear it does sound like an overload.

Ralph Johnstone · Sep 14, 2023

twodzusfittings said:
so I must believe that the prop and the hull, with its minimal amount of growth (barnacles and the like) must be the issue.

Well, the dive should be a pleasant departure from banging your head around inside the boat but I just don't have a lot of confidence in the growth/drag theory. You have said the growth is minimal !

twodzusfittings said:
No plumes of smoke.

Let me assure you that when you are badly overloaded as I once was when my prop looked like a basketball with growth, there was so much smoke, people were ready to call the fire department. It did look like the boat was on fire. There was not a trace of wind. Luckily I was actually headed to my annual haul out at that time. It was about 500 ft. away and max. speed was about 1/2 knot.

Maybe it's time to get down and really, really crazy. Hell, why not. Nothing else you've done has made a difference.

If I were in your shoes, or flippers, depending where you are right now, I'd be looking at last and desperate resorts :

1. Change your oil. BTW, what do you use now ?
2. Remove your fuel supply hose from your fuel tank and now supply new, fresh fuel from a 5 gallon pail that has 1-2 gallons in it . Don't include your primary fuel filter, only your secondary filter. Be bloody careful inside the boat, whatever you do. Run your engine in gear at slightly less than 2000 RPM until you are positive that the new fuel has reached the engine. With all of the tubing, I would suspect this will take 5 min. or longer. I know nothing about your fuel return system but let it go back to the tank.

Chances of this doing anything are questionable at best but you are now at the point of desperation so what the hell. It'll cost you far less than the injectors and maybe it might tell you something.

BTW Do you know anyone who you've pi$$ed off lately who might have put sugar in your fuel tank ? Just thinking out loud here.

Ralph Johnstone · Sep 15, 2023

twodzusfittings said:
As to pissing someone off. It's not whom may I have, but who have I not!!!!!

OMG. That really opens up the possibility of sugar in the fuel tank

. Sugar, wine, tomato soup, the possibilities are endless.

But seriously folks, I would like to see your engine with new fresh oil and new fresh fuel (from a clean supply) and run a test. Remember, you are getting into really weird territory now. A lack of smoke but the presence of black sludge in the water exhaust is something I've never heard of before. Not that that means a hell of a lot but sludge in the water is not a common occurrence. You may not like the fresh fuel in a bucket idea but if that doesn't work, my next to last idea is to remove the muffler and insert a connector piece of hose and shoot for 3000 RPM that way.

Actually, since both ideas are equally out in left field, why not just flip a coin to see which idea you want to pursue first. Have you looked inside the muffler with a bright light to see what's in there ?

Let us know what the fouling situation is like down below.

eherlihy · Sep 18, 2023

Have you verified that the prop shaft, and engine/transmission are aligned? Also, the hose that exits the waterlift muffler and the anti-siphon loop could be a source of exhaust restriction.

Capt Robbie · Sep 18, 2023

are you moving thru the water and in gear trying to get up to higher rpm or tied to the dock? I had similar issue trying to get up to higher rpm but was tied to the dock, which apparently made a difference trying to reach higher rpm speed. Apparently when the propeller is cutting thru the water it has less resistance then trying to cut through the water tied to the dock. I was trying everything to reach higher rpm and thought I had an issue with the engine for months. After going out on a sea trial before doing a major overhaul of the engine, I was pleasantly surprised that the issue was me trying to reach higher rpm speeds in gear while still tied to the dock. Still don’t fully understand why it made such a huge difference. Having the propeller spinning thru a fluid should not make a difference but it did. Has to due something with fluid dynamics and resistance of a fluid
But whatever the reason tied to the dock in gear could not achieve higher rpm, however when out on the water and boat is moving was able to reach higher normal rpm speed

hope this helps

Ralph Johnstone · Oct 6, 2023

@twodzusfittings , what are your latest findings in the overloading department and have you been able to break the 2000 RPM barrier ?