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E-28 transom soot

SAM

"Nauti Jo"
My E-28 always developes transom soot after a day out. The exhaust is located in the bottom center of the transom under the ladder and points straight back. The boat is powered by a Universal M3-20 18hp diesel that starts easy and runs relatively smooth for a 3 cylinder diesel engine. Is this common for a 20 year old engine with less than 900 hours on it? The design and balance of the boat seems to make it easy to bury the transom a little when you kick it up a bit. It makes it easy for the transom to pick up the soot in the water from the exhaust. The engine does not smoke at all no matter how hard you run it.
I cruise at 2800 rpms and the engine maximum in the water in gear under power is a little over 3500 rpms so I know she is proped right. The prop diameter 12" with an 11" pitch. It is a fixed 2 blade Michigan Sailor.
I am going on the 4th season with this boat and it has always done this. When I bought the boat it had 735 hours on it and the prop was than 12" x 12" so I had it repitched a bit for less bite and higher maximum rpms.
Any comments or suggestions?
Thank you in advance for your advice,
Sam of "Nauti Jo"
 
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HughHarv

Hugh
Black Smoke

FWI, I have an M3-20B in my Er39 with 50 hrs on it, which I have yet to splash. When I purchased the boat, I noticed there was some black soot on the hull around the exhaust. I know a lot about gas engines, not much at all about diesels so I turned to the owners manual. I read in the manual that this is typically caused from running too rich, or too slow rpm's, or too low of engine operating temperature? Sounds like your propped correctly, maybe injecting too much fuel or engine isn't warm enough. Does the engine only pump out black smoke while cold? I check the owners manual, you can go to Westerbekes website and click on Universal engines and download manuals.
 
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RKCRWLR

Member II
I agree with likely running a little rich, which is not all bad for a diesel to do. That said, diesel is actually a rather fragile fuel. It has a short shelf life. Are you running stabilizers in it? Consider an additive that lowers soot. Even the basic Power Service (white bottle version) from the local X-Mart does wonders. Most all diesel benefits from a basic cetane booster as well. And avoid bio diesel to reduce soot. Also make sure your air filter system is clean/free flowing. Any struggling for air will turn on the soot. I LOVE diesels, but they sure do have some drawbacks. Guess thats what we get with 100 year old technology! Good luck with it!
 

EGregerson

Member III
smoke

Hi I had smoke from the exhaust of my univ 25xp; i added power service Diesel Kleen that i got at Advance auto parts; it cleaned up 95% of the smoke and added to the cetane rating. I've since repowered to a new volvo; i don't need to add anything; it runs very clean. so the Power Service is not a cure; something is going on internally with the smokey motor; I'd check the exhaust elbow; crud can build up there and block the exhaust; then valve adjustment and maybe injector service. Or... add some Diesel Kleen.
good luck
 
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