3196 Caterpillar soot

3196's were never "clean "engines in the first place, but the usual causes for transom sooting are:

Restricted air intake - dirty air filters as someone already mentioned
- fouled/dirty after coolers on the air side.

fouled running surface - a night coat of algae or slime can cause it.

Overloaded Engines - If your engines will not turn up rated RPM at WOT, they are overloaded
 
I have noticed on mine if I running for 5-8 hours I will get some soot on transom. My intakes are clean and I have diver on a monthly basis. I pull coolers every 2 years to be cleaned and pressure tested. I don't have a solution.
 
fwebster said:
3196's were never "clean "engines in the first place, but the usual causes for transom sooting are:

Restricted air intake - dirty air filters as someone already mentioned
- fouled/dirty after coolers on the air side.

fouled running surface - a night coat of algae or slime can cause it.

Overloaded Engines - If your engines will not turn up rated RPM at WOT, they are overloaded
Click to expand...
We had the bottom cleaned just prior to an eight hour (each way) boat trip so I don't think that was the problem. I have not checked the air filters but that will be the first thing I do this weekend. The boat ran great and we cruised 19-21mph the whole way.

Diesels are new to me and still learning the ins and outs. Are those filters cleanable or just replace them? I am thinking of replacing them anyway since that may be my issue. The after coolers are already scheduled for maintenance at the end of the season.

Keith
 
The crime scene said:
We had the bottom cleaned just prior to an eight hour (each way) boat trip so I don't think that was the problem. I have not checked the air filters but that will be the first thing I do this weekend. The boat ran great and we cruised 19-21mph the whole way.

Diesels are new to me and still learning the ins and outs. Are those filters cleanable or just replace them? I am thinking of replacing them anyway since that may be my issue. The after coolers are already scheduled for maintenance at the end of the season.

Keith
Click to expand...
Yes, take filters off and clean. K&N sells a small cleaning kit. Great to use even if you have the Cat filters.
 
Update on my soot issue. I had a certified Caterpillar tech do a diagnostics on my boat this week. The tech is leaning towards the turbos causing the soot/smoke issue. My turbo boost was 24. The spec for the turbos when new was 29.85. He also stated I may have some O rings in the injectors getting worn, but could not tell me that was the problem. The engines only have 1250 hours on them.

Here is the catch. Nobody seems to know if the turbos will fix the problem. The Cat shop locally (different shop) says a boost of 24 is plenty and if I change the turbos (very costly) I may not notice any difference in the soot/smoke. I do get black smoke on powering up from a cruise to plane, which I absolutely hate.

The filters are new, the bottom is clean, the fuel is new, the fuel filters are new, and I am currently running Sea Foam through the tanks now to clean anything that may be there. The local shop recommended the Sea Foam.

Frank, any thoughts on this?

Keith
 
I'm not a fan of throwing parts at problem in hopes of a cure, but as long as the diagnostics available to the Cat tech the boat shows the engines are running at spec, I understand his approach.

Soot is really unburned fuel and leaky injectors (the bad o-rings)could cause excess fuel to get into the engine. You could have the injectors pulled and tested. That will clean the injector tips and will determine if the injectors are leaking when under pressure. Aftercoolers have 2 sides....the water side and th air side. If the water side gets fouled, the after coolers run hotter than they should, but if the air side is fouled with crankcase blobby, the intake air is restricted and you get smoke. You may not see a reduction in soot until you have the after coolers cleaned.

Before doing that; however, you need to do the WOT test to see if the engines are overloaded for the weight you have on the boat. If your engines do not turn up to full rated rpm's then the solution to sooting is as easy as getting your props re-pitched.

Good luck with it.
 
As frank said. Will your engines reach wide open throttle rpm with full fuel and water?

That’s what we need to know to help.
 
fwebster said:
I'm not a fan of throwing parts at problem in hopes of a cure, but as long as the diagnostics available to the Cat tech the boat shows the engines are running at spec, I understand his approach.

Soot is really unburned fuel and leaky injectors (the bad o-rings)could cause excess fuel to get into the engine. You could have the injectors pulled and tested. That will clean the injector tips and will determine if the injectors are leaking when under pressure. Aftercoolers have 2 sides....the water side and th air side. If the water side gets fouled, the after coolers run hotter than they should, but if the air side is fouled with crankcase blobby, the intake air is restricted and you get smoke. You may not see a reduction in soot until you have the after coolers cleaned.

Before doing that; however, you need to do the WOT test to see if the engines are overloaded for the weight you have on the boat. If your engines do not turn up to full rated rpm's then the solution to sooting is as easy as getting your props re-pitched.

Good luck with it.
Click to expand...
The Cat tech and I ran the boat twice WOT. 2305 on the starboard and 2288 on the port with 3/4 tanks and full water. Once the boat is on plane, there is a white mist coming out of the exhausts, which appears to be steam. The engines are rated at 2300 so I don't think the props are the problem....plus I just had them tuned last fall. The CAT tech told me my after cooler pressure was really good and even said I did not need to address them at this time. The only other thing that was out of spec was fuel pressure, which was around 84, which is not horrible. I changed the CAT filters and Racor filters while the tech was there it appeared to be some black stuff in the in the glass bowls, around the screen, which I will clean out this weekend. He thought maybe it is was old fuel line or something. I am hoping that brings the fuel pressure back to spec.

I am like you....I don't want to throw money at something that may not fix the problem. Thus, that is why I need advise since I am not a diesel guy. I am learning as I go, so to speak.

Keith
 
You mentioned the fuel additive you are using..........SeaFoam. I have nothing against it, but there are better diesel fuel additives. I recommend either Power Service Diesel Kleen+cetane boost or Stanadyne Performance Formula as general diesel additives. In addition to stabilizing fuel, both improve cetane and work to clean injectors and upper cylinders. Cetane in diesel fuel is a lot like octane in gasoline except that it does not change the but content in fuel but it does lower the flash point which helps with starting and accelerating.

Take a look at the Diesel Fuel System Management article I wrote a few years ago.....it is in the club level section at the top of the forum headings on the opening page. I sent a link to the article to you by PM.
 
Were you full of fuel and water when you got the WOT readings?
 
Sorry! I am on my phone so my apologies. I think you’re close enough on that. Frank did mention soot is effectively unburned fuel so with that. I’m thinking it’s turbo related or injector related. Do you know if it’s both engines or just one?
 
There is always some sooting especially on the mechanical engines. Keep in mind at the plus 90 degree air temperatures and higher water temperatures the charge temperatures will be a bit higher and consequently air density lower which means the A/F will be a bit richer....
With that said if, as your mechanic stated, the injector O-rings need replacement then you should do that as if they leak the engine will over fuel.
 
fwebster said:
You mentioned the fuel additive you are using..........SeaFoam. I have nothing against it, but there are better diesel fuel additives. I recommend either Power Service Diesel Kleen+cetane boost or Stanadyne Performance Formula as general diesel additives. In addition to stabilizing fuel, both improve cetane and work to clean injectors and upper cylinders. Cetane in diesel fuel is a lot like octane in gasoline except that it does not change the but content in fuel but it does lower the flash point which helps with starting and accelerating.

Take a look at the Diesel Fuel System Management article I wrote a few years ago.....it is in the club level section at the top of the forum headings on the opening page. I sent a link to the article to you by PM.
Click to expand...

I used Sea Foam for the first time a week or so ago. Since then, numerous people have told me I should have used Power Service, which I will do once I run the Sea Foam through the tanks. I am afraid to put too much additives in the tanks and cause a separate problem. If you think it is okay to run both at the same time, then I will try it. Pumping out a couple hundred gallons of fuel would be a nightmare if it tainted the fuel. I will read the article and keep you updated on what becomes of my soot issue.

Keith
 
NotHerDecision said:
Sorry! I am on my phone so my apologies. I think you’re close enough on that. Frank did mention soot is effectively unburned fuel so with that. I’m thinking it’s turbo related or injector related. Do you know if it’s both engines or just one?
Click to expand...
Both engines smoke about the same.
 
The crime scene said:
I used Sea Foam for the first time a week or so ago. Since then, numerous people have told me I should have used Power Service, which I will do once I run the Sea Foam through the tanks. I am afraid to put too much additives in the tanks and cause a separate problem. If you think it is okay to run both at the same time, then I will try it. Pumping out a couple hundred gallons of fuel would be a nightmare if it tainted the fuel. I will read the article and keep you updated on what becomes of my soot issue.

Keith
Click to expand...

I'm not a chemist, however, one feature of Power Service products is that you cannot over-treat with them. On the other hand, from their online literature, it appears that SeaFoam is little more than a stabilizer with lubricating properties. I doubt that there would be any ill effects from adding Diesel Kleen now. On the other hand, you seem to use your boat regularly, and it is running up to spec, so why not run it a while and wait till you are close to empty then start the full treatment regimen of a biocide, Diesel Kleen and the Stanadyne Lubricity additive when you fill up the next time.
 
fwebster said:
I'm not a chemist, however, one feature of Power Service products is that you cannot over-treat with them. On the other hand, from their online literature, it appears that SeaFoam is little more than a stabilizer with lubricating properties. I doubt that there would be any ill effects from adding Diesel Kleen now. On the other hand, you seem to use your boat regularly, and it is running up to spec, so why not run it a while and wait till you are close to empty then start the full treatment regimen of a biocide, Diesel Kleen and the Stanadyne Lubricity additive when you fill up the next time.
Click to expand...

Thanks Frank. I will stay with SeaFoam until the tanks are closer to empty. I keep you informed.

Keith
 
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