Carbon Monoxide

J

jeb

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2009
RO Number
31900
Messages
11
Folks,

Got a Mid 90's Santego 310. When underway at cruising speed, I have no issues with CO. But at idle and at very low speed (under 5MPH) the CO alarms go off. Even if all the back Sliding windows are off and the side windows are open for a little cross flow ventilation.

Its as if slowly, CO makes it through the bilge area and gets into the cabin or something.

Does anyone else have issues with this?

Sometimes at the dock I just want to fire the engines up in the winter time to run them for a while (I like to run the engines in the Winter a couple times a month if its sitting in the slip to full operating temperature). With everything closed up, in about 10minutes, I get the CO alarm going off.

What do you do to help reduce this situation from occurring?

I installed a small fan that sucks air from the outside (through window) to try to get fresh air in. This only delayed the CO alarm. But I still get CO into the cabin.

Any thoughts/experiences on this?

-J
 
Sounds like you have an exhaust leak and it's seeping up into the salon.

Bob
 
I can see exhaust being pulled back in while moving with a back door open but you should be able to run the engines at the dock with out the CO alarms going of.
I too think you have an exhaust leak, better fix that if you want to spend any time on the boat inside with engines and/or genny running!

Cor
 
I'll see if I can find a leak. I'm wondering if its just from blow-by with the engine and out the breather? Or maybe that wouldn't produce enough to worry about.
 
I think you have an exhaust leak, not a blow by problem. The leak can be anywhere but I suspect a manifold or riser gasket. Could be a hole in the manifold or riser itself.

Whatever, CO is a very dangerous gas so you really need to find the source before you run the boat any more.

Bob
 
How old are your manifold and risers, maybe time to think about replacing them with some new ones. You never wait for them to fail, replace them every couple of years, the engine damage they can cause is much more then the cost of some new m&r's.

Cor
 
quote:
Originally posted by sabrejocky

How old are your manifold and risers, maybe time to think about replacing them with some new ones. You never wait for them to fail, replace them every couple of years, the engine damage they can cause is much more then the cost of some new m&r's.

Cor

Click to expand...


I'm in fresh water, not salt; so the breakdown rate isn't as bad. But I've never replaced them since I've had the boat (only 3 years). I did pull the risers off and inspect, resurface the mating surface and put on new gaskets. The risers, manifold and water/exhaust ports look really good - probably because its a fresh water boat.

-J
 
Still you have an exhaust leak some where and if you have the m&r of I would have replaced them. The manufactures say they are only good for 3 years and by the time you have they resurfaced you just as well get new ones.

But as others have said here you NEED to find the source of the leak! this stuff can kill you!

Cor
 
how old are the co detectors? i think they should be replaced every 5 years or something like that.
 
quote:
Originally posted by btoran

how old are the co detectors? i think they should be replaced every 5 years or something like that.

Click to expand...


Replaced them about 2 years ago. So they are new.

I'll see about replacing the manifolds this year...and I'll try to track down where the leak is coming from. Maybe...I might try running one engine at a time to see if I can isolate if its the port or starboard engine that's the culprit :-)

-J
 
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