I have recently come up with a way to direct engine fumes and oil mist out of my Cat 34 1992 with an M-35 engine. I attached a small inline strainer to the blow by hose. I removed the metal strainer insert and filled the strainer with steel wool. I then attached a plastic water hose to the exit connection on the strainer and directed the hose to the transom of the boat. I installed a fuel overflow breather to the stern of the boat...it looks just like the fuel overflow for the fuel tank...and connected the hose. Since I have made this modification I no longer have engine fumes lingering down below when motoring and I no longer have an oil mist all over my engine. I came up with this solution when I learned that it was not a good idea to attach the blow by hose to the air filter....could cause a runaway diesel. I can reach around in the cockpit to feel pressure coming out of the overflow breather and I occassionally check the strainer for an accumulation of oil that could block the exit of gases and oil mist. This may be an extreme concern to most people owning catalina's but I have motored hard for as long as 6 days in my voyages and have covered over 10,000 miles in the last few years and the fumes were a problem for my crew and me. I would appreciate any feed back on this subject. Ciao, Bob Fleege
Bob : I don't believe that your M35AC (30hp) engine could become a "run-a-way" engine with the oil pan breather venting into the air breather.
My openion.
I have too agree, with Ron normally aspirated diesels like which we use would not "run away" . Have discussed this with many master diesel techs the only time they have seen this happen is on large powerplants with turbo charge assist. :sleepy: