2007 SO42DS-- Issues after 5 passages

[Valhalla]

Braintrust, we just got our boat to her home port in Rock Hall, MD. We had 5 passages in varying weather conditions and really tested the boat. Several issues occurred that other SO42 owners may have faced. Being new to the boat, everything is new to me. Here goes:

- Bilge pump: I posted the nightmare scenario involving this pump mid last week.

jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/11339/jso-42ds-bilge-pump-nightmare

After my post, the 4 housing screws worked themselves lose again, I tore down the pump, cleaned the screws (and holes) and used Loctite to secure them. No issues since.

-Taking on water under motor: With the bilge slowly filling when the engine is running, I"m guessing there could be an exhaust leak. This will be the first place I'll investigate when I"m back on the boat. Thoughts?

-Diesel in the rear bilge compartments: After the last 30 mile passage with 20kt winds, gusts up to 35 kts and 2-4 ' seas, I smelled a strong diesel smell below. I removed the bilge board in the aft cabin and found small amounts of diesel mixed with water in each compartment. Prior to this passage, I did not smell or see diesel in these compartments. The fuel tank was approximately half full for this passage. My newbie guess is that fuel leaked from the top tank seal where the sensor enters the tank due to being sloshed around under such rough sea conditions. Is this an accurate assumption? I will investigate this seal first when I'm back on the boat.

I don't have much to offer the group about Jeanneau boats just yet, but I've been in the Solar PV/ Energy Storage industry for 17 years and can offer my knowledge on solar and LFP battery choices. Thanks in advance.

[Tafika II]

I hope you are enjoying you SO42DS.
Water under the engine is most probably the exhaust fitting into the wet muffler. Replaced the fitting and use more flexible hose
Fuel may be from a port in the lower, center, starboard side of the tanks. We had a leak there. Tightened and fixed.
We have had our boat since new in LA area. You're welcome to contact me if you want. I'm in Portugal now on holiday, but I will be back next week.

[saltymetals]

While my boat is the 43ds (2004) i had a fuel leak where the filler tube is fixed to the top of the diesel tank. On my boat Jeanneau had not used a diesel-resistant type of washer so it had gone soft and expanded, no longer sealing correctly. You might have the same prblm. 

The exhaust manifold/mixer is another weak spot since the standard Yanmar manifold is welded SS and therefore corrodes at the welds rather quickly. If that is yr prblm then i recommend getting a CAST SS manifold which will last 2-3 times longer.

When closing down for winter it is best to connect a hose to the sea water intake or at the filter bowl and flush the engine with fresh water. This will help reduce corrosion in the SS exhaust system which, certainly on my boat, is an absolute pain to replace. So much so that some owners have simply by-passed it and installed a Vetus unit, leaving the old one in place. 

I suppose you also have the 4JH3-T 75hp Yanmar. or very similar.  I had a water leak of the cooling system into the sump under the engine and it turned out to be the bolt which holds the bracket for the inner end of the support for the alternator. It actually extends inside the engine into the water circuit cavity so if the bolt is not sufficient tight that is where the coolant is dripping from. 

I had two other water leaks. 1) the pressure relief valve of the HW tank. Not sure if you have the newer design but i could not find a source to replace the old valve so stripped it and made a new washer by cutting out a small circle from an old cycle inner tube. You can spot this leak if it is fresh water in the bilge and is hot. I always thought it was condensation from the fridge drain since the two sources are joined together and arrive as one tube at the bilge. It was when i found it hot that i realised it was not fridge condensation. 2) a fresh water leak from aft of the stern tube. Some owners have had trouble with the hull joint under the white rubber strip at base of the transom so would be sea water. . On my boat it was simply rain water running down the steering pedestal and seeping in through the joint with the bolted on base. A few minutes treatment with Capt Tolley's Creeping Crack cure fixed that.   
Enjoy yr 42ds

Andrew