When you say that you put in the "correct" amount of oil when you changed it, did you fill it so that the oil level was in the correct range on the dipstick at that time? This was before or after your trip? Splashing oil on the dipstick by cranking the engine tells you almost nothing, or did you mean that the dipstick reads correctly from that point forward until you start the engine again? i.e. wipe off the dipstick with a rag, put it in, take it out, read the level, and it is ok? If not then the level is too low, unless you really believe that you have the wrong dipstick. If it were me, I would not make that assumption. Blue smoke normally means that the engine is burning lubricating oil, so it is reasonable to expect the oil level to drop after a long run under that condition. The good news is that if an engine has been sitting for a long time, it may burn oil for a while until the rings loosen up and re-seat, and then run with little or no visible smoke. Fresh oil helps too, of course, and you say that the smoke situation has improved, so it should burn less oil in the future.
Steve Thomas C&C27 MKIII ---- Glenn Henderson via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > I have a 3JH4E on my 41. Strangely, after the engine sits, the dipstick > for the oil reads nothing unless I "bump" the starter. Then it reads > normal. I changed the filter and the oil so I know there is the proper > amount of oil. It just freaks me out to see a dry dipstick after running > the engine a lot. Has any one else experienced this? > Also, I have a light blue (not much) smoke in operation. I added the proper amount of "Gumount" fuel additive and it stops. I wonder if that is telling me anything? I just bought the boat in May and sailed it to Tampa Bay using the engine quite a bit and she did great. Glenn Henderson C&C 41 WeGo _______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray