# Black fluid in bilge



## Bahia Mike (May 17, 2016)

Was out on the boat last night getting the excess water out of the bilge before Hurricane Newton swung by for a visit. Once the water was below the aft hole in the bilge, a decent amount of black fluid began flowing into the bilge. Any idea what is happening here?


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Bahia Mike said:


> Was out on the boat last night getting the excess water out of the bilge before Hurricane Newton swung by for a visit. Once the water was below the aft hole in the bilge, a decent amount of black fluid began flowing into the bilge. Any idea what is happening here?


Mike, Follow it upstream to the source. Is it oil? leaky exhaust riser? rotting wood? Mold? Any odor to it?


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Could be oil, hydraulic oil or diesel fuel, they all can look like that when mixed with bilge water.


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## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

If you have a Perkins, it' probably 40 weight oil.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

That made me laugh Ave, I have a Perkins 4.108, and the black in my bilge is oil... lots of puppy pads.


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## jerryrlitton (Oct 14, 2002)

Arcb said:


> That made me laugh Ave, I have a Perkins 4.108, and the black in my bilge is oil... lots of puppy pads.


With my 108 I just add oil and change filters now and then. What's an oil change? BTW I line my drip pan with diapers.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Micro organisms can thrive in your bilge. They show up as black mixed with bilge water. They stink to high heaven (smell your fingers after you've dipped them in the stuff), so if you've got them you'll know it. Drain and clean your bilge and do not let engine oil or diesel drip into it and you won't have the problem.
If it's not this organism, then you have an oil leak (have you been adding oil a lot lately?) or a PO just drained it into the bilge when changing oil.
Dish soap and water will clean up most of it and bilge cleaner should do the rest. A clean bilge is a happy bilge. lol


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

as your stuff looks thick, add pads under engine, lots of soap after, and a long handled scrub brush with hose and bilge pumps working simultaneously. yeah i did this every 6 months since my runaway diesel incident-- stuff finds gawdawful places in which to stagnate while hiding in wait for you to clean your bilges....
they got some awesome stinky soaps in mexico--i usually choose jardin de rosas or lavendra, best smells i have found yet. some like pinol or primavera. many odors for many tastes.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

My best bilge cleaning technique is to dump a mix of Chlorox bleach and Dawn dish detergent in the bilge, allow a day or two for it to slosh around with the wave action, then rinse it clean using the hose and bilge pump. Yeah, I know, it's not politically correct or environmental friendly, but it works very well, at least for me. What the Hell, I've never been politically correct or environmentally friendly. When I die, they'll probably place my body in a hazardous waste facility, encased in a lead tomb. 

Good Luck,

Gary


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## oldlaxer1 (Mar 27, 2008)

These work great and are cheap. 
https://www.newpig.com/pig-oil-only-absorbent-mat-tablet/p/TLS751


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Hey Mike, inquiring minds want to know; what was it?


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## SloopJonB (Jun 6, 2011)

travlin-easy said:


> My best bilge cleaning technique is to dump a mix of Chlorox bleach and Dawn dish detergent in the bilge, allow a day or two for it to slosh around with the wave action, then rinse it clean using the hose and bilge pump. Yeah, I know, it's not politically correct or environmental friendly, but it works very well, at least for me. What the Hell, I've never been politically correct or environmentally friendly. When I die, they'll probably place my body in a hazardous waste facility, encased in a lead tomb.
> 
> Good Luck,
> 
> Gary


Don't put bleach in a bilge with stainless steel keel bolts - major problems may result.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I don't have any keel bolts in the bilge.

Gary


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