How to destroy a diesel in one easy step...

[Capt Len]

Maybe needs a bigger elbow and or more cooling water going thru it to keep the deposit from forming. If it were mine I'd put in a heat ex and solve it .Engine would probably thank you.

[davidpm]

I just had a long conversation today with an experienced diesel mechanic and he said it is important to mix coolant 50/50 before putting it in the engine. He said if you pour in one gal of straight coolant the a gal of water it will not mix properly in the engine and the engine can rust and or freeze.
I thought that was not obvious.

[CruiseICW]

There is some good info on this thread, but some things on here make me shudder. My 20 HP Beta Marine diesel has 400 hours and I am doing everything I can to try and make her last many, many years.

[MedSailor]

Originally Posted by CruiseICW

There is some good info on this thread, but some things on here make me shudder. My 20 HP Beta Marine diesel has 400 hours and I am doing everything I can to try and make her last many, many years.

A collection of things that make you shudder is exactly what I was after in this thread. I wanted to collect the mistakes that are easily avoided that will suddenly and irreparably destroy the expensive iron monster in the bilge.

Congradulations on your new engine. Please do me a favor. Have a normal conversation down below while it's on. That's all. When you do, think of me wishing I had ear protection for my Perkins.

Try not to get too worried about your diesel and your maintenance of it. Whenever I read Nigel Caulder's books I feel like a bad parent. It seems the the ideal maintenance schedule would have me NEVER actually out cruising. Try and remember though that diesels really are robust. Good/fanatical maintenance may mean the difference between 7 and 10K hours, and shoddy vs decent maintenance may mean the difference between 4-7Khrs but they will all run for a long time on whatever modicum of maintenance and love you give them...... as long as you don't destroy them with a big mistake.

I try to learn what big mistakes to avoid and try to enjoy my boat and not sweat the details of maintenance too much.

MedSailor

[eherlihy]

Originally Posted by erps

It was a little Kubota 2 cyl (Westerbeke). We sailed it into Bellingham, where I mocked up a new alternator bracket out of cardboard, took it to a local machine shop and they had a new replacement bracket cut out in about a half hour. Then I marinetexed the the timing belt cover back together and ran her that way for another four years.

Westerbeke / Universal takes Kubota engines, and marinizes them.. The Universal M25 was notorious for shaking the alternator, leading to a crack in the timing case and oil in the bilge

The whole story is listed here..

[smurphny]

Treat it too good by running at low rpm. With a Yanmar, This will surely result in glazed piston walls and a low hour smoker requiring a hone and re-ring...ding, ding, ding.

[montenido]

Hi all,

The boat I just sold was prevented from overheating in the following way by the previous owners:

After forgeting to open the cooling seacock and causing some damage, they ALWAYS put the ignition keys on the handle for the seacock. That way you could not start the engine without touching (and opening) the cooling water. I adopted their practice and never forgot to open the cooling line before starting the motor. Also, I replace the impeller every year. Very cheap insurance against some of the problems discussed here.

Cheers, Bill

[brokesailor]

Running your engine with a bypass oil filter system. Take it out before it springs a leak and you destroy your engine while running with insufficient oil pressure.

[-OvO-]

Originally Posted by davidpm

I just had a long conversation today with an experienced diesel mechanic and he said it is important to mix coolant 50/50 before putting it in the engine. He said if you pour in one gal of straight coolant the a gal of water it will not mix properly in the engine and the engine can rust and or freeze.
I thought that was not obvious.

What if you pour in a quart of coolant, then a quart of water, then a quart of coolant, then a quart of water, then a quart of coolant...

[MarcHall]

Have your transmission seize outside of Ensenada on the way to Baja Naval for a bottom job.

Have the folks at Baja Naval remove the transmission and send it to the states to be rebuilt.

Have the folks at Baja Naval reinstall the transmission with the pressure plate installed backwards.

Run the engine for 16 hours.

Result 1 seized Yanmar 4JHE.

Try to get to the friendly folks at Baja Naval to cover the cost of the rebuilt diesel - fruitless.

Repower the boat with a new Yanmar 4JHE - a few thousand more then rebuild.

Marc Hall
Crazy Fish, Crealock 37, Hull 207