help my poor engine

[blueskyonmars]

Hay its the camels
ok well the engine is a Sabb and thats not a typo i wish it was. So far we have pulled the injectors 6 times to prime , bulb prime ,crank prime and the electric fuel pump prime, checked the glow plugs they are all hot at proper voltage. we did replace the mech fuel pump with a electric. the mech died while crossing the gulf. We had a bit of bio foul in the tank that killed our raycore and secondary filters. first dirty diesel problem was noticed after we left Xclac we prodded under sail to Isla mujeras 3 knots all the way ugg. ok we pumped out the 46 gallons in isla ran it threw a 3 stage filter to polish( did this 4 time before reintroducing to tank we had some water and the dreaded black goo of death. we ended up getting a Mexican mech to get her started in isla but the english to spanish did help me understand the issue at all i was just happy to hear her purr again. So we started our gulf crossing hit 14 ft waves got tossed and yet the engine kept purring along. filters remained good . we shut her off for an hour every day and checked everything lubed the trany and the v pitch prop. but she always started rite up. so we get into port in offets bayou Galveston. needles to say after the crossign we were both trashed we dont have auto pilot so its hard core shifts. Any way we slept on land at my moms house came back to the boat 12 hours later and she would not start at all turn over just fine but no fire. then we got hit by Ike so that slowed up up a bit Galatea made it just fine. So thats where we are trapped in Galveston untill we make enough money to pay a mech or fix it our selves. i have made one big mistake i am not a diesel mechanic yet but i am learning. so what do you all think ready to hear from everyone that has an idea.

[bubb2]

Sounds to me like you have air in the fuel line. Start at the injectors and bleed the system back to the tank. It also could be the fuel pump gave up the ghost. Either way you need to start by making sure you are getting fuel to the injectors.

[boatpoker]

Bubb2 is right however as you are not experienced a little more detail may help. Follow your fuel lines from the injection pump to the injectors to find the one furthest from the pump (longest fuel line usually) There is a nut around the fuel line at the injector ... loosen this nut about 1/2 to 3/4 turn and have someone crank the engine while you watch around the nut. Fuel should squirt out around the nut. If you see any air bubbles in the fuel keep cranking until it is gone. Tighten the nut while the engine is still cranking (avoids sucking air back in). You MUST wear safety goggles while watching the nut as fuel pressure is extreme and the fuel can penetrate skin and eyes in some circumstances. Good luck.

[blueskyonmars]

all right this is what i have done so far. the mechanical fuel pump died, i replaced that with a electric. i could not get the oem because the engine is a sabb Norwegian diesel. I will change this as soon as i can afford a re power. i started at the manual and primed the way directed. i put a blister pump in feed line directly out of the tank primed to point of good solid fuel from each cracked injectors as well as points listed to crack in manual. i have done this 4 time once a friend did this while i was up top cranking to prime still no more air was found. called a friend that is a gass marine mechanic he messed with it and could not find air. he could not understand why she will not light either( i am not a mechanically inclined guy unfortunately) i disabled the electric shut off and tied a string to the fuel cut off lever. i thought that if the shut down switch went bad or the electric pin thing that blocks fuel broke that could stop cause the problem.I don"t remember the frikin name of the part) i might want to mention i have been sailing for 15 years but this is my first boat,had her for a year and a half. out cruising with no big problem for 8 months.

i have not pulled the lines i am worried about no being able to get them back on properly. would one clogged fule line completely kill the engine ? Oh i am sorry she is a 30hp 4 cyl

i was also wandering if this could cause this bear with me i cant post a photo yet i am to new so ill try to explain. i have a metal thing coming out of the back of my heat exchanger ( the one on the tip of the engine) it kinda looks like an exhaust lowering unit but its got a sensor and a water line going to it from the oil cooler. this attaches to the part of the exhaust that s a plastic box that catches water ( i forgot the name of this as well) then goes to the exhaust threw hull. wel the metal exhaust lowering thing is rusted on the bottom and appears to be a bit crushed in. Could this be the killer that is not allowing her to light? i started thinking that it could be like a potato in the tail pipe. but it does not look like it is completely crushed in adn when i turn her over i can hear water running down to the plastic box thing.
sorry everyone for all this forgotten terms.

[boatpoker]

One clogged fuel line should not stop the other three from firing. It still sounds like an air leak to me. Have you changed the fuel filter ? Do you have the filter gasket seated properly ? Is your fuel shut-off a cable to a manual lever or is it a solenoid type ? It is also possible that you have bad rings causing your compression to be so low that there is not enough to ignite the fuel. A cracked head or head gasket could have the same effect. Have you checked your oil or coolant (have a heat exchanger ?) for contamination ?
PS. I think you mean "SAAB".

[bubb2]

OK if she getting fuel, pull that air filter! Check and make sure it is clean! Diesels only need 3 things to run, air, fuel, and compression.

[Rockter]

It looks like the fuel contamination could be the problem again. If your tank has an inspection hatch on it, sample the fuel from deep in the tank. Is it mucky?

Alternatively you have drawn some air. I am puzzled. From perfect running to no running at all. That sounds like air, but you said you had an electrical charge pump (like my boat also) so if there is a leak that normally means fuel leaking out and not air in. Try leaving the electrical charge pump on for 20 minutes to pressurise the system. Do you see fuel leaking out?

Can you take a picture of the motor and explain what you believe has happened. I cannot decipher it from your description.

[US27inKS]

You can also fire the engine on WD-40 to make sure it's a fuel problem and not low compression. Spray some down the intake and crank it up. If it won't fire on WD-40, you need to get with a diesel mech and get the compression checked.

[blueskyonmars]

I have tried the old w d trick. And yes its not saab it sabb. I have photos of the engine. but i can not put them on here because i am new. cracked head gasket or rings. that sound like a really major problem. On the compression check can i get a tool to get a reading on the compression?

[boatpoker]

Yes, if the rings are worn a compression test will show that. If the head gasket or head is cracked you will find oil in the coolant or water in the oil and this should be very easy to see.