Yanmar 2GM Engine Questions

[ChrisHunter]

I have a 92 Hunter 30-2 with a Yanmar 2GM20F engine. On a yearly basis, I change the oil, oil filter, impeller. Every couple years I do change the air filter and transmission oil and fuel filter. Now that the engine is 30 years old, what additional service should I look at during the winter months?

The boat is in on a fresh water lake.

Cheers and have a good holiday

 

[Davidasailor26]

How many hours does it have?

Replacing the coolant would be one item that I’d add to your more routine list.

Depending on engine hours the next more significant tasks would be checking valve clearance, injector condition, and exhaust elbow. The YM service manual says to check the exhaust elbow every 250 hours and the injectors and valves every 1000; the GM is probably similar.

 

[Justin_NSA]

The 2GM in my '92 30T is in the same "boat". My routine is similar. Not so often on the air filter or impellor though. I have a SpeedSeal on my waterpump so I do a visual on the impellor for cracks. I did replace the exhaust elbow with a stainless steel one. Wasn't anything wrong come to find out, but one less thing to go wrong. My position is to establish a baseline when buying something used.
My biggest surprise after I bought her was the state of the coolant. The over flow tank looked like mud. Somewhere on here I posted my steps on flushing the engine and heat exchanger.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Somewhere on here I posted my steps on flushing the engine and heat exchanger.

A+++ on coolant changes. Always use only distilled water as a mix tp 50/50. I do mine every second year as it saves draining all the coolant from the domestic hot water heater. In this way you are slowly removing the older coolant from the hoses and water heater but without all the hassle of removing the air before starting.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

You may also want to inspect your fuel hoses near the engine for aging. At 24 years in the engine compartment, mine were getting hard but still would not crack with a 180 deg. bend. Out they went. All water hoses had been replaced several years earlier.

 

[jssailem]

My position is to establish a baseline when buying something used.

 

[ChrisHunter]

Thanks for the great suggestions. I will add these to the winter chores. Must admit, I do not have an hour gauge on my Hunter but expect the total hours to be less than 1K.

As more ideas come up, please add them to the list.

Cheers

 

[jssailem]

I do not have an hour gauge on my Hunter

This is an easy fix. Wire a clock (Hobbs meter) to the key switch. Every time you turn on the engine the clock will run giving you feed back when your memory gets foggy.

They come available in digital or analog. I prefer the analog version.


If your 2012 Hunter is like the car owned by the "Little Old Lady from Pasadena" who only took her hot rod out on Sundays to go to church, 11 years X 60 days a year of sailing and 3 hours on average of engine run time would be just shy of 2,000 hours. Your usage could vary.

 

[Tally Ho]

3 hours an outing seems like a lot (at least to me)… I have never seen Lake Lanier, but I assume you can push off and set sail.

My marina location on Lake Michigan requires me to motor out of the marina and set sails in about 15 minutes or less. Same coming back in…

Occasionally I have been stranded out when the wind died or a storm blew in… but 3 hours of motoring still sounds like a lot on an inland lake.



Greg

 

[jssailem]

Greg, the thinking is 1.5 hours out or back to the slip. It could be 45min. It is a simple approach to estimating engine time.

 

[Tally Ho]

Greg, the thinking is 1.5 hours out or back to the slip. It could be 45min. It is a simple approach to estimating engine time.

It just seems like a lot for people close to open water….need OP to let us know how far from his slip he typically turns off the engine.

Merry Christmas

Greg

 

[jssailem]

Merry Christmas Greg

 

[Art12050]

I’d add checking your heat exchange for any corrosion in the tubes if you’ve never done it.
Also, as Davidasailor mentioned, your fuel injection system, including the injector pump. Great tip on checking the mixing elbow also.