1986 Hunter 34 "My First Big Sailboat"

[chrisrezba]

My boat doesn't have a tachometer. Is this uncommon for a diesel ? I don't even see where it should or would have been if it had originally come with one. If you have one on a similar boat could you please tell me where yours is located?

Thank you

 

[Mark48]

I have a tach, in the instrument cluster on my 85, but no hour meter.

 

[cjfj]

Same on my '83. Tach is in the instrument cluster on the port side. No hr meter yet, will install with the rebuilt eng

 

[srhummer]

My '85 34 has a tach in the instrament pannel in the cockpit. I also have an eng hour meter but it looks like an add on by PO. I looked but I don't have a photo of the tach.

 

[Mark48]

I will add that a tach is fairly essential in monitoring your engine performance along with the temp gage.

 

[dcalif]

I have a tach on my 85 h34. (pic attached) In the Yanmar service manual it shows two panels, one with, one without a tach. I also don't have an hour meter.

 

[kloudie1]

That is interesting, all the 34's I have seen have had the tach in the panel, just as Dcalif shows in the picture. someone must have changed it? On mine, I mounted an hourmeter and a voltmeter in the plain fiberglass just to the right of the panel pictured.

 

[YVRguy]

I am the same as most others - the tach is located next to the ignition down low on the port side. I have an engine hour meter mounted on the side of the companionway. It was installed by the P.O.

As an aside, I've been questioned by many people why my Yanmar 3GM doesn't have a glow plug for starting. Apparently most do? Interested to know if other 34 owners do and if it's something worth retrofitting. Cold starting can be a little smokey not having one.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Same as the others. Tach on engine panel. I installed hour meter, digital voltmeter and digital ammeter next to electrical panel inside main cabin. As for glow plugs, I have never seen any of the GM series with them. Cold start does seem to be a problem for me.

 

[chrisrezba]

Thank you everyone, That was very helpful…

 

[chrisrezba]

As you all know, this is my 1st Big Sailboat. I am getting ready to splash it for what I think might be the 1st time in over 8 years. After getting the engine ready to the best of my ability I did a short few minute run test on the hard. Everything seen to check out ok. Next week I plan to take her down the ICW for a 30+ mile trip but before I go I plan on letting her run for around 30 minutes at the dock. Have any of you ever had over heating problems with yours?

Thank you

 

[splax]

Chris,
Overheating is a problem at times. The main culprits are clogged sea strainer, broken pump impeller, clogged through-hull, or a clogged heat exchanger. Sometimes people get confused or forget to open the raw water through-hull valve for the engine.
A really good thing is that the engine can be forgiving, and after the temperature alarm sounds there is usually a few minutes before permanent damage.
Please read and become familiar with the engine manual instructions for operation and the cautions it contains.
I have experienced both a clogged through-hull, by a small fish, and having the valve closed while running the engine. If you have a broken impeller the pieces go to the heat exchanger, which definitely causes issues.

 

[Allan12210]

I've also had a clogged mixing elbow inlet fitting. That's the 3/8" bronze elbow or nipple that screws into the cast iron exhaust outlet. Pull the hose off and stick a screwdriver inside to ream it out just to be sure.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Glow Plugs...

As said, the GM series didn't have glow plugs to facilitate a cold start. One trick I've used is to aim a hair dryer's output on high into the air box nozzle while cranking an engine on a very cold day. Starts quicker than nothing at all.

DON'T USE AN ETHER-BASED SPRAY STARTER!

 

[splax]

Another item of concern is the 1/2" through-hull opening. I had my intake hose, through-hull and valve changed to 3/4", which doubles the opening and halves the work the pump does getting the water to the heat exchanger.

 

[chrisrezba]

Thanks Guys. Your replays were very helpful

 

[Don Lucas]

I have a tach on my engine panel. It evens works about 20% of the time

 

[kloudie1]

Indeed, Don.. mine works probably 30% and is very inaccurate to boot.. but it keeps the rain out of that hole!

 

[sailboss]

I'd let the engine run much longer than 30 minutes. My 1986 34 consistently ran for over 45 minutes before overheating. And that was in warm Florida Keys water with a seized raw water pump shaft! Tie it to the dock firmly with good rendering and run it in gear at 3000 rpm for 45 minutes. Then you will have a better test.