Progress Report..
Mechanic showed up at 13:20. Took a look at the fuel lines.. Yep they are leaking. Where are my wrenches… About 15 minutes later, “Let’s starter up…” Cranking… Little fuel and putt putt VROOM! She began to purr like a cat.. A big cat.. “Shutter down… We got another leak… “. A little wrenching… “Starter up…” Vroom..
Have not heard that start up Vroom for nearly 21 months.
It was 18 March 2022, that is first discovered the issue with the broken injector holddowns. There was the Injector service.
Then a starter motor fail. Next the engine seized. It became a question. Do I repower with a new motor or try to rebuild the Perkins. Still not knowing what damage had occurred to the pistons or block, August 2022 we began to take the transmission out of the boat and had it rebuilt.
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The engine removal followed, My best friend
@LeslieTroyer volunteered to help.
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We cut a portion of the bulkhead so we could squeeze out the engine from its bed. While the pistons were frozen in the cylinders, the rest of the block was in good shape. The decision to rebuild was reached in October 2022. Anticipating that the rebuild would happen over the winter ther was hope I could be back on the water by March 2023. The rebuild started mid November, then when nearly complete the mechanic left on a 10 day winter vacation. When he came back the engine had gotten damp in his shop . Due to rust on the parts that needed to be shiny, he had to rebuild it a second time.
We had hoped to install the transmission and engine in the boat in boat during a break in the February 2023 weather. On the hard, I got the bottom sanded, blisters treated and a new paint job. Also a couple of through hulls were replaced. With the engine out of boat it was a good time to look a the stuffing box. I discovered that the shaft was corroding.
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Time to address a new shaft and while at it, decided to install a dripless shaft seal and cutlass bearing. The engine was still not running.
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Rather than sit on the hard, I splashed the boat till we could figure out why the engine would not start.
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Finally the mechanic nursed the engine to life, June 2023.
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Again we pull the boat out of the water. Reinstall the engine and transmission.
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Still we were not out of the woods. In retuning the boat to the raw water pump failed. Tracked down a replacement pump in California. The old pump was removed while we awaited the new pump shipment. Unknown to the mechanic or me, water started to siphon from the shaft log, through the heat exchanger, through the engine, and out the raw water pump hose. I was gone from the boat for 7 days. In that time over a thousand gallons tried to sink my boat. With the help of the Marina staff we were able to pump the water out and stop the problem. A clean up ensued. Batteries that had been submerged, some tools and boat parts that were damaged were replaced.
After all of that, the sound of my newly rebuilt diesel sounded so sweet. The mechanic said it was 66 warranty time. What? Yes… 6 minutes or 6 feet which ever comes first.
I could not wait any longer. I made the boat ready and united the lines this afternoon about 14:15 14 December 2023. Hadley purred as we slipped out of the marina. It was the first time I could really run the engine. I ran it a varying RPM’s to get it warm and set the rings. She purred smoothly through out the experience. I stood at the helm grinning like a Cheshire Cat. I had to cut my fun time a little short as the mist and drizzle was bringing in a layer of fog. No reason to get caught out in the sound in the fog.
I got back to the slip and tied up. Concerned about being a bit rusty, backing into the slip no wind or current it came back like riding a bike.
It was a great Christmas gift I received today..
Merry Christmas to all you sailors.
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