After Winter Start Up

[Soggy Paws]

Life is good, got to put the boat in the water last week. She started up just fine. I let the 18 hp Yanmar Diesel warm up while I disconected the extension bar and then moved the trailer up to the parking area (about 15 minutes). Everything was fine. As I backed out of the ramp area, then turned the boat and gave her a little gas to get going she stalled. This happened several times. Everytime I pushed the throttle forward she would stall out. I did not get very far out of the marina and put her in her slip. Unfortunately I did not have time to really delve into the problem. I did not want to troubleshoot the problem on the spot since I knew my time would be limited, if I found something serious.Water was pumping out as it was supposed to. I filled the tank before I hauled her out. Any thoughts on where to start? I think it is just a fuel problem. Could be a plugged fuel filter (changed the oil and filter but not the fuel filter). Could be air in the lines, who knows. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Mike

 

[Ross]

Do you start with a wide open throttle?

Or do you start in idle? The only thing that it can be is fuel. Pull and release the stop handle several times work the throttle several times. Start the engine with the throttle wide open and back it down as the engine comes up to speed. Check the sediment bowl on you fuel filter.

 

[filthy liberal scum]

sounds like a fuel problem

i would chance the filter or filters as the case may be. also if you have a water seperator make sure there isn't any in it.one other thought. check your intake filter to make sure a critter did'nt make a nest in the filter housing.S/V Que Pasa?

 

[Maine Sail]

Sounds..

Sounds like a typical fuel filter problem.. Change both the primary and secondary, bleed the system and try again. I change mine every spring regardless of condition as it's very cheap insurance. If your tank is dirty you may want to change the primary after rough motor sailing or have your tank cleaned. Oh, and don't use a 2 micron primary they will plug much faster than a 10 or a 30!!

 

[DAVID10910]

Drive train

I second the filter suggestions. You may also want to check your drive train for an obstruction. You mentioned putting it in gear stalls the engine. With the engine off place the transmission in neutral and try to turn the shaft by hand to see if is free.

 

[sailaway78]

Fuel Filter

Ditto on the fuel filter.

 

[Joseph Shirley]

Some good suggestions here

I would imagine that it was OK when you stored it, so everyone has hit the logical problems that could have developed over the winter. Now one more thing. Even though you have water flow, check your exhaust. You might have a partial birds nest in there.Joe S

 

[Ross]

Will the engine run up to speed in neutral?

I started and ran my engine for several minutes on thursday, tranny in neutral, throttle ranging from idle to wide open. It took a little while to warm up and respond to throttle changes quickly but after 5 months of just sitting I wasn't concerned.

 

[sailaway78]

Just curious

I am just curious. Do you up north guys who pull your boats for the winter, not change the fuel filters as part of your spring splash. Even though we sail year round down here, I have a yearly ritual, done each spring, where I kind of go over the boat. Check and tighten belts, check hoses and clamps etc. Part of this is to change the fuel filters. No matter if they have given no problems, I just automatically do it. I do not change the little Yanmar engine mounted filter every year, but I do change the others. Awfully cheap insurance for a year of sailing with hopefully no problems. Have never had a fuel filter problem as long as I have been doing this.

 

[Ross]

N&E, I have lived around engines all my life and

if the sediment bowl is clean then the filters are also clean. If there is any trash in the sediment bowl then the filters get changed. There is a contractors diesel tank outside the shop at our marina. It has a large filter on the hose side of the pump. That is always the first line of defence. I have fine mesh screens on the jerry can spout and in my funnel. That is my second line of defence. I use a glass bowl and cartridge filter mounted on a bulkhead and a volvo filter on the engine. I pay attention to everything but I don't change filters by the calender.

 

[sailaway78]

Me too Ross

I used to build race motors for several nationally ranked motorcycle racers. When at that level there is nothing too small or insignificant to over look. Maybe just some more of my anal habits. But both filters on my boat cost about ten bucks, and take about ten minutes to change. I just make it part of the yearly ritual. I also probably put significantly more hours on my engine. When the draw bridge was closed/busted last year, it was a full day of motoring to get out of Lake Ponchatrain, and into the gulf. Under normal circumstances it takes at least a couple of hours of motoring, to get out. So I probably do put a lot more engine hours on than some of you guys.

 

[Ross]

I burned 7 gallons of fuel all of last season

The prices are gonna kill me this year. ;D

 

[higgs]

Possiblility

While most diesel problems are fuel related, be sure to check your tank vent to make sure no insects took up residence in the off season.

 

[Dave from Mi.]

Reply to N+E

Hi;I used to change filters in the fall when the boat was put away. Changed oil and filter in fall also. Did not want contaminated oil setting in engine all winter or a saturated filter over the winter. Since I installed a vacume gauge on the Racor, I skip the fuel filter change if the bowl is clear and I have good readings on the guage. The vacume gauge has already paid for itself in not changing filters that were not even close to dirty. I mounted the gauge with the rest of the engine instruments, so I can observe it from the helm.We put 40-80 hours per season on our Universal M25XP. I believe you should put the boat away in the winter in condition so that it is ready to sail with just the opening of thru hulls when you splash in the spring. I may put off the wax job until the spring if the boat still looks good in the fall.Fair windsDave

 

[ITMaster]

Ross, I'm like you

And don't change my filters according to calendar, yet according to engine hours. We are lucky enough here in the southern part of the bay to not get a freeze, and I am enough of an addict for sailing that I go out all winter, so we keep the boat in the water and take it out. If the air temp is in the upper 40's, that's what a dodger, connector, bimini and warm clothing and gear is make for and we go. So, I keep the engine fired up and running year round and don't usually deal with this. I just guess I am lucky. Did it snow this year? How did you manage to burn 7 gallons, spend a lot of time on the hook?

 

[Ross]

ITMaster, We power out of our slip and under the Amtrak bridge

And set the sails. Nancy is chary about doing the channel without the engine but if the wind is good we shut down and sail to our destination always an anchorage. Nancy like to anchor under power so we fire up the Swedish Jib to anchor. When we leave if the anchor comes up easily and the wind is light Nancy is comfortable sailing off the anchor. We have learn that 4 to 4.5 knots costs half as much as 5-5.5 knots for fuel consumption. Since we aren't in a hurry we motor slowly. look at the speed-horse power-fuel comsumption curves. My hull speed is about 6.5 knots and demands nearly 23 horse power. 4 knots demands 4-4.5 horse power. Diesels burn about 285 grams of fuel per horse power per hour. The arithmatic isn't too hard to do and the decision is easy. edit to add: we spend anything from a night to a week on the hook. Often different anchorages each night. Our power demands are very low. Three days on the hook don't deplete the battery by more than 2 volts.

 

[Soggy Paws]

Fuel Issue Solved

Finally got back to the boat this weekend. Changed the fuel filter. It looked pretty clean, but for 8 bucks, why not change it. Made sure there was no air in the system. Started up like a jewel. Not sure if it was the filter (although I think it was not) or just air in the system. Either way it runs just fine now. Thanks for the suggestions.