My diesel engine is a nightmare. It only starts when cold. When I motor out for a sail, then sail around a bit, I have to wait till the engine cools off to start her. Then when it starts up, it will cut off again when the engine temperature rises to 165 (started at 120 or less) which is about 5 minutes. This happens religously-- so I go into port under sail and turn the engine on at the last approach so i have some time to dock. What could be causing this? I have had starting problems with a warm engine that no sailor or mechanic around here has solved and now I am having these "temperature-related" running problems once I start the engine. The engine's running temperature is between 160-180 depending on RPM. The motor starts to throttle down once it reaches that 165 until it dies (and I can't throttle it up to keep it going). My boat is a 1990 Catalina 30 with a Universal M3-20 Diesel (Kubota made engine). Joe
Diesel Engine Problems
- Thread starter PrincessCat
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Joe, did you check your manual or with the
builders of your stuff? That's freaky. Almost sounds as if you have some kind of sensor installed that shuts down your engine if it overheats. I have a oil pressure sensor on my Kabota tractor that will shut off the engine when it has no oil pressure. I don't know about temp though.
builders of your stuff? That's freaky. Almost sounds as if you have some kind of sensor installed that shuts down your engine if it overheats. I have a oil pressure sensor on my Kabota tractor that will shut off the engine when it has no oil pressure. I don't know about temp though.
Are you sure it is temp related?
If you run the engine at the dock, does it behave the same way? Or are you pulling stuff out of the bottom of the tank after sailing and clogging filters? When mine was lossing RPM, and stalling, it ran fine at the dock. After sailing, on in choppy water I had trouble. Had the tank and fuel cleaned.
If you run the engine at the dock, does it behave the same way? Or are you pulling stuff out of the bottom of the tank after sailing and clogging filters? When mine was lossing RPM, and stalling, it ran fine at the dock. After sailing, on in choppy water I had trouble. Had the tank and fuel cleaned.
Joe, two things come to mind
First, Is your tank vent blocked? You might be getting a vacuum lock in the tank in that period of time. Second, When the engine cut's off, do you still hear the fuel pump clicking? The fuel lift pump is mounted to the engine and might be overheating and shuting down. Pat McCartin Inland Marine Diesel Atlanta, GA
First, Is your tank vent blocked? You might be getting a vacuum lock in the tank in that period of time. Second, When the engine cut's off, do you still hear the fuel pump clicking? The fuel lift pump is mounted to the engine and might be overheating and shuting down. Pat McCartin Inland Marine Diesel Atlanta, GA
Joe: Almost sounds like fuel starvation. I don't think the temp has anything to do with it as 160 is just about normal and maybe a little below normal. At the bottom of your pick up tube in the fuel tank is a filter and this filter is more problem than it is worth. It picks up all the junk that is floating around in the bottom of the tank and shuts off the flow. After you sit for a while it becomes unclogged but when you start the engine the whole process starts all over again. Check out that fiter and disregard it as it is unecessary anyway. Your primary and secondary filters are more than adequate. Hope that solves your problem.
fuel
hello joe, i would go with the fuel starvation it sounds like your filters are cloging up. with the engine off, the trash drops to the bottom of the filter when running the trash floats around and clogs things up. in addition to the fuel filter, many fuel pumps have a tiny inlet strainer to protect the pump, so remove the line and look for that also. it is completly possible that the tank vent is cloged. both conditons will cause a slow reduction in engine performance that will go away shortly after the engine dies. a quick check,, unscrew the fuel tank cap to rule out the cloged vent john
hello joe, i would go with the fuel starvation it sounds like your filters are cloging up. with the engine off, the trash drops to the bottom of the filter when running the trash floats around and clogs things up. in addition to the fuel filter, many fuel pumps have a tiny inlet strainer to protect the pump, so remove the line and look for that also. it is completly possible that the tank vent is cloged. both conditons will cause a slow reduction in engine performance that will go away shortly after the engine dies. a quick check,, unscrew the fuel tank cap to rule out the cloged vent john
Anti-siphon valve
Joe, Also check your anti-siphon valve. It should be cleaned annually and if clogged can cause the symtoms that you have described. "Too tight a valve could cause lean operation of the engine and too loose a valve can allow fuel to escape the fuel tank due to siphoning." roger
Joe, Also check your anti-siphon valve. It should be cleaned annually and if clogged can cause the symtoms that you have described. "Too tight a valve could cause lean operation of the engine and too loose a valve can allow fuel to escape the fuel tank due to siphoning." roger
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