Diesel shut off pull

Feb 26, 2004
23,141
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Stu, If I'm single handing at sea and I see or smell 'burning', I want the engine shut down now
without leaving the helm.
I don't disagree at all.
Thing is, as I've written here a lot, I am not a "slave behind the wheel" and I run my boat from in front of the wheel except when docking and leaving a slip or anchorage.

So, I'd be just as close to the shutoff as the OP would be. :)
 
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Jan 5, 2017
2,465
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
At least on the 3JH2E the pull is about 3 inches
F09FBD47-F69A-489E-B378-EA8FCF99E3C3.jpeg1A4B3F1D-99D6-4358-89CE-DFD137057177.jpeg Don, I was down at the boat and decided to take some poor and hard to see photos of my shut-off solenoid. Very hard to see but the rubber bellows you see is on the solenoid and the cable runs to the injector pump. Moving it by hand I would say 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Solenoid is mounted off one of the starter mount bolts.
 
Jan 11, 2014
13,468
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
View attachment 220824View attachment 220825 Don, I was down at the boat and decided to take some poor and hard to see photos of my shut-off solenoid. Very hard to see but the rubber bellows you see is on the solenoid and the cable runs to the injector pump. Moving it by hand I would say 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Solenoid is mounted off one of the starter mount bolts.
Which model Yanmar? Are you certain you have a Yanmar, all the Yanmars I have seen are gray.

Regardless of how you run the cable, it needs to be replaced. One strand is clearly broken.

I don't think you have a solenoid. A solenoid is an electrical device, the starter has one, the Yanmar injector pump is mechanical. My understanding of the stop cable is it simply closes a valve in the fuel flow from the injector pump to the engine, that's why the engine rumbles on for a few seconds after the cable is pulled, the engine uses up the fuel in the injector lines and then coasts to a stop.

We once had a non-functional cable, to stop the engine one of us had to go the engine compartment reach in and pull the lever that controls the fuel flow.

Replacement cables are relatively inexpensive for marine diesel parts. A 4 meter cable cost me about $40 a couple of years ago. It was also in stock at the Yanmar dealer in Marathon, FL. Surprised me, must be these things are frequently replaced.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,465
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
‘Definitely not a Yanmar. It’s a Perkins 4-108 but the valve arrangement to stop the engine is similar. Was the same on the Kubota in our last boat except it was a pull stop. You can see the wire coming off the back of the solenoid ( red and white). Thanks for the heads-up. I didn’t notice the frayed wire.
 
Jan 11, 2014
13,468
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
He said he has a Perkins with a solenoid.
I see. The OP has a Yanmar. The thread has become a bit confusing when a question is asked about a Yanmar and responses to the thread talk about another brand.

The OP asked about a Yanmar, let's stick to solutions for a Yanmar. Yanmar's do not have a solenoid for shut down, the fuel system is entirely mechanical, at least for the older engines that are not common rail.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,465
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
The Perkins also uses a cable pull in some boats. I just thought it would be easy to put a stop switch where ever you wanted this way. Sometimes it can be awkward running a cable but a couple of wires is pretty easy.
 
May 17, 2004
5,902
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Yanmar's do not have a solenoid for shut down, the fuel system is entirely mechanical, at least for the older engines that are not common rail.
Just for any future passers-by of the thread - the YM series has a stop solenoid and it is not common rail. It is a relatively new model though.
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,808
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
On my 4.107 Perkins, I have a solenoid that I push a kill button on the cockpit engine panel. The solenoid pulls the wire that is attached to the high pressure pump lever. If the solenoid does my work I can reach on to the engine and pull the wire. Straight forward engine stop system.

One can also cover the air intake. No air the engine will stop. No fuel the engine will stop.
 
May 24, 2004
7,202
CC 30 South Florida
Whenever you stop the boat you should let the engine cool down to normal idling temperature before shutting off. It does no good having the flow of coolant interrupted while it may still be at a high temperature and pressure. Just let the engine idle until it is convenient to step down and shut off. For some time I had the starter button inside the companionway and it was not a real bother.