Diesel shutoff question

[Wm. Gill]

Just joined the forum, and this is both a valid discussion question, and a test that I am doing this forum right.
I just acquired a C&C 30 and the fuel cutoff / engine stop cable is frozen. The pervious owner says he never used it, and used the throttle to stop the engine. First question is just curiosity, followed by soliciting opinions on what I'm thinking about doing.
Does anyone use the "engine stop" for normal shutdown, or do you consider it an emergency fuel cutoff? Based on what I learn here, after I fix the frozen cable I am thinking of adjusting the throttle so that it does not stop the engine, but reduces it to an idle, and relying on the "engine stop" for normal shutdown. I figure that will result in fewer accidental stalls, but I am a virtual novice (I had a Catalina but that was so long ago I don't remember much) so am open to opinions.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Welcome to the forum!

What kind of engine is it? There were some engines where pulling the throttle way back was the designed way of shutting it off, but I’d be surprised if an engine were designed to allow both the stop cable and the throttle method.

 

[Wm. Gill]

Welcome to the forum!

What kind of engine is it? There were some engines where pulling the throttle way back was the designed way of shutting it off, but I’d be surprised if an engine were designed to allow both the stop cable and the throttle method.

Yanmar 2QM15 (18hp)

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Based on what I learn hear, after I fix the frozen cable I am thinking of adjusting the throttle so that it does not stop the engine, but reduces it to an idle, and relying on the "engine stop" for normal shutdown. I figure that will result in fewer accidental stalls, ..

You figure correctly. You never want to make it easy to accidentally shut off the engine when entering a tight space.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I always use the stop cable on my Yanmar. Does it just stall when you close the throttle ? Is that what the PO called stopping the engine?

 

[Wm. Gill]

Yes. He wasn't even aware the stop cable was frozen because he never used it in all the years he had the boat.

 

[ontherocks83]

My old Universal 5411 used the throttle to kill the fuel, after a few accidental shut off's you learned real quick to be an expert at how slow the engine can go. However if you have a designated fuel cut off handle, then no the throttle should not be able to kill the engine. Replace the cable and adjust your idle screw/stop on your throttle.

 

[Capt jgw]

Welcome to the forum!

What kind of engine is it? There were some engines where pulling the throttle way back was the designed way of shutting it off, but I’d be surprised if an engine were designed to allow both the stop cable and the throttle method.

Right. Shut down cable goes to a separate lever on the engine. If it was meant to shut down with the throttle, it wouldn't have a shut down lever. The throttle shouldn't kill the engine, something's not adjusted right.
One of my previous boats had a frozen kill cable. The PO disconnected it and replaced with a piece of coat hanger wire through a hole in the engine hatch. It was ugly but it worked. I replaced the cable.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

You're exactly on track here.

There is a shut off lever on the engine so it is NOT intended to be shut down with the throttle. You will eventually come to the realization that most PO's are jerks. This is your first indication to trust nothing on your new boat that looks as if it has been tampered with by the PO.

This site is your source for all questions pertaining to your new boat. For financial matters, maybe not so much. We're all completely irresponsible when it comes to how much money we endlessly pour into our boats.

 

[ontherocks83]

For financial matters, maybe not so much. We're all completely irresponsible when it comes to how much money we endlessly pour into our boats.

Are you saying investing almost twice the amount of my boats re-sale value into a refit is irresponsible?

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Are you saying investing almost twice the amount of my boats re-sale value into a refit is irresponsible?

Absolutely not ! ! !

Sort of the guiding light I live by ! ! ! !

 

[Wm. Gill]

You're exactly on track here.

There is a shut off lever on the engine so it is NOT intended to be shut down with the throttle. You will eventually come to the realization that most PO's are jerks. This is your first indication to trust nothing on your new boat that looks as if it has been tampered with by the PO.

This site is your source for all questions pertaining to your new boat. For financial matters, maybe not so much. We're all completely irresponsible when it comes to how much money we endlessly pour into our boats.

The wife already commented that after 23 years of me spending more time keeping 2 Chrysler 360's purring (along with other maintenance) than actually using them, going back to sailing was supposed to reverse that ratio? I told her that at my age I would be contracting much more of that, but my fingers were crossed.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I told her that at my age I would be contracting much more of that, but my fingers were crossed.

Yeah ..................... I figure about two hours on the tools for every hour on the water is about right.

 

[Tom J]

Yeah ..................... I figure about two hours on the tools for every hour on the water is about right.

Sounds about right if you want a safe and reliable boat. Sometimes I'm glad I didn't get into flying. I'm sure the ratio of maintenance to flying time is much higher.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

. Sometimes I'm glad I didn't get into flying.

Just ain't enough hours in the day if you're OCD (we like to say CDO) like myself.

 

[marke14]

You will eventually come to the realization that most PO's are jerks. This is your first indication to trust nothing on your new boat that looks as if it has been tampered with by the PO.

This site is your source for all questions pertaining to your new boat. For financial matters, maybe not so much. We're all completely irresponsible when it comes to how much money we endlessly pour into our boats.

I have found this to be true through my own and others' I know experiences. So true!

Perhaps not all were jerks in the actively-being-so sense, but maybe at least in the ignorant or negligent sense. You should see the rented house we currently live in, it's a DIY batsh*t crazy mess with electrical, plumbing and all "shat were they thinking?" sorts of details - truly cringe-worthy. Anyway ...

In our case we discovered that the folks we bought our boat from:

• had some issue which resulted in one of the winches being partly torn out of its bedding
• had issues with the outboard overheating
• had issues with the outboard's prop popping out in anything but an ideal, calm sea state
• had jammed various lines including the outhaul as I recall which indicated they had not been sailing the vessel
• had the tiller installed upside down so it sat in the cockpit ??
• had the masthead cap (?) installed backwards (that one I still haven't rectified)

There were many other things besides those above, which I have since forgotten. All have been fixed but the masthead and the toughest by far was the outboard, whose overheating problem eluded me (and the one allegedly professional outboard mechanic and shop I took it to a couple of times) for quite some time. I was on the verge of purchasing a new or maybe used one when I finally replaced the water pump itself and found that a SS liner in the housing had rotated to block 2/3 of the opening for the impeller.

I know I've put a ton of hours into our boat for both repair and maintenance, as well as for very limited upgrades, but I can't say that it's been a 2:1 ration in terms of maintenance hours vs. actual boat usage - even excluding all the stayed-at-the-dock-in-the-marina visits. That ratio must be so much better in my personal experience. You do have to get comfortable with learning how to do your own work though!

welcome to the forum!

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

You should see the rented house we currently live in, it's a DIY batsh*t crazy mess with electrical, plumbing and all "shat were they thinking?" sorts of details

Holy Crap . You certainly seem to have inherited more than your fair share of "DIY batsh*t crazy messes" in both housing and boating.

What is it with these nut jobs who can destroy a boat in just a few heart beats by applying their own self-invented, dumbass ideas ? Big boats, small boats, expensive boats, inexpensive boats, they're all fair game for the idiots out there.

Forget about the size of the universe, don't bother with the number of stars the heavens, don't even question the origin of life on earth.
I want to know: WHO TIES THESE IDIOT'S SHOES EVERY MORNING ?

 

[Wm. Gill]

I have found this to be true through my own and others' I know experiences. So true!

Perhaps not all were jerks in the actively-being-so sense, but maybe at least in the ignorant or negligent sense. You should see the rented house we currently live in, it's a DIY batsh*t crazy mess with electrical, plumbing and all "shat were they thinking?" sorts of details - truly cringe-worthy. Anyway ...

In our case we discovered that the folks we bought our boat from:

• had some issue which resulted in one of the winches being partly torn out of its bedding
• had issues with the outboard overheating
• had issues with the outboard's prop popping out in anything but an ideal, calm sea state
• had jammed various lines including the outhaul as I recall which indicated they had not been sailing the vessel
• had the tiller installed upside down so it sat in the cockpit ??
• had the masthead cap (?) installed backwards (that one I still haven't rectified)

There were many other things besides those above, which I have since forgotten. All have been fixed but the masthead and the toughest by far was the outboard, whose overheating problem eluded me (and the one allegedly professional outboard mechanic and shop I took it to a couple of times) for quite some time. I was on the verge of purchasing a new or maybe used one when I finally replaced the water pump itself and found that a SS liner in the housing had rotated to block 2/3 of the opening for the impeller.

I know I've put a ton of hours into our boat for both repair and maintenance, as well as for very limited upgrades, but I can't say that it's been a 2:1 ration in terms of maintenance hours vs. actual boat usage - even excluding all the stayed-at-the-dock-in-the-marina visits. That ratio must be so much better in my personal experience. You do have to get comfortable with learning how to do your own work though!

welcome to the forum!

I retired early because of a 55 mph head on. It took a while to adjust. First boat was a runabout for wife, and oldest son. Was fun, but that's about it. Next was a 27 Catalina which allowed me to work with my hands (both operating and maintaining). Something I hadn't done since early in my career, before managing people who worked with their hands, then managing people who managed people who work with their hands, my Catalina filled lots of needs. She was in very good condition, but maintaining and updating filled some needs for me, as did piloting her. Sitting back reading as we sailed was heaven for my wife, and entertaining small groups filled some needs for us both. Then 23 years ago we got a pristine Marinette from her uncle we shifted from sailing to powerboating. It was great at first we could entertain larger groups, and there was plenty of work to be done rebuilding carburetors, replacing fuel pumps, but something was missing. The only time I ever went out alone was for test drives. I single handed my Catalina as often as I took my wife or friends. It gave me the same freedom as my Harley (but slower). All this means I already know how the ratios work, some work time for me, some sail time for her, some entertaining time for us both, and some more sail time for me. If any slice starts getting too small happy boating just won't happen.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

If any slice starts getting too small happy boating just won't happen.

How very, very true.

Never looked at it that way.

 

[MitchM]

well the worst frozen cable i ever saw was a morse cable on a yan 2 GM 20F that the 'mechanic' had accidentally moved during some maintenance so the cable fried itself on the hot engine block, resulting in NO throttle capability whatsoever. the outer red jacket was so bad the inner cble wouldnt budge... fortuntely, discovered in port. rx order a ew morse of the same model and length helpfully stamped by morse on the on the end of the ruined one.