I have to admit that Maine Sail put me to shame with his list of diesel maintenance projects. I had my Yanmar 1GM out this winter to install motor mounts, rebuild tranny and install PSS. I coulda, shoulda, woulda done a whole lot more and I wish I was jogged into action by seeing that list earlier than when I had the engine back in place. The yard put the engine back in place and connected all hoses and linkages. Last year, the engine was running like a top with rpms at 3200 or better in neutral with no load and able to idle without problem almost immediately after starting, so I was too complacent.
Starting up this year, I had only 2600 rpm in neutral after sputtering at a high of just 2800, excessive black smoke, sputtering and kill in idle until warmed up for several minutes, and high temp alarm with weak water flow in the exhaust. So I've begun to methodically look at all the components (now that it is far more difficult to gain access
). I removed and cleaned the mixing elbow, replaced primary and secondary filters, and replaced the impeller, and scrubbed out the wax buildup on the fuel vent cover as best I could. This brought immediate improvement but still not up to par. Exhaust is significantly better and no problems with high temp. RPMs improved but only marginally to about 2800 (no load) with steady running, but it still sputters at high throttle with black smoke, and the engine will not idle well until warmed up. It wants to kill if I put it in gear and keep the throttle low and there is black smoke as it struggles to chug along.
I have concern about air flow and ventilation so crawled back in the stbd quarter berth to remove the rear bulkhead and gain access to the vent hose. I figured that if I remove the end from the cover, I should be able to blow through it with little resistence. No good, could not blow any air through it. So I thought about talking the fuel filler cap off to provide ventilation (it wasn't until I was driving home that I realized I might have been trying to blow air into a closed system - I'm not a natural mechanic - so I intend to try again this morning with the cap off). I also took the intake silencer off and find that there is no air filter! The silencer cover is grungy with oil residue so I took it home for cleaning and to find the right air filter. So now I start the engine up to see whats what.
Starting up is when my excitement began. I was encouraged because it seemed to run a bit better and warm up more easily, so I thought why not take it for a quick spin. I cast off the mooring and started moving, only to take a quick look below and find diesel fuel dripping into the bilge. It was a good thing I looked early! I cut the engine quickly and had a light wind causing me to drift away from the mooring out toward the lake. It turns out the secondary filter body had loosened from vibration during earlier running ... I thought 'hand-tight' was supposed to be sufficient. So I tightened the filter and mopped up the bilge as best I could (luckily I had many rags on hand). Then I bled the lines at the filter and at the injection pump, only to feel the nut give when I tightened it at the pump. Pissed off because I had been warned of this issue, I looked at the nut and found it mangled. Now I figure it's going to be a mess starting the engine up to get back to the mooring, but it's dinner time and somebody else is going to be pissed off if I'm making sail to get to the mooring. So I plug the nut back in as best I can and I leave the companion way steps off figuring it's easier to mop up the sole than cleaning fuel out of the bilge since the spray is straight out into the cabin. I cut the engine about a hundred feet from the mooring and drift to it and the mess isn't too bad, so I mop up again.
I am wanting to get access to the tank and either clean it or remove it. Access is very difficult as I had to squeeze into the port lazerette and attempt to remove a bulkhead. After struggling to remove about 8 screws, I find that the board is wedged in so it can't be removed anyway unless I cut it in half, which I am trying to figure out how to do now. I'm wondering if I can pump out fuel through the filler. I filled it up at the end of last season with diesel from a local gas station ... the tank is only about 5 or 6 gallons and I normally only use about that much (1 fill-up) each season. I also intend to now replace all the rubber fuel lines (now instead of when access was easy!)
For those of you who have made it this far ... Thanks for listening and all comments and suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
Starting up this year, I had only 2600 rpm in neutral after sputtering at a high of just 2800, excessive black smoke, sputtering and kill in idle until warmed up for several minutes, and high temp alarm with weak water flow in the exhaust. So I've begun to methodically look at all the components (now that it is far more difficult to gain access
). I removed and cleaned the mixing elbow, replaced primary and secondary filters, and replaced the impeller, and scrubbed out the wax buildup on the fuel vent cover as best I could. This brought immediate improvement but still not up to par. Exhaust is significantly better and no problems with high temp. RPMs improved but only marginally to about 2800 (no load) with steady running, but it still sputters at high throttle with black smoke, and the engine will not idle well until warmed up. It wants to kill if I put it in gear and keep the throttle low and there is black smoke as it struggles to chug along.I have concern about air flow and ventilation so crawled back in the stbd quarter berth to remove the rear bulkhead and gain access to the vent hose. I figured that if I remove the end from the cover, I should be able to blow through it with little resistence. No good, could not blow any air through it. So I thought about talking the fuel filler cap off to provide ventilation (it wasn't until I was driving home that I realized I might have been trying to blow air into a closed system - I'm not a natural mechanic - so I intend to try again this morning with the cap off). I also took the intake silencer off and find that there is no air filter! The silencer cover is grungy with oil residue so I took it home for cleaning and to find the right air filter. So now I start the engine up to see whats what.
Starting up is when my excitement began. I was encouraged because it seemed to run a bit better and warm up more easily, so I thought why not take it for a quick spin. I cast off the mooring and started moving, only to take a quick look below and find diesel fuel dripping into the bilge. It was a good thing I looked early! I cut the engine quickly and had a light wind causing me to drift away from the mooring out toward the lake. It turns out the secondary filter body had loosened from vibration during earlier running ... I thought 'hand-tight' was supposed to be sufficient. So I tightened the filter and mopped up the bilge as best I could (luckily I had many rags on hand). Then I bled the lines at the filter and at the injection pump, only to feel the nut give when I tightened it at the pump. Pissed off because I had been warned of this issue, I looked at the nut and found it mangled. Now I figure it's going to be a mess starting the engine up to get back to the mooring, but it's dinner time and somebody else is going to be pissed off if I'm making sail to get to the mooring. So I plug the nut back in as best I can and I leave the companion way steps off figuring it's easier to mop up the sole than cleaning fuel out of the bilge since the spray is straight out into the cabin. I cut the engine about a hundred feet from the mooring and drift to it and the mess isn't too bad, so I mop up again.
I am wanting to get access to the tank and either clean it or remove it. Access is very difficult as I had to squeeze into the port lazerette and attempt to remove a bulkhead. After struggling to remove about 8 screws, I find that the board is wedged in so it can't be removed anyway unless I cut it in half, which I am trying to figure out how to do now. I'm wondering if I can pump out fuel through the filler. I filled it up at the end of last season with diesel from a local gas station ... the tank is only about 5 or 6 gallons and I normally only use about that much (1 fill-up) each season. I also intend to now replace all the rubber fuel lines (now instead of when access was easy!
)For those of you who have made it this far ... Thanks for listening and all comments and suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
