How do I Clean Hunter 49 Fuel Tank, or the Fuel.
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I'm looking at a 49 with the upgraded Yanmar. It looks like a tight fit. Is access to the routine service items ok? (raw water, oil change....)?
Many boats have difficult spots and the H49 is no different. For oil changes mine has an oil drain pump so it is very easy, more so than any other I have seen. The oil filter is easy enough to get to, but getting something under it for the drips or catching the oil as you take off the filter is tricky. Changing the impellor if its a 4JH4-HTE ie trubo with intercooler is a blind chalange and the hardest aspect. Once you have done it, its not to bad, but, yep that can be hard. The 3 screws once you figure out how to get you hand there are not a problem. To get the impelor off/out I bought the Yanmar tool and that makes it easy to get the impellor off. I have seen one hunter whom actually redesigned the steps so they were hinged and instead of taking them out wiht the four pins, he took two pins out and swung the front end of the steps up which was a great idea. The base that the steps sit on is relatively easy to get out. Gear box oil change is a bit of a challenge but I have seen worse and not something you do all the time. The impellor which some do often is bigest negative for access I have come across. Had mine from new its done around 8,000 hours, to date given me very little problem. Unlike many others I have done bugger all to it. Worth noteing mine which I run 90% below turbo speed, can get to 1.5L/hr at around 1300-1400 rpm. Everyone will tell you thats to slow. To do the right thing by the engine every couple of hours I will crank it up to around 2200-2500, that on mine is approaching hull speed and at that rate burns about 3-3.5L/hr. Then every time I add fuel just before doing so I take it up to around 3000 rpm whihc is above hull speed and while I dont run it up there long, I think it burns around 4L/hr. Running most of its life below turbo range has not damaged the motor.It might use 1/2L of oil if that between oil changes. Wiht hind sight Im glade I ordered the bigger motor and dnt see access as big issue.
Thank you very much for such a detailed reply. Yes, it is the 4JH4-HTE and only has 600 hours on it. I was a bit perplexed looking at the engine (a big step up for me, with my two little 3gm's). Overall, I feel better that I'm aware that it isn't easy, but is manageable. And I'm glad to hear your experience with where you run the engine. Very helpful.
JR
JR
You should consider my water pump impeller modification.
You can change the impeller in 10 minutes in any sea state after incorporating this. Even professional mechanics have huge problems changing the impellers on these engines. The rear facing water pumps are terrible design
Well, I found one that I really liked and pulled the trigger. It's a 2014 M-H 50 AC, which we are keeping in the Chesapeake for the next two summers and then heading to the Bahamas. I'm definitely looking into how to modify the steps so that I can tilt them up rather than take them off. That's a handful at the dock, and I can only imagine it being very hard underway. The engine is the upgraded Turbo with the rear-facing water pump. Can barely get my hand in to touch it! I have to figure that one out. Artboas - what's your modification?
Tilting up would be good, as I said I have seen it once. However, as I look back over the last 16 odd years and a lot of hours and miles, I have only replaced the impellor once at sea and that was because essentially, I had not changed it for more than a couple of years. But if you do have to and don’t have the modification noted in the earlier post, then set yourself on a course with the least roll and just enough sail to maintain it. It helps to have (or have made) the Yanmar extraction tool for the impellor. I bought one, very early on, but it was nothing special, basically a bolt and nut. So once you have turned off the raw water pulled the steps out which takes about 2-5min, I lie the steps down on a towel on the floor (it cant go anywhere then on the H49), then undo the 3 wingnuts that takes another 2-5min to then lift floor/step support and stand it on its side or lie it flat if your rolling. Find your best position and I typically approach it from portside front lying with my feet to the front of the boat, the 5 screws should not be to tight as they are small. Once they are a bit lose less than 1 turn you can undo them with your fingers, taking extra care not to drop them or the cover. Then if someone hasn’t already replaced the impellor with some really cheap Chinese version, then like the Yanmar and Johnson impellor it will have a thread inside the impellor that you can screw the Yanmar tool( or a bolt and nut) into the impellor and this will pull the impellor out squarely for you. Run you finger around the inside and seal edge, scarp of any gasket stuck to the housing with your finger nail, rub some of the supplied lubricant around the inside of the housing, a bit more around the cap to help hold the gasket in place. I put one screw in the cover while its out to help hold the gasket in place, then , noting which way the cover goes put the cover back from the port side of the engine. You can reach with the other hand from the front to hold it in place and put the other screws in, all by hand at first. Run youre finger very gently around the houseing.to make sure you haven’t got the gasket hanging half out, do all the screws up by hand as tough as possible, then the last bit with a spanner not to tight. First time it could take an hour as you find suitable positions to work from. Mine is also turbo and intercooler so its chocker block. Note in the tropics, ie warm raw water, with one blade left on the impellor, my engine will run at 1200rpm for nearly 40min from cold, and a good 10min after being off for about 1 hour, without going over temp. Take note how long yours take from cold to reach normal temperature, then you know from cold how long you have. If you have problem and you should be able to sail to the outside of a marina or anchorage, then use the motor for at least 10min @around 1200rpm to dock or anchor. Mine needs very very little raw water at low rev’s. The coolant on its own going via heat exchanger will nearly (but not quite) keep the engine temp down. I also recommend you fake an over temp condition so you know what will happen., ie if your not looking is there an alarm and does it work., same goes for oil pressure..