I'm going to do some biggish jobs tomorrow; how should I not die while doing this? - RESOLVED

[BigEasy]

If you suspect that pieces of impeller may be in your cooling system and plan to dismantle, I would order all the gaskets and o rings for the heat exchanger as well as a new thermostat& gasket before you start to dismantle. You don’t want to dismantle and then have to wait for parts. Be sure to clean the core on the exchanger and replace the coolant with a 50/50 mix of yanmar recommended coolant mixed with distilled water. I wouldn’t mess with the mixing elbow yet until After thoroughly cleaning the system.

 

[IDtrucks]

This is often how my little DIY jobs go. I tried to change a microwave oven which was above our stove once. It was so stuck in place that when I pushed it as hard as I could out of frustration, it went through the wall and landed in the dining room. That was a very silly mistake and cost a lot to fix.

ROFL!!! Are you Wonder Woman? Accidnetly shoving a microwave through a wall on accident. What an amazing home improvement project!

I’ve done enough projects where I get mad and beat something that costs me hours of time to fix, when I’m mad I just get up and walk away, fuming on the inside, while avoiding potting holes in whatever surface I’m near. That’s why projects take so long lol

 

[Parsons]

Replacing the shore power receptacle is dead easy if you are in the least bit handy. Four screws into the hull to mount, three machine screws hold the wire to the back side. Perhaps a strain-relief bracket to hold the boat-side insulation to the back of the fixture, but that depends on the year of manufacture. Put it all back together in reverse. You probably won't need butyl as the new inlet probably comes with a thick foam gasket which is more than enough for above-the-waterline. You may want to put some 3M 4200 on your screws only to bed and stop them from backing out - no silicone or 5200 or you'll never move them again! BTW: Have you considered replacing with a SmartPlug for additional safety? A little more money ($300) for the cord, but you sleep better.

Do you have an inverter (do you have 120-volt AC power when away from the dock)? If you do, make sure that is disconnected from your 120-volt AC line before starting this thing or you'll be in for a nasty (perhaps fatal) surprise. It may be possible to feedback 120-volts from the batteries alone into the inlet if improperly wired.

 

[HanBan]

You are at NAS? Retired military?

Yes, hubby is retired USAF and works for the navy at Pax, and I'm an injured veteran from the Royal Navy.

 

[HanBan]

Replacing the shore power receptacle is dead easy if you are in the least bit handy. Four screws into the hull to mount, three machine screws hold the wire to the back side. Perhaps a strain-relief bracket to hold the boat-side insulation to the back of the fixture, but that depends on the year of manufacture. Put it all back together in reverse. You probably won't need butyl as the new inlet probably comes with a thick foam gasket which is more than enough for above-the-waterline. You may want to put some 3M 4200 on your screws only to bed and stop them from backing out - no silicone or 5200 or you'll never move them again! BTW: Have you considered replacing with a SmartPlug for additional safety? A little more money ($300) for the cord, but you sleep better.

Do you have an inverter (do you have 120-volt AC power when away from the dock)? If you do, make sure that is disconnected from your 120-volt AC line before starting this thing or you'll be in for a nasty (perhaps fatal) surprise. It may be possible to feedback 120-volts from the batteries alone into the inlet if improperly wired.

I now realize that I need to do a little more research before I fry myself. As much as electro shock therapy can be beneficial for people, I'd rather not self administer this treatment while laying in my lazaret. As you recommended, I've ordered a 30A SmartPlug. It's coming from Amazon, and they sell the kit for $164 with free 1 day shipping - I should get mine tomorrow evening.

Here's a link if anyone is interested. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CT8Z4ZQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[HanBan]

ROFL!!! Are you Wonder Woman? Accidnetly shoving a microwave through a wall on accident. What an amazing home improvement project!

I’ve done enough projects where I get mad and beat something that costs me hours of time to fix, when I’m mad I just get up and walk away, fuming on the inside, while avoiding potting holes in whatever surface I’m near. That’s why projects take so long lol

I was extremely frustrated with that microwave, and this was our first house purchase. I'm not entirely sure what happened - I went from mildly frustrated to king kong in a few seconds. Hubby just stood next to me with eyes as wide as dinner plates.

 

[HanBan]

If you suspect that pieces of impeller may be in your cooling system and plan to dismantle, I would order all the gaskets and o rings for the heat exchanger as well as a new thermostat& gasket before you start to dismantle. You don’t want to dismantle and then have to wait for parts. Be sure to clean the core on the exchanger and replace the coolant with a 50/50 mix of yanmar recommended coolant mixed with distilled water. I wouldn’t mess with the mixing elbow yet until After thoroughly cleaning the system.

This part of the project has taken a worrying turn. My hubby stated over morning coffee "you know, when you were pulling out and were setting off across the river, there was black fluid coming out of the exhaust". I really didn't have a response to that little gem of knowledge - which I could have used at the time.

My suspicion is that there was a piece of impeller in the system, it melted onto the heat exchanger and that is how the system overheated (if it overheated). This might be a bit of a bear to fix.

 

[Brian D]

Yes, hubby is retired USAF and works for the navy at Pax, and I'm an injured veteran from the Royal Navy.

Excellent. Thank you to the both of you for your service.

 

[HanBan]

Excellent. Thank you to the both of you for your service.

It was our pleasure. Everybody serves in one way or another. Life is a team sport.

 

[Davidasailor26]

This part of the project has taken a worrying turn. My hubby stated over morning coffee "you know, when you were pulling out and were setting off across the river, there was black fluid coming out of the exhaust". I really didn't have a response to that little gem of knowledge - which I could have used at the time.

My suspicion is that there was a piece of impeller in the system, it melted onto the heat exchanger and that is how the system overheated (if it overheated). This might be a bit of a bear to fix.

The black fluid could have been unburnt fuel. Last time I saw an engine overheat it was not burning the fuel properly and the exhaust looked like that. Did you notice if the engine seemed to slow down around that time?

 

[HanBan]

The black fluid could have been unburnt fuel. Last time I saw an engine overheat it was not burning the fuel properly and the exhaust looked like that. Did you notice if the engine seemed to slow down around that time?

David, I didn't notice anything at all.

 

[kloudie1]

Black soot coming out mixed in water, coming out the exhaust.

 

[HanBan]

Black soot coming out mixed in water, coming out the exhaust.

I think this is it. The more I read about this, it seems to be an issue where the engine is running too rich?
If I change out the air filter, make sure that there are no obstructions for air into the engine compartment, and then run the engine with a thermal imaging camera hooked up, I might start to find the issue.

 

[Stu Jackson]

here was black fluid coming out of the exhaust". I really didn't have a response to that little gem of knowledge - which I could have used at the time.

My suspicion is that there was a piece of impeller in the system, it melted onto the heat exchanger and that is how the system overheated (if it overheated). This might be a bit of a bear to fix.

No pun intended, but each man's black is a different color. Compared to what?
The water being pumped out by the raw water pump goes through the HX, through the nipple into the exhaust riser where it mixes with the dirty, filthy, obscene exhaust gas, into the muffler and out.
It is NOT pristine.
It is black.
It may well be quite normal.

 

[Benny17441]

Diagnose an actual overheating condition before you start looking for something that may not be there. Unnecessary tinkering with some of the components may lead to premature breakage or other problems.

 

[HanBan]

Diagnose an actual overheating condition before you start looking for something that may not be there. Unnecessary tinkering with some of the components may lead to premature breakage or other problems.

This is very good advice. Thank you. I will try not to fix stuff that isn't broke - my hubby is always on at me about that.

 

[Kermit]

This is very good advice. Thank you. I will try not to fix stuff that isn't broke - my hubby is always on at me about that.

What’s the fun in that?

 

[DougM]

Where is the fun in preventive maintenance? “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. Whatever “it” is will break eventually and that will establish the priority. Unfortunately, Mr. Murphy will see to it that the failure happens at the most inconvenient time.

There are enough of us on this forum who are willing to provide you with whatever help we can in troubleshooting and problem solving. I have a 323 the same year as yours, same engine etc., so I may have had some experience with problems that you find.

 

[JRT]

Isn't there a way to flush the cooling system? I've seen a few videos about 'impeller falling apart' and I believe they reversed flushed the system some how to push the parts back toward the impeller to clean out a system with very little disassembly.

 

[Ron20324]

Was this for a 3YM20- or some other engine? If a YM... First, there is a raw water filter- probably on the starboard aft side of the engine, on the wall. Close the thruhull intake! Unscrew the cap and lift the basket out. You'd be surprised what can get trapped in there. BE SURE to fill the filter after you put the basket back in!!! This is to prime the water system. Be sure the rubber gasket is in the cap!!! It will take maybe 15 seconds before the water comes out the exhaust thruhull.

At the front, lower, port-side, of the engine there is a hose that supplies water to the engine-mounted impeller-type water pump. On the hose is a 1" or so protrusion that you can take apart to drain the hose back to that point. You might have to destroy the band clamp to get it off, but get a regular ( 1 inch?)hose clamp before you even start taking it apart. Bits of my impeller were there, and maybe the blade, as I found it under the engine later on.

Looking for pieces of rubber in the heat exchanger, I took off the front cover and alternated blowing/sucking into the tubes with a small shop vac. The rubber gasket/ring is probably available at a hardware store plumbing department. For my 3YM20, heat exchanger "O" ring, I show part # 128-990-44100, size D6/5,6/3.53 (I will recheck my spare for that size.).

Wash and rinse the air filter. They are expensive, IIRC.

I keep rubber spares in plastic jars to prevent them being crushed. A used spare is better than no spare, so keep the one you take out. GET A LOG BOOK and write every part number you buy. For the engine bolts, I write the wrench size next to the bolt with a Sharpie.