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Thanks as always for your help. The websites are great. I am taking the Mack Boring class for diesel engines. My instructor tells me there is a primary fuel filter (2) which could be the reason for the soot on my stern. I replaced the fuel filter but he tells me there should be another, a primary. My diagram does not show another fuel filter. He also said he can't believe I don't have a muffler - again nothing on the diagram and my engine does make a putting sound like there is no muffler. I have tried to contact Catalina since I know that each manufacture will ask for specific things on their engines with no response. Also the coolant color in my reservoir is green - he says it should be pink and the previous owner used a water bottle (like poland springs) which is unacceptable. Many things to learn and correct but I am willing with the class and the many good folks on this site. He also told me that I need to get a complete parts list as well as a service manual. The manual I have is a general manual that came with the engine. It has been some help. Thanks...Cate
You can get the complete parts list
by buying the right book, or by simply being patient and copying the pages on the website (marinedieseldirect) onto your computer. Good for you forgoing to the class. That said, generic diesel courses have their disadvantages, as well as how YOU can be prone to misunderstanding them. What you need to do is learn about YOUR engine, that's ALL you will EVER need to care about. Diesel theory is a five minute read. So: 1. Color of antifreeze - sheez, is purple next? Green is the older perhaps less environmental friendly, pink is usually for winterizing freshwater systems, but I have a Green environ friendly stuff. So, the question is simply NOT what color, but what specific material of antifreeze you have in your engine. What you need to know is how long it's been in there. If older suspected than five years, just change it out, and don't worry about the color, just get the right stuff.
2. Filters - I don't care what the guy says, it's ONLY what your engine has that matters. Again, that said, I don't know enough about M18s (we have an M25) so go look on marinediesle's website and find, if there is one, a secondary filter ON the engine (you doubled the word primary). YOU need to find out, and get past the "maybes" instilled by the instructor, from what I get from reading your post. 3. Muffler - schmuffler - Cate---LOOK INSIDE YOUR BOAT. Catalina won't tell you anything more than what it left the factory with. None of us have any idea because we're typing here, not on your dock. find a trustworthy dock mate and ask. Follow the exhaust hose, etc. You can do it. 4. Water bottle - what the heck is poland spring??? Anyway, some folks added homemade coolant recovery bottles, just like your car. Before you go ripping it out, find out what it really is. That's the danger of courses like that, YOU need to learn to be specific about YOUR engine, 'cuz it's the ONLY one YOU got!
by buying the right book, or by simply being patient and copying the pages on the website (marinedieseldirect) onto your computer. Good for you forgoing to the class. That said, generic diesel courses have their disadvantages, as well as how YOU can be prone to misunderstanding them. What you need to do is learn about YOUR engine, that's ALL you will EVER need to care about. Diesel theory is a five minute read. So: 1. Color of antifreeze - sheez, is purple next? Green is the older perhaps less environmental friendly, pink is usually for winterizing freshwater systems, but I have a Green environ friendly stuff. So, the question is simply NOT what color, but what specific material of antifreeze you have in your engine. What you need to know is how long it's been in there. If older suspected than five years, just change it out, and don't worry about the color, just get the right stuff.
2. Filters - I don't care what the guy says, it's ONLY what your engine has that matters. Again, that said, I don't know enough about M18s (we have an M25) so go look on marinediesle's website and find, if there is one, a secondary filter ON the engine (you doubled the word primary). YOU need to find out, and get past the "maybes" instilled by the instructor, from what I get from reading your post. 3. Muffler - schmuffler - Cate---LOOK INSIDE YOUR BOAT. Catalina won't tell you anything more than what it left the factory with. None of us have any idea because we're typing here, not on your dock. find a trustworthy dock mate and ask. Follow the exhaust hose, etc. You can do it. 4. Water bottle - what the heck is poland spring??? Anyway, some folks added homemade coolant recovery bottles, just like your car. Before you go ripping it out, find out what it really is. That's the danger of courses like that, YOU need to learn to be specific about YOUR engine, 'cuz it's the ONLY one YOU got! Muffler, Filter, etc.
Thanks for all your great advice. Universal did not make my engine with a primary fuel filter or a muffler. As far as the fresh water coolant, instead of using a subtank for the coolant the previous owner used a "poland springs" bottle - bottled water here in the east. Instructor said this is unacceptable so this opens up yet another host of things. In order to change the coolant that is in the engine at present, I can't just replace the coolant in a new subtank - the engine has to be run through with fresh water a few times before adding the new. He said the old and the new will gunk up the engine. Cate
Thanks for all your great advice. Universal did not make my engine with a primary fuel filter or a muffler. As far as the fresh water coolant, instead of using a subtank for the coolant the previous owner used a "poland springs" bottle - bottled water here in the east. Instructor said this is unacceptable so this opens up yet another host of things. In order to change the coolant that is in the engine at present, I can't just replace the coolant in a new subtank - the engine has to be run through with fresh water a few times before adding the new. He said the old and the new will gunk up the engine. Cate
Interesting
My old M-18 had no secondary fuel filter,Although almost everyone recommends them. but it did come with an aqua lift muffler, It should be a fiberglass "box" just to port of the engine... Also the M-18 was raw water cooled, So i'd be suprised if it had any other coolant other than what the intake provided under your hull. Unless a previous owner did some retrofitting...She should still run fine without either if you take care of her. Good luck! lots more fun things for you to "learn". Keep it up!
My old M-18 had no secondary fuel filter,Although almost everyone recommends them. but it did come with an aqua lift muffler, It should be a fiberglass "box" just to port of the engine... Also the M-18 was raw water cooled, So i'd be suprised if it had any other coolant other than what the intake provided under your hull. Unless a previous owner did some retrofitting...She should still run fine without either if you take care of her. Good luck! lots more fun things for you to "learn". Keep it up!
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