Spares for Engine MD6A/ Adding a tachometer

Oct 30, 2019
77
Anyone have a good source for spare parts?

Steve, do you carry these?

Currently, I need, a couple of spare impeller blades (whatever you
call those) , either a new temp gauge, sending unit, or both, and
I'm considering changing out the injectors. (coughing out lots of
black smoke)

Also, is it possible to add some means of measuring RPMs and an
Engine Hour meter. My boat has an engine hour meter on the control
panel but it does not appear to be working.
 
Dec 16, 2002
37
Hi Ron,
I'll be interested to see the responses to your
comment about injectors since I've just developed a
problem with black smoke and black residue in the
exhaust water. Will just doing an oil change help
this? Also, is there a prescribed procedure for
cleaning the air breather? It seems to be a sealed
unit filled with metal screens, nothing that is meant
to be a frequent replacement item as on a car.
Regarding the hour meter: Last year when I acquired
Southern Comfort Too I found the hour meter had been
hooked directly into the ingition switch. When I
inadvertently left the switch in the on position for a
week I realized that my MD6B was getting prematurely
aged! hehe. I was advised to wire it to the oil
pressure switch so that it would only clock time that
the engine was actually running. Before you do that
you might try hooking 12 volts from the battery
directly to the meter just to see if it is running.
Cheers
John Devany
Southern Comfort Too
V3129
 
Nov 8, 2001
1,818
Hi Ron

Impellors in stock (£12 each). Sender temp unit 2nd hand (£10). Second hand temp gauge (£10). Injectors Fully serviced and calibrated (£25 each). Just get an electric hour meter and connect it to the ignition as they are now quartz and just measures the time the engine is switched on.

Kind Reagrds

Steve Birch
 
Oct 30, 2019
8
John

My md6 started to do exactly the same last month. Black smoke and
sooty water for about five mins after starting. I tried changing oil,
twice actually but no joy. I put it down to her being and old girl
(30 this year) and allowing a few dirty habits. But I'll watch with
interest to see the answer.

Whilst I'm here are any other Vega doing the Round the Island this
weekend?

Best wishes to all especially Wilhelm and Rob and the mainsail!

David Batchelor (Annabel, formally Vindrosen, V1745)
 
Apr 28, 2000
691
Hi, if you do not have a tacho sensor already then you can add one. There
should be a hole for it just aft of and above the oil pressure sensor on the
port side. According to the manual (as far as I recall) the hole may just be
plugged.

On another note I was thinking of separating propeller pitch and throttle
controls as described by others here on this list, because I think that the
combined control works poorly (on my boat). It may just be a matter of
adjustment but I'd like to try separating them. The indicators on my boat
are gone, but the engine has a tacho sensor and I am thinking of making a
feedback regulator. Instead of adjusting the throttle according to propeller
pitch and "audio feedback" I could just select rpm from predetermined
settings or with a potmeter.

There is no need for more than 4 or 5 settings I think; idle, slightly
raised, perhaps medium, march and full. There could be one button for each
setting and the selected setting could be indicated by a lamp. A 2$
microcontroller could check buttons, switch lamps, count tacho pulses and
regulate the throttle (the hard part, heh). The actuator could be a small
servo motor like the ones in a RC car. Of course there should be some means
of manual override.

I have much programming experience, some experience with microcontrollers
but not much experience with feedback loops. I have no idea to what extent I
need to take engine parameters like inertia into account, and I will have to
do a lot of experimentation. That will be a fun project for the fall. If
anyone care to participate, make suggestions or ridicule me; feel free ;-)
 
Dec 16, 2002
37
Hi Bue,
That would be a very interesting project but I'm not
sure if the Penta diesel could respond very well to
all those preprogrammed controls. The main problems
would be the response of the mechanical controls of
the throttle. I applaud your agressive thinking and if
there's anything I can help with let me know.
I've never liked the combi linked to the throttle. I
might just separate the controls and you suggested.
Just seems so many other things to fix first!
Thanks for the info on the tach. I might consider
that too.
John Devany
Southern Comfort Too
V2931
 
Oct 31, 2019
70
Hi all--I owned a Toyota diesel pu for many years. Change fuel filter once or twice per season and use sae40 diesel grade motor oil only-not multi grade oil(too skinny), and make sure that your fuel tank is used up during the season-old diesel can grow bugs. You can use an injector cleaner also added to the fuel. Water filters/knockout is most important. Water is a devil in diesel fuel. Always allow your diesel to operate at the manufacturer's recommended temperature--i.e. check thermostat is correct--diesels do not like to be running cool. It is a beautiful motor to own, jorgen