The D-sail adventure and quiz

[Norm]

Exploring the diesel engine one replacement part at a time!

Low power and black smoke while motoring out of a narrow cut against the wind.  (Red Brook Harbor near the Cape Cod Canal)  So, back to the marina and a visit to the service department.

Yanmar 1GM salt water cooled, mechanical transmission, and folding prop.

Instead of buying a new mainsail...

Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what caused the problem?

It was not... but might have been... a restriction in the exhaust hose, for example.

A grog, an attaboy, and a round tuit for the winner!

[polecat]

Mud dobber clog up your tank vent?

[Norm]

good idea but not it.

We checked the filter and fuel flow, no problems there. 

My pal, Rod, had a weird fuel line/fuel tank issue, though.  The pick up hose worked until the boat heeled on port tack or rolled to starboard in a beam sea.  Took the same yard about a week to figure out. 

BTW, the yard + mechanic seemed competent and were in regular communication with technicians at Yanmar.

[AdriftAtSea]

Fouled prop??

[Norm]

Excellent guess. 

Fouled prop was the first thing we checked.  The prop was clean and clear.  I did learn that the thing that sometimes changes the engine pitch while under power is weeds in the prop.  Curiously, we'd had a weeds problem earlier, arriving in Newport with a ball of eel grass around the Gori prop but the engine was not laboring noticeably.  A couple of seconds in reverse and Buzzards Bay eel grass sank to the bottom of Newport's Inner Harbor.

I ponder why it is that sailboats have so much trouble with engines and so little trouble with sails.  Maybe we ought to just throw the darn things over the side.  That would mean sailing around Cape Cod or paying for a tow through the Canal.  Rant rant

[AdriftAtSea]

Did the prop not unfold???

[Norm]

it unfolded ok, the eel grass was wound up like spaghetti around a fork.  when engine off, the prop did not fold.  it stayed open.  reverse unwound the grass which then sank to the bottom.  kudos to Elizabeth for slipping into the slip at Newport YC so gracefully that reverse was not called upon!  Another strange moment in sailing?

[Norm]

We will actually stress-test the system today and tomorrow during our trip home to Boston.  More after that.

The repair involved proving the fuel was getting to the injector pump properly and getting from the injector to the tank (return feed) properly.  Next was to replace the injector.  No improvement.  Replace the injector pump.  Small improvement.  Check exhaust line for blockage and replace a suspect section.  Finally, reset valve clearance from 5 thousandths to 8 thousandths and "viola" the engine ran properly.

Engine rebuilt in 2008?

Memo to file:  Check all the things that involve labor but no new parts first and guide maintenance yard to do same.  Get a shop manual and learn to do "it' all myself.

It seems so obvious now.

Now we can pass through the 10 miles of Cape Cod Canal under power... as required... and sail the remaining 50 miles to home.   

[Norm]

It was a beautiful sail home.  A long six-hour beat against the current and wind about 15-20.  Double reef and 77% jib.  Engine ran well, one faulty moment during a flat calm at the end of the trip.

If I had no schedule... two twelve foot long sweeps and no engine would be pretty nice.

[Oldrig]

Hey Norm,

I've got the same engine (on my Cape Dory 25 D), and I keep my boat just south of Red Brook Harbor.

Sorry I missed you--But I'd have never guessed valve clearance.

Glad you made it.

--Joe

[okawbow]

I had problems with my YSE8 1 cly. diesel this spring. just to be prepared for a trip, I changed the fuel line, injector, filters, head gasket, and intake & exhaust gaskets. I torqued the head bolts, cleaned out the carbon deposits, and set the valve clearance. Total cost: less than $200.00, total time: less than 4 hours. The motor went from hard to start/ undependable, to "starts and runs like new." I just wish I'd done it sooner. Those motors are so simple and easy to work on. I even have easy access on my Bristol 24.

It doesn't hurt to check head bolt torque and valve clearance once a season.

[s/v Faith]

Norm,

Memo to file:  Check all the things that involve labor but no new parts first and guide maintenance yard to do same.  Get a shop manual and learn to do "it' all myself.

Good advice for all.

  Years ago I pulled wrenches for a living.  The owner of the shop used to rail against 'parts changers' who were quick to throw parts at a problem rather then figuring it out.  Parts changing, especially with limited spares, is an expensive way to troubleshoot.

  Glad you got it fixed.