Sunny day in Plymouth

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Discus
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Sunny day in Plymouth

Post by Discus »

Well, it was a sunny day in Plymouth, so much so I managed to get sun burnt (again). Progressing with the job list but still a way to go before launch - and hoping the new canvas work will arrive in time for launch :? . Teak is now refurbed and looking better, engine is good to go and the shower sump pump bits have been bought ready to be put together next weekend. Just want to go sailing now!

Jeff, how is your engine progressing? Any life? Are you on target? Did anyone else get burnt?

Rob :sunny:
Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

Missed you again Rob ,it was nice anchored in Cawsand today along with half the boats in Plymouth . Good but not warm enough for hammock yet :lol:
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Post by Jeff »

I spent Sunday with my friend antifouling then drinking beer in Totnes, what a lovely day!

I spent the previous three days with my head in the engine. Injectors were installed by engineer when I got down to Towser last week. I hooked up the return fuel line and went to start her up for the first time and it wouldn't turn over. Moved a bit then stopped and hissed.

I removed all the injectors myself now knowing how to do so having watched the engineer. Turned out the daft apeth had poured oil into the engine to replace the diesel+oil mix I'd pumped out of it (if you recall because the fuel return line had allowed the sump to fill with diesel) and had forgotten the injectors were out, so every one of the cylinders had an inch of oil in the bottom! Had to pela it all out. I wasn't happy!

All out, fired up the engine, started fine. But still doing an odd vibration at idle.

Some fine tuning of the injector pump timing later (it has some slots not holes for mounting so can be rotated about maybe 3 degrees from tdc) I found no improvement to the left or right. Then I noticed the idle speed was <= 500 rpm. It had never idled so low before. Lancing Marine obviously had set the idle adjuster by eye, and it was too low. I increased idle to just under 600 and all is super smooth and nice. Smoother than ever before. Reading around I suspect it's something to do with a resonance in the mounts that makes it vibrated oddly at 500 rpm, and when the engine moves in the mounts it affects the throttle amount by a very tiny amount, but the combination of the two I think caused the problem.

"Engineer" said that was probably the problem all along. So I didn't need to have the injectors out in the first place perhaps.

Still, nice to have them done now and I do think it runs somewhat more smoothly as a result from 600+.

I say the above out loud for the first time with trepidation. I hope you're not now going to suck your teeth and say my diagnosis is wrong and that it bloomin' well should run fine at 500. I'm going to phone Lancing Marine and see what they say about it also...

Fingers crossed...

PS. Also completed ALL of the last bits and bobs of joinery and trim around the headlining in the main saloon and back cabin. It looks fantastic now. Only took 2.5 years to get that sorted!

Will post a post with some pictures and a repeat of the above story in my blog when I get 5.
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Post by Jeff »

The man from Lancing Marine he say 'YES'! Whoop! :D
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Discus
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Post by Discus »

Phew! Sounds like an interesting few days. Yes, 500rpm is too low at idle and will result in an imbalance on the crank and what sounds like rough running. This is often compounded by a sympathetic vibration from something else - our cooker is the usual suspect! No bad thing having the injectors re tipped either, they were probably overdue - ours were and the engineer bloke had a job getting them out. Don't be too harsh on your engineer - looking at our engine, if the injectors were out and the engine oil was topped up, there is no possible way it could get down the injector holes, are you by chance an indirect injection diesel? Sounds like you got a lot done- more than we did as we were down and back on Sunday (don't ask!). Big weekend of work next weekend.
Checked out your piccies, you should be in smug mode!! Looking good for the season. Always said boat pride is a terrible affliction!
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Post by Jeff »

My main concern is boat resale value :)

Good luck for next weekend!
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