We've run the engine, hard, without a problem, for well over 50 hours now since we started out this year. But when it was warming up this morning in preparation for our short motor from Inverness Marina to the Caledonian Canal entrance lock, the bolt holding one end of the heat exchanger in to the engine sheared, resulting in the engine pumping litre after litre of raw sea water into our bilges. This did not produce a change of note in the engine whatsoever and I only noticed because I heard a flow of water suddenly begin from an outlet on the side of the hull. I couldn't work out what on earth it was at first, then I went below and saw that the automatic bilge pump light was on! Moments later I discovered the problem and stopped the engine.
An hour and a half later, after a taxi ride, a free return trip courtesy of Caley Marina (thank you!!) and much grunting and usage of tools, the engine was restarted. I let it run for 30 minutes while awaited our updated lock entry time slot.
All is well now I think, but I do need to check the coolant level, and I need to get a brass bolt to replace the new steel one we have in there now, which will no doubt corrode due to its contact with the brass housing of the heat exchanger.
Perhaps I ought to change all of the coolant in the closed circuit side also... I guess it might have got some saltwater mixed in with it somehow.
Not going any further today, just in case!!
![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
Still in Inverness.
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)