It's done. Finished.
I filled the fresh water side with water/antifreeze mix, opened the seawater valve and started it.
There were two problems. The first was apparent even before the engine fired - diesel mist was escaping from the exhaust elbow flange. I had been gentle with the 8 mm dia bolts that hold it on, fearing that I could strip or break them. Apparently I had been too gentle. A little judicious torque applied to the bolts solved that problem.
Next, after a few minutes of running, the engine started to slow down in what all of us with diesel engines recognize as the dreaded 'air bubble' somewhere in the system. I bled it again (and got out some more air) but that didn't solve the problem. Apparently there was now a bubble between the injection pump and the injectors. Finally I started it up and applied a load (the water heater) which caused lots of diesel to be injected into the cylinders. That did it - the air was swept out, leaving behind a smooth running engine.
So, this may be the longest oil change on record... I started the oil change on 3/23, and here we are at the first day of May.
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| Gratuitous picture showing the finished product, again |
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6 comments:
I was replacing a light bulb on my boat and ended up ripping out and replacing every wire and breaker on the boat. I'm sure that fear of recursive maintenance nightmares like these are why many boat owners develop selective blindness to many of the small tasks around the boat.
Selective blindness yes, but selective memory is also required. If we actually remembered all the time and money we put into our boats, we'd get rid of them immediately!
Way to go Bob!
I was just telling Ruth about your trials - six weeks for an oil change! Sounds like one of my boat projects.
Rick -
Ah, boat projects. This isn't my first like this, and it probably won't be the last... Just off the top of my head, there was the holding tank replacement, the fuel tank repair, the window renewal, the bowsprit renewal, renewal of the mainmast, and a whole host more.
Speaking of projects, that new 3-blade prop will prevent you from ever losing a shaft again - don't think it could clear the rudder - might jam it tho . Of course that means that if you *do* want to pull the shaft, the prop has to come off...
I hadn't thought about that, but you are correct. It can't clear the rudder. I would have never thought the old prop could clear it either.
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