New (to me) boat, and engine maintenance

[SkiprJohn]

Congratulations! I agree with one thing at a time then run it and move on to the next thing. When you change the fuel filters and if it doesn't start and run after that item then you know you haven't bled the filters and fuel system correctly but if you do all your items and then try to start and it won't you're not certain which item is the culprit.

Start with a completely topped off battery and it's not a bad idea to change that impeller before you start. Check water flow out the exhaust after a minute and if it is flowing properly go off to the next thing on your maintenance check list.

[GrahamHO]

as pesarsten rightly advises; change your water pump impeller. I use liquid hand cleaning soap for installation and initial start-up lubrication of it. Make sure the impeller blades are distorted in the correct direction of rotation so the tips trail. It's sometimes a good idea to take a cellphone photo of items before you dismantle them as a quick guide for later reassembly. If the pump cover plate is worn with slight groves you can resurface it using 220 wet and dry lapping it on a sheet of glass with elbow grease and water for about 30 mins maybe. I've done my mine 2 or 3 times now and it improves the water flow. For some reason only the cover on my Yammer pump wears and not the body. Good luck.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

The first thing I'd do is install a small electric fuel pump with a switch in front of the racor. Drain the racor & then run the pump. If you get a lot of water in the bowl you have a lot of water in the tank from condensation which happens when you don't keep your tanks topped up. Chances are you're fine. If the diesel looks ok in the filter I'd top up the tank. Dual racors with a pressure gauge are a good idea. You scored with the Beta.

I have heard this condensation 'myth' before. Its been discussed on other threads. According to our marina engine geeks, most water enters at your deck fitting because nobody ever replaces the crusty old O-Ring on the port plug. #2 cause is water in bad fuel. We have 5 years since the lids-off tank scrubbing and no water has ever been drawn off any of my 5 tanks.

2 years is not too long for diesel. If its a large amount of fuel, consider having it polished - 1-3 micron. This removes a lot of sin & future costs.

Water trapped in the seal gland for a long time can cause corrosion pits in the shaft. I had to pull ours & weld up the pits; turn & polish. Glad to have a shop.

How's the hull below water? Blisters? Need new water barrier?

Keel bolts? Stanchions & bedding?

Mostly pretty good advice above .

[dragsterhund]

Thanks for all the advice. I found most of the info on the Betamarine website, and had to call them for one bit of info that wasn't in the manual.. super friendly.

The boat was on the hard, so I couldn't test the motor between each maintenance task, so I just did everything and tested it when it went back in the water. Ran it for 20 minutes on the dock, and everything seemed fine. We then motored from Annapolis to DC (28-ish hours) on the diesel, 2200 rpm, avg about 5.8 kts. I thought there might have been a problem with the fuel gauge, since it wasn't ticking down as much as I thought it would. Apparently, these little diesel inboards just sip fuel, so I think the whole trip cost about
$3.50 in diesel.

[MarkSF]

"We then motored from Annapolis to DC (28-ish hours) on the diesel, 2200 rpm, avg about 5.8 kts. I thought there might have been a problem with the fuel gauge, since it wasn't ticking down as much as I thought it would. Apparently, these little diesel inboards just sip fuel, so I think the whole trip cost about
$3.50 in diesel."

That doesn't seem right. I would have thought you'd be using about 0.5 gals per hour at that rpm. That would be 14 gals over 28 hours.

If you really did use $3.50, that's about a gallon, in which case you are using about 0.5 pints per hour. Impressive fuel economy indeed. So impressive, it's impossible.

Did you determine fuel consumption by the guage, or by topping off the tank?

IMHO, the only reliable fuel gauge is the graduated wooden stick.

[dragsterhund]

I topped off the tank before I left. The tank holds 50 liters (13.2 gallons), and I bought two 5 gallon fuel cans, which were also both full, and those were on the deck, so... 13 in the tank, an an extra 10 on deck. I guess there could have been an extra gallon or two in the fuel filler hose, come to think of it.

I'll take it over to the gas slip this evening and have it topped off... you're right, that's a better way to figure out how much fuel I used. The wooden stick wouldn't work, because the tank isn't under the filler cap.

This is my first diesel, so I don't have any idea what fuel consumption rates are reasonable (yet! Still learning.)

[Cheechako]

Fuel tank gauges are notoriously inaccurate. Usually it seems they don't move forever, then they go down real fast.
I suppose a quart an hour is a possibility on that small engine with all things perfect.
I experienced .65 gallons an hour on a 50 hp diesel for the life of my ownership of one boat.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

So impressive, it's impossible.


IMHO, the only reliable fuel gauge is the graduated wooden stick.

Yup. Also, engine hours, saves a tree.

[MarkSF]

Yes indeed, once your fuel economy is well determined, you can just go by engine hours. My Universal 5424 uses 0.8 gals per hour. Thirsty! But I do tend to push it quite hard, probably cruising at 2/3 power.

I use the stick as a quick check, when by engine hours I should have plenty, but want to double check.