Online instruction on marine diesel maintenance and repair?

[LooseGoose]

Peter Compton's Boatdiesel.com is a treasure trove of information on all things diesel. By locating questions, answers and discussion threads, you can certainly glean a ton of information as to what things need attending to, and how to go about it.

Trawlerfest holds educational seminars during events. One of the courses is called Marine Diesel Engine Maintenance, it is a 3 day long in depth course, taught by experts. I had the pleasure of attending a session led by Nigel Calder and Steve Zimmerman, folks definitely worth listening to. Good luck on your quest. Buy good tools!

[TrentePieds]

Quote: "Nothing mechanical keeps running without periodic maintenance and occasional repair."

Quite so!

Which is why the Owner's Manual gives you such specific, and excellent, instructions on how to MAINTAIN the specific engine. We can do no better than the manufacturer's engineers :-)!

Repairing an engine is a kettle of fish of a different colour, and not something most boat owners undertake. If you DO want to have a go at it, the instructions, including critical tolerances are found in the Repair Manual for the specific engine.

If your particular engine requires repair, then depending on just what the problem is, how skilled a mechanic you are, what time demands are on you, and other such considerations which we certainly can have no knowledge of, to replace your engine will take 3 days in the hands of a competent marine mechanic and can be done for something like US$12K.

I deal with the possibility/probability of going that route by allocating within my maintenance budget a "sinking fund" of $300/month specifically for engine replacement. With Can$15K showing on that line item, the sinking fund is complete, and an engine replacement, cash on the barrel head, is only a phone call away.

However, addressing you opening post again, if you have a specific question such as, for example, "the starter motor cranks the engine, but the engine doesn't fire up", and you haven't found a remedy for that problem through an assiduous reading of the relevant manuals, including the materials cited for you in the posts preceding this one, then we'll be very glad to see what we can do to asset you.

Cheers

TrentePieds

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by Howler

Most classes are recorded and available to members and non-members.

Thanks.

[GWilly]

I addition to Calder’s book, I’d recommend boatdiesel.com. It’s a great website for resourcing every specific type of Diesel engine. I’m sure you can find leads for online instruction there too.

[bjp447]

I have a Yanmar 30hp in my Ranger Tug. I paid, and still pay, a guy to take me thru the basics, fuel filters, fuel pumps, mixing elbows, relays etc etc. Probably have not spent over $1400 so far. I do the work he supervises and teaches (the bottom paint I let him do. In the big picture I would have paid a shop more to do the things we have done and never knew how to do them, and all the little nuances of each job, and there are many. Ask around , someone has some experience, and if you are lucky you'll find a certified Yanmar mechanic who does side work. Tell him what you are trying to do and get your hands dirty.,

[Red Sky]

OP, If what TrentePieds has suggested doesn’t make sense to you, I’d recommend going with the method used by bjp447, a very good suggestion also.

[sinnerman]

This book covers all of the maintenance and care of a diesel and has a ton of illustrations:

https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Diesel.../dp/0981123325