Sailing The Rip into Port Philip Victoria

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by hoppy

ouch.... just saw this in the other thread

Sounds like a bit of an epic, you really didnt need the fuel problems! At least the weather was well behaved. Thanks for the update.

I vaguely remember some of your first posts on here were about the engine and its issues, but I have forgotten exactly what they are. So it sounds like the injector pump is possibly toast. What else is wrong with it. Any chance the injector pump can be fixed enough to get you a few more seasons, or at least enable you to potter around the Tamar.

Might be worth starting a thread about the engine problem. There are some pretty switched on engineer types on here. Might just be a blockage somewhere.

We once polished an entire 250 litre tank of diesel by filtering through paper kitchen towels. Seemed to work.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Sounds like a bit of an epic, you really didnt need the fuel problems! At least the weather was well behaved. Thanks for the update.

I vaguely remember some of your first posts on here were about the engine and its issues, but I have forgotten exactly what they are. So it sounds like the injector pump is possibly toast. What else is wrong with it. Any chance the injector pump can be fixed enough to get you a few more seasons, or at least enable you to potter around the Tamar.

Might be worth starting a thread about the engine problem. There are some pretty switched on engineer types on here. Might just be a blockage somewhere.

We once polished an entire 250 litre tank of diesel by filtering through paper kitchen towels. Seemed to work.

I just started a thread on the fuel tank options.

The motor is simply not worth the approx $1800 to have it serviced. My pos before yours states what it needs doing to it.

[Andrew G]

RC, real sorry to hear of your problems and glad you made it.
Two questions
- what day/time did you exit PPHeads?
- where do you think you picked up the dirty fuel? (Email me if you wish.)
Not a good coincidence that one of our members is having serious dirty fuel problems, needed a coast guard tow, may have bought fuel at the same place. I am keen to track it down.
Andrew G

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

I just started a thread on the fuel tank options.

The motor is simply not worth the approx $1800 to have it serviced. My pos before yours states what it needs doing to it.

Hmmm... how many hours on the engine?

'It leaks oil, in more places than I know where to fix
It drips raw water
The water pump needs replacement
It needs four new engine mounts
A new exhaust elbow with the ss insert
A new fuel filter mount (as bleed screw is stripped)'

Bin there done all that on my MD17D ... (except the oil leaks - mine blows the oil out the back).... most of it more than once.

Also had the injector pump rebuilt 3 years ago but labour costs in Chile are a bit cheaper than Oz and they are experienced in fixing stuff rather than replacing.

$1800 sounds cheaper than a new motor....

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Andrew G

RC, real sorry to hear of your problems and glad you made it.
Two questions
- what day/time did you exit PPHeads?
- where do you think you picked up the dirty fuel? (Email me if you wish.)
Not a good coincidence that one of our members is having serious dirty fuel problems, needed a coast guard tow, may have bought fuel at the same place. I am keen to track it down.
Andrew G

Hi Andrew. I purchased 80 ltrs at Queenscliffe. But, that's not the cause of the dirty fuel. My problem is an ongoing rusty keel tank which I installed a fuel polisher for with two racor's. The problem was that getting down low in the tank must have been the water and rust sitting, ready to be sucked up.

I went through the heads on Friday at 9:35am from memory.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Hmmm... how many hours on the engine?

'It leaks oil, in more places than I know where to fix
It drips raw water
The water pump needs replacement
It needs four new engine mounts
A new exhaust elbow with the ss insert
A new fuel filter mount (as bleed screw is stripped)'

Bin there done all that on my MD17D ... (except the oil leaks - mine blows the oil out the back).... most of it more than once.

Also had the injector pump rebuilt 3 years ago but labour costs in Chile are a bit cheaper than Oz and they are experienced in fixing stuff rather than replacing.

$1800 sounds cheaper than a new motor....

Ping, $1800 will fix the pump, but then there are the other problems. I estimate around $4000 to $5000. When do I call it quits?

[El Pinguino]

About now I reckon...... sounds like too much all at once.

Is OK when they come along one at a time......

[El Pinguino]

And also .. new is good.

I've just been advised that my autopilot drive ( Lewmar/Whitlock Mamba drive ) is not only toast ( I knew that) but at 30 year old is seriously burnt unrepairable toast.

New one is a bit on the high side of $A3000....

sailing is so much fun.

[Andrew G]

Thanks RC. We can't blame fuel supply then. You should have been at or near slack water thereabouts so just imagine what it can be like at bad times.
(I was out there a few weeks ago - absolutely dead calm, just whirlpools).
Good luck,
Andrew

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

About now I reckon...... sounds like too much all at once.

Is OK when they come along one at a time......

Yes, exactly. Over the past five years, I've had it out twice, had the injectors serviced and replaced, replaced the heat exchanger with an after market one, did the same with the oil cooler, have had four attempts at resolving oil leaks, and serviced the raw water pump only last year with a kit. Purchased a new air inlet housing. And I've moved the engine mounts around, with the intention of later buying new ones ($265 each).

If I want reliability and a halt to oil leaking, I really need to get rid of this lemon and save my money and out it towards a new motor.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Andrew G

Thanks RC. We can't blame fuel supply then. You should have been at or near slack water thereabouts so just imagine what it can be like at bad times.
(I was out there a few weeks ago - absolutely dead calm, just whirlpools).
Good luck,
Andrew

It was calm when we went in . I wondered what all the fuss was abou

[El Pinguino]

Bet you hung a left too soon and sailed into the 'Death Zone'... bin there ... dun that

[GILow]

Hey RC. Just read this. You poor bugger. Sorry to hear about your slog across the great washing machine that is Bass Strait. Sorry also to hear of the engine problems. Having just finished a 17 hour solo a few days ago I most certainly tip my hat to you, I was stuffed after that little jaunt. I can't imagine how you felt by the end of your trip. I hope you enjoy catching up on your sleep. A few days of rest might give you some more ideas on how to proceed with the engine.


Sent from my iPhone so apologies for weird autocorrect typos.

[JPA Cate]

Hey, RC,

What I'm reading here, these last few posts, all seem to be sounding the same melody: take a step back, chill out, maybe get some more nights' worth of good sleep, and consider what can be done to keep you sailing while you save up for a new or rebuilt engine. Or, maybe you get the manual and do your own teardown. I am quite sure some of the guys here would be delighted to help you along the way.

It sounds as if your engine really doesn't need that much to keep it going for an interim period. In the mean time, you already have a plan for the AP. I'd suggest you consider building a wind vane, if only as a backup, but really, they're silent, use no power, and ours steered us about 75,000 mi, before it broke sliding off a wave and had to be replaced.

About the lazy jacks. We used to lead them fwd to raise the main, then re-hoist when it was time for take down. Now they're in the boom bag, and up all the time, and you need to be dead nuts into the wind at about 3 kn. or better to hoist the main. It has to keep luffing. Our attachments at the spreader are about halfway outboard, so that the "mouth" is always open wide.

Ann

[Andrew G]

Ann (and RC), very sound advice and a great idea to put the top leads for Lazy Jacks partway out the spreaders. I have in-boom so no LJs but regularly crew wth others who have them all on the mast - a veritable PITA, cheers, Andrew