Engine Spares For Remote Cruising

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I am planning to be far from civilization this summer, and so am reconsidering my spares list for my Yanmar 4JH3 HTE.

Here's how the list looks now:

Spare injectors & lines
Case of Racor filters
Several Yanmar fine filters
Oil filters & plenty of lube oil in 20l canisters
Spare fuel hose
A spare of every belt and hose on the engine
Spare starter
Spare sea water pump
Spare fresh water pump
Spare impellers
Spare thermostat


Have I missed anything?

Fuel pump?

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Pete7

A broken key in the ignition lock can really wreck your day. How about a spare lock:

https://www.asap-supplies.com/key-st...o-page-search1

Spare 2 blade fixed prop secondhand from e bay or Foulkes Boatyard Take a torch because they have an ISO container full of props to search through.

20L Jerry can of diesel which can be rigged with spare fuel lines to alleviate the tank and existing lines.

Pete

Or a daytank that is always filled with post-filter "return" diesel. Same idea. Not that I haven't gone old school when I was re-engining:

[john-o]

zincs?

[rosatte]

Isn’t this a SAIL boat.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rosatte

Isn’t this a SAIL boat.

Engine power can be life and death for a long distance cruiser, especially in Arctic areas with ice. There may be long periods of dead calm up here too. Why I am being particularly careful about ensuring reliability.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Fuel pump?

Lift pump is built into the injection pump.

[CelestialMelody]

Don't forget spares for your tender, the usual engine parts and fluids as well as fuel hose and fittings and spare prop or two.

[Dockhead]

Thanks to everyone for all the great suggestions. Please keep them coming.

[evm1024]

If one of your alternators is part of the belt system that turns the coolant pump then you need a way to turn the coolant pump should the bearings fail in that alternator.

It could be a spare alt, a shorter belt (bypassing the alt pulley), or a bearing kit.

The quickest "fix" is a spare alt. It can be very hard to install a short belt - there is no play.

[a64pilot]

OK, electric fuel pump, can replace a lift pump gen or main, and you never know when you need or move fuel from one place to another, although it’s slow, it’s not really a transfer pump.
I assume available fuel is of high quality, if not some way to test and or filter if possible before it gets into the tank
http://www.dieselfueltestkit.com

[CarlF]

oil pressure and coolant temp sender

stop relay

exhaust elbow - unless recently new, it's easier to just replace before leaving.

If engine has hydraulic transmission option - spare transmission oil cooler

alternator regulator - two spares. These fail more often than the alternator

coolant pressure cap

engine mount (tough call but a real problem in the unlikely event you hit something and break one. Carry two spares)

heat exchanger spare (or have current one removed and cleaned before leaving)

turbo wash (before leaving)

[Russ]

Yanmar makes a spares kit for each engine model for just this reason, I got mine from MACK BORING in NJ Largest Yanmar dealer in US I'm told

I carry MANY (4 pairs) belts ( though i only have two matched engine belts per set) Now a days all belts are identical so no need to buy matched pairs like we used to.
I also have a extra engine exhaust elbow( they rust out) and two spare alternators plus everything you already mentioned.

You also need the SHOP (NOT Owner's manual) Manual as their may be a good diesel mechanic in East Timbuktu but if he doesn't have the shop manual he wont have the engine specs to reset valve clearance etc. A tad pricey as I recall. and like someone said the tools to do it!

Lots of heavy stuff, beware.

[a64pilot]

In all honesty, see if you can source a crewman that is a crack Diesel mechanic and good electrician.
PS, any real mechanic shows up with their own tools
Not me though, I’m allergic to cold

[Robert Tilbury]

sealant (good quality ) Thread lock
And the best spare anyone can have is isocyanate (superglue ) with baking soda

If you sprinkle baking soda over superglue it hardens immediate and can be made as thick as needed and hard as steel , I have used it as a emergency repair on so many things ,
Google it ,
I even had a o ring land/ grove/ crack on a ram and had no way to fix my steering ram i remade the land and it got me home , i could have used the emergency tiller but a 1/2 hour repair made the 9 hour sail from botany bay to Kiama (NSW AUSTRALIA ) so much better ,

This post is what CF is all about , Great reading

[wrwakefield]

DH,

Reading through this thread it looks like most everything has been covered. [I mentally compared against our own 8 page (single spaced) list of spares- but isolating it to engine only considerations as you asked...]

One area- which you may already have covered- is back-up systems for critical fluid flow to the engine. [fuel and raw water]

e.g.,

For the main engine [and generator if applicable...]:

Our propultion engine raw water intake is also plumbed to our raw water washdown pump [with valves...] in the event the engine pump fails. To activate, we close the through hull valve to the raw water intake for the engine, and open the valve from the washdown pump feed which is T'ed into the raw water intake feed hose to the engine. [It is also useful for flushing the engine raw water circuit with fresh if a 3-way valve is used, or 2 T's...]

The main purpose of this set-up is to buy time in a motoring situation where you don't have time to deal with a malfunctioning raw water pump on the engine... I have had to use this on past vessels more than once over the years...

Additionally, a fuel pump in-line with the main fuel feed to the engine can be very useful. This is used to bleed the fuel system and/or to provide fuel flow to the engine in the event the engine fuel pump malfunctions. [This may not work on all engines, but works beaurifully on our Ford Lehman, and worked well on 2 prior vessels with Westerbeke and Yanmar engines...]

And finally, a suggested addition to your lotions and potions tub: Permatex Form-a-Gasket #2 [non-hardening; There is also a #1 formulation which is hardening. Don't get #1...] It just works; everything from threaded fittings [potable water to oily fuel fitting threads] to creating or mending gaskets [any mating surfaces] in the field...

It is old school black goo, and has a tendency get on everything you had no intent of using it on, including your tools and yourself... [I double bag the tube in storage just in case...] But it never leaks in application...

Best wishes with your impending journey.

Cheers! Bill