Older Perkins 6 354 (1978) Rebuilt

[felipe]

Hello all
I am currently in the Atlantic coast of Panama and need to find out what are the correct parts to rebuild my perkins 6 354 from 1978.
The serial number is TC20651U526769E.
I am trying to find the "built list number" which I understand perkins made for each engine made.
Are there any 6354 owners from the time of my engine which such list?
Perkins in the US told me that they don't have the built list number anymore.. that it was purged by perkins and is no longer available from them. So, perhaps some one already has the list and can share it?
Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.
My problem is this. Since I purchase the boat in 1998, I have white smoke. A lot more now. I have done what the mechanics suggested: re pitch the prop, adjust valves; rebuild the injection pump and injectors replaced the exhaust elbow... I was recently told the problem might be that the exhaust elbow is installed "horizontally" with a little downward towards the naqualift muffler and it should be installed downward towards the muffler. Some one else said that is not the problem, the problem is water getting into the cylinders.... ? ? ? ?
The engine starts right away, it does not leak anywhere visible, and it has around 10,000 hours... just the white smoke which is much more now...
NOTE for the last 2 years we have been at a mooring while doing boat maintenance and have not gone out so the engine has been running at least once a week at no more than 1000rpm... after it is warm I rev it up momentarily while in gear to 1600 or 1800 and get a lot of white smoke with a little of black smoke.... I was told the problem is too many hours running a low rpm... better to do a rebuilt...??

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Irish rambler]

Hello,
If the boats been sitting in a marina for a coupe of years with just a short run I would take it out in open water and run it up gradually to 1900 rpm for half an hour, then full throttle for half an hour, be sure to monitor temps & pressures and shut down immediatly if anything is not within parameters.
Take it back to your mooring and let it idle for 3/4 minutes to allow the cooling system to stress relieve any hot spots.
Start it after an hour and check for smoke, white smoke is air in the system.
10,000 hours is not a lot for that engine and would expect it to last longer, your problems may be down to poor care by the po.
If you need to rebuild contact parts4engines.com for parts at sensible prices, if you need a new crankshaft I would recommend fitting a nitrided type as it's harder and lasts forever. The new lead free shell bearings also have a much longer life than the originals.
I hop this is helpful.

[DeepFrz]

Some causes of White smoke in the exhaust.

White smoke:

White smoke is caused by raw, un-burnt fuel passing into the exhaust stream. Common causes include:
· Incorrect fuel injection timing
· Defective fuel injectors
· Low cylinder compression

You need to find out which is your cause before you jump to conclusions about a rebuild but my guess, and of course it is only a SWAG, is low compression or injection timing.

[felipe]

Hello and thanks for the suggestions.
I am in the proces of replacing the injection pump, having replaced already the injectors, the smoke is much less. I also order a kit to check the compression.

Does any one know which cylinder is the no.1 cylinder in this engine?

Maybe all engines start count of cylinders from the "front" of the engine, that is where the flywheel is but I do not know for sure, any help there would be greatly appreciated.
Repeating the question: which one is the number 1 cylinder in this engine?
thanks again!
F

[leftbrainstuff]

Number one cylinder is nearly always opposite the flywheel. Except for some French engines.

You can get Perkins manuals and there are also some other good resources off the web for free. Always confirm engine id before making any assumptions. If the engine has been rebuilt and been assigned a made up engine number obliterating the original it can get tricky. Let me know if you can't find them.

A compression test would be the first thing I would do before replacing injectors and pump. Running the engine under a range of loads and speeds also allows you to root cause fuel system issues.

I would confirm that the engine is configured correctly before replacing any components. FACT. Fuel, air, compression and timing specifically. Also make sure you are feeding the engine clean, air, fuel and oil. Most diesel running issues can be root caused to the fuel system. Start at the tank pickup and work through to the injectors. In that order. Suction side issues are usually much more elusive than pressure side fuel problems.

Diesels like to and need to work hard. Running it a little each week with no load is not good practice. Engine wear occurs when cold.

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[Irish rambler]

Hello felipe,
No 1 cylinder is the one at the front of the engine, it's the opposite end to the flywheel.
Did you take my earlier suggestion and take the boat out for a long hot run ?
You may be spending money unnecessarily
Often engines that are only used for battery charging while moored in the marina don't get up reach full operating temperature for a long enough period and some of the fuel injected is unburnt and washes the oil off the upper cylinder walls and this causes the bore of the cylinder to get polished resulting in some dilution of the lubricating oil and lack of compression as the piston rings don't make a good seal to the cylinder bore.
There are 2 ways to cure this,
1,Make the engine work hard and it will cure itself over time.
2,Strip down the engine, hone the bores and rebuild.
If the engine is not used properly it can't work properly.
As long as the water from the injection bend cannot get back into the engine the exhaust bend angle shouldn't be a factor.

[felipe]

Thanks again for all the good info. I am learning a bit more everyday. I have several Perkins manuals but have not found the information regarding the location of the no. 1 cylinder. Another person told me it is next to the fuel injector pump, by the flywheel... that is at the other end of what you said above..
I would appreciate a source so I can be sure of it.
I did the replacing of the injectors because the last time I did that was 6 years ago and it did help a lot with the amount of white smoke. I have a spare fuel injection pump packed in a vacuum bag that has been in the boat for over 10 years. Since the injector pump in use was last time check also 6 years ago, I thought I would replaced it with the spare one and see what happen. Also, I am learning that timing is very important and upon carefully looking at the installed injection pump, it looks like the 2 lines that are supposed to line up and just a bit off. The pump is a bit to the left of the base which means that it is a little retarded... ?? so I plan - before I remove it completely - to check by turning it just a fit forward and see if it makes any difference. Also, I ordered the kit to do the compression - it cost a total of $96, for the gauge and the injector part - and plan to do it as soon as I get it.
Also, in about a month, my wife and kid are going to her parents for a while so I am free to test the engine hard as suggested and will do that then.
So, thanks for the education, your comments are appreciated.
Felipe

[Seamaster_IRL]

Hi,
some data on your 6.354 Perkins that may help
TC = engine family type and code
20651 = parts list ref number
U = UK built engine (Peterborough)
52679 = engine serial number
E= Year of manufacture = 1978

2,250 RPM max continuous cruising speed
Cylinder 1 is generally on Crankshaft pulley end
get your hands on the 1978 Perkins handbook for marine diesel engines. These are online. I just did compression test on my 4.236 Perkins. Range was 23.5 to 25 bar on all 4 cylinders. Watch if more than 50 PSI difference between cyliders. May indicate other issues. Page 67 of the manual I mentioned has list of possible causes for white smoke. Check out compression tests Perkins on You Tube. Good luck.

[Benny.jones]

White smoke is water, blue smoke is oil and black smoke is fuel.



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