Sole diesel acting strange

[sailor Martin]

Hi everyone

I just bought a 30 year old Arends 33.
I was intending to relocate it yesterday when a engine problem aroused.. So I have a few questions cause the manual is less than helpful.

1. Main issue - I was motoring at 2000rpm(6.5kn)for about 30 minutes when a very weak an d disturbed bipping aroused from the panel speaker. I have 3 warning lights on my panel- electrical, oil pressure and temp. Non of the lights turned on! I lowered the rpm and after a few minutes the alarm seized.
I don't think it's the electric light cause the bulb is definitely operational. I don't know if the other 2 are working since there is no test button. I definitely had raw water going through and I also had enough coolent. I also was touching the engine and it didn't feel over hot. I also had enough oil in the crankcase but very old oil.
Ideas where I should start looking?

2. Rpm only goes up to 2200 when it should reach 3000.(clean prop). Ideas why?

I have a "Ronim" gear box and there is no manual online. Do you know what type of oil is requires? Also, the refill and oil check bolt isn't actually a bolt. It's just a loos measuring stick. There are no threads in it's housing. So if the boat tools over, all the oil will spill out. What's up with this?

Cheers
Martin

[tkeithlu]

With electricity going to your idiot light system, but the engine not running, your oil light should come on because you have no oil pressure. It should go out a few seconds to a minute after you start up. Your water temperature light should not, because the water is not overheated. If your running water temperature is below boiling, you can test the sensor by connecting an ohm meter across it and boiling the sucker on the stove. Your electrical should light up when voltage drops, so a test will depend on where it's set - most in cars trip when at rest, and go off when the alternator kicks in.

The low RPM usually means fouling or over prop, if you have eliminated those, check your compression, with the rough check being the quality of your exhaust.

Change the oil!! Preferably do it with heated oil, but do it. "Tools over?" Is there an O-ring missing around the collar of the dip stick? It's a no-pressure situation, and it probably takes an unusual cant to actually spill oil.

Consider replacing the lights with gauges and the sensors with more than switches. It won't cost much, because automotive parts will work for both. Gauges are for people who scan their instruments and are interested in what is going on inside their engines. Idiaot lights are for....well, you get the picture.

Good luck with exploring it all. This is how you get to know your engine, and it can be a new friendship.

[model 10]

If it had been oil psi, it would have gotten worse when you reduced power, so it was water temp. The buzzer will start to make noise before the bulb fully lights.
Sounds like you were running the dog **** out of it. Take it easy till you get home.

[a64pilot]

If it will only turn 2200 RPM wide open and you we’re running 2000 RPM, you were running the snot out of it, it likely got hot as bogging an engine down like that and running it hard will often overheat an engine that has nothing wrong with it, I’m surprised it wasn’t blowing black smoke

[stormalong]

Your engine may be able to do 3000 rpm with a light load. The engine may be overpropped - too much load for the engine. But this may just be normal for this engine. For example: Perkins 4-108 claims 50 HP at 4000 RPM but no one I know runs a 4-108 at 4000 rpm. When I had one I seldom went above 2000 RPM. You said that you are new to the boat. Have you spoken with the previous owner about this?

Many engines have only warning lights - also called idiot lights. I prefer engine gauges. Gauges show you what is happening in the engine rather than just tell you when something is wrong. Adding temperature and oil pressure gauges is not hard.

[Ramona]

The engine may need a cooling system flush. I presume this is a raw water cooled engine and has had a calcium build up that restricted the water flow and has become noticable running at those revs. Running at fast idle probably pumps plenty of water. These engines need regular flushing with an acid mixture.

[stnick]

I just did a Wash with barnicle buster ! Pour it in let sit 20 min and start the engine and open the raw water supply . Easy and it works.