Starting 75 HP Yanmare Turbo Diesel after 18 years in storage

[birdsey]

Flying Fin, your advice seems to be contrary to all the other posts and my limited experience with marine diesel engines. What is your experience and training on marine diesels!

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

No such thing as "winterized for 18 years", you must be thinking of Rip Van Winkle. Assume the motor is toast and bid on the vessel accordingly. Assume you buy it, price in pulling the motor and delivering it to shop for a full re-build. If you could get it started, the crankshaft and wrist pin bearings (which have been slowly rusting away) will ruin your day after the first 20 hours of running. And most engines usually die while in the middle of an inlet, not at the dock.

Well I can't vouch for 18 years but I can vouch for 10 years. The engine sat for 10 years without anything but being rotated by hand once or twice a year.

Then when we (re)commissioned it, we turned it over it over decompressed to build oil pressure, bleed the fuel system and with the usual precautions mentioned above by overs, started it up with out any issues. Ran for some years and 500+ hours without issue.

Different engine but a Yanmar (non-turbo).

[Nineteen]

Hi
Depends on the engine and how it was stored - Yanmar make a pretty good one.

Electrolysis in the bearings is the only other issue if the bores are ok (rust free). If it turns by hand you should be in reasonable shape. Wright 1820s were one engine that the master bearing (radial engine) would grow and lock onto the crank even when properly stored/inhibited.

So on summary look in the bore for serious rust and then after putting some oil in the bores turn it by hand - if that works then it should be fine.
Cheers
Tom

[lituya1617]

When starting a diesel that has not been run in years, it is good practice to have an air intake plug handy. Diesels can run away and destroy themselves from blow-by oil or a failure of the governor or fuel shut off. No diesel will run at any speed without air. Just make a tightly fitted plug or plate that you can quickly place over the air intake opening. You will have to remove the air filter to do this, of course. I have found that old Yanmars that have water injector exhaust systems often suffer great damage to some of the cylinder heads if the water muffler and injectors are left attached to the engine. Exposure of the cast iron head and steel valves to water vapors over long periods can ruin a head and even the pistons. I have taken engines apart only to find that rust and corrosion had destroyed some of the cylinders (the ones with open exhaust valves. To properly prepare a diesel with a water injection system in the exhaust, you have to disconnect the exhaust hose while the engine is still hot (to allow any water to boil off and/or evaporate) and then to dry out the exhaust manifold with silica gel and carefully seal it with the gel packs in the pipe. Water is the death of the interior parts of engines, especially salt water. If your old engine was "put up wet" you may have a big problem after 15 years. The good news is that it may run fine.

[kmacdonald]

Originally Posted by Wotname

The valve gear is at the top of the engine and gravity works against long term static lubrication.

Lets hope the OP doesn't see a sight like this - this engine has been sitting for awhile... and it is a good reason to pop the valve cover first!

Of course it is recoverable but...

Is that the engine with frozen injectors?

[birdsey]

It is actually a new engine that was installed in 2000, ran for an hour to test it and shut down. It is in a sailboat that was buing built and never finished. The builder passed away but I belive he most likely kept the engine lubricated and manually turned on a regular basis. I assume that based on how meticuous he was about every other aspect of the build.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by birdsey

It is actually a new engine that was installed in 2000, ran for an hour to test it and shut down. It is in a sailboat that was buing built and never finished. The builder passed away but I belive he most likely kept the engine lubricated and manually turned on a regular basis. I assume that based on how meticuous he was about every other aspect of the build.

If he was meticulous about his work you are probably correct, I hope so. Good luck.

[birdsey]

I recently found out that the builders Grandson saw him running it a few years ago and using a large barrel for fresh water intake. I think everything will be fine. My only fear is that the remainder of the fresh water from the last running was properly flushed. I will know in a couple of weeks!'

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Following

Can you let us know how this turns out?

[Bycrick]

Another quick, easy look is to remove the exhaust elbow and check that the turbo spins freely.

[a64pilot]

I’ve not followed all of this, so it may have come up, but if this motor checks out, this is one that I think I would pre-lube.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I flush the fuel with fresh except in engines from before the EPA when we had good diesel. Those you could just start up.

The EPA was established in 1970, that's nearly 50 years ago for cripes sake. If you're starting an engine over 50 years old, I think the EPA is the least of your concerns, but perhaps memory might be a little cloudy that far back? Because best I can tell the first EPA regulations regarding marine diesel came about in 2007, and that only involved reducing sulfur content. What, exactly, about pre-1970 diesel make it "good" with apparently a nearly 50 year shelf life, but after 1970 diesel "bad". Or was that just a completely gratuitous statement, along the same vein of "back when men were men and the rain was acid and we liked it that way!"

[a64pilot]

I believe he may have been talking about old, high sulphur Diesel, which did store better (longer)
Not engines

[Mike Banks]

The raw watrer impeller blades will be hard and will break off and disappear into the heat exchanger if you do not replace the impeller.

I agree that it would be a good idea to lift out the motor as it is impossible to remove the sump and check and lube the bottom end and undersides of the piston skirts and any visible cylinder walls so they will not run dry on any start-up.

I would probably pull the cylinder head off and decarbonise the engine combustion chambers, perhaps give the valves new seats, replace any burned or rusted valves and lap them in properly. A lot of fun--much more easily done with the engine hoisted out and bolted to an engine stand. While you are at it, overhaul the gearbox.

MUCHG cheaper to rerpair an engine than buy a nbew one--takle it to a tractor mechanic though. They are more price-realistic, and sometimes agricultural poarts (exactly the same part number) are cheapr because they are taxed differently in some places..Marine means money.