Yanmar spares I should carry

[Jason Flare]

Great thread. Lots of helpful information. Thanks everyone.

I carry many of the spares mentioned but engine had issues while on a passage. As to whether I have the correct spares I always keep in mind that our boat is a sailing vessel and can probably get from A to B without an engine.

I only mention this because it really does keep my stress level down.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

IMO, other than consumables, trying to guess what will break down is a crapshoot, and you can drive yourself around the bend struggling with that idea. Sudden catastrophic failure in a reasonably maintained yottie diesel is a rare thing. Episodic failures in the fuel supply are more common, but don't require massive spare lists to cure.

Carry a good supply of the known consumables for your engine, and don't worry too much about the big items.

Jim

The OP is going to the Caribbean in a 27' boat.... it's not the ends of the earth.

We were going to buy a used engine and strip it for parts before we left for the Caribbean our first time. Someone convinced us that we're over thinking it.... they were right.

Worst case- Do as the Pardeys, and be towed in to harbor everywhere.

Matt

[robgrant1]

On the subject of fuel maintenance, I asked a diesel mechanic if he would recommend using microbial treatment. He said don't bother, but Ive read many posts recommending it. Anybody have conclusive evidence to support using it?

The other item I'm considering adding is a fuel/water separator on the outboard fuel line. Same question: Is it necessary or superfluous?

[Kenomac]

We have not used a biocide anti microbial in over two years, ever since we added the fuel polishing system.

[FecklessDolphin]

I think the 3JH2 would affect the trim quite a bit on the J/27. This engine is in the Morris Justine. I changed my profile to be more clear.

[Teknishn]

The anti-microbial stuff works great.....if you have tons and tons of fuel onboard that doesnt' get changed out regularly, or if you leave diesel sitting in your tanks for...like a year or more? If you are running your engine, filtering the fuel, and refueling on a regular basis, adding anti-microbial additives is an unnecessary cost. For boats that regularly use their engines (which most do). Filtration is the most important thing....spend money on that instead of additives that you don't need.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

If someone has a cross reference to some generic replacement, I would be very grateful to have it.

Dockhead,

Over the years many folks have asked this question and there have been tons of responses, but never "documented" or put in one easily accessible place.

In most cases, a Google search (not only on this forum, but internet-wide) with "Yanmar filter EQUIVALENTS" will yield good results.

Good luck, the info IS out there.

FWIW, for our Universals, our Catalina 34 website has, for many years, listed all those equivalents. I know it doesn't help you in the least, but it is an example of how skippers have pooled their knowledge after finding less expensive methods of procuring parts. In all my internet boating forum experiences over the past 15 years (!), I have never found or read or read about a "Yanmar" equivalence for any of their engines as easily accessible as for our M25 and M35 series engines. Not boasting, just giving an example. Hope you find one for yours.

[CarlF]

I agree that burning lots of fuel and/or regular polishing will not require antimicrobials - but a lot of sailboats don't go through much fuel.

I put in Biobor Jf for insurance (I think the other anti-microbials are probably just as good). 1/2 oz for 40 gallons at fillup. Costs less than $1. Certainly does no harm.

I had a serious problem with a boat 10 years ago that had been stored for 6 months ashore in the Caribbean before I bought it. For the whole time I owned the boat, every rough passage would shake some gunk loose from the tank wall that would then clog the filter - sometimes stopping the engine at sea.

Once the gunk starts sticking to the tank walls, there's no easy way to get rid of it without opening up the tank and professionally cleaning it.

[peter57]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Many of the parts can be cross checked online for equivalent parts at much cheaper prices than Yanmar. Replacement Purolator oil filters are only $8 each at your local auto parts house. Replacement fuel filters cost a fortune because of some warning device wired into it, I remember paying over $100 euros for each one from the Yanmar dealer in Menorca. Since I installed a fuel polishing system, both of the spare fuel filters remain in the kit unused. The bad stuff gets filtered out long before it makes its way to the engine filter.

Cross check some of the parts online, you may be able to cut your cost in half and pick up many things just down your street at the parts house.

Hi Ken, Can I ask what fuel polishing system did you install. And the cost of the filters ect..

[Badsanta]

Yes to the outboard. A mechanic friend told me the he has seen no end to fuel problems sence the change to added ethenol. Extra filter inline