From: Tommy Terrific [mailto:circumnavigate06@bellsouth.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 4:24 AM To: Douglas Cochrane Subject: Alaska Diesel Hey Doug, How about sharing your notes with me and "us". THANKS, Tommy Tommy, After all the valuable information I've gleaned from this discussion group, I am honored to be able to contribute a mite of my own. I offer these notes from Bob Senter's recent Captains Seminar on Lugger engines and Northern Lights generators with this caveat: that those with greater knowledge correct my mistakes and answer a few questions that have arisen since the seminar. I'm not a diesel mechanic so I may well have made mistakes in my notes. First, it is important to identify the model and serial number of the engines involved. Alaska Diesel puts an engraved plate on each engine and keeps detailed records of each setup. With the set and serial number they can provide the right parts for your engine. OPERATIONS Main Engine 2200 RPM = full load 1500 RPM = cruise speed. Periodically (once daily) run the engine up to full load for a few minutes. 1100-1200 = too low, not good for engine. Generator When starting the genset, make sure all AC loads are turned off. Otherwise the voltage regulator can experience a huge spike which will shorten its lifespan. There is typically a circuit breaker on the genset to disconnect the AC loads. Let the engine warm up for 3-5 minutes before applying loads. Be sure to check that there is adequate water exhaust action happening to keep the engine cool. After the warmup period it is better to load up the engine than to let it run with a light load. Run the dryer, the watermaker, or the vacuum cleaner when the genset is running. When done charging etc. turn off the AC loads and let the engine run for 3-5 minutes to cool down before shutdown. *** Question: I assume most folks don't go into the engine room and open up the genset enclosure every time they use the genset. Our N4670 has two remote starting switches. My assumption is that I can turn off the AC loads at the electrical panel in the pilothouse instead. Correct? There are three kinds of loads on a genset: 1) Resistance such as a water heater, lights, the dryer, or heaters can use up to 100% of the output 2) Inductive motor loads use 80% of output 3) Inverters or non-linear high frequency chargers use only 30% of the output (I think but I may have gotten that wrong.) If the lights flicker as it switches on and off, add some resistive load to smooth out the power draw. Because inverters are not good for battery charging, consider adding at least one more good sized, good quality, three step charger to the system. Note that on a 120/240V system if one leg is loaded heavily whilst the other is not, the neutral leg is hot - and so is all underwater bonded metal. This stray electricity can be dangerous to other boats and especially people in the water around the boat. Try to balance the loads on both legs as much as possible. ENGINE CHECKS Use an infrared temperature gun to check the temperature of key elements of the engine and other surfaces in the engine room. There should be a 15 degree difference between the inlet and the outlet of the keel cooler. There is an adjustable knob on the keel cooler for warm waters. The bolt in the center with a lock nut screws down for warmer waters. There should be no more than a 30 degree difference between the temperature in the engine room measured in front of the air filter and the ambient air outside the vessel. Engine room temperature should never exceed 130 degrees. See the Steve D'Antonio article about Delta-T in a recent Passagemaker for more details. MAINTENANCE When changing the engine oil check the back of the can for the symbol with the API #CJ-4. The C indicates oil for a Compression or diesel engine (whilst S indicates oil for a Spark or gasoline engine). The J is an incrementing alphabetic symbol - the latest and greatest version of an oil mix. The 4 indicates the oil is for a 4-cycle engine. DELO 400 CH-4 is recommended for Luggers (and is available at Costco.) Oil analysis is easy, inexpensive, and a good early way of identifying wear in the engine. However they are of little value unless done right. Run the engine until hot. Drain the oil into a clean bucket. Allow it to cool for two hours. Withdraw the oil sample from the center of the bucket. There has been a lot of debate on what size of fuel filter to use with a lot of folks recommending 2 micron filters. Mr. Senter is adamant that captains should follow the engine manufacturers recommendations - in our case, a 30 micron primary filter, not a 2 micron. Otherwise they can plug up too quickly. Change your Racor filters annually as they can deteriorate allowing bits of filter material to enter the injectors. It is important to drain any water out of the Racors daily. If your Racors don't have a petcock on the bottom to drain the water, it is easy to add one. A K&N filter cleaning kit, available at most auto parts stores, can be used to clean old filters. Spray on the cleaner, wash it off, and oil the filter before reuse. Service the air filter periodically by washing it out with clean water. Replace the impeller on the genset annually. Pull the old impeller using two needle nose pliers. Don't use a screwdriver to pry it out or you risk damaging the sealing surfaces of the housing. Use a silicon dielectric gel compound to grease up an impeller before installing it. Be sure to install it in the right direction. All Lugger engines turn clockwise. Diesel that has been sitting for months will lose some of its lubricity or slipperiness. Adding a good fuel stabilizer will bring new life to old fuel. Mr. Senter recommends adding Stanadyne Performance Formula diesel fuel additive and circulating it before starting the engine. *** Question: it seems to me there are two stories here. I filled my tanks last Fall to prevent condensation in the tanks but this advice implies that it would be better to leave the tanks empty and fill them with enough fresh fuel at the beginning of the season to last for the season. Any opinions here? *** Question: It seems to me the best approach would be to add the fuel stabilizer then run a fuel polishing cycle on the tank to ensure the fuel is clean and the stabilizer is well mixed. Comments? On a related subject, Staybil should be added to outboard motor gasoline to up the octane level of old gas. The transmission cooler is a vertical can on the left front of the engine. It has a triangular O-ring that can fail. A good check is to examine the paint at the bottom of the elbow. If it is cracked it may indicate a failed O-ring. Change the coolant every 2 years or 2400 hours. Check the ASTM # on the coolant to ensure it meets the spec of either D-4985, D-5345, or D-6210. Fleetguard ES Compleat is recommended. Clean the heat exchanger every 2 years or 2400 hours. The wet exhaust elbow on the Northern Lights can fail on the bottom. Use a mirror to inspect the bottom side. Replace this elbow every five years. If your exhaust is steaming it indicates a flow problem with the cooling water. The vibration damper on the front of a Lugger engine should be changed every five years or 4500 hours. Since our N4670 is 8 years old, I'm guessing I'm overdue on this maintenance item. When does the Twin Disk clutch need service? Check the vents of the clutch for little black rubber bits which are an indication that wear is getting excessive. How can you tell if your injectors need replacement? If there is no white smoke whilst starting, the engine is running smoothly, and there is no smoke whilst running, all is good. To bleed the fuel system: 1) Use bilge diapers or strips thereof to catch any fuel during the following steps. 2) Do not attempt to change the reserve Racor filter whilst underway. It can introduce air into the fuel system. 3) Ensure that the primary Racor filter in use is full of fuel. 4) Loosen the nut on top of the secondary fuel filter and operate the manual fuel pump until fuel spills out of the top of the filter. 5) Use two wrenches to hold and loosen the injector feed line on all injectors 6) Crank the engine until all injectors flow fuel 7) Tighten the injector feed lines and clean up. 8) Start the engine. It may run rough for a minute or so. SHIPS STORES Lots of fuel filters Impellers Belts Air filters Spare raw water pumps for main and genset K&N filter cleaning kit Silicon dielectric gel compound Hope this all is of value to some of you. I look forward to your comments and corrections. Douglas Cochrane N4670 Douglas_Cochrane@msn.com