Diesel engine course
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Ex-SolentBoy
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I did the RYA one at Bisham Abbey Sailing School in Marlow, which seems to be close to you.
No problems with the course, or content, or instructors. BUT
I really do not think a group diesel engine course is a good idea. Having been on the course I then had to try to relate everything said and my notes to my actual boat.
I retrospect, I think I would have learnt a lot more had I simply persuaded a good boatyard engineer to spend a few hours with me servicing my engine and covering the other parts of the syllabus that were relevant.
It probably depends on what your needs are, but on the course we covered how to remove and strip injectors. That's not something I am likely to need to do, and if I did, the issues for my particular engine may be different. That's just one example though.
dratsea
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Not sure about tides in Reading but, if you can, do it on your own boat and on your own engine. Mike French, Yanmar Bightlingsea, Mike did a brilliant tutorial for me (in 1999) and brother (Peter?) provided full kit of spares plus manuals and, most important, contact nos and e-mail addresses.
PS for Solent boy. Stripping injectors is easy, getting them to work again is the tricky bit! (can recommend the bus depot in Athens!)
PS for Solent boy. Stripping injectors is easy, getting them to work again is the tricky bit! (can recommend the bus depot in Athens!)
Agree 100% with these comments. I too have done this course but I then in effect had to teach myself in regard to my own engine. The course was just too generic. I learnt far more by talking to & watching the local marine engineer & by learning from friends etc.
RobBrown
Active member
Tony Brooks
I did his two day course when he was still based at Reading TVU-tho sadly he is no longer running sessions there. However, I see he is doing courses in Byfleet in March which might be close enough for you. Excellent, in depth, very hands on and interactive, nice bloke and very good info materials & post-course support. Website also has tremendous amount of helpful tech info and can be found here:
http://www.tb-training.co.uk/
I did his two day course when he was still based at Reading TVU-tho sadly he is no longer running sessions there. However, I see he is doing courses in Byfleet in March which might be close enough for you. Excellent, in depth, very hands on and interactive, nice bloke and very good info materials & post-course support. Website also has tremendous amount of helpful tech info and can be found here:
http://www.tb-training.co.uk/
Ex-SolentBoy
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Ok, so I see you have your own boat. Didn't want to pry. I would not hesitate in inviting a salty dog engineer aboard for a few hours.
As an example I serviced my engine on our new boat for the first time last month. On my previous boat we had it down to a fine art, and with my wife passing spanners and stuff we could do oil, filters impeller etc in 2 hours or so, from arriving to the boat and leaving.
On the new boat I had a very experienced engineer with me. He sat in the saloon and passed stuff to me. It took us 5 hours and a lot of sweating due to incorrect tools, and attitude. We reckoned that with a couple of mods we could cut the time in half.
I also learnt several things, like how to prime the fuel system, from completely empty, by just using a Pela suction pump and nothing else. No bleeding, no sequence, just a few pumps.
I think this is the one RYA course that is too generic.
As an example I serviced my engine on our new boat for the first time last month. On my previous boat we had it down to a fine art, and with my wife passing spanners and stuff we could do oil, filters impeller etc in 2 hours or so, from arriving to the boat and leaving.
On the new boat I had a very experienced engineer with me. He sat in the saloon and passed stuff to me. It took us 5 hours and a lot of sweating due to incorrect tools, and attitude. We reckoned that with a couple of mods we could cut the time in half.
I also learnt several things, like how to prime the fuel system, from completely empty, by just using a Pela suction pump and nothing else. No bleeding, no sequence, just a few pumps.
I think this is the one RYA course that is too generic.
rob2
Active member
Just a reinforcement of what's already been said, really. My first thought was that once you've done a service on your own engine, you've pretty much covered all that is useful. Stripping down injectors isn't, as you are unlikely to get them working again. I once accidentally went too far into the injector pump and had to get it rebuilt on a test bench, so don't even go there!
I guess the course is best suited to someone who needs to learn from scratch what the parts do and how to diagnose faults. Some symptoms can be the result of a minor fault which you can fix yourself or require a major rebuild, but at least you can then try the simple fix before craning the engine out! When I bought my boat the "professionally serviced" engine (yes I've got all the bills) continually died after a few minutes. Luckily one of the crew had the sense to inspect the fuel lines and found they were well past their sell-by date and the ends had softened. He cut an inch of each end of them and we motored home without further incident.
Rob.
I guess the course is best suited to someone who needs to learn from scratch what the parts do and how to diagnose faults. Some symptoms can be the result of a minor fault which you can fix yourself or require a major rebuild, but at least you can then try the simple fix before craning the engine out! When I bought my boat the "professionally serviced" engine (yes I've got all the bills) continually died after a few minutes. Luckily one of the crew had the sense to inspect the fuel lines and found they were well past their sell-by date and the ends had softened. He cut an inch of each end of them and we motored home without further incident.
Rob.
Jim@sea
Well-known member
Sorry to go slightly "off topic" Its a pity someone doesn't do an Outboard Engine Course" as I want to change my Impeller and I would like to see one done. Anyway I went on a RYA Diesel Engine Course and the following day I realised that they had not touched on how to bleed the system. To me this is one of the fundamental things which should be taught. Perhaps they did not want diesel on the floor of the classroom but when your out there and you have to do it, its best to practice first and know what size spanner fits the injector etc.