cmedsailor
Well-Known Member
Could you please recommend me some EASY TO UNDERSTAND by a novice, books for diesel engine maintenance. I am interested for the kind of engines that sailing boats have. Thanks.
Diesel engine maintenace books
- Thread starter cmedsailor
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
Nigel Calder's is easy to understand but if you are a novice you might consider the RYA course and then buy whichever book they recommend.
S
Skyva_2
Guest
You could look at Tony Brooks' website here:
http://www.tb-training.co.uk/
There are good diesel engine notes there and you can buy his course notes. Talk to him by email or phone. Better still go on one of his courses.
Absolutely no connection, just a very satisfied attendee of his courses.
http://www.tb-training.co.uk/
There are good diesel engine notes there and you can buy his course notes. Talk to him by email or phone. Better still go on one of his courses.
Absolutely no connection, just a very satisfied attendee of his courses.
cliff
Well-Known Member
Why buy a book?
Change oil and filters on a regular basis.
Change fuel filter(s) on a regular basis.
And perhaps most important - if it ain't broke don't try to fix it.
Oh yes - nearly forgot - change engine anodes at least once a year.
If you are talking about servicing then buy the workshop manual for your engine.
---------------------
Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity
Change oil and filters on a regular basis.
Change fuel filter(s) on a regular basis.
And perhaps most important - if it ain't broke don't try to fix it.
Oh yes - nearly forgot - change engine anodes at least once a year.
If you are talking about servicing then buy the workshop manual for your engine.
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TimLamb
Well-Known Member
I have the RYA Diesel Engine Book, which iI don't think you could go far wrong with. The basics are explained with plenty of diagrams and pictures, as well as basic essential maintenance such as oil changes, filters, bleeding the system etc.
noswellplease
Well-Known Member
The RNLI brought out a very good DVD about a year ago, maybe you get your hands on that. It came free with Practical Boat Owner I think. It gives all the basics about servicing a diesel engine. Its a good start anyway.
Harpsden
Well-Known Member
Re: Diesel engine maintenance books
I would also agree with the recommendation of the RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance Book.
Also Know Your Boat by David Kroenke gives a really good introduction to maintaining all the systems on a boat including the Diesel engine.
Hope that helps.
Harpsden
I would also agree with the recommendation of the RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance Book.
Also Know Your Boat by David Kroenke gives a really good introduction to maintaining all the systems on a boat including the Diesel engine.
Hope that helps.
Harpsden
VicS
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Change oil and filters ...... engine anodes at least once a year
[/ QUOTE ] The owners manual explains how to do the oil and filter and a number of other routine maintenance tasks but you had better explain how to find the engine anode on an MD2030 before the poor fellow goes nuts trying to find it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Volvo Penta owners manuals
Change oil and filters ...... engine anodes at least once a year
[/ QUOTE ] The owners manual explains how to do the oil and filter and a number of other routine maintenance tasks but you had better explain how to find the engine anode on an MD2030 before the poor fellow goes nuts trying to find it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Volvo Penta owners manuals
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
To many of us it may be astonishing that anybody does not have the knowledge, experience or natural aptitude to change oil and a filter without written instructions. The fact is that many people would prefer to be given full instructions for what others see as an intuitive activity.
In my case, I expect to be able to conduct virtually any maintenance or repair job on my boat without reading a single word of text. But ask me to cook a decent meal? Forget it, opening a can is close to my limit.
The old adage of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' is a totally outmoded maintenance philosophy. Breakdown maintenance is by far the most expensive and inconvenient way of running equipment. Far better to use a bit of prediction, or condition monitoring if appropriate. Automotive timing belts are a good example. You fix yours when it breaks, probably buying all new valves, pistons, perhaps cylinder head, maybe a complete engine. I'll change my belt at 100,000 km. Changing oil and filters is just another example of time-based maintenance.
In my case, I expect to be able to conduct virtually any maintenance or repair job on my boat without reading a single word of text. But ask me to cook a decent meal? Forget it, opening a can is close to my limit.
The old adage of 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' is a totally outmoded maintenance philosophy. Breakdown maintenance is by far the most expensive and inconvenient way of running equipment. Far better to use a bit of prediction, or condition monitoring if appropriate. Automotive timing belts are a good example. You fix yours when it breaks, probably buying all new valves, pistons, perhaps cylinder head, maybe a complete engine. I'll change my belt at 100,000 km. Changing oil and filters is just another example of time-based maintenance.
Burnham_Bob
Well-Known Member
Agree with the recommendation of the RYA book. That covers such things the general working etc, but the engine handbook will tell you when to change such things as anodes, filters etc.
Most of the stuff you can do yourself is reasonably easy but remarks like where to 'find the anode' have got a fiar amount of truth in them. Individual engies have their own peculiarities. For example I can't get a strap wrench around the fuel filter housing on my 1GM 10 without loosening off the banjo nut next to it. And removing the face plate to change the impellor is a fiddle as one of the nuts is behind the pulley....
But having said that the stuff you can do yourself may involve a bit of head scratching as to exactly 'how' but nothing you can't work out. If the manual tells you where things are you should be able to sort out what to do. And some of the simple troubleshooting tips in the RYA book will most likely solve the most common problems about starting.
What engine have you got? THis forum is a great place to get help solving problems.
Most of the stuff you can do yourself is reasonably easy but remarks like where to 'find the anode' have got a fiar amount of truth in them. Individual engies have their own peculiarities. For example I can't get a strap wrench around the fuel filter housing on my 1GM 10 without loosening off the banjo nut next to it. And removing the face plate to change the impellor is a fiddle as one of the nuts is behind the pulley....
But having said that the stuff you can do yourself may involve a bit of head scratching as to exactly 'how' but nothing you can't work out. If the manual tells you where things are you should be able to sort out what to do. And some of the simple troubleshooting tips in the RYA book will most likely solve the most common problems about starting.
What engine have you got? THis forum is a great place to get help solving problems.
cliff
Well-Known Member
Don't know of any marine diesel engines that have timing belts but if there are the service / replacement interval will be in the owners manual. Alternator belts? look for signs of excessive wear and change as necessary or do as I do and wait until it breaks then fit the replacement / spare - in my case no harm done except loss of charging (waterpump driven off the end of the cam shaft) although it may be more of a problem with the "marinised tractor engines" one sees these days with belt driven water pumps.
---------------------
Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity
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cmedsailor
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Change oil and filters ...... engine anodes at least once a year
[/ QUOTE ] The owners manual explains how to do the oil and filter and a number of other routine maintenance tasks but you had better explain how to find the engine anode on an MD2030 before the poor fellow goes nuts trying to find it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Volvo Penta owners manuals
[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry but where is the engine anode on the VP MD2030D? I though that the only anode was the one at the propeller.
By the way, thanks to everybody for the answers. Probably I don't need to know more things than those already know. For example I know and have already changed oil and oil filter, I know the theory for changing the fuel filter as well as the pre-filter and what to do if air gets into diesel. Also I changed impeller onced. OK you may say that I am not so noviced then. The thing is that probably due to luck of knowledge, or probably due to feeling the responsibility that nothing goes wrong especially when I sail with my family and kids I always believe that I must be able to face anything that may happen. And this "fear" only happens with the engine. I am not "afraid" to face a strong weather (well I do but not so much like facing a broken engine) and as long as I have my sails in a proper condition I can always get to some destination. Yes, I can do this when I am with friends or in general adults. But with the kids on board I am always worried. So, that's the reason I want to learn much more things about those beasts.
[ QUOTE ]
Change oil and filters ...... engine anodes at least once a year
[/ QUOTE ] The owners manual explains how to do the oil and filter and a number of other routine maintenance tasks but you had better explain how to find the engine anode on an MD2030 before the poor fellow goes nuts trying to find it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Volvo Penta owners manuals
[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry but where is the engine anode on the VP MD2030D? I though that the only anode was the one at the propeller.
By the way, thanks to everybody for the answers. Probably I don't need to know more things than those already know. For example I know and have already changed oil and oil filter, I know the theory for changing the fuel filter as well as the pre-filter and what to do if air gets into diesel. Also I changed impeller onced. OK you may say that I am not so noviced then. The thing is that probably due to luck of knowledge, or probably due to feeling the responsibility that nothing goes wrong especially when I sail with my family and kids I always believe that I must be able to face anything that may happen. And this "fear" only happens with the engine. I am not "afraid" to face a strong weather (well I do but not so much like facing a broken engine) and as long as I have my sails in a proper condition I can always get to some destination. Yes, I can do this when I am with friends or in general adults. But with the kids on board I am always worried. So, that's the reason I want to learn much more things about those beasts.