Diesel Mechanic in Grimsby/Hull, Brightlingsea, Lowestoft/Yarm, Ipswich, East Coast

Jokani

Jokani

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After struggling with engine problems this year (post-post-post-post-post-post), it is time to get some professional help.

My home yard does not have a resident engineer, and so far I have not found a local mechanic, so I need to look further afield.

Rather than pay an engineer to travel half a day each way, I think it best to remove the engine, and take it to a marine engineer where it can be thoroughly tested, fixed and run on a test bed etc.

These areas are within a couple of hours drive:

Grimsby/Hull, Brightlingsea, Lowestoft/Yarmouth, Ipswich, East Coast

I have checked out Google, but most results seem to be Wind Farm orientated, and I guess I may be loking for a smaller company that maybe does not have a website.

Any recommendations?
 
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If the engine was partially rebuilt WHY
why was there an oil leak after a rebuild seems iffy to me unless of course because of over Honing there was over pressurisation of the crank case causing oil to be forced out
If the bores were worn or oval
Honing won't help it will cause furthr loss of compression
Honing a cross hatch pattern is to break the glaze and improve oil adhesion to the bores it should not be confused with improving or adding compression
Many many times ive known a worn engine although running become either difficult to start or run rough with piston blow by caused by removal of the compression ring ( the area above the piston ring which can have a build up of carbon and can be the difference between a running engine or not)
Spill port timing using a swan neck to ascertain the actual injection point would be one useful way to check if the basic timing is correct and of course that injection is taking place

If the cranking speed is low and the engine has low compression starting may become difficult or impossible
This time of year oil viscosity may not help engine cranking speed.
Fumes will be evident just from the glow plugs burning off unburnt fuel over a period of unsuccessful cranking
Another thought perhaps the head has warped or the head gasket knackered
I lent my diesel engine compression testing set out some years ago and never got it back so I can't help ( you can't do the job with out the tools ! But as others have said a compression test needs to be carried out.
With a compression test if the reading is low you squirt oil into the bores then redo the compression test if it goes up you know it's rings if it stays the same it's either valves or holed piston
I can't see it being holed piston as the engine would speed up and slow down while simply cranking

If I were you I would take the engine out get it home and strip the engine with the head off check valves
measure and test the bores both for wear and ovality
Also go over how the engine works the moving parts and theory involved
All is not lost re worn bores a set of cords rings which are a hard grade of rings could give the engine an extended life they were renowned for getting old worn out engines running again because they cut into the bores.
With the sump off you can undo a mains bearing cap check the bearing and crank shaft journal also a big end again check the bearing surface and crankshaft
While you have the engine apart do every thing re checking tolerances READ the manual learne and enjoy the experience but get it right
Engines are simple enough the basics don't change
You may not have done any thing wrong aside from relying on a dodgy engine rebuild
In the first place
God knows why you've taken months to sort it out lol
Sorry about poor spelling !
 
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But mtb, as I said on the last thread, the cause MUST be something that has been CHANGED by the recent dismantling. Nothing else can have changed so the comments about piston rings, head gasket, honing etc. whilst normally helpful, in this case are red herrings unless by some ghastly coincidence has occurred.
 
ghostlymoron said:
But mtb, as I said on the last thread, the cause MUST be something that has been CHANGED by the recent dismantling. Nothing else can have changed so the comments about piston rings, head gasket, honing etc. whilst normally helpful, in this case are red herrings unless by some ghastly coincidence has occurred.
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If that were entirely true nothing would ever break down. There are many cases of something working perfectly OK, next time you come to it, it won't work. It doesn't need to be touched to break down.

If, as in this case, some dismantling has taken place that will most likely be the cause of the problem and should certainly be the first place to look. It's important though that one doesn't get hung up on the dismantling and an open mind is kept.

I cannot count the times i've heard someone say "it was OK until i had it fixed/serviced/filled up with diesel/petrol" etc etc. The two events don't have to be connected. (As Gladys and a few others have previously said).
 
PaulRainbow said:
I cannot count the times i've heard someone say "it was OK until i had it fixed/serviced/filled up with diesel/petrol" etc etc. The two events don't have to be connected. (As Gladys and a few others have previously said).
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To give an obvious example, my morse control was replaced one winter, and as soon as we were launched, I wanted to check it out. So I motored off my mooring about 300 metres, back into neutral, then engaged astern for there to be only revs, and no propulsion... Obviously incorrect adjustment of the cables... went below to check I could engage from there to find the shaft had dropped out of the coupling - nothing to do with the morse change
 
But in this case, there are no other bits involved. I'm not saying it's 100% but it's definitely where I'd start looking. Strip down all the bits that have been removed previously and rebuild making sure it's all correctly done.
 
Gladys said:
To give an obvious example, my morse control was replaced one winter, and as soon as we were launched, I wanted to check it out. So I motored off my mooring about 300 metres, back into neutral, then engaged astern for there to be only revs, and no propulsion... Obviously incorrect adjustment of the cables... went below to check I could engage from there to find the shaft had dropped out of the coupling - nothing to do with the morse change
Click to expand...

I had an amazing case of that phenomenom last year.

The engine was running perfectly with the engine bay ventilation fan whirring away but I had a problem with a sticking charge solenoid which meant that the altenator output was not getting to the batteries. I had already purchased a new solenoid so I stopped the engine / fan and changed the solenoid which took around 15 minutes. One of the connections going to the permanent live side of the solenoid was the cable going to the fan so this connection had to be switched over onto the new solenoid.

When I started the engine to test the charging circuit everything seemed perfect ...... except that the engine bay fan was now silent. Of course, this was a simple fix as I obviously just needed to undo the connections, clean them all up with a bit of sandpaper, and re-make them.

After another hour of cleaning connections and going over every inch of cabling with a multimeter, I finally came to the almost unthinkable conclusion that at the very second that I stopped the motor before changing the solenoid, the motor or it's brushes had burned out. And so it turned out as one brush had completely crumbled away and, after a set of new brushes, the motor was perfect.

If somebody had offered me a £100k but on that happening I would have taken the bet ..... and would now be living in a much smaller house. :o

Richard
 
If the partial rebuild was not carried out correctly then it is very likely to be the cause. Just because an engine runs after but has faults re oil leaking it tells me things were wrong before it was then stripped down. If due to poor workmanship the engine the engine failed it matters not what was done after. Let's not forget the obvious thing is he tried to start it after trying to sort out the oil leak yet couldn't get it running
As an engineer I look for symptoms, as soon as I read work was done that is where I'd start. I do agree it's been said it would not run after being taken apart, but is that the cause ? . Every one closes doors in their minds to what is wrong with some thing by saying it can't be that so look else where rather than go from one to ten checking each and every aspect is correct.
You shouldn't try to fix a problem by changing parts rather diagnose the fault first.
This fella has gone in circles going over the same things hence my initial post, I empathise with him but from an engineer's point of view its better to disregard every thing and focus on the basics start at the beginning and work through each step.
I got bored reading through all the posts about it. He said this he said that ! So may not have read what you and others wrote I do apologise if your deeply offended I'd hate to think you'd kick your cat because you got so upset over he said this he said that
 
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