Drifting, no wind, can't restart engine.... Any ideas?

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jamiepyoung

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We're on passage to Cartagena in Spain. About 30 NM out.

Our engine stopped about 11 hours ago. We finally tracked it down to a clogged fuel tank outlet. Having bled everything numerous times we still can't restart the engine and batteries are flat. Now waiting for sun to come up to give us some solar power.

The about 2knots of wind....

We're tired.

Anybody got any helpful suggestions?

It's a Perkins 4108 by the way...
 
Whats the weather forcast? Track your progress so you know how you are moving with currents and tides. Look at web based AIS to see if any fellow vessels heading near you but out of sight that you could radio for a jump start?
 
Forecast is still no wind. We are tracking our drift. Actually make about 1kn towards our destination! Should arrive in August at this rate.
 
jamiepyoung said:
We're on passage to Cartagena in Spain. About 30 NM out.

Our engine stopped about 11 hours ago. We finally tracked it down to a clogged fuel tank outlet. Having bled everything numerous times we still can't restart the engine and batteries are flat. Now waiting for sun to come up to give us some solar power.

The about 2knots of wind....

We're tired.

Anybody got any helpful suggestions?

It's a Perkins 4108 by the way...
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Sounds as though you have to tough out the wait. At least if its calm you can rest. Are you sure that fuel is reaching the injectors? Is the fuel outlet clear or is there an air lock in the system? If the outlet is still blocked you could try to clear it by blowing down the tube into the tank or could you bypass it with tubing into, say, the tank inlet so that you could take fuel from higher up. That way if the fuel is dirty at the bottom you'll be more likely to pick up clean fuel.
 
Jury rig a day tank for the 4108 using o/b fuel tank or cans. Leave at least one filter in the system.

Hopefully sunny enough to recharge starter battery before August.

Assume blockage now in every filter and water trap. Check and then bleed 4108 before attempting restart.

Cannot remember how fast fuel return is on these - May be pretty quick.

Close coast directly in the hope of a sea breeze?
 
Have you though about getting closer in and anchoring , then you have time to rest and think things through , better change of getting a sea breeze too .
at the same time the battery will get some charge , and you have the option if you can sort it out to get someone who can .
On helpful ideas
If you thing there a blocks someone I would rig up a tank as suggest, bleed the system at less that will get you out of a problem .
Also it your started battery is separate to your house battery , use the house battery to start the engine .
 
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Obviously you need power from somewhere to start the engine as per the suggestions above, but if you do get some power and you are sure that you have manually bled the system of air through to the secondary filter and, ideally, the injectors, then I would use WD40/Easystart/Spray Oil/Diesel in the air intake to at least get some firing cycles which might get the fuel up to pressure and hopefully clear any remaining small air bubbles.

I'm assuming you have kept the seacock closed during all the cranking? If not, the original fuel blockage could be irrelevant by now. :(

Richard
 
RichardS said:
I'm assuming you have kept the seacock closed during all the cranking? If not, the original fuel blockage could be irrelevant by now. :(

Richard
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I may be having one of those slow days so please for my benefit explian why you should have the seacock closed during cranking. Thanks.
 
Devon805 said:
I may be having one of those slow days so please for my benefit explian why you should have the seacock closed during cranking. Thanks.
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Because you could end up flooding the engine as normally without the exhaust running their isn't enough exhaust pressure to throw the water out the back of the exhaust.
 
Devon805 said:
I may be having one of those slow days so please for my benefit explian why you should have the seacock closed during cranking. Thanks.
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It's a precaution that's usually writ large in engine manuals. When you turn the engine over the water pump continues to spin and water is pumped through the heat exchanger and through the exhaust elbow and into the water trap. Because the engine is not actually firing there is not enough gas being expelled to drive the water out of the water trap so it backfills with water. Depending upon your design of elbow and the relative levels of all the components and how long your battery lasts, eventually the water may find its way back into the exhaust manifold and into the cylinders through the exhaust valves. Once that happens it's probably never going to start and/or if it does it's probably going to be damaged. :(

Richard
 
Windyty shows usual on off shore breezes so expect a bit of wind to help.
If you have food and water try to get some rest, this may sharpen up your thinking on the fuel issue.
Ensure your panels are positioned to maximise sun, what is your panel size or best out put?
I had a blocked pipe and was able to blow it clear.
If you are certain that fuel is now flowing and air free at the engine filter then it remains only to bleed the engine through to the injectors.
There are several bleed points on the engine side but many are difficult to reach. I just bleed my 4108 direct by lossening the injectors and cranking till fuel flows then tightening each injector in turn. It starts to run when just 2 cylinders are tight.
Beware as someone says not to crank for more than (20?) Seconds with the sea cock open as you risk drawing sea water into the engine.
We are in Valencia so to far away to come out.
I'm sure there will be enough breeze to get you there albeit slowly.
Good luck keep us informed.
 
Got it thanks. I would have thought that there was enough exhaust pressure from a diesel to stop flooding but happy to learn from your advice. :encouragement:
Wont the pump run dry though as Graham asked?

Thanks guys
 
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It's safe to assume that if the outlet had become blocked, then some debris will have already reached the fuel filter(s). Change these and re-bleed the system (you will have taken spare filters of course!). Diesel engines really only need air and clean fuel to run so the smallest bit of crud, or a few tiny air bubbles can prevent running. If your OB provides a charge, then run that but with it connected to the engine battery for a while.
 
I had a fuel blockage on the way back from St Kilda last year. Eventually managed to sail back to West Loch Tarbert. On changing the filters (lots of crud) and bleeding the system (a new experience for me) I still couldn't get it started. Eventually got hold of a very helpful mechanic who showed me a bleed point on the lift pump I had missed. Engine then started first time. Have you definitely bled from all the bleed points?
 
SAPurdie said:
Alongside tow with the tender until you are down to the last half gallon of petrol?
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That's a useful technique to get into port. I used my tender and Seagull outboard alongside to tow my previous boat (Hurley 22) into Weymouth Harbour when my inboard Stuart Turner failed. The Seagull didn't have neutral or reverse which added to the excitement.
 
If you have a separate tank for the outboard, borrow the bulb primer from it, get it into the feed line somewhere (nearer the tank the better), and use that to push fuel through the input lines and expel any air. If you have any kind of blockage in the fuel line, you'll probably blow it thought with the pressure you'll create with the bulb.
 
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