Engine maintenance for circumnavigation?

Blueboatman said:
Maybe fit an exhaust temperature alarm or piddler tube in front of the helms view?
If you get a water inlet blockage/failed impeller then in theory by the time the engine overheat alarm goes off, plastic water mufflers, water hoses, exhaust hose ‘ might’ be a bit cooked.
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Excellent suggestion. I fitted one of these on our boat a few years ago, and thoroughly recommend them:

Shop

I've witnessed the aftermath of cooling water failure without such an alarm. By the time the engine overheat alarm went off, a hole had been melted in the plastic silencer box. The blockage was quickly removed, and the engine re-started, only for the bilge alarm to go off a couple of minutes later...
 
Unless you are planning to motor all the way I would just take a basic spares kit like filters. Your engine is pretty common world wide so spares would not be an issue. I would concentrate on the sails and rigging making sure all is well, which I'm sure you have done.
 
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jlavery said:
Until you find they're not.

Viz trying to source a D1-30 head gasket on the west coast of Scotland. So I'd definitely be carrying a full set.
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Parts4engines appear to have the full gasket set available for the D1-30 including the head gasket for next day delivery. I also think I'm right in saying that the D1-30 is based on the the Perkins 403-11 and if you search for this or the original part number for the gasket (111147570) you will find plenty of EU based suppliers that will send it to you in a few days.
 
My boat, which has sailed afar, came with a spare oil cooler above the gearbox. They cost about £250 quid new. Not sure how at risk an oil cooler is, but failure would limit the use of the engine, even if bypassed.

I would not do a cooling system or oil system flush, if there is no evidence that the engine needs it.


If I can’t find parts in the UK I go to Transatlantic Diesel, in USA.

Trans Atlantic Diesels | Perkins Diesel Engines | Perkins Engine Parts | Cummins Diesel Engines
 
Ammonite said:
Parts4engines appear to have the full gasket set available for the D1-30 including the head gasket for next day delivery. I also think I'm right in saying that the D1-30 is based on the the Perkins 403-11 and if you search for this or the original part number for the gasket (111147570) you will find plenty of EU based suppliers that will send it to you in a few days.
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Sure - I use Parts4Engines a lot.

But sometimes 'in a few days' means you miss a weather window, or engineer availability, or other external constraint kicks in and makes life complicated. So having a set on board removes that worry. They're not exactly bulky!
 
johnalison said:
I have to say that I got the message from the first post. I assumed that your casual response merely reflected your usual approach to sailing problems, something that I probably share myself, and look where that got us.
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Given there has been a healthy thread about UK Circum ... I don't think DB is only one to assume UK ... I know I did as well ......
 
jlavery said:
But sometimes 'in a few days' means you miss a weather window, or engineer availability, or other external constraint kicks in and makes life complicated. So having a set on board removes that worry. They're not exactly bulky!
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Also, as the OP talks about a RTW trip, in several countries customs procedures can be veeeeery long even for Tom Hanks at FedEx, long meaning weeks and weeks, I found a lot better to be self reliant as much as possible. People 'waiting for spares' for weeks are a very common occurrence.
Examples
A friend in Salvador Brazil was sent two new generators by the boatyard (it was Lagoon first attemp at an electric boat, so they were giving full unconditional support to the boat, regardless of cost), the equipment arrived in Sao Paulo a few days later, queued in Custom procedures with unknow availability date, a few weeks later the recipient was asked to travel there to be able to clear and take possession of them, yeah 4k+ kilometers with two 50kg machines :D The boatyard accepted to just forget them and sent another two machines in another country.
Another friend in Gambia had a fishing line around the stuffing box, after asking locally about delays, his wife preferred to travel return to the UK to collect the spare.
French Guyana, I needed a new headstay, despite the fact that they send space rockets no one could make one, I wanted to buy it in mainland France but locals said 'forget it, Douanes are on strike you'll have to wait at least a month to have them cleared' (France Overseas Departments are a different custom territory).
Besides cruising being 'doing maintenance in exotic places' I'd add 'waiting for spares' :)
 
jlavery said:
Sure - I use Parts4Engines a lot.

But sometimes 'in a few days' means you miss a weather window, or engineer availability, or other external constraint kicks in and makes life complicated. So having a set on board removes that worry. They're not exactly bulky!
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I wasn't saying not to carry a spare gasket set, just that it should be easy to get hold of a head gasket for a D1-30 on the West Coast of Scotland as it sounded like you had been struggling! 😀
 
I spent 20 of the last 32 years pottering in rather remote areas with a mid 80's Volvo MD17D - replaced it a year and a half ago - in Chile -with a Beta.
I put more than a few hours on the Volvo, the days of going the 'Full Hiscock' through the doldrums are long gone, you will do a considerable amount of hours under engine.
The top came off more than once and assorted other bits ceased to function.
What I know is that most of the time its easier to get people that can fix things than to source the bits.
What I carried for the Volvo and all of which I have had to use for 'field expedited repairs' .
Head and manifold gaskets.
Starter key assembly - thats why I needed the spare starter motor - don't ask.
Left handed Volvo starter motor.
Dedicated Volvo fresh water circulation pump ( good luck finding one of them anywhere - remote of not).
Diesel lift pump. ( if more than 1/4 full my tank will free flow into the bilge - if your tank is in the keel you just won't be going anywhere)
Apart from that just the usual alternator belts, filters and impellers.
Before leaving apart from flushing the cooling system etc etc I would fit a new exhaust elbow - once again - don't ask.

Other essential spares - I carry a complete spare Jabsco bog pump plus spares - better to just drop in a new pump and then fix at your convenience. Ditto Henderson bilge pumps , jabsco FW pressure pumps and shower drain pumps and my Whale foot pump in the galley.
2008 was my 'Year of the Pump' - I think every pump failed - but be aware that the rubber diaphragms in your spares will be ageing at the same rate in your spares as in your working pumps.

Re Fedex et al. Much as I dislike doing business with them Amazon are excellent into Chile.
 
Friends went from UK to New Zealand. Engine was a Perkins. Off North Africa their engine was getting slower and slower. Down to 2 knots in the end.
Limped into somewhere. I can't remember where. Fault was a broken spring in the Fuel Injector Pump.
 
Ammonite said:
I wasn't saying not to carry a spare gasket set, just that it should be easy to get hold of a head gasket for a D1-30 on the West Coast of Scotland as it sounded like you had been struggling! 😀
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Our engine decided to dump all the oil under it from stuck rings, arriving just off the coast of Portugal. Limped into port, stripped the engine and Diamond Diesels sent ring set, gaskets etc. out by courier " next day" delivery. Since then, haven't worried too much about obtaining most parts.
 
If the OP is just talking about preemptive engine checks.....he could send a sample of oil for analysis
 
Tim Good said:
Perkins 4.236 80HP from 1996. Always been reliable and oil runs quite clean. No metal bits in sump with a magnet is put in there. Exhaust elbow replaced 2017.

If we’re going on a circumnavigation what else would you considering changing or checking now prior to departure. I have a spare elbow, alternator, stater motor, filters and belts. But should I consider anything else major like replacing the heat exchanging now?
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I have the Perkins Engines, Marine Owners Course Notes. This was course that Perkins offered for owners who were setting off on circumnavigations or specifying their products. The course is for the 4236 and it contains information on spares: -

What they call "onboard spares kit", as written: -
1. Injector
2. Injector pipe (straight)
3. Water pump drive belt
4. Alternator drive belt
5. Water pump impeller
6. Water horses (curved)
7. Fuel Lift Pump (or diaphragm) + joints
8. Thermostat + joints

It includes a part number list for the various model variations, and in the list details of the various "joints", mainly seal kits and washers. They have another part number list called "major kits" and list the following: -

1. Inlet valve
2. Exhaust valve
3. Inner Valve Spring
4. Outer Valve Spring
5. Inlet Valve seal
6. Valve cotters
7. Top Gasket kit
8. Heat exchanger joints
9. Cooler joints

There is lot of useful detail in the course notes, including the Borg Warner Velvet Drive.
 
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