Engine Spares for Blue water cruising

My Yanmar 3GM30F is more than ten years old and has done just over 2000 hours. The original drive belts were changed last year. All the hoses still have the original silver paint on them and look brand new. The water pump seals failed about five years ago and I was able to buy new ones off the shelf in Greece. I have changed oil, filters and pump impeller annually. That's it.
 
There will always be things you don't have but I always (on long passages) have spare engine mount (and a large piece of wood to use as a lever to lift engine) and also some steel bar that can be drilled/bent to replace the angled supports for alternators/fridge compressor. We had one of these fail. Good selection of nuts and bolts.

Many marine engines have auxiliary drives for extra alternator or compressors and metal fatigue is what caused ours to fail.
 
Hi All

Thanks for all the thoughts. I think I need a spreadsheet to work out the answer! But starter moter non branded looking good, injectors [beth and evans] may be sensible. The boat is a Malo. Engine hours unknown but about 1650 at least. Tallulah we will talk [Anne]

Having alook at engine mounts anyway.

The area I know nothing about is the turbo. Turbo bearings. ? what are particular issues with Turbos beyond not dawdling at low revs?

We had a 4JH3E very happily for 6 years without incident under my engineering hand, so I am reasonably happy with standard stuff?

I am compiling similar lists for all equipment boring suppliers to death. Starting engine by alternative means non battery? Can someone elaborate?

Agree happy to sail onto anchor and call for help on case of serious issue beyond my competence!
 
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the lloyds said:
Hi All

Thanks for all the thoughts. I think I need a spreadsheet to work out the answer! But starter moter non branded looking good, injectors [beth and evans] may be sensible. The boat is a Malo. Engine hours unknown but about 1650 at least. Tallulah we will talk [Anne]


Having alook at engine mounts anyway.

The area I know nothing about is the turbo. Turbo bearings. ? what are particular issues with Turbos beyond not dawdling at low revs?

We had a 4JH3E very happily for 6 years without incident under my engineering hand, so I am reasonably happy with standard stuff?

I am compiling similar lists for all equipment boring suppliers to death. Starting engine by alternative means non battery? Can someone elaborate?

Agree happy to sail onto anchor and call for help on case of serious issue beyond my competence!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't fret about carrying a spare for every eventuality. Learn to be an expert bodger. It surprising what you can fix with imagination.
We blew our alternator in Biscay on our way out on an Atlantic circuit. We didn't replace it until Trinidad. We had solar panels and a towed generator. We even made water from watermaker everyday and still had plenty of power.
It was never a concern. We kept the fridge freezer going at all times and shower every day. If the alternator is that important to you boat you probably need to think of alternative ways of charging
 
I am not that worried by alternator, not trying to carry everything. But have been advised by people with 9.5 years experience that a spare alternator is agood idea. I am planning ahead for remote cruising, not worrying

Of course I have other means of charging
 
Another common breakage is the gearbox dipstick.
We have broken 2.
The plastic is very soft.
image_zpsc375e85c.jpg


A search of the web shows it's a common issue.
 
Talulah said:
Another common breakage is the gearbox dipstick.
We have broken 2.
The plastic is very soft.

A search of the web shows it's a common issue.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have one like that. Must order a new one, despite the mind-boggling cost.

But I have been driving, rebuilding and repairing cars for more than 50 years, owned cruising boats for nearly 30 years and never had a failed alternator. There must be some very unfortunate yachtsmen about.
 
I think I have found a cheap solution:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360721866708?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Just use a something else as a dipstick but this will do as a blanking plug.

N.B. I think the reason the original Yanmar part fails is due to the plastic getting contaminated by the oil. As the years go on the contaminated plastic goes soft.
I suspect the plastic used isn't suitable for the application it's being asked to do.
 
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Hi Talulah

I actually already had that happen 6 months ago. Had an engineer looking at something and he announced that my dipstick was broken, which it had not been before he got hold of it

Maybe Viv is right about the spare alternator. Though I bet it s cheaper here with time than in some Pacific Island. Going to have a look at the elbow I think,
 
the lloyds said:
Hi Talulah
Going to have a look at the elbow I think,
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I have a spare elbow for sale. It's the cast type. Raises the injection point slightly higher than your existing elbow.
http://www.boatpartsandspares.co.uk/yanmar-3hj-4hj-series-highriser-exhaust-elbow-1730-p.asp
I took the standard one off to fit this raised one but still wasn't high enough so had a bespoke one made by Halyard Marine.
I also have a spare alternator somewhere.
I replaced mine with a Balmar alternator and M612 external regulator.

Whilst your thread is on engine spares I'm curious to know what other spares you're taking.
I've had a few bizarre things break and luckily had a spare. This included the handle to lift up the fridge lid. The bolt that secures the handle sheared off.
Another spare is a replacement pressure relief valve on the pressure cooker.
 
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'Starter motor? Probably not'

We too (Yanmar 3GM30F) have found the only major part to fail has been the starter motor, we were fortunate to be in Grenada and find another cruising yacht with an old but serviceable spare one to tide us over. We've since bought - in Trinidad - the bargain of our cruise so far: A complete second-hand engine for £300, complete with switch panel, wiring harness and spare gaskets, filters, etc. which we stripped and stowed all but the block & bottom end, so we now have all the major spare parts we could hope for; if you've still not departed make some enquiries around yacht clubs, marinas and Engineers; a motor that's gone bang in a big way would still provide most/all of the bolt-on bits that'd be handy to have a along.

A word of warning regarding cheap/Chinese starter motors sold via Ebay/Amazon etc: When we considered this we did an internet search and found lots of comments along the lines of 'worked fine three or four times, then the end broke/blew off'. I think there's a reason that they're >£100.
 
I found this US site that seems too good to be true.[so it probably is!]

Alternator Hitachi Yanmar if I read it right for 134.99 dollars

Starter moter for 4JH3 HTE for 174.99

Does this look genuine to you or is this chinese stuff

Have a friend who livees 10 miles from them who could bring it over I think.

What do you think, could it be legit and we are just ripped off over here?

http://www.spidermarine.com/ViewCart.aspx
 
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Talulah said:
Another common breakage is the gearbox dipstick.
We have broken 2.
Click to expand...

Funny you should say that. The only engine breakage I had in 18,000 miles was the gearbox dipstick (Volvo 2040)
I've got about £1K of unused spares in a locker, but not one of those.
 
Talulah said:
I think I have found a cheap solution:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360721866708?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Just use a something else as a dipstick but this will do as a blanking plug.

N.B. I think the reason the original Yanmar part fails is due to the plastic getting contaminated by the oil. As the years go on the contaminated plastic goes soft.
I suspect the plastic used isn't suitable for the application it's being asked to do.
Click to expand...

I've received the blanking plug in the above link and can confirm it fits.
So my advice is to fit one of these and put the real dipstick away somewhere until you actually need to measure the oil level.
 
As far as I'm aware they sell Yanma bits all around the globe - so why carry all that stuff; extra food, etc is more useful!

Spare filters, hoses, fuel lines, injectors and pipes are about all you need to carry, maybe an alternator just in case; you ain't going to be undertaking head gasket jobs on the ocean. A good set of sockets, and spanners and a torque wrench are norms.

I'd change the mechanical lift pump for a 12v one and carry a spare, much cheaper than buying a spare lift pump from a Yanma dealer!

Enjoy your trip and don't get stressed about it in the planning stage, just do it - it will all change when you are on the water heading into the sunset in any case! :-)
 
Ariadne said:
As far as I'm aware they sell Yanma bits all around the globe - so why carry all that stuff; extra food, etc is more useful!

I'd change the mechanical lift pump for a 12v one and carry a spare, much cheaper than buying a spare lift pump from a Yanma dealer!
Click to expand...
You have kind of answered your own question.
 
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