Engine test run after rebuild advice

[Johnny WAFI]

Hi all

After a very expensive rebuild to my Bukh 20, at the bottom of the bill was £65 to test run engine on relaunch (no problem) AND £165 for a river trial. At my request the £165 was broken down to £65 for the engineer (no problem) and £100 for his father's time on board. (The engineer's father owns the yard). I accept that a river trial was prudent to quickly check for shaft vibration and performance under power. But surely any other check could been carried out with the boat tied up? Am I being cynical in suspecting I am be charged for a father and son pleasure trip? If I knew this was going to happen I would have taken the engineer out on the river myself.

A few days later the new fuel tank tap failed contaminating my mooring lines (in the cockpit locker) and the sound proofing foam in the engine compartment with diesel. (The connector was loose but could not be tightened). I spent an hour mopping up and half a day each way motoring from my berth to and from the yard for a repair. My concern is that although diesel does not ignite easily, that the contaminated foam is a potential fore risk.

I would welcome advice on what request I should make to the yard.

Regards

Johnny

 

[Kwik Decision]

1) What did the quote say about test runs and trials? If you had a quick conversation, with no costs mentioned, where you agreed to the river trial, then you don't really have a leg to stand on. If the engineer did the trial without your knowledge / approval, then you do have a case.

2) Assuming the engineer supplied and fitted the new tap, they are certainly responsible for replacing it, such that it works correctly. In terms of the consequential damage to the ropes and sound proofing, I'm not sure who is responsible - hopefully someone with more knowledge in this area will be along soon. If it were my boat, I would be replacing the diesel soaked foam, or at the very least cleaning it thoroughly if possible. The fire risk is small - if the boat were to catch fire, diesel soaked foam will make this worse, but it's very unlikely to catch fire because you drop a lit cigarette on it for example. The smell of diesel however will linger for years if you don't get rid of it.

With hindsight from both this post, and your post about the engineer ditching the contents of your fuel tank, the lesson here is for a major engine out job to get a clear written quotation, listing all the work to be done, with costs, together with what happens if further work is identified once the job starts. It seems this is too late for you, but may be of value for others reading this. I'd expect a good marine engineer to recommend inspecting and if necessary cleaning the fuel tank etc as part of a job like this, and therefore should have been part of the quote, same with testing and trials.

 

[Johnny WAFI]

1) What did the quote say about test runs and trials? If you had a quick conversation, with no costs mentioned, where you agreed to the river trial, then you don't really have a leg to stand on. If the engineer did the trial without your knowledge / approval, then you do have a case.

2) Assuming the engineer supplied and fitted the new tap, they are certainly responsible for replacing it, such that it works correctly. In terms of the consequential damage to the ropes and sound proofing, I'm not sure who is responsible - hopefully someone with more knowledge in this area will be along soon. If it were my boat, I would be replacing the diesel soaked foam, or at the very least cleaning it thoroughly if possible. The fire risk is small - if the boat were to catch fire, diesel soaked foam will make this worse, but it's very unlikely to catch fire because you drop a lit cigarette on it for example. The smell of diesel however will linger for years if you don't get rid of it.

With hindsight from both this post, and your post about the engineer ditching the contents of your fuel tank, the lesson here is for a major engine out job to get a clear written quotation, listing all the work to be done, with costs, together with what happens if further work is identified once the job starts. It seems this is too late for you, but may be of value for others reading this. I'd expect a good marine engineer to recommend inspecting and if necessary cleaning the fuel tank etc as part of a job like this, and therefore should have been part of the quote, same with testing and trials.

All understood. Thank you. I accept this looks straight forward to an observer. I found it very difficult to tie the yard down re. costs. Their reasoning was they didn't know how much work was required until they took the engine apart, after which I was essentially captive. The yard would not have been my first choice. That is where my boat was when the engine problems occurred. Thanks again.

 

[fredrussell]

Hi all

After a very expensive rebuild to my Bukh 20, at the bottom of the bill was £65 to test run engine on relaunch (no problem) AND £165 for a river trial. At my request the £165 was broken down to £65 for the engineer (no problem) and £100 for his father's time on board. (The engineer's father owns the yard)…

I suppose they could argue that two people were required - one to helm the boat, and one below decks to be monitoring engine as various things are tried out.

 

[Johnny WAFI]

I suppose they could argue that two people were required - one to helm the boat, and one below decks to be monitoring engine as various things are tried out.

Thanks

 

[Tranona]

Often difficult to get firm costs up front on a job like this - and it always costs more than the best estimate. I went through this with my current boat and the agreement for rebuilding had a fixed price for removing the engine and stripping down at that point we would have agreed what needed doing and a fixed price which included re-installing and commissioning including trial. In the end I decided there were still too many unknowns and as the engine was old and not ideal for the boat, I went for a new engine with a fixed price based on me doing some of the work - cleaning the bay, modifying the beds and doing the insulation. The fixed price included commissioning and trials which were done by me on helm and the engineer. Made a few agreed changes on the way at extra cost.

Hope your rebuilt engine gives you good service.

 

[garymalmgren]

Hi Johnny.
RE: My concern is that although diesel does not ignite easily, that the contaminated foam is a potential fore risk.

I am sure you mean fire risk.
There is probably not an excessive fire risk of the insulating foam (?) being contaminated with diesel fuel.
You would need a flame to ignite it and there are probable many other inflammable around (cushions, plywood panel etc).
What you WILL have is a lingering diesel fuel odor down below, so I would advise removing the contaminated foam to make life aboard more comfortable and possibly avoiding seasickness from the fumes.

gary

 

[Johnny WAFI]

I suppose they could argue that two people were required - one to helm the boat, and one below decks to be monitoring engine as various things are tried out.

Thanks