Engine unused for 9 years......advice please?

C

chockswahay

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 Jul 2003
Messages
249
Location
Cornwall (eventually)
Visit site
I am looking at a boat that has stood on the hard for 9 years........the engine was 'winterised' when she came out of the water. The engine has not been run or turned over during this time.

Does anyone have any advice or thoughts on what might be required to to re-commission the engine and running gear please?

Many thanks

Chox
 
Before trying to start it I suggest you need to get some lubricant into the bores. The easiest way to do this may be to remove the injectors, squirt some oil inside each cylinder, then turn it over on the starter motor until some oil pressure is generated, either by seeing it on a gauge or by the oil light turning off. Starting it first, assuming it will, could cause scuffing of the bores and piston rings which will cause lasting damage.
 
I would be inclined to get a good shot of oil into the bores before starting it up, you may have to pull the injectors out to do this or squirt oil into the air intake & spin it over on the starter to get the oil pressure up, If its got a decompressor use it for a little while to get the oil circulated. If the fuel is clean it should go. I did this with a Sabb diesel that had stood for 25 years & it was fine. Check the water pump impeller is wet as well.
 
In addition to squirting some oil down the bores, I'd also check and re- assemble the water pump, with plenty of vaseline on the impeller. Also check there is no rag stuffed down the air intake. Check the diesel hasn't succumbed to the bug, and that the lift pump works by bleeding the sytem.
I certainly wouldn't let the owner start it up - he has no long term interest in the engine whereas you potentially have.
 
srp said:
In addition to squirting some oil down the bores, I'd also check and re- assemble the water pump, with plenty of vaseline on the impeller. Also check there is no rag stuffed down the air intake. Check the diesel hasn't succumbed to the bug, and that the lift pump works by bleeding the sytem.
I certainly wouldn't let the owner start it up - he has no long term interest in the engine whereas you potentially have.
Click to expand...

How do you check the fuel for the bug?
 
chockswahay said:
Oops, sorry..... It's a Yanmar diesel 3GM
Click to expand...

Along with what others have said.


Make sure the throttle and stop levers on the injection pump are free.

The rack and or the governor linkages internal to the injection pumps have a habit of sticking after a while being stood.

If you do get a stuck one, it means removing the pump & getting it checked over.
 
chockswahay said:
Oops, sorry..... It's a Yanmar diesel 3GM
Click to expand...

No worries, I managed to get an old Volvo Penta (Petrol) going after 14 years of sitting, poured a little diesel into the bores and let it sit for a couple of days then put a socket on and very gently began to rock back and forth until the engine turned over easily by hand, then after leaving for another day started on the key and it started easily. Never looked back, good luck :)...smoked like a trooper for a few minutes but soon cleared !
 
Thanks guys,

All good informative stuff. I had also wondered whether or not the valve springs that have been under compression might need replacing too.

The boat is sat in a yard that is a actually a Yanmar agent. I also wondered if it might be best to ask them to 'professionally' re-commission the engine?

Cheers

Chox :)
 
mogy said:
How do you check the fuel for the bug?
Click to expand...

It will be obvious when you change the fuel filters.

T the OP - All or most of the checks you do should be part of the normal maintenance you would carry out during the year, so I would rather do them myself, partly to familiarise myself with the engine and partly to ensure that things are done properly and not skimped. You will also find out what tools are useful to keep on board in the future.

For the 1gm10, which I think is similar in some respects, then a good supply of rag and a few ziplock poly bags are useful for changing the oil and engine fuel filter, along with a strap wrench (eg a Boa) for removing the filters themselves. And a Pela pump for removing the existing engine oil. A contortionist comes in handy for removing the water pump cover if you have a tame one to hand.
 
After two years on the hard, the boat we bought had two major problems, the diaphragm in the lift pump had perished and the seals in the injunction pump had failed, both due to the lack of diesel. After 9 years of no attention be prepared for lots of on board stuff to fail.
 
I wouldn't go there to be honest.

It might run, it might fail after a short time.

Who wants to take that chance without financial encouragement of a huge kind!! :eek:
 
No Regrets said:
I wouldn't go there to be honest.

It might run, it might fail after a short time.

Who wants to take that chance without financial encouragement of a huge kind!! :eek:
Click to expand...
We are all different and have different temperaments and attitudes to things. I would take the opposite view and if the boat was cheap, I would be quite excited about getting the thing going.

An acquaintance of ours bought a Najad that was almost brand new - but was sitting on the hard for several years before the widow could bear to sell it. He budgeted for a new engine - but the old one was perfect and is still going strong several years later with nothing except a new battery to start it the first time. The rest of the boat was also perfect - except for a tiny leak which had damaged some trim. he replaced the veneer and has a beautiful boat which he bought very cheaply.
 
I agree about oil down the bores but would add that it would be best to gingerly try turning the engine by hand (socket on the bottom pulley or somesuch) before whacking the starter in. If it turns reasonably freely and doesn't make any horrible noises, then try the starter. It's important to do that BEFORE putting the injectors back in because you could damage it if trying to start it with too much oil in the cylinders.

Also check the colour of the oil on the dipstick. If laid up correctly, it should look like clean, new golden syrup coloured oil.

Similarly check the coolant. Presumably it's indirectly cooled? If so, check that the coolant looks like reasonably clean antifreeze.

There's plenty that can go wrong with an engine that's been laid up for a long time. Often with the ancillaries rather than the engine itself. (e.g. starter motor, raw water pump, lift pump and alternator) but if the sale price includes a margin for the necessary repair work, that should all be straightforward if it proves necessary.

Once it HAS run, I'd be inclined to simply get it up to operating temperature, check for no major nastiness, and then change the oil and antifreeze as a matter of course.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

A
HELP! Trapper 300 Restoration - Seeking Blueprints for a Unique Family Yacht!
Replies
2
Views
258
Neeves
N

Share this page

Top