KAD44/KAD300 Injector Testing

[petem]

Having a couple of hours to spare this morning I thought I'd download all the manuals that I could find for the boat and store them on a USB stick (along with the VAT Certificates, Part 1 Registration, Pre Purchase Surveys, maintenance invoices etc).

Anyhow, I came across a VP document that is the Service Protocol for the KAD44/KAD300 series of engines. What's interesting is that the owners manual with it's service schedule makes no reference to injector testing however the Service Protocol says that they should be checked every 600 hours.

So there's the answer! The 600 hour recommendation isn't some fabrication made up by engineers to part more cash from you, it's official VP advice.

 

[Portofino]

Tricky one .

Cars or the automotive world normally are used frequently and unlikely to be high risk ( tankage / fillers ) to water ingress .

Some boats have extra measures to mitigate the inevitable- water in fuel .
Centrifugal pre filters with visible glass bowls and a regime to inspect / drain .
On top of that Water in fuel alarms as well .
Some boater then add additives at each fill , that claim to dissolve water somehow into the fuel which is claimed to facilitate burning off any water that happens to get in .

Cars have tiny tanks in comparison, guess ratio of at least 1/10
Cars are filled up more frequently.
Boats often sat for months with partially filled tanks often in cool climates facilitating internal condemnation of water vapour in the air .

Any water that finds its way to an injector tip vaporises in the heat ,or hydrogen + oxygen given off knackers the tip and leads to failure to close in a timely manor commonly known as hosing , the extra heat produced by the surplus of fuel burns holes in the pistons .

All caused by water .

So backing up a bit it really depends on what anti water in fuel tactics you have in your armamentarium .

If zero then a timely pull of the injectors and test may be prudent .

Add additives said to dissolve water ?
Have centrifugal filters and regularly inspect / replace
Have Water in fuel alarms


Next dilemma is having to pull them on a seemingly ok symptomless running boat at a chuck a dart at a board hrs ?

If you get found out at a future sale by the buyer for not not doing it at the book hrs then you are gonna pay anyhow .

I sold mine with 850 hrs and the subject never surfaced @ sale they were never pulled / tested , boat was 11 years old .

There are down sides on top of the simple “ test “
-Unscrupulous agents all taking a nibble
-Cross threading - remove the head and re tap
-Leaky unions - even bigger bill for replacement pipes
- poor workmanship. - crap performance
So find a reputable agent , not on price .