New engine issues

[dom]

I'd imagine that relations are already soured! The installer seems to be clutching at straws - why on earth fit three new primary filter housings in 6 weeks??

On the face of it quite extraordinary incompetence from an accredited fitter, no.argument there!

I guess my sense is that the OP needs to put a few more cards on the table if he wants some serous advice.

 

[sailorman]

Purely a long shot to check as I had months of a similar problems years ago.

We checked everything but finally realized we had installed a new diesel filter higher than the bottom of the fuel tank and slightly further away from the fuel pump.

The pump would run for hours then just shut down, prime it then it would run for another eight hours then shut down.

The problems was caused because the fuel pump was not big enough to suck the fuel from further away plus the fuel filter was not being 'gravity fed' just fuel sucked
through by the pump.

We lowered the fuel filter and moved it slightly closer to the pump and its never stopped since.

Food for thought!

Mike

My tank is below a settee berth in the saloon, the filter is above the engine, no probs to date. did you have an air leak that wasnt apparent

 

[prv]

As a matter of interest, why not one of those cheap and cheerful 10 litre green metal fuel canisters (those army thingies) which are prob on sale on eBay for about 50p

Because the outboard tank is already fitted with a pickup tube and hose barb, so connecting it to the engine will be easy and neat, with the lid staying on so no potential for spills. And it sits stably on a flat surface on its largest side, whereas with a steel jerrycan you'd presumably have to lash it to something to keep it upright, dangle a hose in through the open lid, ensure the mouth of the hose stayed below the level of the diesel, and that the diesel didn't slosh out of the can as the boat moved.

And because I have a spare outboard tank in my shed

Pete

 

[macd]

My tank is below a settee berth in the saloon, the filter is above the engine, no probs to date. did you have an air leak that wasnt apparent

Yes, a perfectly normal arrangement. You could probably mount the filter on the first spreader and it would still work. But air-leak = anti-siphon, and it won't. Might be a bit of a bu**er to bleed, too

The OP's installation instructions should include a maximum vertical distance between the fuel tank take-off and the lift pump. On ours, it's 0.5 metres, beyond which an additional electric lift pump is recommended. Might be worth the OP checking this. Clearly it can also mean that an engine which works fine with a full tank might not with one approaching empty.

 

[sighmoon]

It does, but it can also sour relations which can be somewhat unhelpful.

To be honest once one threatens legal action, one has really got to be prepared to go through with it. Also the OP won't say who the manufacturer is, but I'm sure any of the big boys would lean on a supplier to sort this out ASAP in order to prevent the matter spiraling into a mess. Good business if nothing else.

As there's nothing remotely defamatory been said here the OP might gain more by adopting the middle ground and name the manufacturer, but not the supplier at this stage. That will focus minds for sure as the implied next stop will be him!

The company that installed it have been very good - they have dropped everything to send a RIB out more than once. They've not had the support they'd like from the manufacturer. If they think it's part x, the manufacturer won't send a new part x to test it.

 

[sighmoon]

The more connections between the tank and the injection pump, the more potential there is for air leaks. What style are the connections in the fuel line? Have they been over tightened and are now slightly distorted- and pass air at times - interfering with the prime?

The fuel line is clear plastic with two nuts at the end that tighten against each other (not too much without cracking the hose) and then screw into the primary filter / tank / lift pump.

I don't know if they've been over tightened but we're now on the second lot in case the first lot were.

When your engine stops, what happens when you manually pump fuel to the input to the main injection pump? Clear fuel quickly or bubbles for ages?

I haven't tried that.

I'd imagine that relations are already soured! The installer seems to be clutching at straws - why on earth fit three new primary filter housings in 6 weeks??

Not quite - we had one on there before which he took off when the problems started because he didn't have the right filter for that fitting. We saw air bubbles appearing at the fittings for filter No 2, so I nipped it up and stripped the thread. A mechanic elsewhere came and fitted a new filter and housing.

 

[sighmoon]

Another line of thought.

There are no bubbles in the fuel supply line. There are bubbles in the return line. Where might they be coming from?

Between the lift pump and high pressure pump, is the pressure is greater than atmosphere when the engine is running? (i.e. so it can't suck air in)
Must it therefore be coming from the suction side of the lift pump?

 

[KellysEye]

Diesel can get through a microscopic hole so if there is air leak diesel will be coming out of the hole. Get some loo paper or kitchen roll and wrap it around every connection, the bleed screw and filter(s) bowl. Run the engine for an hour and then check for leaks, they will be obvious on the paper.

 

[dom]

Diesel can get through a microscopic hole so if there is air leak diesel will be coming out of the hole. Get some loo paper or kitchen roll and wrap it around every connection, the bleed screw and filter(s) bowl. Run the engine for an hour and then check for leaks, they will be obvious on the paper.

KellysEye, sorry but ....well the usual reply!!!

Why do you keep doing this

 

[pvb]

KellysEye, sorry but ....well the usual reply!!!

Why do you keep doing this

In fairness, his usual suggestion is talcum powder!

 

[fisherman]

Haven't read the whole thread: my mate had a new engine and instant problems. It just sucked fuel a lot harder than the old one, bit of crud in the tank and with a gauze in the fuel inlet pipe to the lift pump which got clogged every few hours. Solved with a primary sedimenter.

 

[sighmoon]

Thanks Fisherman.

So if the tank pipe was blocked would it be easier for it to suck air instead?

When you say sucked harder, do you mean sucked faster? This one is actually smaller than its predecessor, so ought to suck less fuel. Or maybe I'm wrong about that.

We do have a primary sedimenter / seperator.

 

[fisherman]

Depends on the lift pump and general fuel system layout, which may deliver a lot more than the engine uses and return the rest to the tank. If there is a part blockage, air will try to enter.

 

[chrishelen]

How frustrating for you...I know it's a nightmare job, but I would replace the fuel line from the tank as a matter of course, could you also drain the fuel to see what you have in the tank? If you have black slime dose the fuel with marine 16 or some other poison. A bit of talc on any joints will show if fuel leaking and air getting in. Good luck.

 

[scottie]

Is plastic considered professional for fuel lines especially supply?

 

[Topcat47]

Plastic pipe between the tank and the lift pump isn't ideal. All the fuel pipes on Snark are either metal or armoured rubber ( the kind with metal reinforcement embedded in the rubber matrix). There's nothing wrong with dusting connections with a little talc to check for leaks. I used powdered chalk when I was an apprentice. It stains red quite quickly when there is a leak. Even with white diesel, you will find it'll darken if there is a leak.

 

[KellysEye]

KellysEye, sorry but ....well the usual reply!!! Why do you keep doing this

Because we had copper pipes they often drew in air and diesele leaked and the engine cut out, I changed to the normal set up.

 

[Tintin]

Because the outboard tank is already fitted with a pickup tube and hose barb, so connecting it to the engine will be easy and neat, with the lid staying on so no potential for spills. And it sits stably on a flat surface on its largest side, whereas with a steel jerrycan you'd presumably have to lash it to something to keep it upright, dangle a hose in through the open lid, ensure the mouth of the hose stayed below the level of the diesel, and that the diesel didn't slosh out of the can as the boat moved.

And because I have a spare outboard tank in my shed

Pete

Not relevant to OP, but I had an old landrover lightweight that had leaky fuek tanks so I rigged up an outboard tank instead. The Police were not amused.

 

[pagoda]

Not relevant to OP, but I had an old landrover lightweight that had leaky fuek tanks so I rigged up an outboard tank instead. The Police were not amused.

Innovative ! What did you do to attract their interest in fuel tanks???

I once ran a motorcycle from an old Atco lawnmower tank for a short while. It worked perfectly well, given the circumstances.

On a boat, whatever you get up to is YOUR responsibility, so observation is less public?

 

[Tintin]

Innovative ! What did you do to attract their interest in fuel tanks???

I once ran a motorcycle from an old Atco lawnmower tank for a short while. It worked perfectly well, given the circumstances.

On a boat, whatever you get up to is YOUR responsibility, so observation is less public?

Lack of MOT, Tax, doors, windscreen, roof etc..... towing a 7m RIB in the rain.

They noticed the tank on the passenger seat. They commented on how I could have used the seat belt, but I think they were gunning for me.