Newbie to Cruising: Yanmar 1GM10 : How to get trained on servicing and repairs ?

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hopern1

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So, pending a sea trial, the boat is nearly bought (on my super tight budget) and I am aware that the one bit of hardware you must have working always when at sea is the engine.
So the boat I have nearly bought has a Yanmar 1GM10.

My question is : Where can I go to get trained on servicing and repairing this engine? I am aware there is an generic RYA course for diesels but my concern is that this maybe very generic and given that I have never played with engines I may need a specific course on this engine to get me competent as quickly as practicable. Willing to spend a reasonable amount on this as I recognise that having the capability myself will save hundreds yearly on servicing.

Thoughts ? Suggestions ? Feel free to reply to the thread or PM me.

thanks and regards
Norris.
 
I had one of these - in fact we installed it ourselves on the boat before this one. The standard RYA diesel course will be a fine start. There is also a YAnmar workshop manual that goes into all the detail you will ever need.

As long as the engine starts from cold (compression is lowest when the engine as cold and as diesels need compression to start, if the engine starts easily from cold the compression is fine) and there isn't smoke (black white or steam) from the exhaust then your engine is probably healthy.

There are some 'tricks' I learnt servicing the engine. To change the engine fuel filter I found I had to slacken off the banjo bolt at the side to get a strap wrench round the knurled nut. To do the tappets you'll need a mirror behind the engine so you can see the timing marks. and you'll find that the cover for the impellor is held by three bolts one of which is behind a pulley and fiddly to get back in.

And when you've got the rocker cover off don't drop the 'top hats' that sit on the valve stems in the bilges. in fact you'll probably be aghast when the rockers move back and forth and seem surprisingly loose but they are like that. Check the anode regularly - mine used to last a season but was pretty consumed and needed replacing.

Don't worry - as long as you have clean filters, engine cooling water circulating, no smoke and power when you need it you'll be fine. Annual servicing isn't difficult but if you have any real problems that's why there are marine engineers. Only regualr problem I've heard about is older engine and the exhaust elbow corroding - so that's worth a check.

The Yanmar manual may even be available as a download these days. Diesels aren't 'rocket science' and the RYA course and the Yanmar manual should repare you for anything a competent owner should be able to do. Any specific worries PM me.
 
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The 1GM is just about the most simple diesel engine it is possible to have in a boat. Change its oil and filters regularly, make sure the water pump is not dripping check the exhaust from time to time and replace the anode regularly. You can download user orientated manuals from the web and parts (not that you need many) are readily available.
 
Thanks for that Bob, so I guess I should clarify my earlier phrase "never played with engines"

So the following words/phrases from your post read like greek to me:

compression , engine fuel filter , banjo bolt , strap wrench round the knurled nut, tappets, timing marks, rocker cover , valve stems , the anode .

I am starting from ground zero here.
Always happy to read a manual and I have downloaded the manual but at the moment I am lacking the skills to even read it.

Its going to be a steep learning curve.
regards
Norris
 
hopern1 said:
I am aware that the one bit of hardware you must have working always when at sea is the engine.
Click to expand...

Hmm this is a sailing boat right? and it is an auxiliary engine right?

OK sarcasm off, GM1 is fairly simple engine as has been said. IMHO if you can change the impeller, oil anodes and fuel filter. Possibly bleed the fuel system you will not go far wrong its not rocket science.

There will be lots to learn about on your new toy, if your running it on super tight budget you will soon be a mechanic, electrician, plumber, painter, deck hand helm, galley slave, cook, steward etc etc
 
hopern1 said:
Thanks for that Bob, so I guess I should clarify my earlier phrase "never played with engines"

So the following words/phrases from your post read like greek to me:

compression , engine fuel filter , banjo bolt , strap wrench round the knurled nut, tappets, timing marks, rocker cover , valve stems , the anode .

I am starting from ground zero here.
Always happy to read a manual and I have downloaded the manual but at the moment I am lacking the skills to even read it.

Its going to be a steep learning curve.
regards
Norris
Click to expand...
Most of those things you will never need to do or use. By all means take the RYA course. It will give you a good grounding in the principles. However you might get more value out of getting an engineer to service the engine and show you where everything is.
 
In order to supplement what you get from the RYA diesel course there are a few useful books out there to help explain the finer points of how diesels work, what to look for when they don't (diagnostic pathways) and how to look after them:
Calder's Marine Diesel Engines and Pat Manley's Diesels Afloat will be very helpful. The RYA also publish their own Diesel Engine Handbook (which possibly comes with the course fee?).

I am not a diesel engineer and have relatively little prior experience in fettling with these things but I do believe that a basic understanding of the various components and how they work together will go a long way to being able to sort out the most likely problems you might encounter at sea. It will also probably bring you much more satisfaction from your boat. A little money spent on this understanding now will easily save you much more money further down the line when you feel capable of doing your own servicing and trouble-shooting.
 
hopern1 said:
Thanks for that Bob, so I guess I should clarify my earlier phrase "never played with engines"

So the following words/phrases from your post read like greek to me:

compression , engine fuel filter , banjo bolt , strap wrench round the knurled nut, tappets, timing marks, rocker cover , valve stems , the anode .

I am starting from ground zero here.
Always happy to read a manual and I have downloaded the manual but at the moment I am lacking the skills to even read it.

Its going to be a steep learning curve.
regards
Norris
Click to expand...

Yes I have the same problem......"Which part of I dont know anything about engines" didnt you understand!!!!
 
You may be able to get an RYA training person to give you the course using your engine, and if you can persuade a couple of others to come along, you could share the cost. If you don't care about the bit of paper from the RYA, then he/she may be persuaded to combine it with a bit of own boat tuition on the other things you are not confident about.
 
okay sorry - assumed a little too much. I was assuming you had looked at the engine and were going to start it. a diesel fires by compressing the fuel/air mixture - just like the end of a bike pump gets hot when you pump up a tyre. if the compression is low it won't start easily when cold but when it's hot things expand and any leakages around the top of the piston get sealed and compression increases. so on your new boat if the engine starts fine when its cold then the compression is good. looking for smoke is easy enough.

the rest of the post was about specific things you'll find when the engine is yours to service and you've done an RYA diesel course. all will become clear when you can see the lump of iron and come to do something. the point of the post was 'don't worry' diesels are simpler than petrol engines (no spark plugs points or distributors etc - that's the thigs that ake the petrol go bang) and the 1GM10 is about the simplest you can get. and i did offer norris the opportunity to PM me. sorry you thought it important enough to comment on mogy..........at least i hope this post is a positive contribution.
 
Burnham Bob said:
okay sorry - assumed a little too much. I was assuming you had looked at the engine and were going to start it. a diesel fires by compressing the fuel/air mixture - just like the end of a bike pump gets hot when you pump up a tyre. if the compression is low it won't start easily when cold but when it's hot things expand and any leakages around the top of the piston get sealed and compression increases. so on your new boat if the engine starts fine when its cold then the compression is good. looking for smoke is easy enough.

the rest of the post was about specific things you'll find when the engine is yours to service and you've done an RYA diesel course. all will become clear when you can see the lump of iron and come to do something. the point of the post was 'don't worry' diesels are simpler than petrol engines (no spark plugs points or distributors etc - that's the thigs that ake the petrol go bang) and the 1GM10 is about the simplest you can get. and i did offer norris the opportunity to PM me. sorry you thought it important enough to comment on mogy..........at least i hope this post is a positive contribution.
Click to expand...

sorry I was just jokeing.....dont seem to have any err smiles
 
I think Scotsail (based in Largs) use a bench mounted Yanmar 1GM as part of their Diesel course, Probably a bit from you, but its such a common engine i wouldn't be surprised if a centre nearer to you also uses this engine as a demo model. Could be worth ringing round a few?
Good luck!
 
I did a 3-day marine diesel course in Poole organised through BOSS. The instructor was a guy named Ken Jeans, he was the chief engine troubleshooter for Sunseeker (he told us). His advice was as follows:

Keep the engine clean.
Keep your fuel clean.
Change the oil and filter at the recommended intervals.
Change the fuel filters at the recommended intervals.
Don't mess with it.
 
richardh10 said:
The RNLI also do (did?) a DVD called 'marine diesel engines made simple' which which they offered free when you joined. Two birds with one stone?
Click to expand...

I have this DVD too - it has a number of other sponsors as well (MCA, RYA, Sea Start, and a couple of magazines). Can't remember where I got mine - possibly came with RYA book mentioned above?
 
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