fergycool
Well-Known Member
Back during the lovely weather (what's happened?) one of my engines failed to start.
Engines are a pair of 1960s Perkins 4.270. Both are old, but in great condition and generally start and run perfectly! Both have plenty of fresh air available via the engine room ventilation. Both share the same tank
The temperature was quite hot for a South Cambridgeshire river (>31degC). But the engines were running at a rock solid 84degC. Both had been run for about three hours down river, then we stopped off for a picnic for a few hours.
Upon starting the engines, one engine started perfectly, but the other started for 10 seconds, then died. I tried two more times and it turned over, but did not start. The battery was a little low, so I jumped it from the other running engine, and nothing. It turned over but failed to start so:
- I checked the STOP handle and cable was working ok. It appeared to be!
- Prop turns, by hand, freely in neutral.
- I bled the file system before the injector pump. Full of fuel, no air at all!
- I cracked the injectors and turned over the engines. No fuel came out at all. I turned over the engines for about 30 seconds. Left it for 5 minutes, then repeated. No fuel came out at all!
Merde!
I came back home on a single engine, thinking that something upstream of the injector pump was broken! (it does hunt about on idle when hot. A marine diesel engineer told me that is a symptom of a dodgy governor, but it will likely go on OK for years.).
Anyway after three hours of cursing (I mean cruising) on a single engine, then two hours sat on the bank drinking a well earned beer, I went to start the problematic engine and it started perfectly!!!
From the bilges of my dodgy memory I then remembered something similar has happened once before when it was hot! Once is an anomaly, twice is an issue that can be solved, right
Any further clues tor tips for isolating this?
Thanks.
Cheers
Ferg
Engines are a pair of 1960s Perkins 4.270. Both are old, but in great condition and generally start and run perfectly! Both have plenty of fresh air available via the engine room ventilation. Both share the same tank
The temperature was quite hot for a South Cambridgeshire river (>31degC). But the engines were running at a rock solid 84degC. Both had been run for about three hours down river, then we stopped off for a picnic for a few hours.
Upon starting the engines, one engine started perfectly, but the other started for 10 seconds, then died. I tried two more times and it turned over, but did not start. The battery was a little low, so I jumped it from the other running engine, and nothing. It turned over but failed to start so:
- I checked the STOP handle and cable was working ok. It appeared to be!
- Prop turns, by hand, freely in neutral.
- I bled the file system before the injector pump. Full of fuel, no air at all!
- I cracked the injectors and turned over the engines. No fuel came out at all. I turned over the engines for about 30 seconds. Left it for 5 minutes, then repeated. No fuel came out at all!
Merde!
I came back home on a single engine, thinking that something upstream of the injector pump was broken! (it does hunt about on idle when hot. A marine diesel engineer told me that is a symptom of a dodgy governor, but it will likely go on OK for years.).
Anyway after three hours of cursing (I mean cruising) on a single engine, then two hours sat on the bank drinking a well earned beer, I went to start the problematic engine and it started perfectly!!!
From the bilges of my dodgy memory I then remembered something similar has happened once before when it was hot! Once is an anomaly, twice is an issue that can be solved, right
Any further clues tor tips for isolating this?
Thanks.
Cheers
Ferg
