Question - most likely a stupid one...

[swatchways]

The boat came out for the winter today. The engine has always been a little slow from cold start, maybe needing a couple of kicks, but she was really slow today. So much that I had to give up and have a think. Checked everything over again, couldn't think of anything else, so put the hot water bottle I was holding (yes I know, but it was very cold, and raining) and had a think. Had rested the hot water bottle on the cylinder head, and after some 10-15 mins gave it one more go and she started!
Is it just coincidence, or would warming the cylinder head actually have helped?

As you can probably tell I'm a bit of a novice with engines...?

 

[Searush]

Petrol or diesel?

It is just possible that heat helped, but the cause will be elsewhere.

 

[swatchways]

Diesel - she has a bukh 10. I suspected coincidence really - think possibly the previous turnings over had had the desired effect but was curious really!!
As I said - bit of a noob with engine!

 

[Robin]

I had an old Volvo engine in one boat that needed encouragement to start on a cold day. I used to heat the (metal) air filter on the cooker to get the wire mesh in it warm, refit it quick and the engine would start first time.

 

[catalina1]

My Bukh 20 was sod to start in the cold.
Fiited a glow plug to the inlet manifold , now its a joy to start even in the coldest of weather.
So the answer seems to be heat!!

 

[Robin]

I think indirect injection diesels (Bukh is one) are lower compression than direct injection ones so each stroke doesn't compress the air quite as much and therefore heats it less. So a cold day will make a difference.

One option with the Bukh is to spin the engine faster by using the valve lift (decompresser) before closing it. In the same vein, in cold weather your battery needs to be healthy or it will spin the starter sluggishly, equals less heat into the cylinder and so on..

Don't let anyone tell you to use Quickstart or the likes of ether starting sprays, that way leads to a much sooner rebuild than might be the case otherwise.

 

[Flapjack]

As others have said, retro fitting a Glow Plug would probably make a huge difference to cold starting this has to be coupled with a good battery as well, on my old Yanmar YS8 I have resorted to using a small blow lamp to blast some hot air into the system to get her started in the middle of January.

 

[swatchways]

Thanks all, for the responses - some ideas there - need to get to know the system a little better over the winter and see what I can do I think - sounds like a glow plug is well worth considering then!
I do know that the starter motor isn't in the first flush of youth, but the batteries are, and did the job. Preheat may well be the way to go!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Old boat had a young (10 years) Bukh 10 which started sans glow plug easily throughout the year. Maybe you're down on compression? Worth a check (and probably a cheque) during the winter.

 

[Robin]

One other comment, the Bukh 10 we had eons ago much preferred to be started at tickover setting, ie in neutral but no throttle applied. I used the same method on a later Mercedes OM636, a Volvo MD22L and our last Yanmar 4JHE and in every case starting was always much quicker than with an opened throttle.

 

[Searush]

Try taking the Injector(s) to a local Diesel Fitter - not a marine one, just a bog standard Lorry fixer. They will do the checks & cleaning more often, cheaper & possibly better. It may help, but it will rule out one possibility if it doesn't.

I can also recommend using the valve lifter to get the engine revs up before dropping it to start it (if you have one). I could start my old Volvo by hand once I had got a bit of fuel into it. Hmm, does your engine have a "cold start" button to increase the fuel flow for starting?

 

[swatchways]

Yup - she much prefers tickover setting for starting, she isn't keen to start in gear/with any throttle applied - even out of gear!
The engine is Swatchway's original - so some 30 years young! Have gotten to grips with other aspects of the boat, and now it's the engine's turn!!
Just out of interest for those other who used to run Bukh 10 - what boats were they in, and did you ever have a problem with overheating?

ETA Searush - no she doesn't have a cold start button!!

 

[Babylon]

Do you know whether you in fact have a pre-heater (glowplug) wired in? Our Bukh DV20 is about the same age as your DV10, but until last year I didn't realise it had a pre-heater!

The procedure for starting with cold (with our engine) is to turn the ignition key clockwise WITHOUT first pushing it in hard (as one does to actually start the engine) and hold it there for about 10 secs. Then release, push in as normal and turn clockwise to start. Makes a huge difference, especially in cold weather.

 

[swatchways]

Well, this is where it gets a little grey... I took on the running/using of swatchways about 3 years ago when my dad died, and kind of plunged into the deep end of looking after her. As I said, I'm getting there with everything else, but the engine is my bete noire... !

Interestingly I had always thought she did have a pre heat, (although over the last couple of years I've begun to doubt this as cold starting is a trial) as she has a 2 stage ignition, but it doesn't appear to do anything - even if I give her a good 20 seconds odd at stage 1! I suppose it's possible she does have preheat and it's failing for some reason?!
Unfortunately grandad (whose boat she is) stopped sailing her about 12 years ago and has forgotten things like that and doesn't think she does have one! I had assumed he was right, and that she doesn't, but I think maybe some further investigation is needed.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Just out of interest for those other who used to run Bukh 10 - what boats were they in, and did you ever have a problem with overheating?!

Oh yes. Twister. After much head scratching overheat was found to be caused by salt build up in the water feed into the block. The offending article lives just off the centre, behind the flywheel, to the left as you look at the front of the engine. Sort of bi-furcated pipe mounted to the block with diamond shaped plate.

Undo the feed pipes, undo the two allan screws holding it in place (difficult coz you've got no space behind the flywheel) take it off and be amazed by the way it's choked with salt. Clean, reassemble, good for another year or three.

The block, after removal

And the corresponding raw water feed pipe plate, seen from the back