[C320-list] Engine problems

[Chris Burti]

Since no one else has suggested it, if draining the water in the separator
doesn't cure your problem, try bleeding your injectors. Our Yanmars
sometimes have a little problem with air entering the system, either through
a defective check valve in the return line or a overly flattened crush
washer on the bleed nut. The symptoms are the same as yours. I've been too
lazy to fix the problem on our boat because I can simply pump the Racor a
few times and the problem goes away until the boat sits for an extended
period of time. Apparently it is only a bubble or two that only causes
problems when they have a long time to accumulate.

If I haven't run the engine for a few weeks, I simply pump it four or five
times when I open the intake through hull as a matter of course and have no
problems. If I forget, it will let me know pretty quick when I run up the
engine before leaving the slip.

On Sun, Jan 18, 2009 at 9:09 PM, John Ellis <jr_ellis100 at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> Many thanks to everyone who offered excellent suggestions on my boat's
> engine problems. I've learned so much about C320 maintenance from this list.
>
> I'll ask the fuel dock if there's a biocide in the fuel they sell.
> Yesterday the engine was running more and more roughly as the RPM dropped,
> and so it was not the throttle lever problem that Allen suggested. The PO
> had replaced the fuel tank, I think about four years ago. There could be a
> lot of crud in there, but I've had no similar problems in the two years I've
> owned the boat. San Diego did get some rain last month, and I have yet to
> check if the O-ring on the fuel filler cap is in rough shape and could be
> leaking from the deck. I replaced all of the Lewmar opening ports' O-rings
> when two of them leaked last month, and they were all in poor condition.
>
> Today I drained about four ounces of water from the primary fuel filter and
> then the fuel ran clean through the bowl drain. I started the engine and it
> ran very smoothly for 20 minutes at the slip. I'm hoping that simply
> draining the water from the bowl has fixed the problem.
>
> Since I was on my own I decided not to chance taking the boat out, having
> an engine failure and then trying to sail back into my downwind slip. I'm
> going for a day sail on Friday with a full crew of six, and so we can save
> that drama for when we have more hands to either minimize the damage sailing
> into the slip, and/or appreciate my boat handling skills (or those of the
> Vessel Assist skipper).
>
> The temperature hit about 80 again this afternoon in San Diego; however
> there was very little wind.
>
> John
> #271> Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:50:37 -0500> From: allan.field at verizon.net>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Engine problems> >
> John - I have read all the posts regarding your engine problem. It is not>
> clear from your post if the engine ran rough as the RPM's decreased or if
> it> simply started decreasing. So here is a possible solution that may have>
> been overlooked. Did the throttle lever itself gradually fall back as the>
> RPM's decreased or did the lever absolutely remain in the same position? If>
> it remained in the same position, you can stop reading now. But a fairly>
> common problem is that locking screw for where the throttle cable attaches>
> to the throttle lever loosens. To access, you need CAREFULLY to remove the>
> compass, put LokTite on the locking screw, and before the LokTite dries,>
> adjust the locking screw until the cable slippage problem goes away. From>
> memory (about 6-7 years ago), you would want to use the blue LokTite.> >
> Hope this helps.> > Allan S. Field> Sea Shadow - #808> Columbia, MD> >
> -----Original Message-----> From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com>
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of John Ellis>
> Sent: Saturday, January 17, 2009 9:08 PM> To: c320-list at catalina320.com>
> Subject: [C320-list] Engine problems> > > While motor sailing on San Diego
> bay this morning waiting for the wind to> fill in, my engine (Westerbeke
> 30B) started to hesitate and then the RPM> dropped from 2600 to 1000. I
> pushed the throttle full open and after about> 20-30 seconds the engine sped
> up again. > > This continued to occur at about five minute intervals.
> Sometimes the engine> speed would drop to about 600 RPM. If I put the
> transmission in neutral it> would eventually run well again, but did not
> seem to improve any faster than> with the transmission in forward, so I
> thought the problem was not caused by> something wrapped around the prop. >
> > My next thought was a fuel filter problem, but the engine seemed to
> recover> and then run well for a while, rather than slowly suffocate and
> die. Both> filters were changed last November and we've put less than ten
> hours on the> engine since then. We filled up (9 gallons) with diesel last
> weekend at the> Harbor Island fuel dock. > > I checked for the normal amount
> of cooling water being discharged and that> looked fine. After a while the
> wind filled in and we sailed back, starting> the engine for just the last
> 100 yards into the slip. Does anyone have any> ideas what could be causing
> this problem?> > John> #271>
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-- 
Chris Burti Farmville, NC