[C320-list] Yanmar trouble

[Dick Walker]

I recommend that you 

1. Keep your tank not less than. 50%

2. And be sure to use bio at


Cheers

Dick Walker
740 Olive Ave.
Coronado ,CA 92118
619.435.8986



> On Aug 6, 2014, at 19:29, "Rick Sulewski" <rsulewski at bex.net> wrote:
> 
> Don't know if the Yanmar fuel system is fed by gravity as is the case with
> my Westerbeke engine....but that could explain how you ended up with air in
> the system.
> 
> I had a fuel pump that was not working due to a loose power wire that had
> parted. I did not know that at the time my engine quit working but that was
> and when the fuel tank went to around a quarter of a tank, or around the
> level of the fuel pump, and the engine stopped. I thought that my fuel gauge
> was faulty and had to dock under sail. After adding only a gallon fuel, the
> engine fired right up! Come to find out that after I noticed the engine
> running but I could no longer hear the fuel pump clicking, I was motived to
> learn why the fuel pump was not working. I ran down a parted hot wire to the
> fuel pump that was spliced when the fuel pump was replaced a few years
> earlier.
> 
> Just saying that you may want to check to see if your fuel pump clicks
> periodically while your engine is running, or at least that's what happens
> on a Westerbeke. On my engine I can test to see if the fuel pump is working
> by by-passing the oil sender switch as when there is no oil pressure, the
> fuel pump relay shuts down the fuel pump. However, if I bypass the oil
> sender switch by connecting the two spade type connectors together, then the
> fuel pump will run when I turn on the key. 
> 
> In your case, perhaps adding fuel to the system allows the engine to be fed
> by gravity providing the injection system with just enough fuel to be placed
> under pressure to feed the cylinders and the engine runs. However, once the
> fuel pump (serving as lift pump) no longer works, the level of the fuel in
> the tank may determine how long the engine will be gravity fed.  After
> fixing that loose fuel pump wire I noticed an increase in engine power and
> acceleration because the fuel pump served to move more fuel to the injection
> side of the fuel system where the fuel is placed under high pressure to feed
> the nozzles. 
> 
> If you are having a fuel pump issue, that could explain why you had air in
> the system before the fuel was added to the tank and then the fuel found its
> way to the injector and it fired up.
> 
> Rick My-Ria
> 95 320 #277
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
> Of dprudden
> Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2014 7:46 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Yanmar trouble
> 
> Thanks to all for the suggestions.
> 
> I started by checking the Racor primary for dirt/water but the fuel looked
> good....and there was fuel. I next checked for air in the lines. There was
> some so I bled the lines, added 4 gallons of fuel, tried starting, and after
> a minute or two of rough idle and stalling, she smoothed out and is running
> fine (20 minutes at dock then 1] hour round trip for topping off tank).
> Somehow air got into the fuel line. I definitely had a 1/4 tank left and it
> was flat calm in the middle of a 9 hour motor across Cape Cod Bay (no wind
> at all!!) If I hit a wake, is that enough to slosh the diesel in a 1/4 full
> tank around enough so a bubble or two of air gets in the line? 
> 
> Thanks!!!
> 
> David Prudden
> #787
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>