[C320-list] Yanmar 3GM30F

[RONALD HODEL]

I have 1640 hrs on mine and it runs like a top. I’m not a mechanic but as we’ve been told, diesels love clean oil, fuel and air as well as good cooling.  And as I understand, they don’t like to be lightly run - I inspect every external inch of mine once a month, keep everything well painted (no rust) and no oil dripping allowed. (I turn all my thru hull valves monthly as well. I have changed everything made of rubber as well with the exception of the motor mounts.) I think with good regular maintenance Yanmars will run for a lot longer than the hours we’ve got on them. You can have your oil tested which will give you a heads up on what’s going on on the inside. I was told once that if you find an older boat with an engine that has only a few hours on it, that’s not a good sign engine wise. 

That said, I’d love to enroll in a course on diesels such as the one in the link below. I’d really like to be able to take the major parts of my engine apart and put things back together again so that if I ever have to do it while out cruising I will have done at once on an engine similar to mine. Plus, I’ll also know if I have all the right tools on board.
(I know nothing about this school so I can’t vouch for it. This is meant only as an example.) 
https://narragansettsailingschool.com/diesel-engine-course/

Ron Hodel 
#1070 Lokomaikai 
Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 17, 2021, at 12:00 PM, Scott Westwood <scottwestwood at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> Asking opinions about hours on engine before consider major overhaul or replace?  Not sure about previous maintenance record but regularly changed oil and maint as directed for last several years. Currently 1920 hours on tach.
> Thoughts? 
> 
> Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android