Nanni Diesel problems - Fuel Filters

[aardvarkash10 1,103]

1 hour ago, Steve Pope said:

Invairiably it is the same time your wife / partner realises she has been conned, and she becomes certain that she can find better things to do whenever you suggest going for a lovely romantic cruise!!!

I am in the fortunate position that I am the conn-ee, Mrs Aardvark is the conn-er.

In such situations she just giggles, throws more canvas up, and leaves me to it while I wallow in the bilges fixing stuff with gaffer tape and paperclips, swearing loudly.  Its about the only sailory thing I can do.

[Kevin McCready 83]

41 minutes ago, aardvarkash10 said:

I am in the fortunate position that I am the conn-ee, Mrs Aardvark is the conn-er.

In such situations she just giggles, throws more canvas up, and leaves me to it while I wallow in the bilges fixing stuff with gaffer tape and paperclips, swearing loudly.  Its about the only sailory thing I can do.

If you haven't been taught the joy of heaving-to and the incredible dramatic change it brings you have indeed been conned. I make it a condition of boarding that my conn-ees know how to heave to. I just noticed it's number 2 on my list. I should make it number one because of how useful it can be in an emergency. https://kmccready.wordpress.com/2015/01/05/storm-fantasy-sailing-yacht-safety-card/

[Steve Pope 253]

Wow!!!! How lucky are you!!!, maybe you don't need the motor at all!

I often think about the small boat sailors (early version of Countdown grocery deliverers, I supose) that delivered stuff by water on the Kaipara or similar harbours 150 years ago. They would have to have known every current, sand bar, safe bay, often sailing single handed, no Nanni's then, just maybe a big oar.

[Priscilla II 445]

The whole install reflects neglect and obviously needs some love and attention it's all fairly basic stuff .

A marine diesel needs clean fuel fresh air and good oil along with a clean heat exchanger plain and simple stuff really that could well save your bacon on a dark narly nite.

Whilst you are at it drain the fuel tank and change the belts.

 

[Dagwood 69]

12 hours ago, Priscilla II said:

needs some love and attention it's all fairly basic stuff .

I think Island Time had some photo's of his engine bay which might be motivating - very sexy but maybe that says more about me....

[wheels 544]

Gosh, so many hoses running off through bulkheads.
The only concerns I have are.......and a good thing for us all to check....Hose clamps.
As part of your yearly pre season check, you should go over all Hose clamps and see if any need a tighten. Hoses crush over time and temp and the clamps can become lose. Plus clamps that are fully SST can loosen from vibration. Even if the hose stays in place, it can still cause weeps and that results in corrosion.
Ensure the clamps are full SST. You can often get ones that are SST band and Zinc over steel screw. The screw will rust and make it difficult to tighten and eventually the band breaks.
Normally two clamps should be used per joint. I use narrow clamps so as to get a good crush of the hose and you have enough room to have two side by side.

Don't be afraid to liberally use WD40 or CRC everywhere. It will help slow the spread of corrosion on metals. 

The pipe situated at the very bottom left of the picture. It looks like it is copper. Is that the fuel line from the Fuel tank? It may need to be checked for corrosion soon and either replaced or cleaned and sprayed with protectant like WD40.

At the bottom of the Oil exchange pump, there is an electrical strip connector. That needs replacing with a proper wire splicing connector that can be sealed. Water will eventually cause it to corrode and fail completely. Plus water can wick up the wire and rot it out and create a very high electrical resistance.
It would be worth checking all electrical connections for corrosion and replace and waterproof. If there is one, there could well be others.

 

[Kevin McCready 83]

UPDATE

I got the engine started again yesterday (had to use ether and pump the little blue lever). I ran it under load for 30 mins. Then I thought I'd turn it off and try to start again. It wouldn't start normally. So now I suspect it might be the glow plugs. Do I need a special plug socket spanner to remove them? Any more tips would be welcome.

[Zozza 351]

11 minutes ago, Kevin McCready said:

UPDATE

I got the engine started again yesterday (had to use ether and pump the little blue lever). I ran it under load for 30 mins. Then I thought I'd turn it off and try to start again. It wouldn't start normally. So now I suspect it might be the glow plugs. Do I need a special plug socket spanner to remove them? Any more tips would be welcome.

I will eventually probably be pulling the Yanmar out of my new boat.  Nothing wrong with the engine, I just have no love for inboard engines 
Hit me up sometime Kev, if you might be interested

[aardvarkash10 1,103]

1 hour ago, Kevin McCready said:

UPDATE

I got the engine started again yesterday (had to use ether and pump the little blue lever). I ran it under load for 30 mins. Then I thought I'd turn it off and try to start again. It wouldn't start normally. So now I suspect it might be the glow plugs. Do I need a special plug socket spanner to remove them? Any more tips would be welcome.

it will not be glow plugs if the engine had been running and was warm.

You have a private message.

[wheels 544]

20 hours ago, Kevin McCready said:

UPDATE

I got the engine started again yesterday (had to use ether and pump the little blue lever). I ran it under load for 30 mins. Then I thought I'd turn it off and try to start again. It wouldn't start normally. So now I suspect it might be the glow plugs. Do I need a special plug socket spanner to remove them? Any more tips would be welcome.

No not glow plugs. You only use Glow plugs when the engine is cold. Do not use them when engine is hot.
When at idle, did the engine run smoothly?
When you shut the engine down, are your sure the stop lever returned to correct position to allow engine to start again. (just in case you did something while working in that area)
Diesels are simple, in that to make it run, you need Air, Fuel (compression) and turn over at a good speed to start. Seeing as it had been running, we can rule out Compression problems. Air can be rulled out as well. That leaves Fuel.
You need to check that fuel is getting through OK to that injector pump. Simply disconnect the fuel line that runs to the Injector pump and then cycle that little fuel pump lever and ensure Fuel with no air bubbles flows out the fuel line.
If yes, try the air bleeding process at injector pump and Injector lines to injectors again. There could well have been a little air trapped somewhere that managed to move after you shut down.

[Kevin McCready 83]

At idle it ran smooth enough but blew a bit of smoke at high load. I'm not sure where the stop lever is, but to shut down I press and hold a little black button on the ignition panel for a couple of seconds. I don't actually know how the little black button works. When I first got it started on Sun 27 March it conked out under load but started immediately when I turned the ignition again. Perhaps the gold lever with the boot on it is the culprit when I moved it back and forth it was a bit sticky. Would it run fine for over half an hour if there was a fuel/air problem but fail to start seconds after shutdown?

[waikiore 477]

Its all fuel related, if you have changed all the filters and cleaned up that side, take off the exhaust injection elbow and clean that out.

[wheels 544]

23 hours ago, Kevin McCready said:

At idle it ran smooth enough but blew a bit of smoke at high load. I'm not sure where the stop lever is, but to shut down I press and hold a little black button on the ignition panel for a couple of seconds. I don't actually know how the little black button works. When I first got it started on Sun 27 March it conked out under load but started immediately when I turned the ignition again. Perhaps the gold lever with the boot on it is the culprit when I moved it back and forth it was a bit sticky. Would it run fine for over half an hour if there was a fuel/air problem but fail to start seconds after shutdown?

Smoke under load is probably just normal for an old engine like that. Although, Is the prop and Hull clean?
The little black button should energise a little solenoid with that little black crinkled rubber boot on the end of it. When you push the button, the lever should pull across and shut off the fuel rack. When you release the button, the lever should return to the proper run possition. Make sure that is happening. Their will be a spring to ensure that takes place. The Solenoid will pull in under power, but a spring needs to pull it back. The spring may have rusted or disconnected or something.
There is nothing wrong with checking and cleaning the exhast elbow, but that should not cause the problem if the engine has already been running. While maintenance on other areas is good, don't distract yourself with red hearings either. The issue will be either Fuel not getting to InjPump or that stop lever. It's all pretty simple when you break it down into logical steps.
Reasons fuel may not be getting to pump could be,
1: possible problem with that manual/mechanical lift pump.
2: not all air was bled out of the fuel system and it has no made it's way to InjPump.
3: you have a small air leak from either a filter not sealing properly, or a fuel line connection not tight.
4: you have turned and fuel valve off and forgotten to turn on again.
5: a blockage in fuel line or filter.
So go back to the steps of bleeding air right through. Even just one tiny little bubble is all that is needed. Bleed the system all the way and see if engine wants to start. You must have done something right for it to start the first time. Try that again and maybe the problem will be solved. Keep asking here if it does not start. You can never ask too many questions here.

[Kevin McCready 83]

Thanks wheels. It sounds like the solenoid set up isn't working. The lever feels very sticky. I'll try to get it working freely. I'm gonna kick myself if this whole saga is a broken spring on a solenoid. Grrrr. But just to get it clear on my head, when the black button is released, the spring should pull the lever back?

[wheels 544]

4 hours ago, Kevin McCready said:

Thanks wheels. It sounds like the solenoid set up isn't working. The lever feels very sticky. I'll try to get it working freely. I'm gonna kick myself if this whole saga is a broken spring on a solenoid. Grrrr. But just to get it clear on my head, when the black button is released, the spring should pull the lever back?

That is what I would expect, yes. But just were the spring is, is anyones guess. It could be a spring inside the Solenoid, or it could be external on the lever.
It's not wasted energy though. Look at how much you have learned about it all.

[aardvarkash10 1,103]

Wheels wins the Diagnosis at a Distance Prize, 2022.

A pleasant time spent this arvo rowing out and back to Kevin's yacht confirmed the specific fault - non-returning armature in the engine kill solenoid.  The armature and linkage move freely, just no return spring.  All else is fine.  

[Kevin McCready 83]

Yeah big thanks to Wheels and to Ashton. Ashton also wins the prize for diagnosing a dicey deck switch for the anchor winch. Thanks again for your company Ashton; I owe you one.

[Kevin McCready 83]

It will do for now. I'm amending my start up instructions: 1. Check the high tech ruggedised return installation on the fuel solenoid.