Thanks for all the thoughts and stories. The engine has run fine now for many hours since that incident, so I am going to ignore it for now. You can’t fix a problem that happens once and doesn’t repeat. To answer some questions: M4-30 diesel, new Racor unit and filters, some new fuel lines. I have a pressure gauge on top of the Racor, so I know if filters are clogged and they are not. Like Chuck, I have an electric fuel pump which eliminates a bunch of possible causes. If the problem recurs, I will deal with it, but motoring most of the way to Block Island and back with no trouble easies my mind. However, I have to say, I will never be fully comfortable or trusting of engines in general. Whenever I have a long motoring to do, I am never happy or confident in my engine. I guess that’s why I have a sailboat and sail it most of the time. Dave
S/V Aries 1990 C&C 34+ New London, CT > On Jun 11, 2023, at 12:24 PM, Bill Coleman via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > Let's just be thankful we're not flying airplanes! > > Bill Coleman > > On Sun, Jun 11, 2023, 09:42 Korbey Hunt via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: > I have a 1980 34 C&C located in Ketchikan, AK. I only use it in the summer. > It has a new Yanmar 30 hp engine with 300 hrs. Last year when returning from > a long cruise at good speed and running well for many hours the engine > suddenly slowed and died. We were in a channel and began drifting towards > the beach. After a few minutes I restarted the motor and it ran fine. I > suspect a fuel problem but never found the cause. I changed the engine > filter but it did not look dirty. > > Get Outlook for Android <https://aka.ms/AAb9ysg> > From: Martin DeYoung via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> > Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2023 10:24:48 PM > To: Stus-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> > Cc: Martin DeYoung <martin.deyo...@outlook.com > <mailto:martin.deyo...@outlook.com>> > Subject: Stus-List Re: Engine strangeness > > Transitory engine issues can create drama quickly. Back in 1992 we had just > taken possession of a 1981 C&C 36 and departed Seattle's Lake Union heading > out to our saltwater moorage at Shilshole Bay Marina. This trip takes us west > through the Lake Washington Ship Canal, under the Fremont and Ballard Bridges > (needed to open them), and through the Ballard locks. The Ship Canal is > narrow enough that it is rare to sail through it. It was also calm that day. > The engine ran just fine through the transit to and into the locks (approx. > first hour of ownership). It is common to shut down the engine while locking > through as it can take enough time to expose a few people to the exhaust > fumes. > > So, the lock gates open, the C&C 36's Yanmar 3-cylinder diesel fires up and > aided by the outgoing current we departed the lock. Now it worth noting there > is an opening single leafed Bascule train bridge with a clearance of +-48' at > that moment's tide height a short distance west of the lock. Our 36's air > draft was a little over 50'. > Given how the gods watching over errant sailors enjoy a good laugh from time > to time the engine chooses that moment to shut down. It shut down in that way > that indicates a restart is unlikely. The train bridge is also down. The > current coming out of the locks is relentlessly pushing us towards the closed > bridge. I am suddenly very concerned for the top few feet of the mast. > > I immediately sounded the signal asking for an opening. I asked the boat's > new co-owner to make ready to anchor. I hit the starter to see if the engine > would restart. It sputtered and died again. I sounded for an opening again. > Nothing promising was happening up on the bow in way of an anchor being > deployed. I attempted another restart this time with the reduction gear in > reverse to make use of any rotation of the prop. I get maybe 15 to 20 > seconds of run time which slowed our progress slightly. The bridge operator > made the horn signal indicating he was able to open the bridge, no trains > were in route. I headed for the side of the bridge that opens first and hit > the starter again hoping for another few seconds of reverse. > > Fortunately, the bridge opened just enough and our path close to the opening > end of the bridge equaled just enough clearance the mast remained intact, and > we avoided an embarrassing episode where we would have needed to "strike the > burgee", obscure the boat's name, and wear bags over our heads to avoid being > identified. > > The cause of all this entertainment was debris in the fuel tank blocking the > fuel pick-up. We hired a fuel tank cleaner/polisher who cut a inspection > port removed the debris, cleaned the tank, polished the fuel and voila, no > more fuel pick up issues. > > Fast forward to 1999 and I am motoring our recently acquired C&C 43 along the > same route. When the truck from Chicago arrived, we had her unloaded at a > Lake Union boat yard. After 3 months of repair and upgrade work the boat was > ready to leave but the mast was still in the paint shed so we motored off > without a mast. Didn't need to open any bridges and was relaxed about > restarting in the locks and heading west. (The anchoring gear was ready to go > this time.) When we got to our Shilshole Bay Marina slip I contacted the > fuel cleaning guy and had the tank thoroughly cleaned and the fuel polished > to be ready for my next trip with the mast up and its 70' air draft. > > Martin DeYoung > Calypso > 1971 C&C 43 > Port Ludlow/Seattle > > Greta > 1956 Matthews 42 > Port Ludlow > From: David Knecht via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com > <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> > Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2023 12:47 PM > To: Stus-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> > Cc: davidakne...@gmail.com <mailto:davidakne...@gmail.com> > <davidakne...@gmail.com <mailto:davidakne...@gmail.com>> > Subject: Stus-List Re: Engine strangeness > > So the problem has not recurred in several hours of motoring over a few days > so i am going to write it off as launch day blues. No water in separator. > Fuel pressure gauge normal. I cant see that i can do anything about it > unless it keeps happening. Thanks for the ideas. Dave > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Jun 9, 2023, at 11:41 AM, Dreuge via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com >> <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: >> >> I once had a similar engine issue. It would run fine one day (or half) and >> constant stall upon or shortly after restarts. It turned out that my Racor >> was not full tightened. Easy fix once found. >> >> - >> Paul E. >> 1981 C&C Landfall 38 >> S/V Johanna Rose >> Fort Walton Beach, FL >> >> http://svjohannarose.blogspot.com/ <http://svjohannarose.blogspot.com/> >> >>> On Jun 9, 2023, at 11:27 AM, ALAN BERGEN via CnC-List >>> <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: >>> >>> >>> On Fri, Jun 9, 2023 at 7:22 AM David Knecht via CnC-List >>> <cnc-list@cnc-list.com <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>> wrote: >>> I am out for the first time this season. Engine started right up. Motored >>> out of harbor for two hours. Turned engine off for a while waiting for >>> wind. Started back up. Ran for 15-30 sec and died. Started up and ran for a >>> bit longer then died. Pulled bed to get access and fuel pressure and level >>> in racor look fine. Started up and ran fine for 40 min. WTF? Dave >> >> Please show your appreciation for this list and the Photo Album site and >> help me pay the associated bills. Make a contribution at: >> https://www.paypal.me/stumurray <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray> >> Thanks for your help. >> Stu > Please show your appreciation for this list and the Photo Album site and help > me pay the associated bills. Make a contribution at: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray <https://www.paypal.me/stumurray> > Thanks for your help. > Stu > Please show your appreciation for this list and the Photo Album site and help > me pay the associated bills. Make a contribution at: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > Thanks for your help. > Stu
Please show your appreciation for this list and the Photo Album site and help me pay the associated bills. Make a contribution at: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray Thanks for your help. Stu
