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Old 02-11-2016, 14:00   #16
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

my yanmar 2qm20 is maybe 37 years old, I've fixed a lot of stuff on it over the years but as i have done so, it has continued to improve like an ageing wine. It's crude and simple, raw water cooled, solid mounted to a heavy steel bed, uses cummins truck filters at $4 a pop, and since i got it's maintenance schedule up to date, has been extremely reliable. I've been sailing long enough to know how difficult a heavy boat can be to manage without a reliable little donkey aboard so I give this little engine top marks.
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Old 02-11-2016, 14:07   #17
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

I have to vote for 80s year model Isuzu diesel engines, 6bd1, or 4bd1 are excellent examples. I have both in my boat, and in cruise mode with the refrigeration running, I only burned 1.875 GPH, pushing a 53' , 44 ton, full keel vessel. The only thing I would change on the 6BD1 is the fuel filter canister, I would go with a spin on unit, how ever, I have never had a problem with the canister.
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Old 02-11-2016, 14:31   #18
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

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I hate horizontal oil filters on Yanmars. Its a mess everytime I change them.
===

I have a Yanmar with horizontal oil filter on our primary generator, same problem, partial solution. I put down an oil absorbing pad and a few paper towels underneath the filter before starting. Next is a small catch bucket which I hold under the filter while twisting it off. Between pads, towels and bucket I manage to catch most of the oil. Another trick is to change the oil while hot but let the engine cool before changing the filter. There's much less risk of dropping a cool filter rather than a hot one.
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Old 02-11-2016, 14:38   #19
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

Horizontal filter can be dealt with by either installing a remote oil filter kit or by simply putting a 1 gl ziplock bag around the filter before loosening it and letting the filter and oil go into the ziploc bag. I still put a couple of paper towels under the bag just in case.
Be careful with a remote mount filter kit, I bought a cheap one and the O ring between the engine and the adapter blew out, twice. Losing the engine oil of course.
I am about ready to try again, but this time I want a good one.
Anyone know of a source for a good one?
For the impeller, I run a Globe dry run impeller, has about 300 hours on it so far
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Old 02-11-2016, 14:52   #20
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

A reoccurring hate on Yanmars is the horizontal oil filter. Here are a few ways to limit the amount of oil that spills.
1) Put a gallon ziplock bag around the filter after its been broken free, push the bag up against the engine as far as it will go, and spin the bag and filter until it's off, catching most of the oil (harder than it sounds).
2) After broken free, punch a hole in the top of the filter with a screwdriver, then spin until the hole is facing down and drain into the above bag or a container. If you let it drain for hrs or overnight little will spill when you remove it.
3) Mount a remote filter by replumbing the hoses to a remote and vertical location. I had a friend who had a machine shop fabricate a cover plate where the horizontal filter went. it had hose fittings to take the oil to the vertical filter and back. Plus you can then use a generic filter that fits the remote. I think there are kits that do this as well.
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Old 02-11-2016, 15:21   #21
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

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Originally Posted by LLizzard View Post
A reoccurring hate on Yanmars is the horizontal oil filter. Here are a few ways to limit the amount of oil that spills.
1) Put a gallon ziplock bag around the filter after its been broken free, push the bag up against the engine as far as it will go, and spin the bag and filter until it's off, catching most of the oil (harder than it sounds).
2) After broken free, punch a hole in the top of the filter with a screwdriver, then spin until the hole is facing down and drain into the above bag or a container. If you let it drain for hrs or overnight little will spill when you remove it.
3) Mount a remote filter by replumbing the hoses to a remote and vertical location. I had a friend who had a machine shop fabricate a cover plate where the horizontal filter went. it had hose fittings to take the oil to the vertical filter and back. Plus you can then use a generic filter that fits the remote. I think there are kits that do this as well.
Yea,#1 approach is so easy that #3 gets suggested multiple times
#2 just continues the basic approach of #1 but adds a hammer to the project.

That brought me to #3. Bought a commercial kit. Mounted the remote filter on the engine room wall. Then screwed the engine plate on. Tried to fit the hoses but there was not enough room to fit them on the barbs and make a turn toward the remote filter. Pulled it all apart and went back to the standard setup. I just bought some brass street elbows and will try again next oil change.
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Old 02-11-2016, 15:39   #22
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

On the Yanmar GM series the fuse holder is located on the side of the engine where I could only reach one hand to deal with it. Trick is it takes two hands to close the ^&*( thing. I replaced it with the typical twist to remove type, located where I could easily get too it. I was questioning the parentage of the yanmar engineer that designed that abomination.

Other annoyances is the external oil line that will tend to rust out 3" in front of the starter (and only there). Changing the raw water impeller is far easier if one removes the whole water pump">raw water pump first. They fixed that on later engines by turning the raw water pump around.

Then to remove the injection pump to say change the timing, you have to remove the header tank and manifold from the side of the engine first. $%^& Hell. Almost as bad as the 1970's V8 vega where you had to pull the engine to replace the rear spark plugs.

Lastly that lovely battleship Grey Yanmar color has got to go. You know a really boring engineer picked that color. How about something bright and sunny like Cat yellow.

On the plus side, they tend to be pretty reliable overall.
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Old 02-11-2016, 16:33   #23
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Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

V8 Vega was never manufactured, but it was a favorite swap for Hot rodders as Vegas were cheap after the motor overheated.
There was a V8 Monza though, it was difficult to do the back plugs, but very soon the fix was to cut holes in the inner fenders to get to the plugs and the holes were plugged with plastic pop in covers.
The Monza was originally supposed to get the new GM Wankel but due to emissions and poor fuel economy that engine was cancelled, and the V8 was used instead
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Monza
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Old 02-11-2016, 16:36   #24
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

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V8 Vega was never manufactured, but it was a favorite swap for Hot rodders as Vegas were cheap after the motor overheated.
There was a V8 Monza though, it was difficult to do the back plugs, but very soon the fix was to cut holes in the inner fenders to get to the plugs and the holes were plugged with plastic pop in covers.
Yep, it was a monza. It has been a few years and gee I'm blonde. Still poor engineering.
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Old 02-11-2016, 16:36   #25
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

"Yea,#1 approach is so easy that #3 gets suggested multiple times
#2 just continues the basic approach of #1 but adds a hammer to the project."

Paul L, too funny. Yes, a hammer is my favorite tool.
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Old 03-11-2016, 08:52   #26
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

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love my perkins 4-108. covet a 4-236, but formosas donot plane ha ha ha ha ha
is simple and easy. rebuilds are not difficult--parts available world wide.
got no clue as to year originally built, rebuild completed 2014, august, and less than 200 hours on currently. it is perfect.
i have.
I, too, love my old 1982 Perkins 4-236. Though most parts are still available, they are getting more and more expensive. A rebuild huge exchanger recently cost me over $700. But with over 3000 hours on her she still keeps "Perkin'".

Al, S/V Finlandia
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Old 03-11-2016, 08:54   #27
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

I own a Volvo Penta MD22l, 1996. In fact it is a Perkins Prima M50 in green color. This engine type(the engine block) is derivated from a delivery gasoline truck(Hilman I think) that was transformed by Perkins into an over head cam(belt driven camshaft), diesel engine of many power(50. 60 80 Turbo) and purpose. It can be found in many applications, Land Rover van, John Deer tractors,generator, etc.And naturaly marine versions from Perkins and Volvo.
Perkins solved completly the leaking malady that affected its previous engines.
This engine start well, do not smoke, and is very frugal on fuel.
The only problem is that the camshaft belt need to be checked and replaced at intervals, or else...
Valve adjusment is complicated and requires special tools and parts. And Volvo version parts are horribly expensives. But one quickly finds out that Perkins, Rover parts are much cheaper... My engine has 1200 hours and I find it very reliable.
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Old 03-11-2016, 08:56   #28
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

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I hate horizontal oil filters on Yanmars. Its a mess everytime I change them.
The good news is that you can modify just about anything. I have a Beta 60 I'm enjoying with the already-mentioned oil change pump, but that doesn't fix the side-of-the-block-mounted oil filter. My mod did: The world encompassed: Oil and painting
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Old 03-11-2016, 09:06   #29
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

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I, too, love my old 1982 Perkins 4-236. Though most parts are still available, they are getting more and more expensive. A rebuild huge exchanger recently cost me over $700. But with over 3000 hours on her she still keeps "Perkin'".

Al, S/V Finlandia
seems the easiest parts to locate here go to perkins engines.
what i cannot find is easily rebuilt or fabricated, at a very nice reasonable low price--as long as the gringo repair guys are avoided.
i was able to have rebuilt a burly starter that was previously declared un-repairable by gringos. works perfectly beautifully after rebuild. now i have 2 starters, 2 alternators, 3 raw water pumps(one metric, gods forbid) , and 2 racor 500 fg. working on the rest of the spares-- the racors i bought 2, brand new, in manzanillo for price of one in usa. i win.
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Old 03-11-2016, 09:18   #30
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Re: Diesel Engines Love & Hate List Features and Problems

We have a Volvo D1-30.
Like others we hate the horizontal oil filter. Why do they design it that way?
Not only does it spill oil during a change but getting to it needs a triple joint arm, and being difficult to get to also needs the strength of a gorilla to remove it. No tools will get near it and have enough space to turn. We have, on a number of occasions, resorted to sticking a screwdriver through it though gripping it with some of that non-slip matting usually works.
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