My engine is kaput...

[Alan Wheeler]

I don't like the Gasoline soaked rag. There are two dangers. One you have Gasoline in a rag. Two, need to have the rag very close to the air intake. The big thing with a Diesel starting is that the engines suddenly inrush an enormouse volume of air. The Rag can get sucked right into the intake and cause major damage.
I see no issue with a Starting fluid. Either the engine is so badly worn out that it needs rebuilding anyway, or it is a very very old low compression engine that the ether won't hurt. But if it is that old, either you shouldn't have it in a the boat or you have a classic.

[Boracay]

My new engine arrived today.

Thanks to JMAC Marine for the engine and again to Polaris.

[Alan Wheeler]

Ooooo, shiney. Looks real sweet. I like the fact that you or was it JD have fitted an oil sump pump. Top marks.

[Boracay]

It was John Deere who fitted the oil change pump.

They give serious instructions about changing the oil during and after the run in period.

I think they want me to change the oil...

[Boracay]

Now I can see how an aligning an engine using shims and a crowbar to move it around will correct any problems with pitch and yaw but I am having trouble seeing how I can align the output flange on the gearbox with the matching flange on the propellor shaft.

That is, I want to raise, lower or move tranversly the engine/gearbox so that the centre of the output flange is aligned with the centre of the prop. shaft flange.

The problem is, of course, that the centres are not visible so that it is not possible to see when they are aligned (or not).

[Alan Wheeler]

I would have thought the outside of the two flanges, along with bolt holes, would have been close enough to align it.

[Boracay]

Well I finally connected everything up and turned the key.

It started!

Next - running in and sea trials...

[migot1]

we ordered some fuel in ZEA marina, Greece. a car came up and gave us 120 lit of Diesel fuel from old rusty drums, next day, 70 miles out the engine shut down. all the fuel pipe and filters were clogged. I had to get out new filters {lucky I had on board} and use wire to remove the dirt from the pipe etc etc. at long last , after 4 hours we got the engine running...NEVER refuel from a drum again!!

[Alan Wheeler]

NEVER refuel from a drum again!!

No I would reword that to...
If you don't know the source, then never trust fuel from any source. Thus always filter fuel as it is entering the tank.