Perkins 6.354 Thermostat

[mrh123]

My question is do Perkins 6.354 marine diesels have thermostat? My engine runs at 65 Deg C on the gauge, which I consider a bit cool. I have yet to confirm the gauge is correct but assuming it is I wondered about fitting / checking the thermostat. If so where is it located? I cant see one in the manual I have, which is far from comprehensive.

The engine has the normal heat exchange system with external supply cooling the gearbox and engine oil, the header tank/heat exchanger before exiting via the exhaust manifold, so I assume its standard in its plumbing arrangement.

Thoughts on the operating temp and need for a thermostat?

Engine revs are not at max and probably below normal cruise. I am not sure exactly how many rpm as my tacho cable has been broken since I have owned the boat. A replacement cable is now just days away.

Thanks,

Martin

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Martin.

[The Blue Heron]

Hello Martin. Yes they have thermostats. Two near the front of the manicooler above the waterpump.
That is a bit too cool for the engine. At 1300 RPM's I am at 185F on my perkins.

Is your turbo or N/A?

[mrh123]

Its a N/A engine. I quite like simple, especially when it comes to boat engines. I am surprised there are two thermostats. Does that mean one for the engine coolent and one for the external supply or are the two or the engine coolant only?

[mrh123]

Sorry, hit send while trying to correct my typos. Do you mean above the engine coolant circulation water pump or the external water supply pump? I am unable to see any indication of its location in the documentation I have (I am sure I need to find a better manual), nor do I know its specifications other than the temperature range. I believe we have a Perkins distributor down here in Perth, but I am unsure how useful/helpful they will be with an old marine engine.

[Acushla]

Martin
A running temp of 65 C is within the normal temp range for a marine diesel. My manual states range as 50C - 75C with the thermostat to be fully open at 80C.

Acushla

[The Blue Heron]

Oops sorry I didn't see it was Celsius. Yes your temps are good. Check your impeller.

[mrh123]

Update. With my newly acquired tacho cable - thanks to the good work by the guys at Flexible Drive Agencies, who used some of my old fittings to rebuild me a new cable - I can now see I am pottering around at 1500 rpm with a temp of 65 deg C, doing 6.4 knots. If I up the rpm to 2000 the temperature comes up to a much more likable 80 deg C and settles there. We are now doing just under 8 knots.

So looking at the temperature change, I am guessing I dont even have a thermostat installed as my web research seems to indicate the correct one opens at 78 deg C. I also wonder if the extended running at the lower rpm and cooler temperature could have glazed the bores or it she still working hard enough even at that low load not to glaze up? I did note at 2000 rpm she was putting out a fair bit of black exhaust....not at all what I would call excessive, just what you would expect at the higher work load.

I believe maximum rated continuous rpm for my engine is 2400. Is that correct? Should the exhaust look darker at that sort of load or am I pushing her too hard? It might well be time for an injector service.

Thanks for you input,

Martin

[bobconnie]

Ive always run my perkins at 1800 to 1850 for max. But I see that others use higher rpms then that ! 1600 rpms should not glaze the cyls! My best fuel mileage was at 1650 in our Colvin. Ran it there for 7800 hours before we did anything major to it !

[Acushla]

Martin
It depends on the size of the prop that you are running as to whether you are overloading the engine. Once the exhaust starts to turn smoky black then you are overloading the engine. I wouldn't have said that you have no thermostat fitted, the temps you quote would appear in line with a thermostatically controlled engine.
I would continue to operate the engine at a speed and load that does not cause black smoke but at provides best hull speed for a while to see how it all settles down.
You would need to reduce prop pitch and/or diameter to get the revs up to optimum engine speed and at the same time give optimum hull speed.

Acushla

[The Blue Heron]

I ran my Trawler yesterday my 6.354 Perkins ran at Max Rpm of 2600. I observed 10.8 kts and temp was 198 f

If that helps.

[The Blue Heron]

My manual states max continues is 2400. I found the sweet spot at 1700 rpm.

[red doc]

...Perkins and suppliers tell us this engine is obsolete... no parts available.

Does anyone know of a parts supplier for this engine? Simpler parts like thermostats, impellers, and the like?

[shakey doug]

G'day Red Dot,
This a w.w.w. forum where are you ? May be able to help.

[Heritage]

Originally Posted by red doc

...Perkins and suppliers tell us this engine is obsolete... no parts available.

Does anyone know of a parts supplier for this engine? Simpler parts like thermostats, impellers, and the like?

Parts are available all over the world. Perkins is Massey-Ferguson tractor. The brand is now owned by Agco. Go to AGCO Parts | Tractors | Perkins Engine Parts

I own a 6.354 in a farm tractor. Never have a problem getting parts. For water pump">raw water pump impeller, order the part by the brand of the pump. Heat exchanger the same. Nearly everything else, including a complete rebuilt engine is available from your local MF farm machinery dealer.