The other engine while we're here

While we’re here I figured we might as well do another couple of jobs on the other engine.  Changed the water pump impeller which was pretty easy.  Still had six out of six vanes on the pump but the rubber was starting to harden so I decided to change it anyway.  Pulled of the exhaust elbow because if it’s blocked it can drastically reduce power.
No prize for guessing that this shouldn't look like this.  Its the exhaust elbow and this bit bolts onto the exhaust manifold and gets sea water injected into it to cool the exhaust.  Instead of 35 mm diameter we've probably only got 10 mm.

Engine going in

Our new (second hand) engine arrived late last week and we were scheduled to have the engine replaced today. This is the new one going in.

Almost finished by the end of the day and we’ll have the finishing touches tomorrow.

Not the way you want to see an engine

Apparently there is an indentation on the top of the piston that’s been caused by the valve impacting the piston.  The real bad news is that there is nothing wrong with the valve which means that the piston has been moving on the gudgeon pin or the conrod has been moving on the crankshaft.  Both of these are really bad and now the engine needs to come out.
After the engine has come out it goes off to Sydney for a rebuild.

We’ll be here for another couple of weeks.

Marmong Point Marina

Organised a berth here while we get the engine looked at and because we wanted to do some of the things land lubbers do.  You know, have electricity by flicking a switch, hot water when you turn the tap, those sorts of things.

We managed to get a berth at the end of the arm so this is the view from the back veranda

Engine Maintenance

Sounds like the problem might be worse than we thought.  I’ve replaced both the primary and secondary fuel filters and then attempted to bleed the air out of the fuel system as per the manuals and any other info.  No luck on bleeding the system however the engine does run.  Unfortunately the white smoke is still there and the noise is still there.  Took a video on my phone and managed to show it to a Volvo diesel mechanic this afternoon.  He didn't sound enthusiastic but he does have time to look at it next week which is a bonus.
Potential is that we have had water in the fuel which has caused a problem with an injector or valve.  Anyway, the beauty of having two engines is that we can still move with one.  Tomorrow we’ll move over to the other side of the lake and get a berth in a different marina and he’ll be able to look at it during the week.  We’ll run the dodgy engine at idle just for maneuvering and then cross the lake and go north under one engine and sail.  Turn on the dodgy engine at the other end again for maneuvering into the berth where we’ll stay for the next week.
More on this later.  Perhaps I need to change jobs and become a diesel mechanic ??

Week 1 finished

We've been commuting this week from Marks Point up to the TAFE in Newcastle.  Not quite the 30 minute walk we were hoping for but instead a 30 – 40 minute drive in the car.  Anyway, we've done a couple of days of first aid, a couple of days of survival and one days worth of seamanship (ropes, anchoring, etc)