Wheelhouse Noise Level

The following was recorded in calm seas at 1800 rpm.

Electrical Outlets

Yesterday I noticed that the OEM Jimbo outlet, located under the saloon's middle, starboard side window was cracked.  After pulling off the wood faceplate all the broken pieces just fell out.  Apparently the 1987 electrical code didn't require the receptacle to be polarized--both upper apertures on the Jimbo ("Before" picture) are the same size.  It's nice that the shape of the outlets hasn't changed in 32 years and the wood faceplate fits the new outlet perfectly.  By the way, the teak faceplates were hand made by the Yard.

Makeup Table Light, Yamaha Carburetor, etc.

 I wasn't able to find a satisfactory replacement light for above the stateroom's makeup table, so I made one. 

  Don't laugh, it's made of three, Dollar Tree, battery powered, LED lights.  However, rather than being powered by individual AAA batteries, I connected them to the boat's 12V system.  Plugging a 4.5V device into a 12V supply is a sure way to let the magic smoke out.  The connection was made possible by the use of a 12V to 5V buck converter.  A buck converter is what's inside those ubiquitious, 12V, USB, phone chargers.

They're available everywhere, including at, drum roll please, Dollar Tree.  I removed the buck from it's cigarette lighter enclosure and soldered it into the light's switch.  Then I soldered the buck's 5V power to each of the three lights.  I used Dollar Tree doubled-sided tape to hold the lights firmly and closely together.  Then 1" round magnets, also from Dollar Tree, were affixed, using doubled-sided tape, to the back of each light and to corresponding points on the ceiling.  Yup, got the magnets at Dollar Tree too. Total material cost $6.36.  Total labor cost... hey, not everything is about money!

The dink has been running rough for several years.  Today I took the carb apart and found lots of sticky stuff inside it.  The low speed jet, which has very small holes, was badly blocked.  After a thorough cleaning the engine started and ran much better.  

Re-painted the windshield wiper arms black.  Also, sanded and and Cetoled the wiper wells where they finish was damaged during the new wiper installation.

Sanded and polyurethaned the leading edge on the nav station insert above the stateroom steps.

Sea Trials

We ran Nellie up to 2600 rpm without a hiccup.  I spent a lot of the time looking over the engine.  Other than a small oil leak near the base of the dipstick all was nominal.  Even the Cummins' water temperature didn't go up much.

Once back at the dock the we found transmission fluid in the bilge.  The smoking gun was a loose hose fitting at the hear exchanger.  I apparently forgot to fully tighten it after changing the transmission fluid.  The ATF level was topped up.

The heat exchanger's zinc was in good shape albeit covered in a hard, brown, mineral deposit.  It was scrapped clean and returned to service.

The rear engine mounting bolts were tightened.  Actually, I just confirmed they're tight as I couldn't budge them.

Things are looking good.

Splash!

The winds were under 20kts, the rain was intermittent, and the temperature was approaching 50°F.  No more excuses, we went feet wet at 8:30AM.  The engine started right up.  There was dramatically less exhaust smoke as compared to last year.  Thank you new injector pump and new injectors.

 The dinghy, which wintered on the O2 deck, was winched down and its engine attached.  The 15HP Yamaha started reluctantly but then ran well.  The dink is back on the davits.

The 35 lb CQR was traded out for the 80 lb Babeth.  More rock anchorages than mud anchorages are in Nellie's immediate future.

The water tanks were filled and the water lines pressurized.  No leaks.  The hotwater tank is working too.

Tomorrow, seas trials.

New Wheelhouse Cushions

The wheelhouse seat cushions were looking old and tired.  So, new foam and new micro-suede fabric was ordered ($889) from John at the Canvas Shop, Belleville, Ontario.  Bicki made the throw pillows.  Looking good now.

Today's splash was called on account of wind and rain.  We'll try to float Nellie again tomorrow morning.

Wipers and Rubrail Paint

The Schmitt & Ongaro two-speed, heavy duty wipers with 2.5" shaft ($102.79 on Amazon) can be set up to park on either the right side of the window or the left side of the window.  Picture below is how I want them.  However, they did exactly the opposite.  Well that's frustrating.

It was then that I realized that the wiper motors are installed upside down.  While that's not a problem, it does reverse the parking side.  Duh.

Replaced the 17" wipers with 21" ones.  

Touched up the rubrail's black paint with Rust-Oleum enamel.

Bottom Paint, Boot Stripe and Wipers

Off came the plastic wrap...

On goes one gallon of West Marine CPP Ablative bottom paint.  It takes three gallons to do the bottom, but since everything is in good shape, we're just doing the waterline, rudder and prop.  

Before painting Bicki washed the hull with water to remove the flaking paint.

After the bottom paint dried, Bicki refreshed the boot stripe with a coat of Rust-Oleum gloss white enamel.

I installed two new windshield wiper motors on the wheelhouse's starboard and center windows.  Since there was little difference between hi and low wiper speeds, I repurposed the low speed wire to power the self parking feature.  Now it makes no difference when the wiper is turned off, it will keep going until it reaches its designated home position.  Now all three wiper motors are the same type and run very smoothly and quietly.

Hunting for the Transmission Strainer

As part of the Velvet Drive transmission fluid change it was time, actually way past time, to clean the Velvet Drive's strainer.  It is not easy to access and so I wasn't looking forward to digging it out.

The first step was to remove the filter's hose from the oil cooler.

Next the hose was disconnected from the elbow fitting.  So far so good.  

Next the bushing and elbow fitting were removed from the transmission.

Finally, I stuck a finger into the transmission and pulled out (1) a washer and then (2) a slotted pipe.  There was no strainer.

Nellie got a new transmission in 2005.  Clearly this transmission is different than the one discussed in the document above.

The good news?  Nellie's transmission now has  2-1/2 quarts of new Dextron III ATF.

Part 2: Installing the Rebuilt Fuel Injector Pump

Continuing with the fuel injector install.

Connected the ignition switch line to the fuel injector pump's cutoff solenoid.  I'm not happy with the friction-fit connection and will keep an eye on it.  Should the wire come off, the engine will stop instantly.

Installed the throttle cable and its support bracket next.  Put some washers (shown in red below) between the mounting plate and the injection pump to reduce the angle between the cable and where it connects to the injection pump.  With less bending the cable should last longer.  Also adjusted the cable length so idle speed occurs when the helm's throttle lever is fully aft.

Next up, installing the four tubes between the injection pump and the injectors.  There was some serious wear on injector tube #3 where it touched a turbocharger hose clamp (pictured at left).  When reinstalled the tube was relocated away from the clamp (pictured at right).

The 7/8" nuts holding tubes #1 and #3 to their respective injectors were tightened.  The nuts for #2 and #4 were left finger tight.

The injection pump's fuel return was installed next.

The fuel supply tube was next.  The nut above the fuel filter is torqued to 18 ft-lbs.

With the manual lift pump, fuel was pumped into the injection pump.  The two injection pump bleed bolts were loosened, bottom bolt first, until fuel came out; then the bleed bolts were tightened.  Fuel was pumped until the manual lever offered no resistance, at which point the system is completely full.

Before start check list:

1. Tighten fuel lines to injectors #1 and #3.
2. Screw on but leave loose fuel lines to #2 and #3.
3. Confirm bolts on injector return lines at tight.
4. Confirm the two injection tube super clamps are tight.
5. Confirm fuel injector return line tight.
6. Confirm two injector pump fuel supply lines tight.
7. Confirm the bolt above fuel filter supply is tight.
8. Confirm throttle cable is safety wired into throttle arm.
9. Confirm throttle cable is securely attached to its mounting plate.
10. Confirm throttle cable mounting plate is securely attached to injection pump.
11. Confirm 12V line is attached to injection pump's cutoff solenoid.
12. Confirm injection pump's shaft lock is in the up positioned and tightened.
13. Confirm the three injection pump mounting bolts are tight.
14. Confirm the four nuts holding the injector tubes to the injection pump are tight.
15. Inspect the injection pump's drive shaft bolt and make sure paper towels have been removed.
16. Check antifreeze level.  It was down about a pint.  Why?
17. Check oil level.

Have lunch.  Not sure this is a requirement but it is a good idea ;-)

Turned the engine over for a few seconds and then inspected everywhere for fuel leaks.  None found.  Turned the engine over for a few more seconds.  The engine showed no life.   Bled the injector pump, again, at both bolt locations.  Both had strong fuel flows.  Unscrewed the fuel tube retaining nuts from injectors #2 and #4 and put paper towels between the tubes and injectors.  This makes it easier to see if fuel is coming out of the tubes.  Turned the engine over for 6 more seconds before diesel stated showing on #2's paper towel.  Tightened #2's nut.  Turned the engine over for three more seconds before fuel came out of #4's tube.  Tightened #4.  Turned the engine over for three more seconds.  Nothing.  Barely loosened #1's injector and turned the engine over.  Fuel started appearing between #1's tube and its retaining nut.  It was then that the engine showed its first sign of wanting to start.  After tightening #1's nut, the engine was turned over and it started instantly.  A drop of fuel was seen coming from under the injection pump.  The injection pump was thoughly wiped down.  The engine was then restarted.  CND, i.e. I could not duplicate, nor find any leaks.  Perhaps the fuel came from one of the bleed bolts when they were loosened earlier.  The engine, she is a runnin' :-)

Two other jobs were accomplished today.

New serpentine belt.  

Turned off the fuel supply valves located under the saloon floor so that when the Racor is opened, fuel won't drain back into the tanks.

Changed the two primary fuel filters--they're both Racor 500s.   The filter closest to the fuel tanks, located under the starboard gallery sink, is 30 microns.  The filter next inline, which is located on the engine's port side, is 1 micron.  After installing the new filters each Racor was filled with diesel.  Finally, the fuel supply valves were reopened.  Um, just noticed on the picture of the valves, above, I closed the forward return tanks instead of the aft supply tanks.  No wonder the Racor's fuel level kept going down after I stopped filling it... 

Galley Racor (L) and engine room Racor (R)

Part 1: Installing the Rebuilt Fuel Injector Pump

Tightened the four bolts holding the block inspection port in place.  With the injection pump out they're easy to get to.  This should help sterm the small oil leaks from around the plate's rubber gasket.

Withdrew the top dead center (TDC) pin which had gotten stuck in the TDC engaged position.

Changed the engine-mounted (secondary) fuel filter and filled the newly installed filter using the lift pump's manual pump lever.  When the engine is at TDC, the manual lever pumps just fine.  At other piston positions, the fuel pump cam disables the manual lever.

John Mackie, John William 37VT68, said that while removing the injection pump he dropped the pump's lock washer into the engine.  To retrieve it required dismantling the whole front of the engine.  To prevent a similar occurrence I now stuff paper towels in any engine openings.

Now all I have to do is torque the 7/8" bolt to 48 ft-lbs and to remember to remove the paper towels before closing up.  Ok, done.

An always perfectly good raw water impeller is changed at the beginning of every season.  

The logic?  I'd rather replace a perfectly good one now than a failed one in the middle of a nausea inducing seaway.  The picture shows which way the blades should be going.

The injector nuts' torque requirement is 44 ft-lbs.  They all went in easily.  

Next up, attaching the return fuel tube to each injector.  The tube is visible in the picture below (it has green tape on each port).

Copper washers go on each side of the tube.  Fortunately, Cummins offers the two washers attached to a strap.  They're worth the $1/each.