Port engine smokin like a crematorium with two fat guys in it.

Well after many many hours of thought. I think it is time to stop thinking. I had a great conversation with Frank today. He really is a great guy with lots of knowledge.

Tomorrow morning at 8:00 am, I am meeting the lead Marine Detroit Diesel Mechanic for Covington Detroit Diesel. I had a good conversation with him this morning. He understands my concerns with the total overhaul. He is going to Bore scope each cylinder. If we find that the liners are bad or the in bad shape. I will get a couple of bids on an in frame re build. I really have no interest in having the top cockpit deck removed, move the boat to the ramp on one engine, hire a 100' crane to lift the deck and the motor out and then do it all over again when the engine is built. I would rather pay a little more then have to worry about all the moving and damage possibility using cranes. I have access to a lift at my docks that all the guys use for pulling motors. It straddles the fingers on the dock and has a chain hoist. That should help with getting the heads off and anything heavy out of the engine room.

From the research I have done so far, I can figure on 125 hours of labor at about $110.00 per hour. About 8-10k in parts and machine work. Man that sounds bad. You might be seeing pictures of trolling motors hanging off the swim platform next season.

Steve
 
Yeah but at the end of the day you'll still have a cool 500DA with rebuilt motors.
 
All I can say is that I sure am glad that I got a great deal on the boat, even with a 20k bill on this engine I will still be into it right. I am a little worried about the Starboard side now. Guess I will have them check it tomorrow as well.

Steve
 
If you decide to go that route, it is usually better on a boat like this to stop it from moving about when you pull an engine. That means haul her out, block her up and go to work. Please don't tell me you are on a lake with no haul out facilities..........
 
Reading this thread is making me rethink my dream of a 44DB :wow:

Good luck!
 
Why would you say that? Unfortunate as they are, the problems the OP is dealing with are specific to 2 stroke Detroit Diesel engines and they were never installed in the 44DB.
 
fwebster said:
If you decide to go that route, it is usually better on a boat like this to stop it from moving about when you pull an engine. That means haul her out, block her up and go to work. Please don't tell me you are on a lake with no haul out facilities..........
Click to expand...

Ok, I won't tell you that I am on a lake with no haul out facilities. But that it what it is. I just had a quote of 3k to pull the boat, block it and re launch. The good news is that I am in a covered slip and the water is pretty calm most of the time. I can secure my boat well enough with fenders that it won't move. I only have 3" between the dock and my boat.

Steve
 
fwebster said:
Why would you say that? Unfortunate as they are, the problems the OP is dealing with are specific to 2 stroke Detroit Diesel engines and they were never installed in the 44DB.
Click to expand...

My apologies, it was a trite comment aimed only at the "wow" factor of how much maintenance a "big" boat can be. I have zero technical knowledge regarding these matters, but aspire to learn - and that is why I read. And now I'm googling what a 2 stroke diesel is! (I have a 3.0l TDI in my nissan so somewhat interested in diesels)

A 44DB is couple of pay grades away yet anyway ;)
 
Got the news today...definitely collant dripping out under the "o" ring on cylinder number 2. The cylinder looks to be scored and blemished. We also scoped the opposite cylinder and it has a little collant in it as well. That very well could be coming in from cylinder 2 as well. We drained the oil (now I know how the oil change system works) definitely milky at the bottom. We also ran a magnet in the bottom of the pan and the good news is that it came up clean. Hopefully the crank is ok and it won't need to be replaced. We also did the rag test in both exhaust ports and they were both clean as can be. No residue, no oil, no fuel. That is a good sign.

So now the question is how far do we go with this. Is appears that I shut her down in time to not destroy everything. We can pull the heads, liners, pistons and bearings and leave the blower and turbo and save some money. He says best case 100 hours labor and 5-6k in parts. No sense in pulling the heads and not doing all the liners, no sense in pulling the pan and not doing bearings.

What do you guys think about leaving the blower and turbo in place and working around it and saving that labor? Or should I just go for it and open up the check book and let the money fly and do it all? I did learn a lot today. Today's lesson was $712.00. Thank goodness I didn't have to by text books too.

Steve, beaten but not dead
 
Doing all the bearings in the boat would be a pain I think....one or two rod bearings not bad. I'd repair what needs repaired and enjoy, Mike.
 
I'm surprised the smoke was gray yet there is a coolant problem which usually produces white smoke. Oh well stranger things have happened. I did a liner kit on one cylinder for a customer one time two weeks later the cylinder next to it went. He asked me about warranty and I told him the warranty was in place for the liner we replaced but that wasn't the one that was now bad. Point is if you’re that far into it then make sure you don't need to do it again next season and your warranty covers all the motor not just the hole they repair.

As for the new grandson, we are in the same boat. We have had ours since birth and the money I have spent on him would have financed a much bigger boat and an earlier retirement. But that's what we do. We rescue our baby's and put off our own wants for their good. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
 
douglee25 said:
Can you do any of the work yourself?

How about the tear down?

Doug
Click to expand...

Most technicians don't want to come behind another tech and finish his work. Many times they will charge more for assembly then normal cause you "helped". This is a sign we had in our work shop.

Standard rate technician only
20% increase if you watch
50% increase if you help.
You do it all, no warranty.

If we order the wrong part we will replace it as quickly as possible, no charge.
If you order the wrong part then you now have a spare.

Both were useful and eliminated many question.
 
Yeah, I can understand where you're coming from.

Or if he has the ability to do it all, why not go that route and save yourself a $hit ton?

Doug
 
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