RIP Port Engine

[rcon]

Well, after my first weekend away on Kangaroo Island, my port engine let go on the way home. Knew the old girl was a little worn from some low survey compression tests. Was a choppy ride over there, 4-5ft seas, but it was the ride home I think that really hurt.

20 min into the crossing back home, noticed my battery volt meter had dropped to 12v, and my engine volt meters were showing the same. Oh, alternator.... hmmmmm.... what the? Now, they'd been noted as rusty, but serviceable on the survey so instantly my mind went to that, but both of them? Strange. Anyway, turned out I'd lost both alternator belts - yes, this should have occurred to me on the ride home, but it didn't *blush*

Anyway, both alternators not working in a notorious stretch of water (was calm this morning, but still quite some current), was cause for concern. Cranked up the generator to provide some juice for the fuel pump and gave a little more throttle (not WOT, but 4100-4200RPM)

25 min later and we're just coming into coverage of land again and there is a rattle and we start losing power. Old man gives me the con and I throttle back to neutral then I get an "oil" smell and an instant later it dies before I can kill it.

Was a great couple of days until then (Thursday & Friday night), learned a lot for future trips to KI - like I need a tender if I want to use swing moorings!


Anyway, its going to be a long trip back to a lift on one engine at 8 kts (like 5 hours :huh but thats boating, right? :smt021


Only question remains is do I re-power with some reman v8s or just replace a new, single v6 and rebuild the old one in the shed (hoist needed I assume?). Monday will see some prices.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Anyway, turned out I'd lost both alternator belts - yes, this should have occurred to me on the ride home, but it didn't *blush*

You also lost the water circulation pump for the engines and severely overheated both engines .

 

[Havana Shamrock]

What caused you to loose the "good" motor alternator?

 

[tdschafer]

That's a tough break. Note to self: Make sure I have spare belts! I'm sorry for your loss but, I learned something valuable out of it if that helps. Good luck with the repairs and keep us posted!
Didn't your temp gauges go up too?

 

[blaster]

His boat has alphas which pump enough water through the engines to keep them from overheating. That has been my experience when shreadding a belt. I think a bravo would be a different story.

 

[rcon]

Thanks, guys. Does the Alpha drive's water pump work from the alternator belt, or the juice cranked out by the alternator.

Didn't your temp gauges go up too?

I wasn't at the helm when the knocking started so I'm not real sure, when I took the con, I was more interesting in shutting down. I'll ask my old man as I'm quite interested now.

What caused you to loose the "good" motor alternator?

Lost both belts - not sure if I missed something (I've taken to checking my gauges religiously since I noticed a fractional bump in my starboard engine temp with the water temp rising this last month) or if they both let go at roughly the same time on the crossing.
I guess it is possible I over looked one gauge not behaving as they both form part of a closed system (i think???) and would read whatever the other alternator is pumping out....

You also lost the water circulation pump for the engines and severely overheated both engines .

Is this a result of low power, or does the water pump get driven off the belt? As soon as I noticed we were running at 12.2v, I cranked the genset to trickle in some additional juice

I learned something valuable out of it if that helps. Good luck with the repairs and keep us posted!

That does help! Mostly cause I learned something too ;-) I've learned a lot off this board from others mistakes, but I suspect in this situation, a burnt hand teaches best.
Will certainly keep the board posted!

 

[rcon]

I guess the other option was the fact I was in some pretty skinny water in American River - when docking I got caught by wind and was in only a few feet of water (drives up)

Wonder if I sucked something in....

How long would that take to show itself? Anywhere from immediately to ...

 

[JimG]

Thanks, guys. Does the Alpha drive's water pump work from the alternator belt, or the juice cranked out by the alternator.

I wasn't at the helm when the knocking started so I'm not real sure, when I took the con, I was more interesting in shutting down. I'll ask my old man as I'm quite interested now.

Lost both belts - not sure if I missed something (I've taken to checking my gauges religiously since I noticed a fractional bump in my starboard engine temp with the water temp rising this last month) or if they both let go at roughly the same time on the crossing.
I guess it is possible I over looked one gauge not behaving as they both form part of a closed system (i think???) and would read whatever the other alternator is pumping out....

Is this a result of low power, or does the water pump get driven off the belt? As soon as I noticed we were running at 12.2v, I cranked the genset to trickle in some additional juice

That does help! Mostly cause I learned something too ;-) I've learned a lot off this board from others mistakes, but I suspect in this situation, a burnt hand teaches best.
Will certainly keep the board posted!

The cooling water pump is in the Alpha drives (as blaster indicated).

I'm going to guess that when the first belt let go, it slung into the other and knocked it off.

 

[rcon]

The cooling water pump is in the Alpha drives (as blaster indicated).

How weird. I never saw blaster's post. Timing issue.


So the Alpha drive has vents which "grab" water using the flow to create (some portion of) the pressure?

 

[blaster]

The alpha has a mechanical pump in the drive. There is a second circulating pump on the engine but the pressure comes from the pump in the drive.

Regarding the belts, check the allignment and texture of your pullies. Also make sure they spin freely.

How weird. I never saw blaster's post. Timing issue.


So the Alpha drive has vents which "grab" water using the flow to create (some portion of) the pressure?

 

[Paladin]

Isn't it odd that anyone would lose both belts at just the same time? What am I missing here? Sorry for your not-fun day.

 

[rcon]

Isn't it odd that anyone would lose both belts at just the same time? What am I missing here? Sorry for your not-fun day.

Its possible I missed one going earlier... if only one was gone, batteries and volt meters would still show normal as they form a closed circuit and if something is pumping out 15 volt, all would read it..... I think.

I was in the engine room that morning, but I can't claim to have checked all my belts. Something I'll be sure to do from now on :thumbsup:

 

[rcon]

Are there any V8s I could drop in without having to change the drive gearing and potentially use most of the gear from my V6s? Ie, a cheap repower?

Please excuse my ignorance here, I'm not overly mechanically minded

 

[mvoellinger]

Are there any V8s I could drop in without having to change the drive gearing and potentially use most of the gear from my V6s? Ie, a cheap repower?

Please excuse my ignorance here, I'm not overly mechanically minded

You can use an alpha outdrive with a 350 or a 305. The gearing isnt as big of a concern, you can re-prop to handle the power up to a point. The concern is space in the bilge. What was the largest twin that year came with, a 5.0 (305)? If so, you could fit either the 350 or 305 in there. BUT, a lot of the items wont be a direct bolt up, so cheap re-power with larger isnt going to happen.

 

[rcon]

Sick boat transport day.

1 hour in to 6 hour journey at 8kts on one engine, with following (port quarter) swell. Winds around 10kts from a similar direction.

Fun Sunday afternoon.

Hoping today's effort gets us back in action for Xmas.

(Wowwee but she handles like a pig on one screw)

Still undecided on repairs, we'll see I we've got a claim first.