rcon
New Member
- Jun 16, 2011
- 481
- Boat Info
- Preparation
'93 300 Sundancer
w/ Kohler genset
Raymarine E7D
- Engines
- 4.3l Mercruisers w/Alpha 1
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.
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.
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