The Office

440 Jim

Well-Known Member
Feb 11, 2021
530
Savannah Bend Marina
Boat Info
1989 440 Convertable
Twin 3208T Cats
Engines
Twin 3208T Cats
Still going through everything after a year now. We developed an issue with the port motor, 3208T. After filtering (polishing) the tanks, cleaning additives, new racor and filter elements, and 6 hr shakedown I am convinced it is an injector causing the intermittent "puffs" while underway and the rough idle.

Last weekend I pulled the trigger on a mechanic to check it out.

Also met with a local canvas guy for a new bridge enclosure, he uses O Sea marine pressed for the vinyl. Looking forward to a brand new enclosure

Also had AquaTraction installed on the bridge and cockpit this weekend, as well as got some fishing in on my 23 CC.
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Next visit is beer and teak time...overall a good weekend though.
 
I really like the looks of your new flooring. Good luck with finding the bad injector. I had to replace all of them on Beachcomber. Bite the bullet.
 
Thanks, I think it turned out pretty cool, time will tell it's durability.

I'm done F'ing with it, but performed my due dilligence until I hit my wall. I can work on my 68-69 Fords, but deisel mechanic not so much.

GoFirstClass- Cat 3208T ? How many and the cost? Have not quoted, just told 'em to fix it. I know you have to pull the rockers on the 3208s-after reading the procedure in the service manual, not my Forte.
 
How many hours on the turbo's? My friends could not get their boat on plane and the thing was huffing black smoke. It was like that for five years since they bought it; they thought it was normal. Ended up the turbos had too much clearance and not building boost properly. Rebuilt turbos and the thing runs like new. I think their boat was an Atlantic.
 
Good question, let me give you some additional background.

First Sea Trial was June of 2020, around ~2200 hrs on the engines, twin 1989 Cat 3208Ts.
The engines had been surveyed, oil samples taken and a report from Davis Deisel was good, minus needed service. Oil and filters changed, racors and fuel filter changed.This was in Nov 2019. Boat was also put on the hard, bottom paint and upper trim/front paint was done at that time as well.

We noticed the turbo bypass about halfway through when we got up closer to WOT, port engine. Got worse on the way back. Given that both engines had the same hours, and we needed to get to a clean baseline, we arranged with the owner for him to replace the port and while they were there we would take the cost of the starboard side. The port side could not be blueprinted, so a new one was installed along with a blueprinted one for the starboard engine. So turbo baseline was "established".

The second sea trial was much better, although I did think I saw a couple of puffs from the port engine.

We brought it down the coast from Wilmington Beach to our current port in Savannah last October, a beautifull 2 day trip with a stay in Charleston the first night. We did notice the puffing on the way down along with added vibration on the port side. We did decide to buy the boat after the second trial, of course, but we paid so little for it we are willing to out some cash in it, no problem.

We have taken it out many times around Tybee and out of the sound and the puffing is still present.

So I did the fuel polish/additive thing amd changed out the racors and filters as a last hurrah. 6hr shakedown and no workee, still puffing.

At idle the rpms are jumping and my sync guage is erratic. When I fire the starboard engine up it is quiet with literally no vibration and smooth idle, can hear the turbo spooling even. When I then fire up the port it is noticably rough, louder, and idles erratically. When cold it seems to hold idle better, as it warms up it seems the idle varies more. Meantime, the starboard is strong amd steady.

So, I'm thinking the bad port turbo fouled the injectors?

Not a deisel mechanic, any help.appreciated.
 
Ya - it seems either valve lash, injectors, injector pump, or fuel solenoid.
One thing though if there is any air at all getting in the fuel system the engine will not run well but I doubt it would puff.
This is Certified Diesel Mechanic territory but with that I'm with you on the injectors. Has the valve lash been adjusted? If not get that done also when doing the injectors.
 
Davis mentioned the valve lash could use adjustment as well when they did the turnos, that is part of my scope. I also changed the air filters and washed the old ones out for spares.

Hopefully they will get out this week and get started. I have already done the belts as well, but will rely on thier recommendations and my common sense for any other work they quote.
Thanks man
 
Also have a Coastie Cat mechanic friend that is thinking the same thing. He is so busy with family, work (works for us), and the Coast Guard I don't want to bother him to come down...but it would be nice.

We'll bite it and move on. Thinking/hoping my new bridge enclosure will be a bigger bite than this.
 
Whew!

Gave Deisel Performance a work authorization Dec 4th, along with a 1K hold on the CC. 3 1/2 mo later, no attempt to schedule. Three calls and an email or two from my end.
If we treated our customers like that we would not have customers.
Called Yancy marine in Pooler Mon, met the the service mgr, scheduler, and the mechanic assigned to the job today, spent an hour discussing the situation as decribed earlier in this thread. Real folks, mechanic said he had no prob with extra hands. I've got the manuals and have read the injector and valve lash procedures, a bit above my skill level, for now. Hoping to learn a few things from him.

Had the halon sys inspected today, interlock for shutdown not working. The PO had new switches installed on the helm, probably that I imagine. Gonna dig into that tomorrow, he's reaearching the tank (org 1989, shows green) see if it needs replaced. When I get the interlock and bypass working, I'll re schedule.

Also have tandem (?) water pumps, a breaker for each. One won't build pressure, with it's breaker off, the other one suffices. Don't understand the concept. Both draw from the FW tank, then join, tee off from the pressure tank (checked it-good) and run together from there. Backup?

That's the update on The Office.

Low tide is around 9:30am tomorrow, brought the 23 bay and gonna get some fishing in before another work session!
 
I found a local seamstress!!!

I brought the crew quarters bunk matresses back with me along with the hatch and windlass covers to get remade. She was absolutely confident she could do the job.

Something about when she said "I won't put my name on it unless it's right" stirred me, that was one of my Dad's mantras, and mine as well.
Talked to her about custom matress cover for the master, she said no problem. I'm gonna cut a new one out of memory foam. I should get the matresses tomorrow in time for my next trip to "The Office" tomorrow afteroon. The material for the hatch covers and windlass covers has been ordered. Have Yancy scheduled for Thurs on the port 3208T. If it don't rain...
 
Well,

Good week at The Office.

Bridge enclosure canvas guy came by Wed for some additional measurements, waiting on that quote!

Brought the new mattresses for the crew bunks down. Used the old frames w/new foam and cover. They look good. Pulled the master mattress out and brought home for a template for the new one. Girl that did the crew mattresses is going to cover the new master and make some custom fitted sheet sets for it. She will also have the hatch and windlass covers ready next week. I'm gonna get her to make new imterior screens for the hatches.

Cat mechanic came down Thursday and I worked with him all day. Issue with port is much better- loose wiring at the fuel shutoff solenoid (I should have caught that), manual primer was very sloppy, could be sucking air-replaced. All valves/lash adjusted. Found the harmonic balancer/dampener had seperated, new one to be installed next week. Found an issue with the tach amd sync module, disconnected the sync amd researching. Found a cracked valve cover on the outboard port engine, reused it on the inboard starboard engine so I can get to it easier. If I can't find a replacement, I'll bring it back to the shop and have one of the guys tig it up.

Was very impressed with the Cat mechanic, good guy.

It's spring cleaning time, I emptied the boat two weeks ago. Spent the next day cleaning all the hard surfaces inside and putting stuff back in the boat. Pressure washed the top side thoroughly. An 11 hour day. I'm beat after a 4hr ride back home this morning.

Contacted a local cleaning company to do the entire interior fabric/upholstery, they will be down next Wed. Looking forward to seeing what they can do. Chem Dry of Savannah.

Thought about finding a new marina, started the search south of Savannah today...

Back after Easter.
 
Wife and I spent a few days onboard this past week (end).
Brought the new hatch covers and windlass cover down, need to have an adjustment made to the windlass cover. Didn't realize how ratty the old ones looked. She is working on the master mattress and sheets still, may have ready for next visit.
Got the replacement valve cover installed on the inboard SB engine.
Inspected the damper install/engines/bilge and fired the engines up...big improvement. Both run smooth through the bandwidth, vibration from the port is gone, so is the intermittent "puffing". Actually can hear 'em spool up. Marley, our Lab, even thought it was better.
Made some progress on the tach issue, they are ~100rpms off at steady sync, still have some work to do there...
Spent Friday looking at marinas from Brunswick up to Savannah-realized for now we don't have it that bad at SBM.
The upholstery looks much better, we spent some time putting everything back onboard and I spent some time cleaning in the bilge.
Cooked out yesterday and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with music and adult beverages before heading back this morn. Renewing our pursuit of thrusters, getting quote updated and looking at local boatyards. Also reviewing new electronic options....fun times $$$$
 
Wife won't let me take a picture of her...
Met with the seamstress to review the large hatch cover misfit and windlass cover. This time I had the dimensions, not just the old piece. Hatch cover can't be saved but she has extra mat'l, windlass cover just needs an "adjustment". That was my bad, did not provide her with enough imformation up front. She's got the new memory foam for the captains qrtrs mattress, along with the original as a template, and working on that, and 3 sets of custom fitted sheets.
Heading back tomorrow or Friday to see what I can get into for a few days...check on the bridge enclosure....maybe a new camera for the cockpit, cleaning, strainers, always something fun to do. Drink a beer or two.
 

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