Air Box Drain Checkvalve Cleaning

[bobk]

Gent's, I thought I'd start a thread on this subject since I and others are ignorant of it.

Karl's reply to Mikes thread on exhaust leaks got me to look at the check valves on the 6V92's in Chateau de Mer. My guess is they have not been cleaned since the rebuilds by the PO five years ago. And the valves behind the starters are going to be tough. And by the way, all drain to crap cans. Interstingly I found the can on the starboard engine was full this winter, the port was almost empty. What's that telling me?

But, I have some additional check valve questions. Does the starter have to come out to get to the hidden valves or is there a simpler way.

Mine are horizontal. Do I need to be sure they are at 45 degrees or more to the horizontal when they go back in? I'll have them relocated.

How do you clean them? Solvents, air pressure, vacuum, in place? Or maybe this time, I'll replace them with new ones.

Are there other obscure maintenance issues we DD newbees need to know about beyond impellers, filters and oil changes?

Does anybody have a good, short mechanic near Stuart?

Bob
1981 48MY
Chateau de Mer

[Nonchalant1]

It's a pretty simple mechanism. Probably just soak in solvent, shake and dry. Test with low pressure air followed by higher pressure.

BTW - you might check the price for new ones from DD. They're used on all kinds of engines, are a DD recommended maintenance replacement item, and may not be very much. I put new valves on when I added crap cans and took out the drain return line to the pan as recommended by Karl. New valves might be good every 20 years or so?

Doug

[MikeP]

The checkvalves can be disassembled and the parts cleaned in any solvent from paint thinner to acetone. They should be installed as close to vertically as possible or they will clog much more easily. New ones are around 25 bucks each and unless the check ball and/or spring have corroded away due to moisture, new ones won't do anything better than cleaned ones except set you back a hundred bucks. But like anything, it might be a personal comfort factor to stick in some new ones "just because."

I removed the valves on my 8V71s from behind the starter but don't have 92's so I can't comment on the apparent increased difficulty.

[Genesis]

The one behind the starter is nearly impossible to remove without pulling the starter. Do it once, then remote them where you can get to them easily.

[bobk]

The one behind the starter is nearly impossible to remove without pulling the starter. Do it once, then remote them where you can get to them easily.

It looks like the valve behind the starter might come out if the solenoid on top is removed. Is that any easier?

Bob

[Genesis]

Weeeellll.... if you can get the outside end fitting off, you could then, using a LONG extension, remove it. Maybe.

This is a REALLY crappy OEM installation. Pulling the starter is not particularly difficult, other than it being an INSANELY heavy beast (watch the fingers!)