Detroit Diesel service items

[madhatter1]

Presently going through a few things on starboard engine due to age issues. below is a list of what will be recent on both engines. Internals on starboard are new long block with 1050 hours. Port is at 950 hours after in frame rebuild. Trying to catch up on all the rest that is either original or various vintages.

8-92TI's

New Turbos
Intercoolers serviced
Exhaust manifolds surfaced and reinstalled
Heat exchanger service
Injectors pulled and tested
And the usual impellers, oil, filters, etc.

What else is a service items that typically over time will need attention? This winter I'm pulling all the floorboards and that's the time to get stuff done.

 

[cww]

Don't just assume new turbos, you may not need them. There's a particular spec for how much out of tolerance the housings can be from exhaust erosion before they actually have to be replaced. The way to do it is send them for inspection and they gauge them out. If the erosion isn't a problem, they can rebuild them with new seals, etc., and it's a lot cheaper for the same result. New turbos are +/- $2500-$3k apiece. Rebuilding them is like $800 apiece.

 

[madhatter1]

Outboard side turbo flange was swiss cheese. Major leak. New turbo's were $1950 each. Also goal is to get everything in as good a shape as we can. That's why I'm trying to figure out any typical service items we may have missed. Boat will be worked on for a few months so it's an opportunity to address as much as we can. Right now the boat is down at a time we would like to be using it.

 

[cww]

Outboard side turbo flange was swiss cheese. Major leak. New turbo's were $1950 each. Also goal is to get everything in as good a shape as we can. That's why I'm trying to figure out any typical service items we may have missed. Boat will be worked on for a few months so it's an opportunity to address as much as we can. Right now the boat is down at a time we would like to be using it.

I guess my inner cheapass was showing. When I had to make the same decision as you about nursing stuff along vs. just biting the bullet, I made the same decision as you. If you're cool with the money and just want it to run right, then you have the right mindset. May as well replace the belts and check the date stamps on the oil hoses too. If the oil lines are original I would replace, I had one blow on another boat and wound up rebuilding the engine because of it. It was my own stupid fault, the alarm bells were broken when I got that boat, I had the replacements sitting in a box on the dining room table for a year but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

A common problem on detroits is the thermostats get worn and gunky and will stick partially open. You can usually tell when that happens because the engine won't get up to operating temp until you throttle up. If they do that, I'd replace the thermostats. I put 4 new t-stats in and now both my engines will warm up to normal temps at idle and they stay pegged at 180 regardless of the throttle setting. Before that my port engine would never get up to temp unless you put the boat on plane. It's better for longevity to have consistent temps.

 

[madhatter1]

Looking for other potential items that leak or wear out over time. Maybe I’ve covered all the basics. Seeking trouble free summer cruising as much as we can.

 

[JD5652]

Presently going through a few things on starboard engine due to age issues. below is a list of what will be recent on both engines. Internals on starboard are new long block with 1050 hours. Port is at 950 hours after in frame rebuild. Trying to catch up on all the rest that is either original or various vintages.

8-92TI's

New Turbos
Intercoolers serviced
Exhaust manifolds surfaced and reinstalled
Heat exchanger service
Injectors pulled and tested
And the usual impellers, oil, filters, etc.

What else is a service items that typically over time will need attention? This winter I'm pulling all the floorboards and that's the time to get stuff done.

You covered pretty much most major items. Make sure the emergency air damper operates. This can sometimes get gunked up by old paint on the spring assembly at the intercooler.

When was last time fresh water pumps changed?

 

[madhatter1]

You covered pretty much most major items. Make sure the emergency air damper operates. This can sometimes get gunked up by old paint on the spring assembly at the intercooler.

When was last time fresh water pumps changed?

Don't know. Will inquire on these with mechanic. He has his guys do the work and then we do sea trial with him personally here to sign off that we are good to go. Think that happens Tuesday morning.

In January we pull the floor boards up to do port side intercooler, exhaust manifolds, and test injectors. Then we proceed with ER restoration and paint. But before that want to PM as much as is required.

 

[madhatter1]

Let the game begin!

 

[madhatter1]

Progress.

 

[madhatter1]

One more.

 

[ian w]

The shafts on both my 871 raw water pumps snapped

 

[Captain Ralph]

The shafts on both my 871 raw water pumps snapped

Stuck impellers on old/unused pumps.
Fix em quick. Season will be here any day soon..

 

[madhatter1]

The shafts on both my 871 raw water pumps snapped

In my opinion there are 2 factors on engines. The first is the internal condition of the engine itself. Big factor. Overlooked 2nd factor (I am guilty) is what I call the bolt on stuff. The 2nd factor stuff can both ruin/prevent a trip leaving most of us waiting on a mechanic and parts but can also cause premature failure of factor 1. I have decided to go through as much as logically makes sense to establish a new baseline. This will in no way guarantee trouble free boating but sure make my odds a bit better. I hope!

 

[madhatter1]

Sea trial was yesterday. Engines were started the day before. Mechanic points out "new" oil leak on front of starboard blower housing. Sure enough there it is. But I remember a light oil leak on the outboard aft side that appeared to be coming from up high somewhere but could never figure it out. This had to be it. Anyway we decided to keep an eye on it during the run with oil rag stuffed under it. Not another drop. So I'll keep an eye on that.
Full RPM's were 2380 and 2400. Temps at cruise were 165-170. No leaks of any kind. I had tightened up the stuffing boxes to keep the bilge dry during clean and paint. Hit them with IR gun and they were at 85 and 100 degrees. Starboard side dry and port side a little water.
Oil samples pulled and will have to wait for results. I spent the whole rest of the day putting the boat back together. Ready to cruise!