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MARINE ENGINE UPDATE - Edition 4
November 9, 2000
In this edition:
~ Marine Engine Update News
Past issues posted on the Web
~ Forums at MarineDieselDirect.com
What about that White Smoke?
~ Think Before You Add the Additive
A Caution about Using Fuel Additives
~ Yanmar Starter / Alternator References Now Available Online
New reference materials posted at Marine Diesel Direct
~ Universal Parts and Owners Manuals Now Online
Access complete parts manuals on the Web
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Marine Engine Update News
As promised in our last edition of Marine Engine Update, past issues of this newsletter are now available on the Web. We plan to publish the newsletter to the Web one day after we publish the email version. If you would like to review past issues, you may visit the archive at: <http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/mddupdatearchive/>
Torresen Marine is a responsible Internet citizen and we only send mailings to people who specifically ask for them. If you did not ask for this mailing or if you would like to unsubscribe, see the instructions at the bottom of this message.
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DISCUSSION FORUMS AT MARINEDIESELDIRECT.COM
A User Asks … What about that White Smoke
Art Miller posted the following:
"My engine (3QM30) is raw water cooled with about 1200 hrs. [There are] no signs of over heating, can hold hand on most areas of engine, and in the exhaust overboard discharge with the engine cruising at 2100 RPM. The oil shows no sign of water, however the engine seems to produce a lot of white smoke. Any comments? Also, does this engine have two thermostats side by side in the manifold, the manual shows only one."
Gordon Torresen responded to Art:
"White smoke is usually steam. The cooling water is injected into the flow of hot exhaust gasses and creates steam, which is then expelled through the exhaust pipe and the transom.
You didn't say where you are located but ambient weather frequently plays a part. If the humidity is high and the temperature low, the white smoke seems to float on the air for a longer period of time.
As to the thermostats, you only get one. Some of the Yanmar H series engines get two."
The Marine Diesel Direct forum now contains more than 360 posts. If you have a question, we look forward to hearing from you. Check out the searchable discussion forums at: http://forums.sailboatspecialists.com/eThreads/view/Yanmar
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THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU ADD THE ADDITIVES
A caution about fuel additives by Gordon Torresen
The companies manufacturing fuel additives must be doing a terrific job marketing their product. This has to be the case since so many people seem to want to add something extra to their fuel tank.
The best thing to add to your fuel tank is simply good quality fuel … and nothing else. Yes, I did say no additives. There is nothing better than clean, high quality fuel in a clean tank.
Most every fuel contamination problem is related to water in the tank. It is virtually impossible to keep it out but occasional maintenance on the tank will get rid of it. Maintenance of the fill cap o-ring will keep most water out. Running out of fuel (or pumping it out of the usual fuel line) does not get rid of the water on the bottom of the tank. An effort must be made to get the water out of the lowest point of the tank.
I guess most of us like what's easy, sort of like a Diet Coke with a Big Mac. It doesn't work. Unfortunately most boat yards don't understand the problem nor do they know how to apply the remedy.
There are many believers in additives. I've have heard people say, "I've been using Brand X for five years and have never had a problem". Perhaps that was a water free tank that needed no additive. The fuel makers say that they put the right stuff in. The additive makers (all of them) say that you have to use their product. If your fuel has no problem, leave it alone. If it does have a problem, get it out of there and put in good fuel. Good fuel is the second most important thing in diesel maintenance, after the lube oil.
I know that too much of the wrong additive can cause problems. There is word that some additives react with other additives. I personally would rather play safe and keep my tank clean.
It seems foolhardy to me that many owners gamble with a ten-dollar jug of additive to try to resurrect fifty dollars worth of fuel when the heart of a ten thousand dollar engine is at stake.
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YANMAR NEW AND REMANUFACTURED STARTERS AND ALTERNATORS
This week Marine Diesel Direct expanded it online reference materials with the addition of an index of Yanmar starters and information about Yanmar's rebuilt alternator program.
This new resource includes starter part numbers for most common Yanmar engines as well as the part number for Genuine Yanmar remanufactured starters when available.
New Yanmar starters are generally a very expensive and rebuilt starters are often the best way to go. For those engines where a Genuine Yanmar remanufactured starter is not available, Torresen Marine can still help by rebuilding your current starter.
Visit the starter index at:
<http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/yanmar-starters.htm>, if you would like additional information or would like to arrange to ship us your starter or alternator for rebuild, you may call us at 231-759-8596 or email engineparts@torresen.com
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UNIVERSAL PARTS AND OWNERS MANUALS NOW ON THE WEB
Owners of Universal M-25 and M-25XP engines can now find a complete parts reference for their engines online. This new feature, exclusive to Marine Diesel Direct offers the full content of the official Universal parts book complete with line drawings and part listings.
In addition to the M-25 / M-25XP part manual, the owners manual for the following engines is also included on the site: M2-12,M3-20, M4-30, M-35, M-30 M-40, M-50, M-12, M-15, M-18, M-20, M-25, M-25XP. The online owners manual is a great resource for general operational and maintenance guidelines.
This is the first phase of online parts manuals for Marine Diesel Direct and we expect to add additional manuals including the Universal Atomic 4 engine in the months ahead. As we prioritize the future publication of these manuals to the Web, we look forward to hearing from you. Let us know what manuals you would like to see published first and we will try to get them online in the order of owner's demand email us at, engineparts@torresen.com
Even with the online publication of these manuals, bound-hardcopy versions are still the best way to go for on-board use. The proper manuals on your boat can keep a minor inconvenience from becoming a trip-wrecking breakdown. Manuals can also help mechanics in remote locations, where authorized service facilities do not exist, to properly diagnose and remedy problems more quickly.
For online manuals visit:
http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/westerbeke/universal/
For a list of in print Universal Manuals visit:
http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/westerbeke/universal/manuals.html
For a list of in print Yanmar manuals visit:
http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/yanmanual.html
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