My Engine quit!!!!!

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dsmylie

dsmylie

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
43
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Zachary David
Vessel Make
Marine trader, Pilot House 35
The other day while going to another marina a short distance away for a pump out my engine quit. Was cruising at 3 kts and around 1200 rpm when rpm's started dropping and then the engine quit. Was not able to restart and had to be towed back to the dock. The engine turns over and I'm getting water out of the exhaust. At start up and just prior to the incident the engine was running fine. In my limited experience it sounds like a fuel issue. Racor is clean and I'm getting fuel to and through the cav filters when I operate the lever on the fuel pump. The engine is Lehman 120. Looking for ideas of things I can try before calling a mechanic. Sucks having a broke boat with a full holding tank.

Thanks in advance,

David
 
might have a slight air leak that air locked the injection pump. Try bleeding at the injectors.
 
Last edited:
Greetings,
Mr. ds. I concur. Sounds like a fuel related issue. The ONLY things a diesel needs to run is fuel and air.


Perhaps an air leak in the fuel system or maybe a collapsed fuel feed line.
 
Soo-Valley said:
This can happen if you turn off the fuel at the tank, I know this for a fact.
Click to expand...

I do too!!!

First thing go check fuel supply and return path, make sure no closed valve, make sure you have plenty of fuel in the tank being used. Get a jug and top off your racor. Twiddle pump lever until you get solid fuel out the secondary. Close vent on secondary and open any vent on inj pump (can't remember where they are) and twiddle lever until solid fuel there. Close vents and twiddle til you get a blister on your thumb. Try a start. If no good, crack open inj line nuts at head and crank some more til it spits good. Snug nuts and it should start. If you have a water lift muffler, close sea cock while cranking to keep water out of your engine. If you get a start, open sea cock.

Also make sure shutdown solenoid is not somehow pulled. And double check that you have fuel in the tank.
 
Will be heading back over the boat this afternoon and will do as suggested. Thanks for the replies and I will keep you all posted.

David
 
Don’t forget the switch on the gearbox, the “start in neutral only” switch.

There are a couple of small screws on the injection pump that can let in air and the solution is to r eh olace or anneal the little copper washers and reinstall.
 
Are you new to the boat? Was it laid up for some time prior to your aborted trip?

We had a similar situation on our GB36 shortly after we purchased her. Problem (wasn't really a problem, more operator error) was the fuel pump to the engine was a constant volume pump, not a constant pressure. Pump moved a finite amount of fuel at all times from whichever tank you selected. The excess fuel not used by the engine returned to fuel tanks. Here lies the rub. Not only did you have to select which tank the fuel was COMING from, you had to manually select which tank the excess fuel was RETURNING to. You can see the problem coming. . . I had three fuel tanks, engine burned about 3 GPH. Pump pumped in the neighborhood of 7 or 8 GPH, the unburned portion of which (4 to 5 GPH) was going back to the tank selected . . . which was NOT the tank the fuel was originally coming from. So I was burning 3 GPH, but removing about 8 GPH from the tank and transferring the unburned to another tank. I had checked the fuel quantity in the tank I was drawing from prior to leaving that morning, and it had about twice what I felt I would use that day . . . but neglected to return the excess fuel to that tank. The engine quit when the selected fuel tank became completely filled with air!:banghead:
Morale of the story, question really, are you absolutely SURE that the fuel tank you are drawing from still has sufficient fuel in it to run the engine?:D
 
In case you don't have the manual.
Page 17.jpg

Page 18.jpg
 
Make sure the engine stop lever is opened all the way.
 
Xsbank said:
Don’t forget the switch on the gearbox, the “start in neutral only” switch.

.
Click to expand...

Not all of the trawlers have a neutral safety switch. I don't.
That said, if the tranny is in gear, the starter will turn but not fast enough to start the engine because it is moving the prop.
This happened to me.
So make sure it's in neutral.
 
slowgoesit said:
Are you new to the boat? Was it laid up for some time prior to your aborted trip?

We had a similar situation on our GB36 shortly after we purchased her. Problem (wasn't really a problem, more operator error) was the fuel pump to the engine was a constant volume pump, not a constant pressure. Pump moved a finite amount of fuel at all times from whichever tank you selected. The excess fuel not used by the engine returned to fuel tanks. Here lies the rub. Not only did you have to select which tank the fuel was COMING from, you had to manually select which tank the excess fuel was RETURNING to. You can see the problem coming. . . I had three fuel tanks, engine burned about 3 GPH. Pump pumped in the neighborhood of 7 or 8 GPH, the unburned portion of which (4 to 5 GPH) was going back to the tank selected . . . which was NOT the tank the fuel was originally coming from. So I was burning 3 GPH, but removing about 8 GPH from the tank and transferring the unburned to another tank. I had checked the fuel quantity in the tank I was drawing from prior to leaving that morning, and it had about twice what I felt I would use that day . . . but neglected to return the excess fuel to that tank. The engine quit when the selected fuel tank became completely filled with air!:banghead:
Morale of the story, question really, are you absolutely SURE that the fuel tank you are drawing from still has sufficient fuel in it to run the engine?:D
Click to expand...



No I’ve had the boat for several years but have not put a ton of hours on it. Ran it across Tampa Bay less than 2 months ago and had no issues. Right now only one of my tanks is plumbed( have 2). Was out at the boat yesterday but spent all my time cleaning the bottom so it’ll be probably Sunday before I can get back to it.
 
Xsbank said:
Don’t forget the switch on the gearbox, the “start in neutral only” switch.

There are a couple of small screws on the injection pump that can let in air and the solution is to r eh olace or anneal the little copper washers and reinstall.
Click to expand...



Not sure if I have that. I’m guessing it would be on the transmission right?
 
Lots of good advice already but also check fuel tank air vent for obstruction. Friend had same problem and it turned out to be spider mites in the vent.
 
I had a similar issue with twin 135 FL.

We would be moving along and all of a sudden the RPM's, in at first 1 engine, to 0. The engine would restart and then sometimes run well , other times would die off again.

When approaching our winter dock, first 1 engine died off then the other, for the 1st time. Both allowed restarting for docking. But it put a little discomfort into an otherwise great cruise.

I replaced the fuel line, an '86 set of engines under 800hrs, from the Racor to the 2ndary fuel filters. Haven't had an issue since.
 
Same thing happened to me on a Lehman 2715E. Turned out to be a bum fuel lift pump. It operated OK manually, but not otherwise. Luckily I had a spare and it was a breeze to replace. Good luck!
 
lClost off the raw water while you are trying to get it started! Otherwise you might get water backing up into the engine.
 
Andiamo2018 said:
lClost off the raw water while you are trying to get it started! Otherwise you might get water backing up into the engine.
Click to expand...

Depends on the type of muffler you have, water lift mufflers can cause water to back up into the engine with a lot of cranking and not starting.
 
Comodave said:
Depends on the type of muffler you have, water lift mufflers can cause water to back up into the engine with a lot of cranking and not starting.
Click to expand...

And even then, it depends on the geometry of the system and how much airflow it takes to push water out the exhaust (there's still some air moving during cranking). Some systems are susceptible to flooding, others could crank all day with no issue.
 
Something to consider. My generator was stopping.... turns out, the exhaust elbow was about rusted shut.
My engine guru said, run it once a week and when setting it of a period of, flush with fresh water.
I know of one man who had his main engine exhaust elbow custom built of (SP?) monel upon the recommendation of his engine-guru
 
fuel Issue

Remove the fuel inlet line at the fuel pump on the engine.
Fuel should flow out.
If it doesn't then check tank level , system and all the above recommendations.
If you have fuel flow:
Remove fuel line at the outlet on mechanical pump on engine block turn over engine see if you have fuel.
If no fuel then the mechanical is bad . The diaphram usually dries up.

If you have fuel then bleed the filters on top then bleed the injector pump.

NOTE:
If there's no fuel to the pump eliminate the fuel system by attaching a separate fuel system using an outboard motor tank etc.
This could at least get you to the pump out.
 
Comodave said:
Depends on the type of muffler you have, water lift mufflers can cause water to back up into the engine with a lot of cranking and not starting.
Click to expand...

Yup, I was told, after three failed attempts to start the engine, drain the water from the muffler.
 
Problem solved!!! Ended up being clogged cav filters. Apparently my racor wasn’t doing it’s job. I’ll have to look into that. Thanks for all your suggestions.

David
 
dsmylie said:
Problem solved!!! Ended up being clogged cav filters. Apparently my racor wasn’t doing it’s job. I’ll have to look into that. Thanks for all your suggestions.

David
Click to expand...

What is a "cav filter"?

Generally speaking, the RACOR is the first filter in line and then the primary/on the engine filter.
Where is the CVA filter?
 
OldDan1943 said:
What is a "cav filter"?

Generally speaking, the RACOR is the first filter in line and then the primary/on the engine filter.
Where is the CVA filter?
Click to expand...

Engine mounted filters on British engines; Ford Lehman, Perkins manufactured by CAV.

CAV Ltd, owned by Lucas, manufactures diesel injection equipment.
 
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