Marine Age…Age Is Just a Number

[Rob Schepis]

Don’t let marine age get the best of your engine room.  Here’s an example of a pair of 330B’s installed in 2002 and a genset from 2005.  That’s 15 seasons for the engines and 12 for the genny.  Dry engine rooms vents,  dry overhead environment or proper drainage of above decks, Wolverine pan heaters and periodic checks and spraying and wiping down with anti-corrosion products.  That’s some of the key ingredients which isn’t much when considering the $$$ in that engine room.  And it’s not just for looks – you can pretty much say goodbye to those electrical gremlins and other sorts of issues caused by things being “no so nice” down there.

6 users thanked author for this post.

Wayne Spalding, David Wesner, Keith Pleas, Scotth, Bill Desmarais, Corey Schmidt

Topic

[Mike Pettee]

Thanks. I have looked at those a lot, and will add them to my winter list.

[Rob Schepis]

Mike Pettee wrote:

Rob,

Your one picture has what looks to be an envirovent on the front of the crankcase. But I dont see the full kit. Does just having that vent on the front of the block help?

Mike,
Full EnviroVents installs on both engines, off the front crankcase as you noted.

[Mike Pettee]

Rob,

Your one picture has what looks to be an envirovent on the front of the crankcase. But I dont see the full kit. Does just having that vent on the front of the block help?

[Rob Schepis]

firehoser75 wrote:

And if I buy the correct kit, then I just have to drill out the hole on the bracket to be able to complete the install?

Tom, that is correct

1 user thanked author for this post.

firehoser75

[firehoser75]

Good advice John!
Shouldn’t be a problem. 250+ hours this year and about 150 hours last year. Only owned her for 2 seasons. Her hours average out to 140 per year.
Regards,
Tom

[john]

I see quite a few engine areas that look nice. They also need to be run. I sometimes see money shots and really low hours and think of all the problems that can occur with lack of use. I’ve seen 40 year old rust balls work great. I’ve seen ten year old beauty queens have all kinds of problems. Don’t forget to run em!

[firehoser75]

My Engine doesn't have 9000 hours

Hi Tony and thanks for the reply.
Just so I understand correctly (sorry but I can get confused), you recommend the complete kit due to the fact that there are sealed bearings in the pulley itself?
So if (when) I purchase that complete kit, the only drilling I will need to do is on the mounting bracket?
By the way, my engine has just less than 2200 hours. I was talking about another Cummins owner who had 9000+.
Thanks for all you do for us who are way “less informed”,
Tom

[Tony Athens]

You really only need the partial kit but there is a big BUT to that.. 9000 hours on the original sealed bearings inside the idler?

Some simple math based on 1200 RPM average tells me 32,000,000+ spins.. Now add some”Marine Age” to the equation..

What do you think? For $15 you can replace the bearing or ??

Tony

[firehoser75]

Idler Not Updated

Hi Rob,
I had a look at the idler today, and it has not been updated as the cap is still in place. To deal properly with this issue, do I need a complete kit (new pulley, spacer, bolt, nut, etc.$135), or just the “partial kit” that contains only a new spacer, bolt, nut, etc. ($60)?
And if I buy the correct kit, then I just have to drill out the hole on the bracket to be able to complete the install?
Thanks for bringing this up, as I surely don’t want any “nasty surprises”.
Thanks again,
Tom

[Rob Schepis]

Good to hear on that tug engine at 9,000+…… You take the “nut behind the wheel” out of the equation and things do get much more “long term”.

Here’s a Google Image I found with the idler pulley with original dust cap. That cap gets removed for installing the upgrade kit. See if your idler has the dust cap. Also look behind if possible for the through bolt.

Here’s some pics of my front end showing the capless pulley with the visible bolt and some pics of the parts. And the link to it all on the site here – the parts page with Tony’s article on the “how-to”,.

https://www.sbmar.com/product/complete-idler-pulley-upgrade-kit/

[firehoser75]

Idler Bolt

Rob,
I have not upgraded my idler bolt, and I am not sure if a previous owner did. How can I tell (what do I look for)?
I do have reasonably good access to the front of the engine. Just as an aside, I met another tug owner this summer who travels from Seattle to Alaska every summer (18 years in a row now) and he has over 9000 hours on his Cummins and it is still running great.
Thanks for your help,
Tom

[Bill Desmarais]

Very clean engine room Rob. I’ll confess up front that the 370 in my little lobster boat is not as clean as your pr. of 330s.
Very nice

[Rob Schepis]

Tom,
Thanks for the above. From that pic of your timing cover it looks like there is good access up front on the engine. Have you (or prior owner) upgraded the idler bolt?

[firehoser75]

Another Example

Hi everyone,
Rob asked me to post some photos of my engine room. The boat is a 2002 Nordic Tug. I am the third owner, and it has spent all of it’s life on the west coast of North America, some of that in Alaska, and now in BC Canada. The previous owners both looked after things and I have tried to follow suit and even add to it the Seaboard way as much as possible. The engine currently has just less than 2200 hours on it, and will reach over 2900 rpm wide open, with a very small amount of grey smoke only when wide open. I usually run at between 1200 and 1400 rpm and vary it (slightly) every 15-20 minutes or so.
Whenever possible, the previous owners and myself, have freshwater flushed the engine and gen set. Each winter, it is stored in the ocean, but the engine is flushed several times and stored with salt away and freshwater in it.
Regards,
Tom

2 users thanked author for this post.

gary, Corey Schmidt

[Rob Schepis]

Mid-Season vs Off-Season

Bill it’s actually a good time if you do want to come check out the boat as I’m sure your interested in what’s “under the hood”.  Here’s the mid-season vs off-season difference.  Now the salon is emptied of carpet and furnishings which makes full engine room access a breeze. I’ll send you my contact info using the Message feature on the Profile page.  We’ll be on the road today (along with the rest of the East Coast) so give me a ring or text anytime afterwards..

1 user thanked author for this post.

gary

[Rob Schepis]

Wolverines, etc

Thanks Bill.  Here’s a link to the Wolverine site and there is a How To Install.  Actually the easiest would be to pull the engines and turn them upside down!

http://www.wolverineheater.com/

Speaking of “tours” we’re down in DC with the girls for the long weekend and heading out in a little bit for a tour of the Capitol building.  I’ll be checking in with the yard on Monday about getting hauled this week.  Once she’s out I’ll be pulling the aftercoolers and raw water pumps as well as the genset heat exchanger – that would be a perfect time for a tour – I can show you all of the tools onboard too!

[Larry Backman]

Also a 500 W model

i just  put a model 40 which is 500W under my QSM 11.  Too soon to tell how it works after a couple days straight as I’m still using my boat, but it gets the oil and bottom of the block up to body temperature after 12 hrs.

 

ill probably have it on 3 days straight next week and will get a better sense of how well it warms 3000# of metal and probably 150 cubic feet of engine room in New aenglan late fall..

[William Walter]

Wolverines

great looking engine room .not sure I’ll ever get there but close would be nice.interested in the wolverines but not much info on seaboard site.seems like on easy install as it looks like a regular ac plug and I have an ac plug in engine room .how does it attach to pan.looks like the perfect setup for winter in northeast.have you heard of any problems with running them all winter.hope to get a tour of the boat someday. Bill

[Rob Schepis]

Thanks for the kind words James.  Here’s the different Wolverine models, I have the Model 25’s.  I see no reason to not use them even in FL and do away with the grid heaters..

http://www.sbmar.com/product-category/engine-upgrades/wolverine-oil-pan-heaters/

[james]

Two questions:  1.  Do you see value using the wolverines in Florida (Tampa area), 2.  What is the power consumption of the wolverines.  Love the way your engine room looks, need to get mine looking close to that.

[Author]

Replies