[Jeremy Bendler]

Solenoid plug was broken inside. Replaced plug and it’s all fixed. Ran the boat from OCMD to Baltimore yesterday with no issues. $5 part.

Pic of broken solenoid plug attached.

I got locked out of this forum for a few days. Probably for asking a dumb question.

Thanks for your help.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Standard cummins Gauges

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks. Do you all do a full bench service on the aftercooler and raw water cooling system components every year?

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks!

The bottom line is Yes, I can use the same Rotella T4 that I use in the mains and the generator in the ZF 325-1A transmissions.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks for the chart. I saw that online. I’m not sure where the 325-1A falls on that chart.

I would assume the mechanic in Wancheese followed the transmission lubricant protocol but I don’t have any way of being sure.

[Jeremy Bendler]

In the reading I have done here and elsewhere I don’t believe that cruising speed necessarily needs to be sacrificed or reduced. Cruising RPM needs to be raised to allow more coolant and air to flow through the engine at desired speed and fuel burn.

The end of Tony’s article says: “You can burn 21-22 GPH, bur you have to do it at 2100 RPM to control the heat”.

This changing the pitch of the props would reduce the top speed, but really just shift the cruising speed up the RPM curve controlling the heat.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Best average fuel burn I can give you at 1850 RPM is 21gph port and 19gph starboard.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Fully loaded on my way out to the canyons I generally cruise at 25-26 knots at 1850rpm. On the way back in I cruise at 26-27. I’m fine with those cruise speeds. Certainly wouldn’t hurt my feelings to go faster though. I’m not too worried about the top speed since I don’t race around. I believe current top speed is 36knots. I’d like to maintain something north of 30knots I suppose.

I have had someone suggest that taking the diameter down from 28 to 27″ would increase speed and increase RPM by 150 at a given fuel burn.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks for the response. I was barely hitting 2350 this spring. Don’t think I’ve tried since. I guess the question is how much does each inch of pitch effect the fuel burn. Reducing the pitch on a 36″ pitch prop by 2 inches would be a reduction of approximately 5.5%

If that 5.5% reduction in pitch equates to a 5.5% reduction in speed at 1850 RPM, and also equated to a more significant reduction in fuel burned that would be great.

I’d love to be able to spend a few days trying a bunch of different props at the beginning of the 2020 season, but I think I am stuck trying to get this right on the first shot.

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks Tony. That will be my project for Friday when I’m back down at the boat. I purchased a new wiring harness for the tower controls just in case that is the issue.

[Jeremy Bendler]

I installed a new ZF control head up in the tower last week. I thought that would solve my problems. I went fishing Friday and went up in the tower to troll. I put both levers in the forward detent. After about 30 minutes of trolling one engine increased RPMs to around 1000. I moved both controls to neutral and then back to forward and all was back to normal. 20 minutes after that one engine went to neutral. I put both levers in neutral and started climbing down the tower to take control from the helm. One engine went into reverse and pushed RPM up to about 1000. Backed over all of my teasers and lines. Thank god the dredges didn’t get in the props.

The new control head didn’t fix my problems. Where should I go from here? Replace the wiring from the tower controls to the brain in the engine room?

Thanks guys.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks Tony!

[Jeremy Bendler]

Tom Mann wrote:

I’m glad it worked out for you, how did you determine your alternator(s) were bad and it wasn’t the batteries? Did you load test the alternator and put a load test on the batteries? If you didn’t do a load test you could have been barking up the wrong tree.

Tom Mann

I’m not sure I followed the absolute best testing procedures but here is what I did:

With generator off, and shorepower off I tested the voltage at the alternators. I was showing 12.5 volts. With shorepower on and battery charger on I was showing 14 volts at the back of the alternator. With engines running and no generator or shorepower I was showing 12.5 volts at the alternators.

From this testing I concluded that 1. the alternators were sufficiently tied into the 12V system, and 2. the alternators were not generating voltage to charge the system with the main engines running. I replaced one alternator and ran through the three tests above again. The only change was voltage of 13.5 at the alternator with the engine running. I then replaced the second alternator and both are putting out 13.5-14 volts. Cummins gauges show 13.5 volts at the helm with the two mains running, no genny, no shorepower.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks Guys! Turned out to be Delco 22SI 12V 160A. I replaced both alternators with Delco 22SI 12V 145A because that’s what I could find locally.

Install went well. Units cost me $133 each which I didn’t think was too bad. Cummins gauges at the helm show 13.5 v with both main engines running, no shore power and no generator.

Looks like that solved my issues.

Advance Auto didn’t take the old units for the core so I may look into having them rebuilt. I hate throwing stuff away.

[Jeremy Bendler]

It’s really cool that you took the time to check. Thanks Rob! I’ll check it out when I get to OCMD.

[Jeremy Bendler]

Thanks for the response. No pics. Not sure if stock but I believe it is. Serial number is 35104295. Diagnostic procedures: batteries are not being charged with engines running and generator off.

I’ll check the alternator Friday when I get to the boat. I’ll first check that I see battery voltage at the positive side of the alternator with all systems off. Then I’ll start the engine and see if the alternator puts out any additional energy.

if I could figure out the right part I’d like to take a replacement with me so I have it to make the swap.

Thanks again.

[Author]

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