[stevenagodfrey]

First, I am not an expert.  4 years ago I was posting on this forum with fe of 2200 on a 6cta with 950 hours. Everyone needs to make their own decision. I proceeded with the purchased and with help of sbmar have replaced all the external components on the engines (aftercoolers, hoses, transmission coolers, alternators, oil pan heaters ). 350 hours down the road the engines jump to life. 

[stevenagodfrey]

Thanks Steve – I have hit all your items – I think I am going to see if I can swap my pyro sensors to see if my temps repeat and then revisit  #2 on your list – go through the proper procedure one more time on confirming my RPM readings, run up in neutral and then see where I am at WOT – adjust props as needed. 

1 user thanked author for this post.

Tony Athens

[stevenagodfrey]

Hello Steve – thank you for your help – I don’t think you are a chump!

Boost is even side to side throughout the rpm range? YES – I have an RPM sync on the engines so when running along at same RPM will be the same – I have noticed some lag on the port engine as the engines accelerate and there is more black smoke under peak load at 1800 RPM as the boat gets up on plane.

EGT is even side to side until ~2000rpm where the Port side becomes hotter than strbd?  CORRECT.  

EGT was 850 before AND after the Port aftercooler was replaced? CORRECT – aftercooler had no impact on the readings.

Where is the sensor that is measuring the pressure in the intake tract?  On the air intake manifold – we removed a steel plug and inserted the SBMAR metric sensor kit with the push to connect air fitting. EGT is measured before the turbo.

Here are the locations on the EGT sensors …..

EGT Sensor Installation 6CTA

Regarding fuel – I have been through a full cycle of filter changes on the Double Double and right now have clean filters and the vacuum gages are right at the bottom.  I just finished a 130 hour trip down the east coast and didn’t notice any difference in EGT based on vacuum gage readings even as we approached the end of the green zone on the gage.

One other comment on this topic …. I have wondered whether I have a calibration issue at the upper end of the gage … I have considered swapping the sensors, but before I did that I tried measuring the temp with an IR gun right next to the EGT sensor – while not very scientific I didn’t see much of a difference in temps even though the EGT was higher on port side. Every measurement I have taken on various parts of the engines is +/- a few degrees between port and starboard.

No work with injectors or valve clearances has been performed since I have owned the boat. – The Envirovent on the engines for 400 hours and both engines only have a little sludge in the bottom of the bottles.

I don’t have any fuel flow sensors, but do have a pair of digital LED fuel gages in the engine room – on the trip fuel burn between the engines seemed pretty close (again this not something I really know for sure). 

I might be overthinking this entire situation and they might be 20 year old plus engines with some variation.

[stevenagodfrey]

Thanks Steve, I rechecked my hoses and clamps – they were all replaced with SBMar hose kit and new clamps – I don’t think I have an air leak. Also, my EGT has been very consistent since I have owned the boat (after installing the gages). My Port aftercooler was marginal and was replaced with a new one and the EGT was the same before and after the change.

One other trend I have noticed is that the EGT seems balanced between engines until I get above 2,000 RPM – that is when I see the port EGT start to run hotter than the starboard.

Does boost pressure correlate with Air Volume ?  In other words, can you have consistent boost pressure between engines, but have one engine short on air volume?

I have wondered whether is it possible that my port engine with its air intake deep in the engine room behind an exhaust run is starving for air at higher RPM’s – would I see consistent boost pressure if air volume is lacking ?

 

[stevenagodfrey]

Thanks again for the guidance. Valve clearance to spec per Khohler / Yanmar docs. Compression test cold 285, 250, 250.

Next step leak down or is the acceptable and pointing to another issue.

[stevenagodfrey]

Thank you for the ideas.  Yes after changing injectors yesterday I loaded it up with all 4 ac units, chargers, lights, microwave, boiled some water.  No stall but you could hear a little strain

[stevenagodfrey]

Search the forum for this posting … I had trouble getting the link to work.It has pictures of my installation and some really good tips from the community https://www.sbmar.com/community/topic/egt-sensor-installation-6cta/

[stevenagodfrey]

Thank you – I am installing the bulb primer before the double double – thank you for the tips and info

[stevenagodfrey]

Hello –

You can spend a lot of time chasing your tail dealing with analog gages and 20 year old senders (speaking from experience). Especially if you are striving for accuracy – At the end of the day, I concluded that these gauges are reference points and just provide you a relative measurement. Watching for changes is the best you will really be able to do.

Consider the following:

(1) You need a good foundation and baseline. For example, to see if you oil sender / gauge is working you need https://www.sbmar.com/product/smx-mechanical-oil-pressure-gauge-kit/

(2) Figure out if you senders are US or Europe Standard

(3) Use the attached to guide your setting up of the Norland

I found I had a faulty oil sender on one engine – my analog gauges are working consistently now. I have wires ready to connect to a Noland unit but never finished that and moved on other projects.

Steve

[stevenagodfrey]

Harry – here is how we installed on my 6CTA – see this thread. If you go this approach follow Tony’s advice on the tap size!

EGT Sensor Installation 6CTA

[stevenagodfrey]

Thought I would update this thread with the results of the EGT / Boost installation

Starboard engine with Red Rust from the past:

RPM / EGT / Boost
1200 / 500 / 0
1600 / 600 / About 5
1800 / 600 / About 10
2000 / 600 / About 12
2200 / 600 / About 16
2400 / 700 / About 20
2620 / 800 / About 28

I am concluding this is pretty good for 20 years with new aftercooler. Discovered I didn’t have full travel on port throttle linkage (thanks to Tony’s low power trouble shooting) so I need to redo that side. I get about 2960 no load. RPM confirmed with photo tach.

Appreciate all the community support.

Plan to gather data on Port side and then get tuned and made decision on pitch.

[stevenagodfrey]

Hello

Is it possible that the Albacombi can be configured to act a physical gauge.

http://www.albacombi.com/resistance-or-voltage-config/

Steve

[stevenagodfrey]

Tony and Rob –

Thanks for the input on this project.

My Dad (I am away from the boat right now) successfully drilled and tapped (HS 23/64).

For the pilot hole he used Sandvik Drill ( https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/54732342 ). Hat tip to Tony on the hole size – per my Dad – “It would not have tapped with a smaller drill size”.

Is RectorSeal #5 the appropriate product to use for sealing the threads?

Thanks
Steve

PS Removing the brass plug on Starboard engine was unsuccessful – even using a good 4 point socket the plug head sheered off during removal.

[stevenagodfrey]

Rob – thanks for the deep thoughts.

Any opinion on drilling and tapping a new hole ?

[stevenagodfrey]

I recently installed wolverine 250 watt on a pair of 6cta’s. Boat is in water in myrtle beach. Temps in winter have lows in high 30’s. Should I just run the heater all the time or try and target an engine room by putting block heaters on a timer ?

[Author]

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