With the drive train assembled, all the fluid levels topped, bolts and mounts double checked for torque, and a general once over completed, there seemed to be daylight at the end of the v-drive failure tunnel. First insert key, power up engine electrical system, and look for smoke. (A "smoke check" is a brute force way of checking the wiring, but it is effective.) Friend Joel manned the key while I poked around looking for wispies. No flames but the ignition warning isn't working. Usually the boat bleats out a complaint if the key is on but the engine isn't running. I'm not sure what is wrong but it didn't seem a major problem so I just made a note.
I figured the next step wold be turn the engine over with the starter; see what happens. Then, if all that happens is the normal stuff that happens, start motor, check again, engage drive. Knowing Kintala as I do, it seemed unlikely it would be that easy.
It wasn't.
As soon as the starter engaged water started to leak onto the top of the exhaust mixer - a small, hat-box looking thing that acts like a muffler on a car except is uses lake water to quiet the engine din. I had noticed water on top of that box before and always suspected a problem; but it appeared to be a minor problem that was lost in the forest of bigger problems. And though the mixer box wasn't directly involved in the drive train repair it appears that I disturbed something while being thrashed down in the bilge. What was a small leak is now a major river of water even with the engine just turning on the starter. Fire up said engine and it would become a 50 hp water pump flooding the bilge.
And so was discovered the next problem. Mixer box will need repaired or replaced before engine can be run, which must happen before drive train can be engaged and shaft alignment checked. It took all of about 10 minutes to get it out of the boat so, as far as Kintala problems go, this looks to be in the minor leagues. But it is yet another thing that has to be addressed before we can leave the dock.
Header 2021
2 comments:
If it wasn't for bad luck, you wouldn't have any. :((
Bill Kelleher
I try not to think of it. Clearly no one in their right mind (no comment please) would volunteer to take the beating we have taken with this boat. So, had I known, I would certainly be working on something other than this particular Tartan 42. But we are in way to deep to back out now. Either I make this work or the boat sinks our plans; right now it is a toss-up as to which way it goes.
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