Huge Piston Overhaul on Ship's Main Engine | Chief MAKOi Seaman Vlog

In this episode, you'll see how the ship's engineers draw out a piston from the ship's main engine.
Chief MAKOi
Seaman Vlog

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Nothing beats a long stay in port and do maintenance without worrying about the need to finish quickly. 😊

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

Quite ! We ran a1976 2000 shp B&W alpha V18 running on light oil or heavy. In dry dock ,chocking and web deflections were my forte after the previous 2nd eng used bits of broom handle instead of cardboard for the chocking😮 took us ages😅

[@Satchmoeddie]

In other words you actually have the time to do it right the first time, instead of just enough time to do it twice? I still have my big huge tomes on MAN, Fairbanks Morse, BMW, Anglo Belgian, etc. I will donate them to whomever will take them and not throw them away.

[@johnhayward7173]

Too true! Changing a bottom piston, bearing or cylinder liner on an old Doxford at sea was no joke. No hydraulics to help remove nuts or bolts either.

[@johnbmann]

How long did this operation actually take? Based on all the steps you showed I would think several hours. Is it broken up over a number of days?

[@johnbmann]

@@SatchmoeddieI was wondering if the engineers have manuals to guide them through these processes. There’s a lot of steps and parts to do in a particular order.

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

I enjoy these behind the scene videos very much. The Chief and his 3 assistants are very busy all the time.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Well, not all the time. 😊

[@General_Confusion]

Just look how clean the Chief is at the end of it and how oily everyone else is. I think thats called experience.

[@NUTTER8291]

No that called " In charge " lol 😊

[@ChiefMAKOi]

🤣

[@ke6gwf]

I think it's because he does the videos when he's not on duty, so he's not actively getting dirty.

[@johnyarbrough502]

After you do wiper, oiler, cadet, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd, you get to supervise.

[@TheGor54]

Check his index finger. 😂

[@MU-2]

Makes you appreciate what these mariners do to keep things “moving,” in every sense of the word.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Thanks!

[@MU-2]

@@ChiefMAKOi Out of curiosity, Chief, have you ever put in to Dublin, Ireland?☘️

[@douglasfur3808]

Sitting here drinking tea from India from a cup from England both of which probably crossed an ocean or two to get to the US. We all depend on hundreds of crews like this who are essential to our lives yet they are invisible to us without these videos.

[@mohdrazali7571]

I am sailing with MISC for previous long time ago. I have experience overhaul this B&W 6 unit cylinder Chief. You make my memories and smiling olone...Salute you Chief. Hope you always success for you seafarer live on board...

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Great to hear!

[@tamsinp7711]

Great to see a very professional team at work. They're a credit to you, Chief!

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Much appreciated!

[@skylem5373]

As a car mechanic I find your ship maintenance videos fascinating, you guys are doing an amazing job!. Cheers from Canada

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Glad you like them!

[@ronbrennan4632]

When the chief and his maintenance crew are together on the job the big Diesel can take a break cause the engine knows when the crew gets done every thing will work just fine chief I wished I could have worked for you great videos by the best big ship maintenance guys be safe ronrdzl

[@J.R.Heydenrych]

Chiefy let's hear a Tug's Full Astern vs Dead Slow. Ahead , + the Mains growling snap @ the Bouw- thrusters Varies @ Variable Pitch @ Revers Thrust + Boat shudder !!!

[@Duckfarmer27]

Chief - Great video with the first cup of coffee on a Saturday morning. I'm familiar with heavy equipment and aircraft maintenance (varied work life) and have rebuilt my share of auto/truck engines for myself. Scale difference is really noticeable but a diesel is a diesel and that looks like a good design - I've sure never been able to crawl in a cylinder bore or crankcase. Also your parts situation is different than us land lubbers are used to - you sure can't run to the local Chevy dealer for a set of rings. Really enjoyable for this retired mechanical engineer with lots of management experience - keep taking care of the troops the way you do, it's obvious what a good group you have. And that they have a good leader.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Thanks!

[@georgepelton5645]

Well said. Chief MAKOI and his crew are so professional and capable, and seem to have a great esprit de corps.

[@nvragn]

Nothing like a Saturday morning video 👍 Thanks Chief 👍🇨🇦🔧

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@nvragn]

@@ChiefMAKOi what an absolute honor. This day just keeps getting better. And ya I'm at work pulling wrenches on mixer trucks lol👍🇨🇦🔧

[@rockfishmiller]

If i owned a ship, i would be honoured to have your crew tending my engines. Well done.

[@landinsongs]

This is a working world most people would be unaware of if it wasn't for you. Really fascinating, thanks for an interesting episode.

[@kennyFF033]

Quite the crew there, Chief. Those are the kind of folks I would be honored to work with and humbled to call my friends off the clock. Skal!

[@kenkahre9262]

I was a deckape myself, but I have come to appreciate what you do down in the engine spaces. And this was especially impressive. Well done.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Thank you very much!

[@orlandomah1186]

As a non-mariner tech I was waiting to find out how they would compress those massive thick pistonrings.... only to find out that gravity does the work together with the special 'circular' tool that is most likely conical/tapered. Really awesome! Thank you @chief makoi for sharing these vids with us 😊

[@jeffreythompson9549]

I was waiting for a ring compression sleeve, was surprised by the tapered compressor.

[@mikeschiesel2852]

Smallest guy goes into the cylinder liner? This was fascinating, the knowledge and skill it takes to be an engineer is just amazing. Thanks, Chief!

[@quazy1328]

I love these videos. You never get to hear from people who actually work on nuts and bolts of what moves the world.

[@lizj5740]

I love the way your crew gathers for the "graduation" shot after certain tasks. That makes me feel they are proud of their work. Cheers from Liz and Ginger (pic left) in Australia.

[@andyharman3022]

Fascinating work, Chief Makoi! Engine guys from all around the world can identify with the work you and your crew are doing.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Thank you very much!

[@tsbrownie]

Amazing. That is just a whole other level in engine repair and maintenance.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Indeed it is!

[@McTroyd]

A well-trained team makes this operation look easy. Working on automotive engines, I know enough to know that's definitely not the case -- giant precision machined parts, ~22k PSI bolt torque, and enough cylinder throw to create a human trebuchet, in a 37 C compartment. 😳🥵 Nicely done. The appearance of the team at the end was a nice touch. 👍

[@DJ-bh1ju]

Your crew look like a bunch of real characters. True professionals, and good guys....

[@adavidf03]

I assume that the relaxed pace that was allowed here gave a good opportunity for training too? Really good video. Thanks Chief.

[@AndrejPodzimek]

I’ve just discovered your channel this week and have been binge-watching it. I was born in a landlocked country and live in another landlocked country. So all of this looks surprising and fascinating to me. Each of your videos expands my awareness of how much I do *not* know about the world in general. I have been ordering lots of goods (especially electronics) from all around the globe and I knew that at some point there was a cargo ship involved in the delivery, but I had absolutely no idea what such a ship could look like from the inside. Thanks for sharing all this information. I can imagine that it takes a lot of extra time and effort to make a concise and informative video out of many tens of hours of complex maintenance work.

[@hanshartfiel6394]

Great video, Chief. Not only that but it brought back some memories. 1972 I was a student of mechanical engineering in Germany and was send to Hamburg to do some practical work. I ended up in the dry dock of Blohm & Voss where two engine blocks were completely overhauled but because there was a huge time pressure as soon as one block was finished and running the ship was sailing to Rotterdam with us finishing the second block. The noise and heat in that engine room was awful but also enjoyable.

[@jon4]

It's fascinating to see how the cleaning and replacement process of just one piston can take over 9 hours. This really puts into perspective the scale and complexity of marine engine maintenance.

[@andyharman3022]

But at the same time, it's interesting to see how similar the work is to just rebuilding a car engine. It's just that the scale of the parts involved requires a lot of special tools and care in handling.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Normally it takes only around 6 to 7 hours just for the piston. Since we added the exhaust valve and the cover jacket, it took a bit longer.

[@user-dh6bj2me5p]

The removal and replacement of one piston from a car engine isn't much faster.

[@frederikvorster1643]

At some anchorages, the roling motion of the ship makes it particularly difficult and dangerous. This was an emergency operation, and we took much longer than 9 hours.😢

[@dickdaley9059]

Are you the guys that keep the pointy end going forward…? 😂

[@klesmer]

Thanks Chief, as a retired auto mechanic, I find the technology of these huge engines intriguing. The bore to stroke Racio is mind blowing.

[@warrenjones744]

Thanks for the look inside the engine again Chief. Great job lads. Little things I see the engineers doing scream seasoned pros to me. For example, installing an o-ring and running the finger around it to remove twist. The special stands, tools such as the ring squeezer ring, all the fixtures associated with the process. The hole in the deck for the rod to drop through. I love it all!

[@LeonTroutskiunplugged]

The shear physicality of the work is astounding. You run a good plant, Chief.

[@wallacejeffery5786]

I forgot how loud and hot it always is

[@theheilious]

I love how you promote a friendly, professional, work environment for the crew under your command! A boss that manages people well will always develop a superior work product!

[@trainstractorscarsandtruck7362]

Indeed, your piston is bigger than mine. Great video, amazing work

[@ChiefMAKOi]

😆

[@charleschamorro3379]

That's a good T Shirt idea for the Makoi merch.

[@trainstractorscarsandtruck7362]

@@charleschamorro3379 Yes it would be. I'm just repeating what I read on a promo I saw for the video. I thought it was both funny and true.

[@nickbawt]

Your crew are at the top of their game. Awesome content.

[@safetyamsv3515]

Great Video Chief... I wanted to be an Engineering Cadet with Shell Tankers when I left school but sadly I was forced to follow a different direction in my career, so I live my dream vicariously through your videos! God Bless you and your dedicated team.

[@brucelytle1144]

Hey Chief! I'm an old steam boat engineer. I used to sail as Chief Electrician on APL C9 & C10's, with Big ol Sulzer Motors. They put out 59,750 shp @ 105 rpm. They had (don't remember exactly, but...) 910 mm bores. We replaced 2 cylinders of the 12, every 35 day trip. That was a chore that I was happy NOT to participate in 😅! I'd watch the Sulzer crew do it!

[@fightingsaint14]

Love the video. I was a MRO storeroom clerk for awhile for a dairy plant. I would love to see a video on how spare parts and tools are kept on a ship.

[@PapaTanGh0stNI9htM4R3S0nMaInSt]

Inside the crank case. W0W that is some big main engine Chief.

[@praveenb9048]

50 cc moped owner here. Serious case of piston envy.

[@RickTashma]

LOL! You can't slide down into that bore, now can you? (The shot with the fellow wiping down the sleeve was *crazy*. It's huge!) Cheers...

[@jfchonors8873]

Thanks Chief for another video showing the great knowledge and skills that marine engineers exhibit

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Thanks for watching!

[@ecossearthur]

Outstanding as always!

[@matthewgruba8040]

Great video Chief. Great to se the team at the end.

[@mikevandebeld8037]

Dude, I'm a lic. HD diesel mechanic in Canada, (on road). I love these vids, always thought marine or naval engines would be super cool to work on..

[@jonathanmendoza742]

I missed this job as 1st assistant engineer @seabourn cruise line...I do really appreciate your blog chief ...very precise and clear.

[@user-gx9zm4bm6g]

Great job giving insight to the duties of the engineering crew.

[@allanrobson7242]

What a great video. It brought back many memories for me, from over forty years ago,not much has changed in all those years.

[@natopeacekeeper97]

Thanks Chief for another informative video about maintenance of the main engine. You see ships passing by in ports but seldom think about all the hard work it takes to keep all the many different systems on a ship which are involved.

[@grondhero]

Minecraft didn't quite prepare me for pistons of this size. 😆 Chief, your crew makes this labor intensive task look so smooth and easy.

[@user-iq2yp1dn1q]

much respect for the work you do, and much appreciation for producing the videos with commentary

[@toddjones1403]

The hardest working engineers I’ve ever seen…

[@petersvan7880]

This is one of the most interesting videos I've ever seen. Always curious about ship engines, so this well filmed and narated video is just amazing. A big thank you, greetings from Sweden!

[@Bryan-lg3fn]

Love your videos Chief , you have a true gift of telling storys - narrating !! I have watched many of your videos with fascination despite being in a whole other profession . Be safe out there chief and keep those great storys of your journeys on the high seas coming our way !!!

[@iskandertime747]

A serious job, performed by a professional crew! Thanks, Chief!

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Much appreciated!

[@gerardjohnson2106]

Teamwork takes a great team and a great team leader. You have both. I am impressed with your coordination and attention to detail. Thanks for sharing. 👍👍👏👏

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Thank you very much!

[@jamesmisener3006]

Cheers to the crew. 🇨🇦

[@tedneill1246]

Thanks Chief...while I am not a seaman I totally enjoy your videos, Your explanations make it easy for a novice to get a handle on the tasks at hand.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

I appreciate that!

[@bc-guy852]

So - pretty much like rebuilding the engine in my big-block-Chevy... except for all of it! Love how you can drop a guy INTO the cylinder itself for final cleaning! Incredible scale! My Chevy is jealous! Great video Chief - - that's one happy crew!

[@stuartbromley5328]

I'm a lowly car mechanic,these films really open my eyes as to wot you guys do ......total respect

[@Mrsournotes2]

Excellent video Chief! I used to work by large Clark engines like this in a natural gas compressor station. Except they turned 300 rpm (high speed 😂) 18” bores, and crankshafts were about 30’ in length. Seems they are about 80 years old by now. Anyways, love your videos!

[@maverickmyrtlebeach]

Too think my job the other day was too replace my rotors and brake pads. Love making things work again.. Thx Chief makes it look easy ~

[@Cameron12416]

I thought I was hot stuff in school pulling cylinders out of semi engines, tractors are match box cars compared to this 🤯. Amazing job and amazing crew sir

[@dezertraider]

THANK YOU CHIEF AND YOUR GREAT FOLKS..SAFE TRAVELS..

[@poodlerooney]

Another great video! It always amazes me at how many machines You and Your Crew have to be completely proficient with.

[@fountainvalley100]

It’s impressive on the tools available to the crew to accomplish the work. From lifting frames, guides, to stands seem to make the job possible and safer.

[@franciscosandiego3026]

Great video brother from the imperial county California 🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@jdmxxx38]

Thanks Chief. With your videos I get the opportunity to experience and see things that otherwise are not available to me. I enjoy every moment of this video. Thanks again

[@mattc.310]

These maintenance videos give a good look at what you and your team do. Thanks for the upload.

[@gaius_enceladus]

Great video! It really shows how much of a team effort this work is! It was interesting to see the engineers getting into some really confined spaces! I was thinking - that might be a bit small for the "Big Fella" to get into...... ;) Keep up the great work!

[@charlesgillette2925]

Excellent Chief. Thanks to ALL.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Very welcome

[@davidreyna7712]

Great video. So much hard work is accomplished by everyone. Thanks and take care.

[@para1324]

👏 Well done with this team of talented expert crew. Safe voyages and clear horizons. Respect sent to you all. 👍

[@Shawn_Richards]

Absolutely amazing work, men! Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Chief. Blessings and safety to you and your entire crew and families. ✌🏼

[@billyslide7645]

You’re a Greg teacher and leader 😊👍

[@EdilbertoAriasRolon]

OK, chief, next video, let's put a turbo to that engine. Great job. Greetings from Asunción Paraguay.

[@38911bytefree]

Love how the ship have all the tools and spares and knowledge on board to conduct this repairs. An the machinery seems to be designed to help the maintenance. Great Vid Sir.

[@torque350hp]

Thanks for the video. It's very interesting to see how these things are done. It's an important part of world infrastructure. Much appreciation to all the team being filmed, it means I can appreciate how something I have has been able to travell across the world.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@worldtraveler930]

Excellent video as always and I must admit I'm surprised that you're still posting videos I figured you would have retired by now!!! 🤠👍

[@rodjava]

Great crew you have there!

[@ChiefMAKOi]

They are!

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

Great vlog as always! I learn something new in every episode. Thank you! Keep up the good work. Be safe!

[@ianmac2963]

Really enjoyed this vid ... many thanks Chief

[@ChiefMAKOi]

My pleasure!

[@marcopellegatti]

Good job Chief and Team!

[@colinwood2687]

That was a fascinating job, Chief you have fantastic skilled team. Many thanks for sharing.🚢

[@richardwakeley2192]

Another excellent video Chief. I assume you recorded this some time ago, and maybe you are not on board now, but it is a very big coincidence that mv 'Strategic Tenacity' has just now arrived from Brazil and berthed at Sparrows Point in Baltimore, in sight of the collapsed bridge.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Yes.

[@rogerdevero8726]

Chief MAKOi : great video. Really enjoy these. God bless you, your family and your crew - John 3:16

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Glad you like them!

[@davep800]

At the end around the table, I couldn't help myself from smiling. The Chief's coveralls were still white. The other guys' were all oily and dirty. It's good to be The Chief! Good work, guys.

[@lukes5533]

Fantastic thanks for sharing Chief.👍

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@refurbansuburban]

Really well done, crew & Chief! Thanks for a really interesting video.

[@fatimaali8645]

Kumusta po chief and crew ? … another interesting video salamat 😊 I love the sound of the engine as she kicks into life ❤

[@jack50806]

Well Done! You doing a great job! Thx for filming and editing for us here~

[@toddwheeler1526]

Well done gentlemen. Beautiful machine. Top shelf stuff...Made in Germany.

[@jimmytechnologies]

Thanks for the video. You guys need to get some twisting lockwire pliers. Makes that job neat and easy.

[@darthdad160]

Love these videos!! Thank you.

[@dBateman-oe7oc]

Really enjoy your content, especially the maintenance videos. Thanks

[@nermalsnert5503]

Love seeing the engine work!

[@AugustusTitus]

Chief, you have quite the crew of Filipino professionals!

[@Rwalt61]

Another interesting video. It's always nice when you have a good crew.

[@13699111]

Thank you Chief impressive on board maintenance/repair work.

[@burryhulbertjr1429]

I don't like big water or Lil water. But ide go to sea with you chief and your crew !!

[@TheEvertw]

Awesome work, Chief! Thanks for showing!

[@rlsmith6904]

Great video. Brings back some memories.Thanks.

[@richardlincoln8438]

Well Done Chief and Crew members. Thanks for sharing this information. Best Wishes to everyone, their Families and Friends.

[@SteveMikre44]

Great skill, professionalism and teamwork...⚓

[@Lost-In-Blank]

Another wonderful video Chief ! Thanks for these.

[@ChiefMAKOi]

Glad you like them!