Sailing Pacific Mexico: Boat work in exotic locations

[@michaelmiller2599]

In 2000 I spent two and a half years singlehanding my 1966 Pearson Vanguard UHURU in Mexico and the Pacific - I ended up returning safe, selling my boat in California and then moved to San José del Cabo, MX where I lived for 21 years before returning to Michigan in 2023, buying a new Ranger Tug 29CB and now cruise Lake Michigan with friends and family. Love your videos and wish you fairwinds and the best of times 👍🏼⛵️ So glad you found the engine issue -I too had a couple gremlins after repowering with a new Yanmar (best decision ever, except selling the house, leaving my business and casting off the dock lines) sending you my best 🤙🏼

[@AfterDeath1986]

Lovely video as always guys ❤ cant wait for the next generation of videos from yall too 21:03 hahahaha yup good luck

[@CruisingMaya]

Glad you enjoyed that! Try to give a bonus for anyone who watches the whole episode!

[@AfterDeath1986]

@CruisingMaya yep it is a long time viewer, whole video watcher secret at the end ;)

[@MultiBmorgan]

I always thought glow plugs were for cold environments//thank you for your real time exclamations and frustrations.........

[@CruisingMaya]

I think glowplugs are generally necessary for cold environments, but they definitely help ignite the diesel and get the engine going in warmer climates.

[@Potomac_Aerial_and_Marine]

Awesome video - hope you get your engine trouble resolved soon. Great music, drone shots, and snorkeling video. Just subscribed. Fair winds :)

[@CruisingMaya]

We got the engine sorted :-) air in the diesel line- easy fix! Thanks for subscribing- we have cruising videos of Alaska and British Columbia if your keen on that. Cheers.

[@lindafraley5538]

Great scenery pics!

[@CruisingMaya]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@SailingSVIndigo]

Great to see a new video from you guys! We’re headed to Espiritu Santo in a few weeks. 👍🏻

[@CruisingMaya]

Thanks for watching and enjoy Mexico! La Paz is our favorite 🙂

[@kapsail]

Check your exhaust water mixer. The hot exhaust gas mixing with the saltwater create problems, you typically get a build up of carbon and rust, which restricts the exhaust flow at high rpms. My Yanmar 3YM30 started loosing RPMs and eventually wouldn't start everyone told me that my fuel pump was bad. I found a guy on the east coast, Joe Demers, who said it was the exhaust water mixer and when I took it off, it looked fine after 10 years on the outside. The inside was another story, the vertical steel web that prevented water back flow into the engine was just about totally rusted away, there was a massive build up of rust and carbon, at least 40% blockage. It turns out that for most marine engines, no mater what kind or size, the water mixers are supposed to be replaced every 5 years. Joe got me a stainless steel replacement, that solved the problem.

[@kapsail]

Joe removes the water mixer and starts the engine and runs it for a very time. If it runs fine that is the problem. The engine can't get the exhaust out of the cylenders.

[@CallSignWhiplash]

I agree that it sounds like a fuel issue. Assuming your start battery is ok and that the fuel pump is not starting to crap out on you buying from fuel docks in exotic locations can be a gamble. I made myself a two stage polisher with a pump so I could recycle the fuel at the tank clean out. Short of this option you can treat it and keep changing filters. If you have a spare fuel pump onboard you can swap it to rule it out. If the issue persists back up to the injectors.

[@CruisingMaya]

It was fuel related- we had a loose connector on the fuel line going from the tank to the engine. It was hard for us to diagnose because the connector was hidden! We found the fitting when we removed a semi permanent floorboard months later. Tightening the fitting instantly fixed the issue!

[@CallSignWhiplash]

@ lots of cussing I’m sure 🤣

[@keeldragger]

Sure sounds like it is a fuel issue. I was fighting similar engine issues a couple of years ago. The filters were all good but it turned out the pickup tube from the diesel tank was fouled!

[@CruisingMaya]

It was fuel! We had one hidden fitting in the fuel line that was slightly loose- allowing air in sometimes..... that's why the issue caused the same exact symptoms as when we changed fuel filters and had to bleed the system!

[@keeldragger]

@ that will do it!

[@MultiBmorgan]

@@keeldragger putting all this in my rolodex. hahahaha

[@BfrankColson]

I feel that the engine issue is a fuel issue. I have had simmilar starting issues due to loose connections in the fuel rail and injectors. If the fittings are leaking just a bit of air, it would make it hard to start every time, but after enough cranking, it would run but with some slight variations in power/RPM. The engine starts after cranking because the air is temporarily purged from the system until it is stopped, and air can enter the system again. The variations in RPM is there because of a loss of pressure near the leak. I would reccomend putting a wrench on every fuel fitting from the secondary filter, to the final connection at the injectors, and make sure they are at spec torque. Once you are back up and running, I would reccomend putting some fuel absorbant pad at each fitting, if they ever start leaking, the pad will turn the color of the local fuel, red here in CA, and you can re-torque that fitting.

[@markbuskens6070]

Yea good to see you and a new episode.the shaft sea leaks because the engine move forward little because of the flex motor mounts.you can put a zinc shaft collar up against the shaft seal for extra protection against it moving.check all your fuel hoses if they are older I would get new ones.It could be the screen on the pickup tube in the tank.I would try blowing in the tank to see if it felt restricted.

[@CruisingMaya]

The shaft zinc as additional protection is a great idea! The engine problem turned out to be a loose hidden fitting on the fuel line going to the engine which is why the problem manifested itself like bleeding the system after a fuel filter change.... a little bit of air in the system!

[@titusmoz]

Another great video. how amazing were those whales sharks! I had a good laugh with Disco having a good time on the seats behind you while you were working the on the engine lol. the allen key!!! nooooooo!!! take care you legends, Cheers!

[@CruisingMaya]

With a little luck we'll have another cruising in the not so distant future- thanks for your support!

[@louhand]

Since diesel engines rely on compression to continuously fire maybe there is a leak in a seal expands with use. Did you check water in the fuel? I did see RACOR fuel filters that should take care of it. Good luck.

[@matteframe]

recently chartered in the BVIs and this vid reminded me of how awesome the sea of Cortez is... can't wait to go back... also really liked your engine troubleshooting... why do I feel like being a diesel mechanic is the most important part of sailing (cruising) :) ??

[@CruisingMaya]

knowing your way around a diesel engine makes cruising so much comfortable and fun!

[@markbuskens6070]

What micron is in that Racor??should a 10 or 20,if it’s 2 they will look clean and be plugged up.check you fuel tank vent and change the big oring and small oring on the Racor lid.check hose and clamps

[@CruisingMaya]

I believe the primary was a 30 or 30 micron and secondary is 2 micron. The issue was a little air was getting into the fuel line from a hidden fitting... found the fitting months later and instantly fixed the issue.

[@Rob-r2s]

Diesels run on air, fuel and spark. You might have a cracked air hose.

[@Wanderglobe]

Thanks for another video. Awesome. Was that Madison Boatworks you were enjoying food a wine with? Love their channel as well.

[@CruisingMaya]

Yes it is! Good eye! Thanks for watching 🙂

[@jaredgrow]

@13:00, resistance at a carbon covered tip is irrelevant, it grounds at the threads, that's the only reading that matters. Glow plug is fine. Long start can be many other things but the easiest place is to test and eliminate individual sensors. If there's two wires on the top of a sensor then unplug it and jump the wires to each other, if there's only one wire to a sensor, simply unplug it. I'd start with a fresh strong battery and all clean good connections and grounds. Just testing voltage isn't good enough as even one tiny strand of wire will give you a good voltage reading, you need to test while cranking so you can see how much drop you have to know if the cable or wire is bad. Lots of hidden corrosion behind connectors or casings. Air in the fuel can be the culpret but all you need to do is run a clear return line and look for bubbles after you start it. I like to run lift pumps on small diesels so the injector pump doesn't pull double duty, also if the fuel lines go bad it's better to have a small fuel leak than a non running engine due to air bubbles.

[@CruisingMaya]

Good info on the glowplug- thanks for sharing! Issue was air getting in the diesel line from a hidden fitting under a semi-permanent floorboard. Once discovered, I tightened it and it eliminated the hard start!

[@randysmith2704]

i think you have air in the system still and need to bleed it. There should be points in the fuel system where you pump the fuel after loosening a bolt or screw. Usually there are a couple points to bleed and to get it all out, once running, you crack the injectors one by one also and get the last of the air out. That's what it sounds like to me.

[@CruisingMaya]

It was air! We had a loose fitting on the line going from the tank to the engine.... took so long to diagnose because the fitting was hidden under a semi-permanent floorboard. Tightening the fitting instantly fixed the problem 🙂

[@braddobson2060]

Try using the sails

[@CruisingMaya]

That's so much work though 😂

[@pepperwatson7784]

Lift pump

[@CruisingMaya]

Turned out to be air in the fuel line- had a hidden fitting that was loose. Tightened it up and it instantly fixed the issue!

[@jimfishalot]

Fuel filters Skipper fuel filters🎉

[@CruisingMaya]

Clean fuel makes for a good cruise

[@daviddelong7598]

i thought you sold the boat???

[@CruisingMaya]

We did, but still want to share our experiences with her.