Boat Yard LVI

10-27-06

I got my instruments the other day, and I have been working on the panel and getting them hooked up to the engine for the past couple of days. I made a panel for my test stand and mounted all the instruments into it for the test run. To the left is a picture of the panel with the instruments mounted. To the right is a picture of the back of the panel with some of the wiring hooked up. I don't know positive from negative so this was a real challenge for me. The only  instrument that had any directions was the tachometer so the rest of them I had to figure out on my own.

To the left is a picture of the engine with wires hanging everywhere. I didn't think a diesel engine had to have all those wires hooked up to it but I guess you have to monitor the engine somehow, and that means you need wires to do it with. To the right is a picture of the instruments mounted on the test stand all wired and ready to go. All I have left to do is finish hooking up the alternator and the raw water pump and I will be ready to crank the engine. The moment of truth is almost at hand!

10-31-06

The good news is the engine runs great! I got her started and she purred like a kitten. I really expected a lot more noise, but she really ran quiet. I had a slight problem with the starter disengaging from the ring gear which burned up my starter but I got that problem solved and now I just need to build some time on the engine to make sure everything is running properly and no leaks.

11-17-06

It's been some time since I've updated my site, but my computer crashed again and I have been working hard to reconstruct my site and restore most of my data files. I think I have just about everything back to normal so here goes again!

I finished the painting in the bilges and I've been working on my fuel tank lately trying to get it ready to install. I have to get the port tank in before I can put the port engine in. To the left is a picture of the last two layers of glass on the tank and to the right is the lid for the tank with the access panels laid out on it so I could mark them to cut out the holes.

To the left is a picture of the lid showing the cutouts for the access panels and the fittings for the tank. To the right is a little closer view of the fittings.