It's been a long time since I have written anything longer than an Instagram or Facebook update on SailSurfROAM. The last couple of years Liss and I have really stayed away from the computer as much as possible and made the most out of our time whilst out cruising.
However currently I’m in self isolation on ROAM after just getting back from a work trip on a Lay Vessel in India and using the time to get some maintenance on ROAM. So I find I have a little spare time.
The last couple of years ROAM has been in that magic period where the new boat gremlins are taken care of but it's still relatively new so we haven't had too many things to fix. But a little maintenance is alway in order. Today was engine maintenance day.
#Note the red dirt in the engine hatches blew over from mainland Australia to Tasmania during the Black Summer fires! Ive since cleaned it out ;)
ROAM has 2 Lombardini 40 HP sail drives (LDW1404M’s) and they have been pretty good. Their 1000hr service is just up now. But today I had to get a bit rough and drill out a fastener to get it off…
I was checking the heat exchanged tube nest for build up of scale (usually just oxidised anode mess) but had an issue with one of the machine screws on the cap. Leaking water from the raw water pump had corroded the fastener to the point that the allen key stripped it out. They are ferrous fasteners not stainless steel.
I’m using the wire to clean out the mess the heat exchanger anode leaves behind. I pulled the whole tube nest at the 500hr service but its was all clear at the other end so I decided to just clean from one end this time.
I have been nursing the leaking raw water pump for a while. They leak raw water out of the drain in the cavity. It's just a few drips but its a pain in the ass. From new Lombardini has a small hose barb on one of the 4 drains on the cavity (I guess they expect this leak?) but it's fitted at 3 O’Clock not 6 O’Clock for some reason??
This is the drain tube I added to the factory supplied hose barb on the raw water pump cavity drain. I didn’t fit it early enough before enough raw water ended up on the heat exchanger cap fastener and eventually wrecked it.
After we noticed some salt build up on the engine under the cavity I moved the hose barb to 6 O’clock and fitted a tube to direct the drips into the bilge. Both motors leak about the same.
The leak in the raw water pump has not seemed to get any worse but now I’m home I’m keen to know if others have had this issue with these engines, if so what you did about it? Is there an alternative raw water pump that would suit this motor?
Appreciate any feedback.
Cheers
Mick