Porter,

 

It really doesn’t matter how you do it but you need to create internal engine heat to clean out the engine. This is done with a load on the engine. If in neutral, it will take longer to create a load and heat. In gear while underway will heat up the engine faster.

 

This is true for all diesel engines.

 

Where you run the RPM depends on the engine. Typically, 80% of max power will heat up the engine nicely without too much strain. This is also good for the turbocharger, if fitted with one.

 

How long? At least every couple of hours while underway, if not a little more frequently... We run ours up every hour for about five minutes. This works for us.

 

Keep in mind, this is not just the ship’s engine but also true for the genset. Running a genset without load will cause carbon buildup. Keep the genset loaded when charging batteries etc. We find it best to run a couple of AC units or do a load of laundry etc. The battery charger only puts load on the genset at the beginning of the charge cycle.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

With best regards,

 

Mark

 

Skipper

Sailing Vessel - Cream Puff - SM2K - #275

Currently cruising - Curacao

www.creampuff.us

 

From: amelyachtowners@... [mailto:amelyachtowners@...]
Sent: Saturday, July 7, 2018 11:35 AM
To: amelyachtowners@...
Subject: Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] engine cruising RPM

 

 

Ok. Bullshit aside. 

I do have a few real questions, that I’ve had for a while. 

It’s the same for all diesels. Yes?  

Is “racing” out of gear best?  I would think load would be required to increase fuel consumption and thus heat. Fuel burn>>heat dissipation 2/2 raw water flow. 

Forget the rpm. Where is the throttle?  100% down? 80%?  

And for how long?  

 

Many thanks, as always to this great group. 

 

Porter

A54-152. 

 

 

Excuse the errors.  

Sent from my IPhone 

Www.fouribis.com

On Jul 7, 2018, at 9:02 AM, 'Mark Erdos' mcerdos@... [amelyachtowners] <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 

Bob,

 

Wow! Sorry. I didn’t realize I had to be so freaking specific. Seriously! The essence of the post I made is 100% correct. I didn’t intend to make a verbatim quote of the manual. If  I had, I would have used quotation marks. I stated this is OUTLINED in the manual. I did not say this is a DIRECT QUOTE from the manual. Geeez! And, please note I did say 4JH4 manual, not 4JH3 as you are quoting.

 

But if you want specific details of the JH4 Operation Manual, publication number OAJH4-G00102, page 78. I quote, “Periodically operate the engine near maximum speed while underway. This will generate higher exhaust temperatures, which help clean out hard carbon deposits, maintain engine performance and prolong the life of the engine”

This is below the section you quote about running it in idle and speaks specifically about running the engine while underway.

 

Regardless of whether this is done in neutral or in gear while underway, the purpose of the procedure is to raise the internal temperature of the engine periodically to remove carbon build up. Carbon build up will kill a diesel engine.

 

I’m feelin’ a little crabby today. Can you tell?

 

 

With best regards,

 

Mark

 

Skipper

Sailing Vessel - Cream Puff - SM2K - #275

Currently cruising - Curacao

www.creampuff.us

 

From: amelyachtowners@... [mailto:amelyachtowners@...]
Sent: Saturday, July 7, 2018 3:20 AM
To: amelyachtowners@...
Subject: RE: [Amel Yacht Owners] engine cruising RPM

 

 

Hi Mark,

Regarding "Running a lower RPMs without load will shorten the life of the engine unless it is pushed up at least once per hour for about 5 minutes. This is outlinede in the Yanmar operation manual."

 

This is not to challenge the veracity of your statement but I cannot find that in my Yanmar manual. Maybe you have a different manual and it would be helpful (really) to have you quote what it says. 

 

What my 4JH3-HTE Operation Manual says (on page 30 section 4.6) is: 

 

"When operating the engine at low speed ffor long periods of time, race the engine once every 2 hours"..."Racing the Engine, Morse Remote Control Handle Pull out the handle lever...and shift the engine speed from high to low several times...Racing the engine removes carbon built up in the compustion chamber around the fuel injection valve.  Neglecting to race tthe engine will cause the exhaust to turn black and lower the efficiency of the engine".

 

In other words it says to gun the engine several times while it is in neutral.

 

Like others, we vary my speed between 1600 and 2200 for cruising and can cruise up to 2400 rpm.  We also run it at say 2800 for 5 minutes or so periodically.  However, I cannot find where Yanmar recommends this.  There are postings in this group (not yours) that say to run it full out for 5 minutes, even full out fo 30 minutes but I don't think that is advisable. Seems that vibration is higher and it might be hard on the transmission and c drive as well.  Like most of us we vary the speed and run it harder at times but we also do the "Racing" procedure that is in our manual.

 

Bob and Suzanne, KAIMI #429

La Maddalena, Sardegna