Trevor, thanks for that, am away from my boat right now. Is there a simple method of checking the cooler to prevent this ?
Dennis Woods ICC
IL Flauto Magico sm 408
On 17 Feb 2013, at 00:19, "seafeverofcuan" <seafeverofcuan@...> wrote:

To all members
Recently while crossing the Tehuantepec Bay a distance of 230 miles we had as anticipated light winds and lots of motoring. All fluids and filters were checked and topped off.
20 miles South of Acapulco motoring at 2300RPM at 0200hrs the engine surged a couple of times and stopped.
During long runs like that we regularly check the engine room temperatures with a laser thermometer and nothing had previously seemed amiss. The transmission unit now was 84C it is normally around 50 to 55C and the ATF fluid was gone and replaced with emulsified sea water, a grey colour from what little oil or grease there was left in the bearings etc.
The transmission had seized and after sailing for four hours to allow everything to cool down, to it's credit the transmission engaged enough ahead to allow us to motor into Acapulco gently at 1500RPM against the headwinds. It would not engage astern as the clutch was seized.
The transmission is destroyed due to a pin hole leak in the oil cooler, we had the cooler professionally cleaned in August last year and I checked it myself when I returned to the boat in October to ensure the Bowman rubber end caps and clips were in good condition.
It is a painful lesson, the engine has 3000 hours and runs like a dream, clearly that cooler now has to regularly inspected and or changed as part of my maintenance program.
I hope this email will save someone else the costs and hassle we are now incurring.
Fair winds,
Trevor Lusty

Seafever of Cuan
Super Maramu no 425
Acapulco
Mexico

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Dennis,
the only thing that I can think of and intend to do is, when installing a new transmission unit is to also have a temperature gauge fitted. In this case I am very happy that it wasn't due to neglect but just pure bad luck.
If you check your transmission fluid on a regular basis any ingress of salt water will turn the ATF fluid into a kind of strawberry frappe and you will know that you have a problem. You can bypass the cooler using the hydraulic hoses and the transmission will get you home without being destroyed. We got caught out on a thirty plus hour run and wouldn't normally have checked the ATF until setting out again.
regards,
Trevor

Trevor,
I am so sorry to hear about your transmission problem. You never
know when something will break. How will you get it replaced down
here in Mexico? We are in Zihuatqnejo for the next three weeks, only
about 112 NM North West of your location. We were in Acapulco last
year for five nights. Three on anchor and two nights in La Marina.
If you will be coming up this way we would like to meet with you and
your crew.
Our direct email address is ldesalvoatbigplanet.com
Hope to hear from you.
Jim and Linda
s/v Liebling
SM #207

Trevor, Linda and I just read your email you sent us today but
accidentally deleted it before we were finished. Please if you have
it in your sent file send it again to us at ldesalvoatbigplanet.com.
We are so looking forward to getting together with you. We have been
cursing mexico for the last 2 ½ years.
Jim and Linda
s/v lieblling, sm#207

Hi Trevor Jim, et al.
When I head west I'll have to make a decision about Mexico. My insurance won't let me sail there without paying a premium (like Venezuela and Haiti) so I guess there is significant risk over and above the rest of the Caribbean. I wondered about your cursing Mexico for 2 1/2 years, Jim. I guess that means you've found it worth staying and exploring further? Have you found it safe? Any pearls you or others would like to share?
Muchas Gracias
Kent
SM 243
Kristy
On Feb 17, 2013, at 3:08 PM, ldesalvo@... wrote:

Trevor, Linda and I just read your email you sent us today but
accidentally deleted it before we were finished. Please if you have
it in your sent file send it again to us at ldesalvoatbigplanet.com.
We are so looking forward to getting together with you. We have been
cursing mexico for the last 2 ½ years.
Jim and Linda
s/v lieblling, sm#207

---- Original Message ----
From: seafeverofcuan@...
To: amelyachtowners@...
Subject: [Amel] The importance of your transmission oil cooler
Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:19:45 -0000

To all members
Recently while crossing the Tehuantepec Bay a distance of 230 miles
we had as anticipated light winds and lots of motoring. All fluids
and filters were checked and topped off.
20 miles South of Acapulco motoring at 2300RPM at 0200hrs the engine
surged a couple of times and stopped.
During long runs like that we regularly check the engine room
temperatures with a laser thermometer and nothing had previously
seemed amiss. The transmission unit now was 84C it is normally
around 50 to 55C and the ATF fluid was gone and replaced with
emulsified sea water, a grey colour from what little oil or grease
there was left in the bearings etc.
The transmission had seized and after sailing for four hours to allow
everything to cool down, to it's credit the transmission engaged
enough ahead to allow us to motor into Acapulco gently at 1500RPM
against the headwinds. It would not engage astern as the clutch was
seized.
The transmission is destroyed due to a pin hole leak in the oil
cooler, we had the cooler professionally cleaned in August last year
and I checked it myself when I returned to the boat in October to
ensure the Bowman rubber end caps and clips were in good condition.
It is a painful lesson, the engine has 3000 hours and runs like a
dream, clearly that cooler now has to regularly inspected and or
changed as part of my maintenance program.
I hope this email will save someone else the costs and hassle we are
now incurring.
Fair winds,
Trevor Lusty

Seafever of Cuan
Super Maramu no 425
Acapulco
Mexico

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]