The Pressure is ON!
The diesel mechanic arrived this morning at 8:00 AM. If you read the last post, you know that my oil pressure gauge was reading 0 PSI after I changed the oil in Annie. My assumption was a bad sending unit, bad gauge, or bad oil pump. Turns out the gauge was the culprit. At the Yanmar parts store they said the gauge was over $500 bucks! What?! Was it made from platinum and 24ct. gold?! After they picked me up off the floor, I refused to spend that much money on a gauge.
Solution, a $19 manual oil pressure gauge from Advanced Auto. No more sending unit and electronic gauge.
Oil is sent to the gauge from the tapping in the engine's oilway by a small-bore (3mm) pipe, usually copper or plastic. The pipe enters the passenger compartment via a grommeted hole in the bulkhead, and joins the stub on the back of the gauge via a knurled connector. The gauge contains a flexible coiled tube called a bulb, the open end of which is rigidly mounted to the gauge's outer casing. The other end of the bulb is closed and connected by a lightweight linkage to the bottom end of the needle, which is itself mounted on a pivot. Oil is fed into the bulb from the supply pipe at very nearly the same pressure as it left the engine. The bulb tries to straighten under the pressure and in doing so moves the needle around the calibrated gauge scale. The greater the pressure, the more the needle moves... simple. (see diagram below).
As with all boat projects it was a little involved, but all in all, it was an easy job. While the diesel mechanic was here, he also adjusted my dripless seal to ensure I had proper shaft lubrication on my trip to Carrabelle. Annie is almost ready to cast off on her voyage.
TWO WEEKS!
Pics below...
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| Not a perfect match with it red needle, but that's fine |
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| Yes... I cleaned off the excess butyl tape |
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