I'll be completely honest. I don't know squat about diesel engines. I can turn it on and off, and I think I can point out where the alternator is. But if our beloved Yanmar 3GM quit working, my solution would be to hit it with a wrench. Thank goodness Vlad's here or the thing would be covered in chipped paint.
I've noticed that many liveaboard women out there are in the same boat, so to speak. Whenever engine troubles or maintenance issues come up, we often turn to someone else - usually our dudes - to fix it. I realize that's a complete and total generalization, but for most women and a lot of men, too, this is foreign territory. And wouldn't it be nice to actually figure out how this stuff works? I mean, what is this engine business all about anyway?
In order to answer my own question and to maybe help out other mechanical neophytes, I'm going to write a series of weekly posts exploring the diesel engine, routine maintenance and common problems. I know I'm calling it a "girl's" guide, but obviously anybody who's new to engine work might find it useful and possibly even entertaining, especially when I start throwing wrenches.
Nice idea! I'm looking forward to your posts. I took a 12 week class on marine diesel maintenance at a community college a couple of years ago. It really helped to work on an engine I wasn't afraid to break.
ReplyDeleteI'm a guy and I also know nothing about diesel engines. I know about the history of the diesel engine. I know they have glowplugs. That's about it.
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC! I love this idea more than I can say. Yes, there are lots of women out there who are every bit as handy with a wrench as any man but there is always a wee bit of truth in every stereotype and I am that wee bit of truth. I want to be able to bleed my diesel, change the filters, check the cooling system, change out impellers but I kind of want purple sparkly tools to do it all with.
ReplyDeleteYes! I'm that wee bit of truth, too. I'm proud to know that if the little pipe sticking out the back of the boat doesn't have water pouring out of it when the engine is running, that's a BAD thing. Not to mention that I'm not sure I could hold my body in the contorted poses required to reach many parts of our current engine. What an excellent idea. I'm looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI hope we have an engine left after I'm done with it! And now I have to slog through "The Care and Repair of Small Marine Diesels." This is Vlad's bedtime reading material, but for me, not so much. If only I had sparkly tools!
ReplyDeleteAck! That book makes my eyes close and my breathing heavy. It's Mike's bedtime reading, too, and I just fail to understand that at all. I fear that on some level I believe him to be a separate species as he lies comfortably, head gently on the pillow, attention riveted to story line in that book.
ReplyDeleteYour blog will make MUCH more interesting reading. Thanks for pre-digesting that info for us! Vlad needs to buy you some tools that sparkle.