120 hp Lehman

So down here cruising the USVI and the tappets a tad noisy . Checked them and had a problem when setting #5. Very little travel in opening thevalve. So checked the stroke of valves and found discrepancies in travel. Need to pull the engine and install a new camshaft.
So the question is anyone know a good Lehman mechanic in the BVI,s USVI,s?

I'd think a good old school diesel mechanic can do the job for you or you could always pull the engine, crate it and ship it to a rebuilder here in the states. ~$10-11K plus shipping. We had our FL SP135 rebuilt last year. Parts where you're located could be a problem and slow things down if you missing anything.

Are you sure its the camshaft and not something in the valve train? Do you have enough room to do it "in-frame?"

Sorry, this is not an answer to your question...

I don't think I'd bother with it till you got back to the states.

If you are coming back that is.

Capt.Bill11 said:

I don't think I'd bother with it till you got back to the states.

If you are coming back that is.

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If cam is getting ground down, I would not chance trying to run it back to the states. Good chance it would not make it.

Replacing cam can be a good bit of disassembly. Not sure what it would take on that motor. Only time I have pulled a cam on that engine was when it was in the shop fully torn down. With a fully built engine and no tappet cover you have to do some trickery with magnets holding up tappets. Oil pan has to come off and maybe head. Need lots of room ahead of engine for cam to insert. Cam is as long as the engine.

Probably some local mechanics up to the job, just need to ask around. There have been many situations where stateside mechs have been flown in with a crate of parts and tools.

One of the lobes on our cam was found to be out of speck. The rebuilder sent it to a shop he uses somewhere in the mid west. I was told they had to build up the one lobe and then regrind it. It added 2 weeks to the rebuild schedule. That's one of the reasons I'm for pulling the engine and shipping it back to the US. You're in the USVI and there is regular freight service to the US via the water and no customs to deal with.

When I was at Bomac Marine's shop last year, he had a couple of rebuilt FL120's on the floor. At the time, we would do an exchange.

Have a mechanic check your push rods and lifters on #5. Be surprised if one lobe of cam would be out of specs.

IF you have the parts ready to do the job, remove the injectors and build a jury rig (redneck mechanic) pressure line to screw into all the injector holes and pressurise all the cylinders with air it will hold all the valves up in place while you change over the cam.

Yes stil a hiccup

Still working on the camshaft hiccup.
Thanks to all for your replies.

So far all marina's in the USVI are full,and only found one helpfull mechanic.

Looks like I'l be returning to the BVI's and persuing matters there, I can find a berth and the boats due to be haued in Virgin Gorda at the end of the month for the hurricane season anyway.

Looks like I will have to come down in the fall and take the engine out and do it myself. Shame is I took the engine out Feb 2016 and changed the oil pump. (not related to this problem).

Just means the last part of our cruise to Puerto Rico wil be shelved.

Martin J said:

Still working on the camshaft hiccup.
Thanks to all for your replies.

So far all marina's in the USVI are full,and only found one helpfull mechanic.

Looks like I'l be returning to the BVI's and persuing matters there, I can find a berth and the boats due to be haued in Virgin Gorda at the end of the month for the hurricane season anyway.

Looks like I will have to come down in the fall and take the engine out and do it myself. Shame is I took the engine out Feb 2016 and changed the oil pump. (not related to this problem).

Just means the last part of our cruise to Puerto Rico wil be shelved.

Click to expand...

I'd take it to PR to work on it. Better flights, more parts and service options.

I may be totally wrong here, but, did you always have this problem. If it just started go with others advice. I had a tapping sound in my FL120 and it was driving me crazy. Did everything to locate/stop it. Then I figured it out. When replacing my fuel lift pump I notice a lot of slack between the LP arm and activating lobe. Investigated. No lobe, the LP arm is struck by the rod journal as the crank rotates. Bingo! The rod slapping the arm is making the tapping sound. When finished with install I ran the engine. Bingo again, that's the source. Hope this helps.