angus99
Guru
Our two Lehman 135s have been sitting up for two years. American Diesel recommends that before starting them I build oil pressure by holding the stop solenoid closed while someone at the helm turns the engine over. In 8 to 10 cranks of less than 5 seconds each, the starboard engine showed no pressure on the dash gauge. In subsequent attempts pressing the start button seemed to bump the starter and then disengage. (There is no hydro lock; I checked.) We tried the port engine but gave up after 6 or 7 times with no oil pressure showing. There were no bump/disengage episodes on port.
AD suggests putting a remote oil gauge on the block oil pressure port to rule out problems with the dash gauges. If there's still no pressure, they recommend removing the oil and "force lubricating" by injecting it back into the crankcase through the block port under external pressure.
My questions for the mechanically inclined on this forum:
- what are the most likely causes of no oil pressure? They ran fine previously and I changed oil just before the boat was put up. It looks pristine on the dipstick.
- are there any other ways to determine if the engines are building adequate pressure besides a remote gauge? (Nobody around here seems to have one.)
- any other tricks to building pressure in the block other than removing and injecting it back under pressure? If that's the only course, how much pressure should I use?
This has already consumed the better part of two days and probably most of my good will with the excellent folks at AD, so I am looking for additional input.
Many thanks.
AD suggests putting a remote oil gauge on the block oil pressure port to rule out problems with the dash gauges. If there's still no pressure, they recommend removing the oil and "force lubricating" by injecting it back into the crankcase through the block port under external pressure.
My questions for the mechanically inclined on this forum:
- what are the most likely causes of no oil pressure? They ran fine previously and I changed oil just before the boat was put up. It looks pristine on the dipstick.
- are there any other ways to determine if the engines are building adequate pressure besides a remote gauge? (Nobody around here seems to have one.)
- any other tricks to building pressure in the block other than removing and injecting it back under pressure? If that's the only course, how much pressure should I use?
This has already consumed the better part of two days and probably most of my good will with the excellent folks at AD, so I am looking for additional input.
Many thanks.