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Old 04-23-2010, 08:20 PM   #1
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What to watch for when years "on the hard"

I am trying to evaluate a fiberglass trawler that has been sitting on land for four years (in the south, no frost). *Obviously, a good surveyor is needed, but are there any special things that happen when a (dual engine diesel) trawler sits on land for a number of years? *The broker told me the engines have been run every month or so... not sure how...? *The boat is otherwise attractive, but what are the unusual things one should watch out for?*Thanks for any of your comments and thoughts.
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Old 04-24-2010, 03:52 AM   #2
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

How lucky do you feel?

The engines are the huge gamble and you will not be able to judge what your getting without a bunch 10-50 hours of operation.

The hassle is diesels are basically wide open to a breeze and moisture so rust of the cylinders is the danger.

A diesel can be land started with a hose to provide coolant on the sea water side , but the engine with no load is suffering from cold operation , which will blow acid into the oil.

The proper technique was of course to pickle the engine , a tedious process but an engine can survive a decade or two of storage when done right .

If the boat is worth the effort price wise I would launch it start it for 10 min and change the oil and filters.

I would then demand about 20 hours of moderate to heavy loaded operation and call the engine guy to do a blowdown test.

However if it smokes white when warmed up , after 20 hours , just tell the engine guy to bring an inframe kit (if an industrial block) or an engine or two if a throwaway like a Cat 3208.

Good luck,
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Old 04-24-2010, 07:40 AM   #3
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

Thank you so much! That is a lot to think about... and I am way out of my league! *The boat overall is an attractive deal, but it sounds as if it could easily turn very ugly. The engines are two 120 Lehman diesels, one was rebuilt shortly before the boat was stored, and the other has about 3000 Hours on it. *Closed cooling system with two new heat exchangers were installed at the time of the rebuild.
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Old 04-25-2010, 06:09 AM   #4
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

Remember OIL IS CHEAP! so although a quart in 5 hours would be a minor expense , its only the African Queen smoke that might be a bother.

Tell the Y-C you are a mosquito remediation boat for cover.

The worst it will cost you might be lifting the engine and yanking the head.

A portable hone will clean up any cylinders that have such deep rust pits that she burns oil and smokes too much.

Not a big $$$ deal , mostly just time, but a water run would tell you what is needed.

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Old 04-25-2010, 10:51 PM   #5
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

If you have any questions about FL120s I suggest you call American Diesel and talk to Bob or Brian (his son) Smith. Bob did a lot of the original marinization work on the Ford of England diesels that Lehman Brothers marinized into the FL120, FL135, etc. There is probably no outfit on the planet with as much knowledge of these engines as American Diesel. They can tell you what to watch out for, what sort of work engines that have sat for several years might need, and so forth. They are the true pros when it comes to these engines, and the good news is they're real nice guys and should be happy to answer all your questions. They are also the best parts source for Lehman diesels these days.
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Old 04-26-2010, 04:52 AM   #6
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

This is really simple - but requires hard bargaining. Obtain an* installed price for rebuilt diesels. As a guess, the engines will be about $7-10K each but labor?? Then discount from fair market value. Lots of good running vessels out there so don't be antsy.
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Old 04-26-2010, 07:10 AM   #7
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

i agree with sunchaser
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Old 04-26-2010, 07:21 AM   #8
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RE: What to watch for when years "on the hard"

dutchprof, call american diesel corp and brian or bob smith will anwser the phone, these guys know everything there is to know about the lehman. they also sell drop in replacement engines and all the parts. http://www.amerdsl.com/
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