"Life is what happens while we make other plans." You ARE making progress and WILL be cruising again. Don't give up, keep faith, and enjoy your break in Australia.
Man they really screwed up your engine repair. Looks like it spun the camshaft bearings. By shaving the camshaft cover, it lowered the cover which made the bearings pinched to an oval shape instead of round. After the shave, they needed to re-cut the camshaft journals round again to prevent this screwup. (the journals are where the bearings sit) Now it also looks like the bearing surface on the camshaft itself is scared up. This is not your fault and I hope they fix it for you without making it worse.
If they don't do it right it might work OK for a while and you will be rattling again and you will probably need a new engine then. Sure hope they do it right. Ask for a warranty in writing.
Wow, so sorry guys. That is a set back in plans. But hay. You still own an amazing boat, you will get itt sorted & your cruising plans will come together eventually. Chin up guys😀👍 SV Kiwi Lady Opua Bay of islands New Zealand 👍🏿.
My first thought also.....those bearings have definitely spun and sorry to hear you've got another set back mate. This will soon be all behind you though. Try enjoy your Christmas in the meantime. Cheers.
The cam bearings have been completely destroyed by machining the deck of the bearing cap, without align boring the tolerances back for the camshaft....this is 101 of what not to do in an engine machine shop. You will need to either replace the head and cam or get a good properly equipped engine machine shop to fix it for you. The people you have doing the job now have not got the expertize or the machine tools to do this job properly. It is NOT just a matter of cleaning the engine and putting it back together....This problem is fatal for the engine, if not fixed properly by a competent engine reconditioning shop with quality equipment.
Reflecting....I know what I would do if I was setting out to explore the world in a yacht with a wife and 2 little kiddies on board. I would put a brand new, well regarded make of engine in, that offers the best world wide service available. I would not be shipmates with this damaged engine, unless it is fully repaired by a first class engine reconditioning company....which may not even be available in that part of the world....
As for the other guys saying this is not your fault. They are 100% correct. The backyard mechanic has destroyed the camshaft. It will need a new housing bearings and camshaft. The valves may have been slapping the pistons hence the noise.
For the safety of you and your family I strongly suggest installing a new engine. Reliability is critical for the type of sailing you plan to do and I strongly believe this engine cannot be made reliable with the resources available to you in your location. I know the cost is a major consideration for you but the risk to your family is very, very high with the current engine, even with a rebuild. Even if it means more time without being out on the water you will be glad you installed a new engine when you look back a year from now.
Very wise, John. I like your comment. Folks, Safety First! Do not try to save money in Safety. Can you honestly say, that the boat floats like a Storm-proofed cruiser (including a running motor, a waterproof rudder compartment, secured shroudscrews at the tensioner (minute 2:39))? Lifevests 4 all (to be worn!), Safetynet on the railing, child-secure interior (benchmark is heavy weather), Life-Lines on the deck, etc. etc. A brand new Liferaft will not compensate any of these issues ... Best, M.
Sounds like they need to get you a new engine. Metal shavings will damage everything inside even if they clean it, the damage is already done. Don't give up!
Patience Capt. Flaco, you still have your gorgeous mermaid with two new sailors. Rest and come with energy nest year. Love, OsoYolo, Antigua Guatemala.
Hang in there and thank you for sharing your story with us. I like to think, in situations like this, that you are paying it forward for great things to come! Stay focused on the long game and try not to let this feel defeating.
I reckon you just sail the hell out of there and find another country with a more reputable diesel mechanic. You have been taken for a ride by your mechanic . . . . I reckon old mate is punching above his weight but hopefully after your Christmas break and speaking to everyone about the issue, you will get some good advice and perspective and head back to your boat with a new plan that you are confident will work. All the best to you and your gorgeous family Kieren, those twins of yours crack me up, their facial expressions are gold!
feel so sorry for you! Stackars er! I hope you can try to relax a little in Australia, with your loved ones, and have a Peaceful and Merry Christmas, after all! Love from Sweden
I Like that family. And spezially like that mother who handel this youtube-situation very naturally. Greart!! Actualy i am proud of Europa . The peoples are not that show up fanaticly.. sorry my english. Hope you understand what i mean.. Cheers to all out there. Peace and Love.. And thanks for that young parents with that beautyful Twins. Stay as you are! Just Great
I am so sorry for you 😢, but also admiring your calm; I would have given the mechanic a verbal punishment for ruining your engine. Your cruising plans are not destroyed: you plan your work, work your plan and then adapt 😊. Have a nice Christmas and happy new year back in Australia. I see you cruising next year.
Man, I'm sorry for your troubles. Keep the faith. Just keep knocking the problems down, one at a time, as they present themselves; you'll get here, eventually. I mean, really, just consider it a low-stakes training for parenthood. Though, to that point, dealing with the boat, and a pair, of infants... oh, man... what a lot to deal with. Best of luck with all of it. You can get through this.
I feel it for you guys. That’s really horrible service. Kudos for keeping your calm and cool demeanor. I think you made the right decision to get off the boat, enjoy Christmas back home and deal with it next year. Best of luck Captain.
Quick try is make a spacer all the way round to lift it but it will be required to be perfect, gasket seal all the way round then get a good mechanic somewhere else. A good mechanic will be able to make the spacer correctly, skim and seal then it can be good unless the camshafts are now U/S.
What a feeling of ugh.. I mean how do you explain it any better.. Boats are either a sense of joy and happiness then a feeling of utter disappointment.. Sorry for the set back it will get better.. You have a wonderful family that brings joy to me..
I am so sad that your cruising plans have been postponed. I pray for a complete correction to the engine issues, special time spent with your family and friends, and a new start in 2025. Your supporters/subscribers will wait for your eventual return to cruising.
I'm impressed by your mental strength and positive attitude. Would it be time to consider a new engine? In addition to its flaws, the old one may have some extensive hours.
You have come so far in the past 6 months and I can imagine how defeating it is to think you have crossed the finish line only to find it has been moved further out in front of you again. Are you defeated? no, just delayed. You took on a huge project with some obvious needs and some not so obvious. Best that you get the bugs all worked out before you put your lovely wife and 2 adorable babies in a potentially dangerous situation, harm coming to anyof them would sting a lot more than a few more fixes on your floating home. Be well, Merry Christmas.
Ouch! When I heard that clatter my first thought was valve train , lifter or bent push rod at best , spun cam bearing at worst? I am sorry after all the patience you showed with the mechanic he has really let you guys down, I suspect BaronKreger has it correct the cam bearings sow damage they should be mirror smooth! Planning the cover requires a recheck of all the geometry clearly a miss by both the machine shop and the mechanic? I have unfortunately had similar issues in my adventures as a project engineer working in the developing countries of the world . Keep your chin up and be nice but keep his feet to the fire. To get this done correctly!
I am so sorry you guys!😢 please do not feel defeated.Because everything happens for a reason.... From my 30 plus years of experience with boats It is all about patience. everyone's patience. We'll eventually run thin. But in your case, I do believe that everything will end up perfect in the end. I think you will have a fine vessel for the precious cargo. You absolutely should go spend some needed time away with your family in Australia for sure. Then of course you will come back and be refreshed. Love you guys and wish you a Merry Christmas!!
I feel so bad for you guys. I’d be devastated too. I hope that someday you have a reliable engine but honestly I don’t have faith in your mechanic. That being said taking the engine out and apart is the right call now. It would have been easy for them to put in a big gasket, change the oil and get you on your way. But that wouldn’t have been the right thing to do, so maybe there is hope for this mechanic. Wishing you the best. Btw you have a beautiful family and I hope you continue sailing.
I just wanted to add I had a very unreliable engine for a few years. I finally had enough so I purchased a brand new one. Then I had an unreliable new engine. So please don’t think a new engine will solve all your problems. One positive thing about having an unreliable engine it did make me a better sailor. First thing I do is put up the sail or sails even if I plan to motor. I just always try to have a backup plan. And I practice sailing into and out of our marina. If the engine breaks I don’t panic because I have practiced sailing back. Again best wishes.
Is there anybody in or near that boat yard that knows what they're doing it seems like everybody that's worked on your boat has half assed everything.you might wanna get a new motor just cut your losses. I don't think this guy's gonna fix anything. With all that metal shavings that head now definitely has to be replaced unless he can grow metal
Bummer on the motor. If it can be fixed, it will be. The good thing is all are well, the babes are fine and healthy, and your going to be with family for a while and that will be wonderful‼️ Merry Christmas ✨✝️✨🎄✨❤
😀😀😀👍👍👍❤❤❤ You all have a good rest back home for the Holidays. 2025 should be a much better year, indeed! That two-bit mechanic really screwed up your camshaft bearings! Now more time and money will be wasted! I do hope you will be able to get all your other projects completed during this additional downtime. The twins and Mom look fabulous! The little ones are growing like weeds. Bye for now from Seattle, WA. (Northwest USA)
Sounded like a cam or rod bearing gone bad to me. The video shows spun cam bearings. Cleaning alone will not fix it. You likely need a new engine or a competent rebuild. For the mechanic to tell you it was an engine mount I call BS, that did not sound like any eng mount issue I ever saw. I'd suggest finding a different mechanic asap. Good luck and enjoy Christmas in Oz.
At least you caught it early. I'm not a big fan of lots of insulation. I want to hear my engine at least a little. The engine will always tell you if something isn't right. Glad you got to safe port. Try not to let it get you down too much. In my opinion, some mechanical knowledge can be helpful, but that is just me. Personally I don't like to trust mechanics, but sometimes you don't have a choice. Enjoy your christmas
Sad to see ongoing engine problems for you. I had more trouble with the engines (2) in my boat than everything else combined. Even a new Yanmar didn't end the constant mechanical repairs. Alternators, heat exchangers, starter motors, muffler, transmission, injectors, fuel pumps. It was a constant and unending maintenance and repair/replacement battle. And I didn't use the engine for more than 30 minutes at a time most days as my fuel capacity was only 40 gallons. Eventually each issue got fixed and I could keep sailing until the next breakdown. I was without power for three months waiting for the new diesel engine to get shipped to me. What a pain the motor is on many sailboats.
First time watching your show, dam that's rough, prays for you and your family, hope you get the issues sorted soon m8, I was on a yaught years ago when the engine seized needing total rebuild near Gladstone Qld, took some time to get repaired but eventually all was good. Hope to see your back sailing again soon 😊.
I’m so sorry to hear this about the engine but looking on the positive side I’d didn’t stop out at sea 🌊 and you get to spend Christmas with the family and friends happy Christmas to all four of you take care xx 😢🎉
Really feel you guys, well handled given the circumstances and time you have spent to get to this point. Tricky position to be in with the current mechanic - at this point if you want confidence in your boat I feel you will need a replacement engine - sigh.
A new head at least will be required. The cam bearing surfaces are machined into the head. When he skimmed the camshat cap he reduced bearing to shaft clearance and once the engine was run under load and fully warmed up there was insufficient clearance for oil to get into the brearing to float the shaft. It then got hot and started galling the metal. There will likely be metal flakes throghout the engine now. It needs to be stripped right down, inspected and repaired properley to ever be reliable. That is caused by total incompetance and is NOT your fault or liability. He needs to repair itt correctly with new parts at his expense. Any work done like that has a warranty, unless they don't have consumer protection law in that country.
With the amount of time, energy and money wasted on this engine, only a new engine will give you peace. They mucked it up and should get this done before you return from Christmas vacation…at least that’s what would happen in a dream world. You’re still blessed with beautiful healthy kids..the rest can be worked out. You may have less hair by then, but hey, it’s just hair❤😊
Don't give up hope, try to think about the problem as a, thank the gods we weren't thousands of miles away and the motor blew up completely situation...hopefully cause the repair caused the problem the mechanic will get on it right away....and you'll have longer stay in Oz... cheers
This sucks. I feel for you. If you can swing it, maybe time to be prudent and just get a new engine, for your families sake. The same engine 4JH4 - 75 hp, in the boat I work on is under US$6k ( base price) Maybe a go fund me, I’ll contribute to this.
And to think the engine was professionally rebuilt and had run less than 1k hours since ..! There is so much work still to do on that boat, as many important jobs were rushed and executed in a sloppy manner - including a cracked bulkhead - a structural part of your boat! I will never understand why you decided to have the engine rebuilt again - in a country that lacks many of the tools and parts to do a good job, and where there is a huge language barrier ... without a proven need to do so.
Hey hey, you made a good job of the boat so far. Have you considered crowd funding a brand new unit? Hope you can keep your enthusiasm going. What ever you do, stay safe.🥂
Wow, that is quite a blow. I'm not sure I understand where this aluminum came from. Crazy ! But, at least you have your absolutely beautiful family to enjoy. Hoping for the best !
If that explanation was right, you should see the cam lobes wear marks on the underside of the cam cover. They must of ground helps off. Recommend a replacement head and thorough clean.
Build 2 Bicycle Seats for that cockpit for your kids to sit safely with you. Contact Sailing Ran for how Yoren built his. It freed up both of them to sail hands free. You will not regret it.
That doesn't sound right to me. Where you wiped the cam shaft housing there should be a bearing and not just alloy, it almost sounds like the cam shaft is running on the alloy housing with the bearings missing and this will cause major issues and fail very quickly. Difficult to say from your video but I suggest you look up a schematic of your engine and it will show what bearings should be between the camshaft and the housing. The bearings are shells and come in two parts upper and lower are are essential to making the engine run smoothly. Also getting the fragments out of the engine will be a skilled task and it needs to be perfectly clear of all fragments including all oil ways. All a bit doom and gloom sorry, but its important you get the job done properly otherwise you will have more problems further down the line. Also if the cam housing was skimmed due to it warping then it would make a nasty sound of the camshaft hitting the housing every time the camshaft went around it would not be intermittent. Good luck 🙂
did they say they had run it in ? if so how long it looks like the cam seats are scoured if it took 1 ,1/2 hours when fixed you have to run it twice as long but my trust in the repair is very low
Maybe life is telling you that there are better options. Maybe put a pin in it for now Australia is a great place to live for a couple of years then the kids will be older and much easier to care for on the boat Just a thought
If I were there I would have been interested in determining where the noise was coming from, hence i see he grabbed a screw driver no doubt stuck it to his ear, I don't quite understand why he shaved that face, without having some understanding of what it would do to those cam shaft bearings. I thought maybe they used a shim (hard to imagine t got so pitted). But nevermind. I know others have commented unfavourably about the mechanics, but I really think they have to see it thru, see what they come up with. But nothing stopping you doing research on a contingency. Like a new head.
It's sucks man..!! Don't take my word for it but I think on chain driven engines when head is shaved it shortens distance to the main shaft and affecting timing.. Good luck ..!!
I watch a lady sailors channel she too had engine problems. Her solution was to buy a rebuilt engine. Rather than deal with the nightmare this questionable machine shop has caused drop a certified rebuilt engine in. Praying for you….Fred in Texas 🙏
I’ve found that having someone rebuild an engine, do machining work, is fraught with issues. I’ve had several motorcycles worked on only to regret it. Personally i probably would have used some gasket goop instead of having them machine the cam cover. Of course that’s all in hindsight. Oil leaks just require more oil. I would not trust them to do anymore work. And I would try to get good used parts instead of having more machine work done. It’s fairly amateur ish to not know more machining work needed to be done than just machining the gasket surface when there’s bearings involved. If parts can’t be found a used engine would be my preference. To trust them to tear that engine down and clean and…..and then there’s a chance more engine damage has been done to other bearings with all of the aluminum shavings. I’d request to see the oil when it’s drained and have the oil filter cut apart. That will tell you how much material got into the motor. Request they show you the oil and cut apart the filter, when they drain the oil. I’m sorry you guys are dealing with this.
I don’t understand why this event even occurred. People make mistakes but this is such a straight forward overall issue regarding clearances and good procedures not in place it’s disheartening. Sorry for your situation ..Good luck
Hi, after watching your video, looks like the top end was dry of oil😢 either way the engine should be repaired under warranty. For reliability I would bite the bullet and fit a NEW full engine, I don't know what you paid for the rebuild by the butcher, sorry mechanic but for the saftey of your young family I would not hesitate
They have 100% trashed that engine by causing the cam cap clearance issue, yes you at min need a new head..... yes you need to dis assemble the engine , clean , and repair as needed due to the metal transfer etc... I'd look carefully at a new crate engine as the best long term fix
The following work is a minimum •Tunnel bore camshaft bearings •Replace all bearings including main and big end Strip clean and inspect complete engine
This is wrong on so many levels, Totally feel for you two. Most important is you need to stop calling that guy a mechanic. He is a butcher, nothing less and would not trust that engine as far as I could throw it.
You are so close. This is an engine builder issue. They should make it right tno matter what. They should cover the marina fees too. Now, is that going to happen? I understand the leverage here may not all be in your favor.
When youre back in aussy. Contact minards marine diesel. In new south wales Buy a yanmar 110hp or the bigger model. Ship it duty free to langkawi. I did this in 2015 and in 2018 for a friend Then you can sail around the world with zero engine issues for the next decade.. Or dont and fix that old buckett in every port.
I am not impressed by the mechanic/shop - repair not done correctly. I am not sure that I'd trust them to do it correctly on the second try, either. I know $$$ is always tight, but I hope you just go for a completely new head/valves - I have a bad feeling about all the metal shavings inside your diesel. Best of luck, I know it must be incredibly disappointing.
Do 18 months in the mines/tunnels back home and get yaself a brand newy for you and the fam to cruise around in brother. forget the project boat. yous will be sweet.
Sorry you have these issues but you have no one to blame but youselves. The writing has been on the wall for a long time now in terms of getting this engine fixed. The number one thing in any boat is the engine, and you should have pulled the plug on these numpties ages ago.
I am sorry for the engine issues. Personally I wouldn't trust the engine after "repair". The aluminum debris have been pumped every where in the engine save what may have been caught by the oil filter. Given that you want to cruise the boat I'd re-power for piece of mind.
im so sry..u have struggled so much n never had the chance to enjoy the fruits of all the sweat n tears u both have put into this project..its coming i promise
I have to say, I am not surprised that this has happened. I have had a bad feeling about this mechanic and engine for a while now. By this happening now instead of later out in the middle of the ocean somewhere, makes me think you have missed a bullet. You need to get a new engine fitted and by a reputable company.
Is it an option to get towed or just however expensive get anywhere away from that bloody mechanic? Dude is clueless and you won’t ever trust that engine anyway. We need to get a good Aussie diesel mechanic on their FIFO time off, over there to strip it and do it right?
I understand how you feeling but the first thoughts are you knew it was a project boat when you got it. any time you have a rebuilt engine you run the risk of ongoing issues. Choose is new engine or you need to learn more to be a better mechanic for yourself to understand just how an engine in your boat operate. the overhead cam and the mechanic you have should have known better as clearance in them is very close
They screwed up and they know it. Which is one reason they need to pull it out. Hopefully they are going to tear it down to make it right so this doesn`t come back to bite them. But are telling to it`s to clean it
Like others already mentioned, by "grinding" the camshaft cover the mechanic made the camshaft journals oval. This most likely caused the bearings to seize to the camshaft as there was not enough room for oil. Bearings spinning with the camshaft wore down the camshaft journals. I think the knocking noise was caused by the camshaft moving up and down, since it was not properly supported anymore. If you choose to repair the engine, you will need at least a new complete head and camshaft (and complete seal kit). And the motor needs to be totally disassembled and cleaned due to the metal shavings spreading everywhere with oil flow. All oil channels need to be properly cleaned to get rid of any metal residue. All bearings need to be checked for damage. But seeing how the cam cover job was done, I would not trust that the rest of the rebuild has been done properly. Has the mechanic checked the camshaft (straightness, journal measurements, polished/ground the journals)? And cylinder block (was it worn, did he bore it / change sleeves). Were new pistons + rings installed? Did he check crank shaft bearing clearance during assembly? Was the oil pump checked / replaced? What about water pump? Was the injection pump and injectors serviced and adjusted. Was the head straightness checked? Valves and seats ground, valve guides checked / replaced, valve seals replaced? And so on. When done properly a rebuilt engine will be almost like new, but if the job was not properly done, you will most likely have problems in the future even if you get a new head. Check out this video what a proper rebuild looks like: ua-cam.com/video/oBxiYpmYsFg/v-deo.html If you can not find a proper mechanic to do the rebuild, I would recommend a new engine instead if you are going to keep the boat for a while.
Rather than having this "mechanic" screw around with the engine, if you could invest in a new engine you would be better off. Remember, new is the best way to go. Absorb the loss. with a new motor you don't have to put up with idiot mechanics who drain you dry.. Plus, you can try to sell the engine & recoup some of your loss. Hopeit all works out for you. Anyway, try to have a happy holiday & new year.
Please start a crowd funding for a new engine. Alternatively, For those reading this who know how to start a crowd funding campaign for a new engine for them please help by setting one up. With 60k viewers, it should not take much per viewer, even if only 6k of viewers donate to raise the funds needed. Does someone have and idea what it will take $15-30k? They really need a new engine since this old one appears destroyed from the valve cam to likely valve and lifter issues and scratched cylinders walls and pistons and rings just to name a few and this is just the beginning. Who knows what else the rebuild company screwed up and the extent of the damage.
If the metal has been through the engine again then its time to get a new engine. You will always have a problematic engine that you don't trust. You need a warranty at this time, something you can rely on
"Life is what happens while we make other plans." You ARE making progress and WILL be cruising again. Don't give up, keep faith, and enjoy your break in Australia.
Man they really screwed up your engine repair. Looks like it spun the camshaft bearings. By shaving the camshaft cover, it lowered the cover which made the bearings pinched to an oval shape instead of round. After the shave, they needed to re-cut the camshaft journals round again to prevent this screwup. (the journals are where the bearings sit) Now it also looks like the bearing surface on the camshaft itself is scared up. This is not your fault and I hope they fix it for you without making it worse.
If they don't do it right it might work OK for a while and you will be rattling again and you will probably need a new engine then. Sure hope they do it right. Ask for a warranty in writing.
Wow, so sorry guys. That is a set back in plans. But hay. You still own an amazing boat, you will get itt sorted & your cruising plans will come together eventually. Chin up guys😀👍 SV Kiwi Lady Opua Bay of islands New Zealand 👍🏿.
BaronKreger Would a thicker gasket work after they clean the filings out of the engine and correct the journals?
@@wmmoranThey would have to come up with some time of copper shim gasket. The clearance is too precision to use a paper gasket.
My first thought also.....those bearings have definitely spun and sorry to hear you've got another set back mate. This will soon be all behind you though. Try enjoy your Christmas in the meantime. Cheers.
The cam bearings have been completely destroyed by machining the deck of the bearing cap, without align boring the tolerances back for the camshaft....this is 101 of what not to do in an engine machine shop. You will need to either replace the head and cam or get a good properly equipped engine machine shop to fix it for you. The people you have doing the job now have not got the expertize or the machine tools to do this job properly. It is NOT just a matter of cleaning the engine and putting it back together....This problem is fatal for the engine, if not fixed properly by a competent engine reconditioning shop with quality equipment.
Please pay attention to this post. He is 100% right!
Reflecting....I know what I would do if I was setting out to explore the world in a yacht with a wife and 2 little kiddies on board. I would put a brand new, well regarded make of engine in, that offers the best world wide service available. I would not be shipmates with this damaged engine, unless it is fully repaired by a first class engine reconditioning company....which may not even be available in that part of the world....
Thailand has the best, Diesel mechanics in the Area.If you can get there. Get your money back,and get to Thailand.
Yanmar guy in phuket is the best. Most expensive too. But a expat Aussy guy. Greg
As for the other guys saying this is not your fault. They are 100% correct. The backyard mechanic has destroyed the camshaft. It will need a new housing bearings and camshaft. The valves may have been slapping the pistons hence the noise.
It is wonderful to see the first mate so comfortable and at ease with being a mother. Best of luck to the four of you.
For the safety of you and your family I strongly suggest installing a new engine. Reliability is critical for the type of sailing you plan to do and I strongly believe this engine cannot be made reliable with the resources available to you in your location. I know the cost is a major consideration for you but the risk to your family is very, very high with the current engine, even with a rebuild. Even if it means more time without being out on the water you will be glad you installed a new engine when you look back a year from now.
Very wise, John. I like your comment.
Folks, Safety First! Do not try to save money in Safety.
Can you honestly say, that the boat floats like a Storm-proofed cruiser (including a running motor, a waterproof rudder compartment, secured shroudscrews at the tensioner (minute 2:39))?
Lifevests 4 all (to be worn!), Safetynet on the railing, child-secure interior (benchmark is heavy weather), Life-Lines on the deck, etc. etc.
A brand new Liferaft will not compensate any of these issues ...
Best, M.
Sounds like they need to get you a new engine. Metal shavings will damage everything inside even if they clean it, the damage is already done. Don't give up!
Patience Capt. Flaco, you still have your gorgeous mermaid with two new sailors. Rest and come with energy nest year. Love, OsoYolo, Antigua Guatemala.
He doesn't need patience, he is in need of a more than full, generous refund and a proper mechanic with a decent machine shop.
Hang in there and thank you for sharing your story with us. I like to think, in situations like this, that you are paying it forward for great things to come! Stay focused on the long game and try not to let this feel defeating.
I reckon you just sail the hell out of there and find another country with a more reputable diesel mechanic. You have been taken for a ride by your mechanic . . . . I reckon old mate is punching above his weight but hopefully after your Christmas break and speaking to everyone about the issue, you will get some good advice and perspective and head back to your boat with a new plan that you are confident will work. All the best to you and your gorgeous family Kieren, those twins of yours crack me up, their facial expressions are gold!
feel so sorry for you! Stackars er! I hope you can try to relax a little in Australia, with your loved ones, and have a Peaceful and Merry Christmas, after all! Love from Sweden
Engine troubles 😮
The babies are just too cute.
Happy Holiday's to the 4 of you.🎄☃️🕺💃🏼🎉
5:22 little man is living the life !!
I Like that family. And spezially like that mother who handel this youtube-situation very naturally. Greart!! Actualy i am proud of Europa . The peoples are not that show up fanaticly.. sorry my english. Hope you understand what i mean..
Cheers to all out there. Peace and Love.. And thanks for that young parents with that beautyful Twins. Stay as you are! Just Great
I am so sorry for you 😢, but also admiring your calm; I would have given the mechanic a verbal punishment for ruining your engine. Your cruising plans are not destroyed: you plan your work, work your plan and then adapt 😊. Have a nice Christmas and happy new year back in Australia. I see you cruising next year.
My condolences. Enjoy the trip home to Aus.
Man, I'm sorry for your troubles. Keep the faith. Just keep knocking the problems down, one at a time, as they present themselves; you'll get here, eventually. I mean, really, just consider it a low-stakes training for parenthood. Though, to that point, dealing with the boat, and a pair, of infants... oh, man... what a lot to deal with. Best of luck with all of it. You can get through this.
You will get through theses challenges. Hang in there. You are doing great.
I feel it for you guys. That’s really horrible service. Kudos for keeping your calm and cool demeanor. I think you made the right decision to get off the boat, enjoy Christmas back home and deal with it next year. Best of luck Captain.
Feel for you. Incompetence from the mechanic. Bit of a worry if the guy doing the fix is the same guy who caused the problem.
Wishing you all the best!
Quick try is make a spacer all the way round to lift it but it will be required to be perfect, gasket seal all the way round then get a good mechanic somewhere else. A good mechanic will be able to make the spacer correctly, skim and seal then it can be good unless the camshafts are now U/S.
What a feeling of ugh.. I mean how do you explain it any better.. Boats are either a sense of joy and happiness then a feeling of utter disappointment.. Sorry for the set back it will get better.. You have a wonderful family that brings joy to me..
I am so sad that your cruising plans have been postponed. I pray for a complete correction to the engine issues, special time spent with your family and friends, and a new start in 2025. Your supporters/subscribers will wait for your eventual return to cruising.
A friend who had twins once described it as ‘tag team parenting’. You may be about to set a new tag team record!
What a sh!t mechanic! They take a year to 're-build' your engine and then it still doesn't work properly. Time to order a new engine. Do a gofundme.
Definitely a rod knocking, hope you have a good mechanic.
Hang in there guys
I'm impressed by your mental strength and positive attitude. Would it be time to consider a new engine? In addition to its flaws, the old one may have some extensive hours.
You have come so far in the past 6 months and I can imagine how defeating it is to think you have crossed the finish line only to find it has been moved further out in front of you again. Are you defeated? no, just delayed. You took on a huge project with some obvious needs and some not so obvious. Best that you get the bugs all worked out before you put your lovely wife and 2 adorable babies in a potentially dangerous situation, harm coming to anyof them would sting a lot more than a few more fixes on your floating home. Be well, Merry Christmas.
So sorry to see the engine nightmares continuing. Anyways, wish you all Happy Christmas in Australia - things will eventually look brighter
Ouch! When I heard that clatter my first thought was valve train , lifter or bent push rod at best , spun cam bearing at worst? I am sorry after all the patience you showed with the mechanic he has really let you guys down, I suspect BaronKreger has it correct the cam bearings sow damage they should be mirror smooth! Planning the cover requires a recheck of all the geometry clearly a miss by both the machine shop and the mechanic? I have unfortunately had similar issues in my adventures as a project engineer working in the developing countries of the world . Keep your chin up and be nice but keep his feet to the fire. To get this done correctly!
I am so sorry you guys!😢 please do not feel defeated.Because everything happens for a reason.... From my 30 plus years of experience with boats
It is all about patience. everyone's patience. We'll eventually run thin.
But in your case, I do believe that everything will end up perfect in the end. I think you will have a fine vessel for the precious cargo. You absolutely should go spend some needed time away with your family in Australia for sure. Then of course you will come back and be refreshed. Love you guys and wish you a Merry Christmas!!
I feel so bad for you guys. I’d be devastated too. I hope that someday you have a reliable engine but honestly I don’t have faith in your mechanic. That being said taking the engine out and apart is the right call now. It would have been easy for them to put in a big gasket, change the oil and get you on your way. But that wouldn’t have been the right thing to do, so maybe there is hope for this mechanic. Wishing you the best. Btw you have a beautiful family and I hope you continue sailing.
I just wanted to add I had a very unreliable engine for a few years. I finally had enough so I purchased a brand new one. Then I had an unreliable new engine. So please don’t think a new engine will solve all your problems. One positive thing about having an unreliable engine it did make me a better sailor. First thing I do is put up the sail or sails even if I plan to motor. I just always try to have a backup plan. And I practice sailing into and out of our marina. If the engine breaks I don’t panic because I have practiced sailing back. Again best wishes.
So sorry guys! 😢
stay strong it will be worth it
Just one step closer! Be strong..
Is there anybody in or near that boat yard that knows what they're doing it seems like everybody that's worked on your boat has half assed everything.you might wanna get a new motor just cut your losses. I don't think this guy's gonna fix anything. With all that metal shavings that head now definitely has to be replaced unless he can grow metal
Adorable babies...
Bummer on the motor. If it can be fixed, it will be. The good thing is all are well, the babes are fine and healthy, and your going to be with family for a while and that will be wonderful‼️ Merry Christmas ✨✝️✨🎄✨❤
Any estimates on WHAT a NEW(er) replacement ENGINE would cost?
Several commenters below have suggested this...
😀😀😀👍👍👍❤❤❤ You all have a good rest back home for the Holidays. 2025 should be a much better year, indeed! That two-bit mechanic really screwed up your camshaft bearings! Now more time and money will be wasted! I do hope you will be able to get all your other projects completed during this additional downtime. The twins and Mom look fabulous! The little ones are growing like weeds. Bye for now from Seattle, WA. (Northwest USA)
Sounded like a cam or rod bearing gone bad to me. The video shows spun cam bearings. Cleaning alone will not fix it. You likely need a new engine or a competent rebuild. For the mechanic to tell you it was an engine mount I call BS, that did not sound like any eng mount issue I ever saw. I'd suggest finding a different mechanic asap. Good luck and enjoy Christmas in Oz.
At least you caught it early. I'm not a big fan of lots of insulation. I want to hear my engine at least a little. The engine will always tell you if something isn't right. Glad you got to safe port. Try not to let it get you down too much. In my opinion, some mechanical knowledge can be helpful, but that is just me. Personally I don't like to trust mechanics, but sometimes you don't have a choice. Enjoy your christmas
Sad to see ongoing engine problems for you.
I had more trouble with the engines (2) in my boat than everything else combined.
Even a new Yanmar didn't end the constant mechanical repairs. Alternators, heat exchangers, starter motors, muffler, transmission, injectors, fuel pumps. It was a constant and unending maintenance and repair/replacement battle. And I didn't use the engine for more than 30 minutes at a time most days as my fuel capacity was only 40 gallons.
Eventually each issue got fixed and I could keep sailing until the next breakdown. I was without power for three months waiting for the new diesel engine to get shipped to me. What a pain the motor is on many sailboats.
wow you guys are insane! Twins and a boat? Which is more trouble? The boat of course. Good luck with life.
Don't worry Be happy. Just reset and carryon
How frustrating. I'm sorry this is happening to your beautiful little family.
Bloody hell! What an uphill battle you are fighting. Det är bara att bita ihop.
First time watching your show, dam that's rough, prays for you and your family, hope you get the issues sorted soon m8, I was on a yaught years ago when the engine seized needing total rebuild near Gladstone Qld, took some time to get repaired but eventually all was good. Hope to see your back sailing again soon 😊.
Get the hell outta that boat yard. I hope by now , real time , you have already 🤠
I wish you all the best in New Year and Merry X-mas ! Good luck on your back to Australia .
I’m so sorry to hear this about the engine but looking on the positive side I’d didn’t stop out at sea 🌊 and you get to spend Christmas with the family and friends happy Christmas to all four of you take care xx 😢🎉
Really feel you guys, well handled given the circumstances and time you have spent to get to this point. Tricky position to be in with the current mechanic - at this point if you want confidence in your boat I feel you will need a replacement engine - sigh.
A new head at least will be required. The cam bearing surfaces are machined into the head. When he skimmed the camshat cap he reduced bearing to shaft clearance and once the engine was run under load and fully warmed up there was insufficient clearance for oil to get into the brearing to float the shaft. It then got hot and started galling the metal. There will likely be metal flakes throghout the engine now. It needs to be stripped right down, inspected and repaired properley to ever be reliable. That is caused by total incompetance and is NOT your fault or liability. He needs to repair itt correctly with new parts at his expense. Any work done like that has a warranty, unless they don't have consumer protection law in that country.
So sorry to hear of another issue…. Good plan to bail home for a bit 🙏
With the amount of time, energy and money wasted on this engine, only a new engine will give you peace. They mucked it up and should get this done before you return from Christmas vacation…at least that’s what would happen in a dream world. You’re still blessed with beautiful healthy kids..the rest can be worked out. You may have less hair by then, but hey, it’s just hair❤😊
Don't give up hope, try to think about the problem as a, thank the gods we weren't thousands of miles away and the motor blew up completely situation...hopefully cause the repair caused the problem the mechanic will get on it right away....and you'll have longer stay in Oz... cheers
Is that a Perkins?
This sucks. I feel for you.
If you can swing it, maybe time to be prudent and just get a new engine, for your families sake. The same engine 4JH4 - 75 hp, in the boat I work on is under US$6k ( base price)
Maybe a go fund me, I’ll contribute to this.
P.S that was in Jakarta Indonesia … Global Engine Store
And to think the engine was professionally rebuilt and had run less than 1k hours since ..!
There is so much work still to do on that boat, as many important jobs were rushed and executed in a sloppy manner - including a cracked bulkhead - a structural part of your boat!
I will never understand why you decided to have the engine rebuilt again - in a country that lacks many of the tools and parts to do a good job, and where there is a huge language barrier ... without a proven need to do so.
Sounded like a valve or push rod.
Hey hey, you made a good job of the boat so far. Have you considered crowd funding a brand new unit? Hope you can keep your enthusiasm going. What ever you do, stay safe.🥂
That’s a good idea.
Wow, that is quite a blow. I'm not sure I understand where this aluminum came from. Crazy ! But, at least you have your absolutely beautiful family to enjoy. Hoping for the best !
If that explanation was right, you should see the cam lobes wear marks on the underside of the cam cover. They must of ground helps off. Recommend a replacement head and thorough clean.
Build 2 Bicycle Seats for that cockpit for your kids to sit safely with you. Contact Sailing Ran for how Yoren built his. It freed up both of them to sail hands free.
You will not regret it.
That doesn't sound right to me. Where you wiped the cam shaft housing there should be a bearing and not just alloy, it almost sounds like the cam shaft is running on the alloy housing with the bearings missing and this will cause major issues and fail very quickly. Difficult to say from your video but I suggest you look up a schematic of your engine and it will show what bearings should be between the camshaft and the housing. The bearings are shells and come in two parts upper and lower are are essential to making the engine run smoothly. Also getting the fragments out of the engine will be a skilled task and it needs to be perfectly clear of all fragments including all oil ways. All a bit doom and gloom sorry, but its important you get the job done properly otherwise you will have more problems further down the line. Also if the cam housing was skimmed due to it warping then it would make a nasty sound of the camshaft hitting the housing every time the camshaft went around it would not be intermittent. Good luck 🙂
Welcome back to the Hotel California.
did they say they had run it in ? if so how long it looks like the cam seats are scoured if it took 1 ,1/2 hours when fixed you have to run it twice as long but my trust in the repair is very low
Maybe life is telling you that there are better options. Maybe put a pin in it for now
Australia is a great place to live for a couple of years then the kids will be older and much easier to care for on the boat
Just a thought
If I were there I would have been interested in determining where the noise was coming from, hence i see he grabbed a screw driver no doubt stuck it to his ear, I don't quite understand why he shaved that face, without having some understanding of what it would do to those cam shaft bearings. I thought maybe they used a shim (hard to imagine t got so pitted). But nevermind. I know others have commented unfavourably about the mechanics, but I really think they have to see it thru, see what they come up with. But nothing stopping you doing research on a contingency. Like a new head.
It's sucks man..!! Don't take my word for it but I think on chain driven engines when head is shaved it shortens distance to the main shaft and affecting timing.. Good luck ..!!
I watch a lady sailors channel she too had engine problems. Her solution was to buy a rebuilt engine. Rather than deal with the nightmare this questionable machine shop has caused drop a certified rebuilt engine in. Praying for you….Fred in Texas 🙏
You need to name this mechanic so that no one else uses him!
I’ve found that having someone rebuild an engine, do machining work, is fraught with issues. I’ve had several motorcycles worked on only to regret it. Personally i probably would have used some gasket goop instead of having them machine the cam cover. Of course that’s all in hindsight. Oil leaks just require more oil. I would not trust them to do anymore work. And I would try to get good used parts instead of having more machine work done. It’s fairly amateur ish to not know more machining work needed to be done than just machining the gasket surface when there’s bearings involved. If parts can’t be found a used engine would be my preference. To trust them to tear that engine down and clean and…..and then there’s a chance more engine damage has been done to other bearings with all of the aluminum shavings. I’d request to see the oil when it’s drained and have the oil filter cut apart. That will tell you how much material got into the motor. Request they show you the oil and cut apart the filter, when they drain the oil. I’m sorry you guys are dealing with this.
I don’t understand why this event even occurred.
People make mistakes but this is such a straight forward overall issue regarding clearances and good procedures not in place it’s disheartening.
Sorry for your situation ..Good luck
Hi, after watching your video, looks like the top end was dry of oil😢 either way the engine should be repaired under warranty.
For reliability I would bite the bullet and fit a NEW full engine, I don't know what you paid for the rebuild by the butcher, sorry mechanic but for the saftey of your young family I would not hesitate
They have 100% trashed that engine by causing the cam cap clearance issue, yes you at min need a new head..... yes you need to dis assemble the engine , clean , and repair as needed due to the metal transfer etc... I'd look carefully at a new crate engine as the best long term fix
The following work is a minimum
•Tunnel bore camshaft bearings
•Replace all bearings including main and big end
Strip clean and inspect complete engine
Step one: get a more than full, generous refund and a proper mechanic with a decent machine shop.
That engine will need another complete rebuild all the bearings will need to be replaced.
well that stinks, but like you said look on the bright side. Thank goodness this did not happen while you were in the middle of the ocean.
This is wrong on so many levels, Totally feel for you two. Most important is you need to stop calling that guy a mechanic. He is a butcher, nothing less and would not trust that engine as far as I could throw it.
You are so close. This is an engine builder issue. They should make it right tno matter what. They should cover the marina fees too. Now, is that going to happen? I understand the leverage here may not all be in your favor.
When youre back in aussy. Contact minards marine diesel. In new south wales Buy a yanmar 110hp or the bigger model. Ship it duty free to langkawi. I did this in 2015 and in 2018 for a friend Then you can sail around the world with zero engine issues for the next decade..
Or dont and fix that old buckett in every port.
I am not impressed by the mechanic/shop - repair not done correctly. I am not sure that I'd trust them to do it correctly on the second try, either. I know $$$ is always tight, but I hope you just go for a completely new head/valves - I have a bad feeling about all the metal shavings inside your diesel. Best of luck, I know it must be incredibly disappointing.
Do 18 months in the mines/tunnels back home and get yaself a brand newy for you and the fam to cruise around in brother. forget the project boat. yous will be sweet.
Sorry you have these issues but you have no one to blame but youselves. The writing has been on the wall for a long time now in terms of getting this engine fixed. The number one thing in any boat is the engine, and you should have pulled the plug on these numpties ages ago.
I am sorry for the engine issues. Personally I wouldn't trust the engine after "repair". The aluminum debris have been pumped every where in the engine save what may have been caught by the oil filter. Given that you want to cruise the boat I'd re-power for piece of mind.
im so sry..u have struggled so much n never had the chance to enjoy the fruits of all the sweat n tears u both have put into this project..its coming i promise
It's time to pray! You need the support of our Lord and Master to help you through this. He can give you peace and quiet your concerns.
I have to say, I am not surprised that this has happened. I have had a bad feeling about this mechanic and engine for a while now. By this happening now instead of later out in the middle of the ocean somewhere, makes me think you have missed a bullet. You need to get a new engine fitted and by a reputable company.
Sounds like you should try to get hold of another mechanic. One year and the engine doesn't work as it should....
Is it an option to get towed or just however expensive get anywhere away from that bloody mechanic? Dude is clueless and you won’t ever trust that engine anyway.
We need to get a good Aussie diesel mechanic on their FIFO time off, over there to strip it and do it right?
I understand how you feeling but the first thoughts are you knew it was a project boat when you got it. any time you have a rebuilt engine you run the risk of ongoing issues. Choose is new engine or you need to learn more to be a better mechanic for yourself to understand just how an engine in your boat operate. the overhead cam and the mechanic you have should have known better as clearance in them is very close
They screwed up and they know it. Which is one reason they need to pull it out. Hopefully they are going to tear it down to make it right so this doesn`t come back to bite them. But are telling to it`s to clean it
Like others already mentioned, by "grinding" the camshaft cover the mechanic made the camshaft journals oval. This most likely caused the bearings to seize to the camshaft as there was not enough room for oil. Bearings spinning with the camshaft wore down the camshaft journals. I think the knocking noise was caused by the camshaft moving up and down, since it was not properly supported anymore.
If you choose to repair the engine, you will need at least a new complete head and camshaft (and complete seal kit). And the motor needs to be totally disassembled and cleaned due to the metal shavings spreading everywhere with oil flow. All oil channels need to be properly cleaned to get rid of any metal residue. All bearings need to be checked for damage.
But seeing how the cam cover job was done, I would not trust that the rest of the rebuild has been done properly. Has the mechanic checked the camshaft (straightness, journal measurements, polished/ground the journals)? And cylinder block (was it worn, did he bore it / change sleeves). Were new pistons + rings installed? Did he check crank shaft bearing clearance during assembly? Was the oil pump checked / replaced? What about water pump? Was the injection pump and injectors serviced and adjusted. Was the head straightness checked? Valves and seats ground, valve guides checked / replaced, valve seals replaced? And so on.
When done properly a rebuilt engine will be almost like new, but if the job was not properly done, you will most likely have problems in the future even if you get a new head. Check out this video what a proper rebuild looks like: ua-cam.com/video/oBxiYpmYsFg/v-deo.html
If you can not find a proper mechanic to do the rebuild, I would recommend a new engine instead if you are going to keep the boat for a while.
Rather than having this "mechanic" screw around with the engine, if you could invest in a new engine you would be better off. Remember, new is the best way to go. Absorb the loss. with a new motor you don't have to put up with idiot mechanics who drain you dry.. Plus, you can try to sell the engine & recoup some of your loss. Hopeit all works out for you. Anyway, try to have a happy holiday & new year.
Please start a crowd funding for a new engine. Alternatively, For those reading this who know how to start a crowd funding campaign for a new engine for them please help by setting one up. With 60k viewers, it should not take much per viewer, even if only 6k of viewers donate to raise the funds needed. Does someone have and idea what it will take $15-30k? They really need a new engine since this old one appears destroyed from the valve cam to likely valve and lifter issues and scratched cylinders walls and pistons and rings just to name a few and this is just the beginning. Who knows what else the rebuild company screwed up and the extent of the damage.
If the metal has been through the engine again then its time to get a new engine. You will always have a problematic engine that you don't trust. You need a warranty at this time, something you can rely on
Time to set up a "Go Fund Me" for a new engine. I bet you'll have the goal by Christmas...
That sucks 🫤