Common-Rail Diesel Engines

Brian,
I have these fears with both of the boats that I run, but in a slightly different sense. One has Mathers Micro-Commander clutch/throttle contols. The other has Detroit Diesel ECMs and controls. I cringe at the thought of the day when they get a mind of their own and the gremlins drive the boat instead of me....

I'm pretty excited by the new technologies. Do any of us want to go back to having carburators in our car engines? The electronics provide for smoother, more efficient operation and less smoke and odor. Modern jet engines have been controlled by computer brains for about 20 years with excellent results similar to the promise of the electronic diesels. With twin engines and a generator, I don't think electrics are the problem. If you get bad fuel, you lose the whole smash irregardless of the electronic or mechanical fuel control.

My fear is of the micro-commanders deciding on their own that they want to go full-ahead while I'm docking. Aparently a boat (left unnamed) hit the dania blvd bridge because of just that. Turned out (i hear) that there was a problem with a voltage regulating circuit board, or something along those lines.... a $150 part that ended costing a lot more than it was worth. Personally I prefer pneumatic controls. If they fail the engines go to neutral, plus they make cool sounds.

I agree with the beauty and reliability of simplicity. I think the future will dictate where we go when the 2006 emissions regulations kick in. The only way to meet those is with electronic engine control. Even "The Rock", Lugger, is going to electronic control.

I think diesels will go the way of gas engines--electronically controlled injection.

To keep this discussion alive, most of the new diesels are using common rail, but I believe Cat has stayed with an electronically controlled hydraulic injector. Anyone have any thoughts on the pros / cons of either system?

There are solutions

Brian,

Your point is quite valid and although engine builders electronics are well designed and tested it is not a perfect world and things can and do go wrong.

In a normal situation we are generally within helps reach, but in a marine environment this is often not the case.

The same concerns were raised by the RNLI during the developement of their latest Lifeboat, not for reasons of remote destinations, but due to the life critical nature of their work and the harsh environments they work in.

For this reason we developed a digital engine management system with built in back up electronics that would take up the control in the event of a main board failure. This way there was always a way home.

We have also included a manoeuvre log so that previous events are recorded, i.e. manouvre, time and date. Soon GPS will give us position too. The back up may eleviate the JHA occurance, but in the very least one would be able to know exactly what happened.

I hope these thought are of some use, it certainly has given us food for thought about moving our skills into the Leisure build market.

Regards


Andrew

Faradic cage. I find this amusing must be some doomsday prepper type. So all the electronics ie: computer parts, TV's etc. in warehouses around the world are at risk of failure from lightning.

Use the stop buttons, not the keys!

On 2 different 65 Marquis with DD MTU V10 1500hp Common Rail Engines ECMs failed due to the engines being shut down with the Key Switch as opposed to using the stop buttons. It has something to do with the key switch immediately cutting electrical power to the ECM with the engine running. The stop button shuts the engine down but power to the ECM is not interrupted. Maybe someone more technical can explain it better. I just wanted to pass on my experience.

The last time it happened I was on a delivery on a boat with bad fuel requiring filter changes every 4-6 hours. The engines were shut down, filters changed and away we'd go. After one of the stops one of the engines wouldn't restart. 0 Voltage was shown on the EDM. We limped into Southport, NC. Thankfully Covington DDA had 2 running takeouts in the shop. They brought an ECM and got us back on the road. During their diagnosis and interview with the owner who was doing the driving he stated he always used the keys to shut down the engines, not the stop buttons.

Lightning probably isn't much risk ... however, EMP from a high altitude nuclear detonation might put a cause a problem for those who want to watch "Below Decks" on their flat screen while yachting. It would also create problems to replace the damaged TV since the units in the back room at Best Buy might be damaged too.

Use the Emergency Stop

On a delivery of a new cruisers 447 sport Sedan with Yanmars (40 engine hours) I had a situation where one of the engines would go to full power with no rhyme or reason. The engine Company diagnosed it as a failed electronic part on the fuel injection pump that at the time could not be bought separately. A new Pump was flown in and replaced. After a successful sea trial the mechanic left and we shoved off only to have the issue again. This time they blamed it on computer / fuel pump communication / software programing errors. It took a few days to get the pump to communicate properly with the computer on the engine. After a lengthy and seemingly successful sea trial the mechanic left, we got some sleep and shoved off the next morning before the sun. The "phenomenon" returned approximately 4 hours later. We limped into the next port and the boat was left to the local Yanmar dealer. It took a week but they eventually settled on a short in the wiring harness. The wiring harness was ordered, replaced and that solved the problem. The Emergency stops did work when the engine "took off". Just sharing in hope that it helps someone out of a bad situation in the future.

Lightning Experience

Late Last May, moments after securing and shutting down a severe squall line passed over and lightning struck the water very near the boat according to eye witnesses at the Yacht Club Bar. I was struggling with enclosure zippers and thought I saw it hit a building across the ICW. Regardless the next morning, engines running, lines off the Port Main Engine (16V2000 1800hp on a 100' Hatteras Motor Yacht) wouldn't go into gear. Long story short the ERIM (Engine Remote Interface Module) located in the engine room was fried by the lightning strike. It was a Holiday weekend, we sourced an ERIM an hour away and made arrangements to have it and a mechanic on board Tuesday morning. The part was $6000 and we all know what mechanics cost. He was only on board for a few hours and away we went. When I got out the inlet I turned on the stabilizers and the boat went into a hard stbd list revealing where the lightning entered the boat. One stabilizer board fried. We took that stabilizer off line and pinned it centered, and finished the trip with one which actually worked quite well. The damaged ERIM was sent out for repair which took some time but cost around $700. So we now have a spare which is carried aboard. I don't think it could be damaged by a future strike sitting in a insulated bag in a box and not connected to anything. The lightning also fried a power supply in a Raymarine Display. For those that don't know and for future reference. On the Engine Displays the words, Neutral, Forward, Astern are displayed accordingly with shift lever movements. The absence of these words on the display and lack of gearbox engagement point to an ERIM Failure.

Bad luck ... hopefully you filed an insurance claim for the damage.

With regard to my post, I didn't say lightning was not a threat to boat electronics, I said it was not much threat to the stock in the Best Buy warehouse or to properly packaged electronic components. There is a reason spare boards come wrapped up in funny looking plastic bags with the static warning labels on them.

Nuclear induced EMP, however is a different animal and I don't think the big box stores plan for that event.

If this happens I really think we got bigger issues to worry about than if our TV's work or can be replaced. LOL

an interesting comparison and history of the 2 stroke DD

The Detroit Diesel - the iconic American high speed two stroke diesel engine

history of the 2 stroke DD

Dennismc, thanks for posting that.

I had a client who was EMP paranoid. He wanted a steel trawler with non-electronic engines. He built a EMP protected house on a dairy farm in upstate NY but wanted to have the boat on standby in case he needed to vacate. Yes, he had the EMP protected car that would take his family to the boat.

Has anybody read book/seen movie One Second After?