M T f U! I'll do it myself.

Had J & T come out to go over my Johnson and Towers DD 471ti engines. Port motor just needed rack tune up adjustment and governor adjustment, which I now have learned kind of go hand in hand. Sure didn't take him long as I watched and was quite easy.
That being said the J and T tech got that spot on ( the last good two cycle DD mechanic they've got). All good with the port motor. Fires right up when cold, little smoke etc. runs well at all load rpms.

Starboard motor needed help. Got a little water in to the fuel and then into the engine during my first sea trial back when I bought the boat six years ago. That shortened its life span for sure, but overall six years and many hours latter she did well, but now she is tired and needs an over haul. BTW, my engine hour are unknown. Meters were both broke when I bought the boat. And still are. I need help on that, how they work what do the hook up to etc. They are old Hobbs meters. 12 volt.

Ok, please work up a quote for an In-Frame overhaul . Pretty much impossible to get the motor out through my one 24'' x 36'' entry door which is on the opposite side of the motor. And both fuel tanks are 200 gallon saddle tanks hull side out next to the motors, I'm not cutting the hull open to get them(fuel tanks or motors) out. No way.

Anyway they come back with a number of $30k and to tell me MTU does not have the cylinder kits or connecting rods (if needed) etc. and not sure when they would be in stock .

I put a call into J & T and have not heard back. I suppose it's to much for the one two cycle DD tech they've got? Could be , he was up in the numbers.
It's very apparent they do not want to do the job and MTU is not going to support us old Detroit two cycle owners anymore , IMO. This sure has lit a fire under my $@! Intestate-mcbee and aftermarket here I come...

So, I'm going to do it myself. My mechanical skills are not bad and I'm running high on engine self confidence.
Lol, it can be that hard to do! I've learned quite a bit from many over time on these old Detroits. Captain Ralph along with others on here have helped me a lot with questions and concerns. There is also a great Youtube series video of a DD471 marine overhaul by Dangar Marine that has been extremely informative.

Here's what I've got going for me, I found a great Detroit shop with the help of Chesapeake 46, a few hours from the boat to test , check, repair if needed the cylinder head etc. They will also supply me the parts and assist me on proper liners , bearings etc. They will also offer help over the phone/face time .

Second I have found a retired J and T mechanic near me , who has helped me already get project underway . He and I are going to do the timing , rack and governor setting at the end.

Third, I have an original 1984 In-Line 71 service manual to tell me darn near everything I need to know . I've been reading that over multiple times.

Lastly , I've invested in all the proper tools and hoists / lifting materials needed .

I'm hoping to do the job all parts and tools needed for $10-$15 K.
I'm not in a rush and expect this to take me all winter into early spring .
I'll send some photos soon. Don't expect a great '' Pascal" production, lol, I'll be to busy.
Wish me luck!

Takes forever for it to start up I have to crank it forever. Obviously the colder it is out the more I have to crank I do all the tricks holding down the stop start button and what not.

Once it gets started it smokes a ton like it’s flooded with diesel fuel grey white smoke smells like fuel.

Once it gets running up to normal operating temperature it’s smokes very very lightly at idle. But not under load.

He went over the rack on this and made some adjustments also , the injectors are only three or four years old since they were replaced.

The engine fires right up once the engine is warm.
Even after an overnight in the summertime starts right up the next morning probably cause she’s still a little bit warm from the run the day before.

I sent you a video of it a while back if you remember which you looked at I have the low profile 471 ti with M95 injectors…
Don’t know the exact horsepower but it’s somewhere in the range between 300 and 350hp. That’s asking a lot for a 471 ti.
I also don’t know the last time either engine was overhauled it’s unknown rumors have it that it was done once before by a previous owner.

J&T did not include a new blower, turbo ,exhaust elbow or anything else of that nature.
Nothing for the cam except main bearings.

They did include a new cylinder head new valves new injectors etc . At $8k..

i’m assured the shop has the liners in stock and/or has sources to get them this is their main thing rebuilding Detroit Diesel engines.
The shop was gonna send me different size liners for me to fit and try so I could pick the proper one I get what you’re saying about the liners I have and have been researching that.

Yes the guy from J and T Open one up and then he had me barr the engine over while he looked in there and it didn’t look good at all tons of carbon buildup on the cover of the inspection port

Yes glazed and in poor condition.

Cold start problems started 4 years ago.
Slowly getting worse over time .
I thought new injectors would help or fix the smoke / slow start problems..
Didn’t change a thing .
I’ve just kept living with it.

Once warmed up smoke is gone under any load rpm . Both perform very well. 2500 + for both motors.
I never run them that high. It makes me cringe . I don’t want to push 42 year old engines hard. Both blocks are stamped “79” or 1979? Something like that .

Got to admit they look like crap, need a paint job, but run like beasts . They can go all day long anywhere from 1400 RPMs to 2200 RPMs.

Carbon on the inspection cover was hard , black , needs to be worked off.
Was not wet to me.

all day run at 2000 RPMs (10hrs) both will burn 2 quarts of oil.

all day at 1600 RPMs (10hrs)both less oil say a quart each .

Small trips around Cape May whale watching, party cruise, little to no oil used. Run time 3 or 4 hrs at various RPMs.

SeaEric ! Hello..hope all is well.
Pad ? Like an electric blanket? Made for motors ? Or one actually for the bed.

The boat came with two block heaters in each motor. One in the block side and one in the water manifold. None of them are in working condition.
But I agree with you.
I’ll have to replace them at some point but I like the idea of the warm pad instead.