Direction on to re-power or not.

[Greg & Angie Wheeler]

I am missing all the engine gauges, does anyone know what Tachometer will work for the original Ford Lehman? The engine is also needing a new heat exchanger and possibly a new starter. When I purchased the boat the engine was running well now I can't get it to start up, it doesn't seem to have enough power in the starter to get it going, it turns over but not very fast. My first thought was that I needed a better battery as the one that came with the boat was just a car battery. I have since purchased a new 8d battery and also a house bank of 6 volt golf cart batteries ran in series to give me 12 volts. Even with the 8d and the house batteries it won't get the motor started which leads me to believe I may need a new starter? 

I am seriously considering replacing the engine with a new, or more likely rebuilt engine. I have spoke with Eric who I bought the boat from, and Bo who was 3 owners back and none of them know how many hours are on the engine, if the motor has ever been rebuilt or what major work has ever been done to it. By the time I get all the gauges replaced, the new heat exchanger, starter.......... I may be $$ ahead just repowering. 

I am a passable woodworker, painter, rot remover, but Mechanic, sadly I've met my match, I don't know where to even start. Anyone have any ideas as to whether the old engine is worth investing in? 

[bob mitchell]

always - take your time! starters do go bad.  If you know how, you can hook up right to the starter and know for sure, but I hesitate to try to explain how to do it.

[Greg & Angie Wheeler]

Hey Bob, 

Please forgive the delay in responding back to you, I've been working long hours all week. As far as the batteries go, they are all less than 6 months old and before I ran them parallel with the 8d I tried the 8d all by itself. I am clueless about diesel engines but somewhat knowledgeable in regards to the electrical end. They also have a brand new 3 bank smart charger hooked up to them so they should all have a full charge all the time. I would also think that maybe it was a fuel issue if it weren't for the fact that the starter is turning over so slowly, but I guess that is a possibility. I will look for a corroded ground next time I am able to get down to the boat. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Greg

[bob mitchell]

        As far as the batteries, there is a lot of room for error in the hook ups, as well as the potential for a corroded ground somewhere. But off the top of my head I would comment that if the 6 volt batteries were gone, and you hooked the 12 in parallel with them, they might use a lot of the new batteries energy themselves. To test this idea, recharge the new 12 volt, and hook it up without the 6 volt batteries.  After we work through some simple electrical checks we will do a simple check to make sure the engine is getting fuel.

[bob mitchell]

The original mechanical tach ran off the raw water pump drive back near the fly wheel on the stb side. I am not sure if your engine still has that, or if you have converted to a belt driven raw water pump at the front of the engine.

     Regardless, modern tachs generally run off the alternator now, and it just a question of hooking up a couple of wires.

      As far as the gauges, voltmeters, ammeters, oil pressure (you can go with mechanical or electrical) and temperature are all fairly inexpensive. Don't give up on that engine yet!