Category: Diesel Engine Services

  One of the most common questions I get from boat owners when upgrading to a larger boat from a smaller vessel. How to properly switch from shore power to genset and back to shore power safely. It’s not that it is an overly complicated procedure but docking a boat is where most mishaps come into play. Whether you are rushing to get back to the dock and then home. Or the other way around being the first out of the marina to beat other boats to prime fishing grounds. Mistakes can and will happen at and around the dock. Diesel Services of America would…

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Burn, Baby, Burn equals Fuel The United States is the number one consumer of fuel consumption but has the lowest grade of diesel fuel for all industrialized nations. This dirty diesel fuel supply causes more problems and phone calls to Marine Diesel Engine Mechanics. The number of calls for dirty diesel fuel easily outnumbers all others combined. Diesel Services of America will help you keep your fuel at tip top level for optimum performance. Keeping your tank full is always high on the recommendation list but you can never stop the microbial growth associated with dirty diesel fuel. Visual inspection is a common repeating theme…

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3. Fire It Up equals Electricity A typical marine diesel engines DC (direct current) electrical systems are a frequent area of concern. Although the electrical system has the least impact for causing detrimental damage to your marine diesel power plant. That doesn’t mean that your electrical components should be ignored. You should be prepared if your electrical system is compromised and decides to quit working properly. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to have your electrical system take a dump at the dock. What happens after a day of fishing when you go to crank the engine up? How about a full boat of divers just getting…

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Another area of concern with the fresh water system is the pressure cap. This might seem trivial but having the pressure cap correctly sealed is another vital aspect to a properly functioning marine diesel engine. A conventional seal increases the pressure enough to raise the exact boiling point of water from 212° Fahrenheit to 250° Fahrenheit. If not properly sealed the water from inside your engine will boil causing your system to overheat. The caps on your raw fresh water cooling systems tend to get know around since they generally stick out like a turtle neck. I have seen boat detailers use them as a…

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2. Room Temperature (Cooling) The single largest catalyst for Marine Diesel Engines mechanical issues is not technically a part of the engine. The fact that this integral aspect of your power plants operation is not ever covered by warranty should help you understand the importance. Impeded and clogged sea strainers are without a doubt the absolute #1 cause of failed marine diesel engines. Fouled and dirty strainers impede raw water from their natural abilities to properly cool the fresh water system. This single aspect causes the whole system to get thrown out of whack and will overheat your engine in a heartbeat. Just as water is vital…

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1. Oil & Water equals Lubrication Diesel Services of America is going to share some basic tips that will increase the life and performance of your Diesel Powerplant. Preventive maintenance is of the utmost importance and should be exercised regularly unless you don’t mind hefty repair bills. We will cover four separate but important topics (Lubrication, Cooling, Electricity & Fuel). Remember these are just tips and you should always consult a professional like Diesel Services of America. If you have any questions please give us a holler. 1. Oil & Water equals Lubrication The reason lubrication is bullet point 1 is because that it’s truly…

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Last Summer on July 24th, 2015, two young and wealthy teens from Jupiter, Florida decided to take one of their family boats out for a fishing trip. Sadly, neither Perry Cohen and Austin Stephanos, both just 14 years old, ever made it home. Little did they know that they were heading directly into the path of a powerful storm. Then two days later, a local pilot reported seeing their capsized boat from the air with what may have possibly been one or both of the boys clinging to the capsized vessel for dear life. The boys’ latitude and longitude were immediately reported to the local…

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Pop culture is full of unique and memorable vessels! Join us at Diesel Services of America as we count down some of our favorites! JAWS – Orca “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.” It’s a classic movie line that’s ingrained in all of our memories forever and has led the Orca to its place as possibly the most famous fishing boat in film history. Originally a lobster boat known as the Warlock before being purchased for the film’s production, she was eventually shipped back to Universal Studios Hollywood after filming wrapped in 1974, where she was apparently purchased by a Los Angeles fisherman. However, when…

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As we previously discussed in a past article, there are a litany of strange superstitions that many fishermen still hold true today. To some, anything from idle whistling to someone eating a banana onboard could spell doom for their fishing haul or worse. However, these superstitions don’t just border on the insane and bizarre by today’s social standards – some are downright offensive. Much like today, people of the past feared most what they didn’t understand. If something bad happened, then certainly it must be caused by the only thing physically out of the ordinary. For this reason, many people who were considered “different” became…

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