Diesel engines on sailboats often suffer from too little use than too much since, as sailors, we enjoy switching the beast off as soon as we get free of themarine, mooring field or anchorage. And, in this pattern lies the seeds of engine troubles.
Diesel engines are designed to run at constant revs and constat temperatures for long periods On commercial and working craft diesel generators or engines run constantly and often will clock 10,000 hours before they need a rebuild.
Not so on sailboats where the engines often do not get up to ideal running temperatures and experience a variety of rpms during the short time they are being run. This tends to coke-up the cylinders and wear the piston rings creating what is commonly known as blow-by.
Here’s a good article explaining the phenomenon and what to do about it.
