It’s a calm morning so you are motoring to you next destination. All is going well until you feel the boat slow and the revs decrease without touching the throttle. Something happened but because the engine soon revved back up to cruising speed andf seemed oka, you decided not to turn back.
But what happened and how to track down whatever the problem was, since it is mechanical and thus not a figment of your imagination. Water in the fuel? A glitch in the fuel pump? A slippage in the throttle cable?
You reachj you next anchorage and after the hook is set you open the engine compartment to see what you can find. Most cruisers are diesel-engine friendly but not master mechanics, so what you have in front of you is a puzzle that needs solving.
Merideth Anderson is a master marine diesel mechanic and instructor. Over the years she has perfected the diesel diagnostic process, and we all can benefit from her experience.
Read more here.
