Living For Sailvideo
Old diesel after TWO YEARS - Will it START?! | E019
17 December 2023 · 23 min · 14K views · Fort Wayne, Indiana
What this video covers
To assess the internal condition of a 35-year-old 90-horsepower Lehman diesel engine after two years of storage, the owner performs an oil analysis through Blackstone Laboratories.0:45 The process involves collecting a sample to identify wear metals, fuel dilution, and contaminants, which provides insight into engine health without requiring a teardown.1:43 Before attempting to start the engine while the boat is on the hard, the owner prepares the electrical, cooling, and fuel systems.12:49 He disconnects the field wire on the externally regulated house alternator to prevent damage from a no-load condition and verifies the starting battery’s charge.13:53 To protect the raw water pump impeller and exhaust components, he bypasses the hull intake and feeds the engine cooling water from a five-gallon bucket.16:49 He also uses an auxiliary mechanical fuel pump to bleed air from the fuel lines.18:01 After an initial failed start, further bleeding of the fuel filters allows the engine to run for 15 minutes.20:30 Oil analysis provides a non-invasive method to monitor engine wear and determine necessary maintenance intervals.
Boats in this video
More from Living For Sail
From Living For Sail — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.



