The Marinervideo
Repairing a Hydraulically Locked Engine at Sea — But Does She Run?
April 28, 2026 · 39 min · 43K views
Bearded sailor watches ocean at dusk from sailboat deck
What this video covers
Chris, the host of The Mariner, repairs a hydraulically locked engine on his boat while offshore during a long-distance passage to Nova Scotia. After riding out a 40-knot storm, water from the exhaust water lock backed up into the exhaust manifold and entered the cylinders, preventing the engine from starting.3:00 To clear the system, he drains the water lock, removes the fuel injectors, and uses the starter motor to blow remaining water out of the cylinders.2:01 He initially misidentified the injector seating as copper crush washers but confirms that his TAMD engine uses copper sleeves with shaped heads, requiring no additional washers.15:02 He uses clear tubing on the fuel return lines to prevent diesel from spilling into the bilge while cranking the engine.4:29 After verifying the engine turns over freely without water or mechanical obstruction, he prepares to reinstall the injectors and restart the engine.20:12 Proper preparation and avoiding haste during the final reassembly stages are critical to successfully restoring engine operation.
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