Question:
Diesel engine motor repair & maintenance manual ?
I need a recommendation on a good diesel repair and maintenance manual
for a boatowner that wants to know more about a Detroit Diesel 6-71.
I am not a mechanic but would like to be able to do basic maintenance
and diagnostic type stuff without having to call a mechanic.
I thought I read about a two or three day course provided by the
factory in Detriot for boatowners. Anyone know of such a course?
Answer:
I also have 671's on my boat (671-TIC). The problem here is that
there really isn't much you can do to the engine that needs a manual,
unless you are really trained and have the manuals for the 671 and
have the right tools and know the configuration of your particular
671s. This is one reason, of course, that you want a qualified
Detroit Desiel mechanic, not, say, a Cummins or Catepillar mechanic,
to work on your engine.
That is, you can change oil, filters, zincs, etc, and you can be aware
of the meaning of different colors of smoke from the engine at various
times (cold, idle, under power), but anything else involves taking the
valve cover off and dinking with the fuel rack or the injectors or
something else that gets pretty involved. Even setting the idle gets
very specific to the 671, and the exact configuration you have. It
seems to be true that no two 671's are alike, except the two in your
boat which presumably are matched. And, if you do it wrong, you can
end up with a runaway engine, which is no fun.
Our local (San Diego) Detroit Diesel dealer (Valley Detroit Desiel)
offers training courses aimed at those who would become professional
mechanics, and cost (I believe) a few hundred dollars each. The local
junior college (Mesa College) has a program to train diesel mechanics,
at much lower cost, but I don't know if it is specific to the 671 -- I
doubt it. You might check with your local Detroit Desiel dealer for
classes.
Assuming you use your boat for fishing, another solution is to ask
each mechanic who comes to work on your boat if they like to fish. If
so, invite them along fishing -- generally, if you put a rod and a
beer in a fisherman's hands, they become very helpful
