School of the Boat 1 Nov 10 (valve line up DIESEL's)

[Darrin]

OK for those whom have their Diesel's running (COD,PAMP,SILVERSIDES) let us know what you all did to restore your Diesel's to running once more.. There are those whom would like to know

SO FOR THOSE WHOM HAVE DONE ON IT, TEACH IT

Cause some of us would like to get ours restored once more to running.. Now for you all whom are lucky enough to be out of the water pay close attention because there maybe a way to get yours running once more.

Darrin

[SOB]

There are two ways to safely operate FM38Ds without the salt water side of the cooling system running. This applies to boats in or out of the water - or a blanked, welded sea chest.

NOTE: The FW side of the engine MUST be filled and operational - otherwise, you'll get hot spots and damage the engine.

1) You can run a FM38D for about 20 minutes with ONLY the FW side functioning. Monitor the direct reading thermometer in the FW engine-to-cooler line. Remain below 170^oF. Normal is 160^oF. Your muffler will NOT be cooled in this mode, so you may want to consider bypassing it. The latter is NOT necessary, especially if you want to have an authentic picture from dockside.

2) Second Method - See attachment. PAMPANITO has the following modification:

a) Make damn certain your sea chest valve is SHUT (or blanked) and not leaking;
b) Remove the 3/4" steamout plug on the top plate of the salt water strainer;
c) Install a stop valve with a hose fitting on the input side to the valve;
d) Rig a heavy duty garden hose (7/8" or larger) from a FW source to the stop valve. You need 40+psi of FW.
e)Use FW in the place of SW when you run the engine. As before, monitor the FW temp and remain below 170^oF

[Earl]

SOB, so I'm clear -

There are FW and SW sides to cooling the FM38Ds - two separate cooling water systems. The engine can be run for short periods with only the FW (which under all circumstances  must be available). The SW side can be replaced with FW using the Method Two described in your post if the sea chest is blanked/closed. Have I got it?

[Darrin]

Earl,

Yes he is correct and if I remember  correctly it is show in the F/M Manual that is stored in the Archives in FWD Battery..  Due to Torsk's SW tank being blanked off that was one of our options and with the other boats like Pamp having their F/M's running once more.

I studied the F/M Manual for a while last year and my biggest concern with the project was getting the LO moving once more and Chief Mike has taken the proper approach and is getting the FW side lined back up and ready to pressure test. Sadly I don't have enough time right now to come up and help him work on those, maybe one day I will be able to walk on her decks once more.

HEY SOB, can you send the Torsk the CD that you all put together so they can see how you all have your FW and other systems set up?

Thanks

Darrin

[Earl]

Darrin,

Been awhile seen I've had a chance to shake your hand - I think the last time we spoke face-to-face, we were dealing withan injured elderly lady and the EMTs.

Chief Mike's spent enough time in his poopysuit that I'm thinking maybe he's gonna re-up, but the FW system's making progress. Might just get that FM ready to roar agan after all - wouldn't that frost the neighbor's cookies!

[Darrin]

Yes Earl it has been a while, congrats on the new job,

I can't wait to see her fire up once more, Doc washed out the exhaust piping last work weekend and man did the bird nesting come out along with the rust and dirt.. Still the first time she fires up ya might wanna call the fire dept just to keep our friends at the aquarium happy when she belches fire and smoke for the first time since '71.

Ask Gil for one of the F/M manuals, we have all 4 origional to Torsk onboard, they are very interesting to read.

Darrin

[Darrin]

Hey Earl,

Check out the Diesel block that we did here, it will answer a number of questions that you have with them and other issues you may have on the boat.

Darrin

[Earl]

Darrin -

I appreciate all the work you guys've done to make this info available on ths site, and all of the work the guys have done on Torsk. As the token Army representative, and subsequently, NQP, I know I have a lot to learn, so I'm soaking it up wherever I can. This School of the Boat is helping tremendously.

I'll bend Gil's ear next time I see him - I think that at some point in the near future, I'm just going to have to sit down there in FBLL and absorb everything I can.

Diesel project is going well, but what Torsk really needs is a dyed-in-the-wool engine man. There's enough EMs to put BGE to shame, but no engine man. Chief's striking for ENC, I think; at least, he looked that way on Saturday!

I've a feeling I'll be a busy man, if that engine start-up ever happens, but I hope to be here for it. Mike's not comfortable starting anything without a dedicated EN in there to make sure that everything's correct, and I can't say that I blame him, if it's really been 40 years since the last time that engine was running.

Lots of other projects needing attention, too, and not a lot of crew to go around, but you knew that.

[Darrin]

Earl,

you aren't the only Army vet to be a Torsk Vol, there is Clayton "Claymore" whom moved out of the area due to personal reasons and I am also still on Active duty in the Army.. Yes I am a Frmr TM3(SS) and a EO3(SS) USNR.

Chief Mike and a few others in my begining years on Torsk had to slow me down and tell me to calm down and not try to kill myself by working so damned hard when I am on the boat, it took me a long time to figure that out (that ans a shoulder blowing out) before I calmed down. The boat was my obsession along with learning everything that I could in regards to the fleet boats, and sadly I wasn't using the Fleet Boat manual over on www.hnsa.org to expand my knowledge, I was using a LOT of information by very smart submariners whom rode them. Nothing wrong with that but when you have a question in your head at midnight they finally quit answering the phone

The school of the boat thread was started just as if we were doing it on the boat and start from the very begining and DON'T look at the answers, go to the Fleet Manual and look up the information for yourself that way you will be familiar with it and won't have to rely on this thread forever.

I was honored to have people like Chief Mike and JT teach this with me, they are extremely knowledgable and helped me when I needed it.

As far as the Diesel project goes look at our bbs under activities around '98-'99 and you can see when we had dedicated  MM's onboard whom rebuilt the fuel pumps, installed new injectors and did a LOT of the work. Sadly we should go back and clean all of these parts up again as if we were rebuilding them because they have not had fuel or LO in them since the rebuild.

Email me or call me if you have any questions that are stumping you and I will see what I can do to help you

[Earl]

Appreciate that, Darrin, truly.

I think I'm going to go ahead and spring for the ~$20 to purchase a reprint of NAVPERS 16160 to get at least the basics in hand; I'd rather do that and not worry about marking up my own copy. Right now, I know that I'm more comptent than the average NQ, but no where near where I want to be short of re-enlisting. So, if absorbing all that I can from experienced hands is the best I can hope for, then it's the very least I can do.

[emeacho]

OK, guys.  here is the latest on the Torsk engine restoration.  The diesel fresh water systems for #1 and #2 MEs are ready for flushing.  We had to install hose connections to the low point drains to drain the flushing water out.  We also had to install a hose connection on the potable water inlet to diesel fresh water fill.  The original connection to ship's potty water is being used as the sourtce for flushing water in the crew's head.  So, all that being said, I'll flush out the FW cooling systems first chance I get.

As for diesel seawater cooling.  Gil made pipe flanges so we could connect a fire hose to the inlets of our seawater strainers.  When the boat was decommisioned, the navy disconnected the pipe from the sea chest shutoff valve to the two seawater suction strainers.  Gil fabricated a flange that fits over the strainer inlet.  The flange will have a nipple welded to it and a 2" ball valve and fire hose connection will be screwed onto the nipple.  The plan is to use a 1-1/2" fire hose to supply fresh water from the pier through the diesel seawater cooling system.  Once I get the flangs assembled, I plan to flush the seawater systems also.  Gil also mnade two additional blank flanges to cover the seawater overboard discharge openings that were used to discharge seawater overboard when snorkeling.  (THe waer couldn't go through the exhaust when Torsk was snorkeling.  The Navy removed the overboard pipe when Torsk was decommissioned, so the open holes had to be flanged over (otherwise, we'd have a lot of water entering unrestrained into the people tank.

As for the lube oil systems, everything has been checked out and all valves are tagged so their purpose can be identified.  There are two obstacles preventing us from circulating lube oil: 1) the lube oil service pump discharge valve is missing.  2) E-Div is disconnecting the DC drive motor and replacing it with an AC motor.  Once these two hurdles are overcome, we will pump oil and jack the #1 and #2 MEs.

I think that pretty well explains things.  We are close to restoring the diesel FW and SW cooling systems and the diesel lube oil systems for #1 and #2 MEs.  Once completed we wil begin jacking both MNes every weekend.  The rest is up to a FM diesel expert who the board approves.  We do not want to start these monsters until an expert is sure they won't self-destruct.

[Darrin]

Chief,

call me so we can discuss the govenor's, they need to be torn down and rebuilt... all of the spec's are in the F/M manual.. they can be rebuilt onboard using standard tools and a feeler gauge.. Also the Scavange Air Blower needs to be pulled off and verified clean and properly lubed also noted in the F/M manual.

Before Dave removes and replaces the LO pump motors give me a chance to come back to Torsk to drop off a AC/DC transformer that may not requrie the replacement of the motors, I have had it here for a LONG time now and you all maybe able to use it.

[SOB]

HEY SOB, can you send the Torsk the CD that you all put together so they can see how you all have your FW and other systems set up?

Darrin - happy to share our Engine Operatin Manual with anyone who wants/needs it - better yet, send me your E-mail addy and I'll send you the files - all in MSWord. Waiting for Rich Pekelney to get time to put it on PAMPANITO's website.

[Darrin]

Thank you SOB, will open it on my email shortly...

Btw we do have our origional F/M manuals onboard, they really don't discuss valve line up and a few other details.. hopefully this will clear up any problems.

Thanks,

Darrin

[Darrin]

OK folks, it was brought up in a different thread about the Diesel engines and what it takes to get one running once more... let me say that for this exercise that the engines ran a day or two ago and not 40 years ago... SO what is truly needed to make one run once more, and think BAREBONES MINIMUM