P/S Jeff  -7 ;  forget it till Spring , do something else ,save your money . .

Jeff  a good dollop of amnisia is handy when working on boats forget the past look to the future that is , work wise not teck wise .      I got two d, tanks one each side, my return goes to a t, valve two sides always open , so I can shift fuel from one tank to another when the engine is running , and yes I have over filled one tank once.   I use plastic tanks to cut down condensation the warm return helps to cut that out , plus tanks with seams always seem to leak .  I used hydraulic rubber pipes for my fuel lines, they bend any way you like and are nearly bomb proof , but a little bit costly .    Having said that if you are looking for something simple buy a 25 litre clear fuel container take the top of and stick the three pipes in , the draw pipe near the bottom and the return near the top, get a big cork ,cut three slots for the pipes not forgetting the breather pipe and jam it in the hole , but d,nt forget to strap the tank on well , being clear you can see how much fuel you have left .     Annie,s  Idea is a good idea as well .   All the best in your trials . 

Ketil Greve wrote:

Hi Jeff,

. In my wharfbuild X-99, I sit and scratch my head trying to find a way of taking the dieseltank out for cleaning. It has been sitting there for 28 years, and there must be a good layer of sludge waiting to be beaten loose in bad weather, blocking the filters when you need the engine most. 

Ketil

Ketil,

Hi Jeff,

Funny how renown boatbuilders can do things. When I built Edmond Dantes, I was carefully making things accessible and easy to replace because sooner or later things will need service. In my wharfbuild X-99, I sit and scratch my head trying to find a way of taking the dieseltank out for cleaning. It has been sitting there for 28 years, and there must be a good layer of sludge waiting to be beaten loose in bad weather, blocking the filters when you need the engine most. It seems I will have to remove the chart table and drawers. In the most elegant way to make things, no screwheads are to be seen, but hidden away in the most awkward places. The same goes for the watertank, but that has a manhole for cleaning. Cutting a hole in the cockpit to get to the engine, should have been done by the manufacturers, they know an engine dont last forever.

Ketil

                                                                 Stavanger, Tuesday

Jeff, I suggest you leave your engine as it is until spring, with temperatures at least above +5°C. Without any cold-start devices fitted (glow plug etc) you simply cannot expect the thing to start at such low temperatures. In warmer weather the battery will be more powerful and the engine oil less stiff so the starter will spin the engine much faster. Don’t begin any work on lifting it out until you have failed to start it in warmer weather. It may well be that it is all right, head gasket and all. If you wonder if the engine gets diesel, just have someone observe the exhaust while you are cranking the engine with the starter. Thick white smoke is good.

In the later years, diesel engines have become very popular in use in ordinary cars in my country. To make them start in the cold seasons, the manufacturers have provided them with bigger batteries, very good glow-plugs ( less than 5 seconds) and one uses synthetic engine oil which keeps an almost constant viscosity over a wide range of temperatures. Even the diesel is different (thinner) for the winter season in really cold areas. On such places the cars are also fitted with electric engine heaters (connected to the AC over night). This  ensures an easy start and that the cabin gets nice and warm quickly.

Stavanger BTW, sitting next to the sea, enjoys the central heating from the Gulf Stream so -7°C is cold for us as well (we are there right now).

Good luck

Arne