Engine Maintenance

The engine on Tarka is a small onboard single pot diesel with manual and electric start. It’s not a huge engine and is really only a backup for sail power, that and for manouvering in and out of tight places.

There has béen a small crack in the exhaust manifold that has been a problem from the start. From time to time it requires a little exhaust compound to reseal but I have known in my mind I’m only putting off the inevitable. Since I’m not doing so much sailing this year for medical reasons I’m doing some larger maintenance jobs instead. This is one of those jobs that I’d been putting off for some time but right now there is an opportunity to do a permanent fix. So I did my research, ordered the parts and fitted a new cylinder head and new valves, seals and gaskets.

Tarka has been on a cylinder head waiting list since I’ve owner her, thats about five years or more. Myself I’ve been waiting for a gallbladder removal op for only about a year and a half so I’m not complaining.