[Public-List] diesel woes

[gordon white]

     Our Alberg, Brigadoon II, has a Westerbeke diesel, installed some 
years ago by the prior owner. Usually it runs well, with occasional 
issues with fuel that has sat in the tank(s) too long. In that case, 
usually, the engine just stops until things are cleaned out. This time, 
on a 3-day trip to Yorktown for the fireworks (no wind until we had tied 
up at the marina there) the engine would suddenly slow down almost to a 
stop, and occasionally it would stop. But usually after drastically 
slowing it would come back to our usual RPM (2,100) and on we would go.

     Thinking that one set of our parallel Racor filters was gummed up I 
switched filters but eventually the engine would slow again almost to a 
stop. We have two tanks, so I switched tanks. Same thing. Eventually 
(after an hour or two) it would slow or stop, then resume regular RPM, 
or stop and be re-started and go on. Last time it happened we were in a 
dicey place entering our channel, but it re-started in time.

     Having since been away on a road trip, I haven't done anything 
about it except think.

     Anyone have any ideas? Mine, at this point, is that as my switching 
tanks and filters seemed not to cure the problem is that they are not 
the issue. There is another small filter right at the injectors that I 
could not, out there, readily switch, so that is my first job this week.

     But why it drastically slowed then regained full speed for an hour 
or two does puzzle me.  Unless there is something floating in the system 
that occasionally plugs it up, then falls away -

     Anyway - anyway, does anyone have any ideas?

thanks

  - Gordon White (Deltaville, Virginia)