Day 47 – Engine Woes

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 29 Jan 2022 20:05
Noon Position: 51 33.6 S 104 51.2 W
Course: E Speed: 6 knots
Wind: WSW, F6 Sea: moderate
Swell: W 2.5 meters
Weather: overcast, cool
Day’s Run: 144nm

With the fresh quartering breeze we make good progress towards the Horn with an average speed of six knots.
Yesterday afternoon I took advantage of the fair weather to investigate the VHF problem further. I pulled apart the connection at the base of the mast and found it to be clean and corrosion free so that does not seem to be the problem, if indeed the problem is with Sylph’s VHF and not Coconut’s. For now with no other likely faults within my troubleshooting capabilities, I will wait until I come across another VHF station, most likely a ship, and test it out with a them.
And another problem has arisen, this one with the engine. You may recall from a few days ago that I suspected that water had somehow contaminated the engine oil. Yesterday I dug out my spare oil, drained the oil out of the engine, flushed it through with some oil until I was pumping clean oil out of the sump, changed the oil filter, then filled up the oil. The engine took a while to start but then seemed fine, only the oil alarm was still chirping intermittently, not on loudly as it would be if there was no oil pressure, but still indicating a problem somewhere. As it was getting on towards sunset I decided to continue fault finding later.
This morning I tried to start the engine but with no success so gave up for the time being so as not to completely flatten the engine battery. Checking the oil dip stick showed clean oil so that is at least a positive. From here I will bleed the fuel system and try to start the engine again. My worst fear is that some water has gotten into one or more cylinders through the exhaust system and then when I have started the engine I may have blown the head gasket which would account for how the water got from the cylinders into the oil system. On the other hand, I would have thought if that was the problem I would see oil in the cooling system.
But not to worry, as mentioned, the engine is not a critical system for this voyage. If I cannot fix it I will do what I can to decommission it so as to prevent any further damage until the voyage is over and then sort it out when back in port, wherever that might end up being, but hopefully Adelaide.
For now Sylph runs before the wind under a double reefed main and 50% jib poled out to port, heading east at 6.5 knots, Cape Horn 1360 miles ahead.
All is well.