Volvo Shenanigans

Over the last couple weeks, I have been shadowing the lead Volvo mechanic at LaConner Maritime Service.  I have begun to expand my failure diagnostics knowledge specifically pertaining to marine Volvo equipment. I have spent most of my learning time inside the DPH drive model.  I have been learning how to shim the gears properly to obtain ideal contact patterns, backlash, establish proper rolling torque and overall assembly. I also learned how to lap the clutches for stern drives in general.

The bearing on the left had spun in its housing creating excessive shaft run-out.

Calculating nessary shim thickneses 

Checking gear contact patterns. This patttern is optimal.

There is excessive wear and pitting on this gear.

Lapping a DPH clutch.

Failed head gasket on a 350 mercrusier

Summer14 Miles

This last summer has been a productive one for the fishing vessel Nancy O. II and its crew (myself and two crewmen). I flew up to Naknek, Alaska on May 30th, serviced and carried out maintenance work for ten days and launched on the evening tide June 9th. 

Some of the preseason work consisted of de-winterizing the boat systems, tidying up hose orientation , fixing hydraulic leaks, R&R'ing alternators and checking what RPM's I need to spin them to run select electrical devices (coffee pot, rice cooker, etc.), installing auxiliary high bilge water and engine alarms, and much more small odds and ends. 

During the season, I missed less fishing time due to break downs than all of the previous three years. Though we still missed some fishing time this year from getting rammed by another fishing vessel to my RSW (refrigerated sea water) system's circulation pump shaft shearing. This was my brother's first year running a boat and I helped him diagnose a couple of his issues from a faulty starter (tested to discover that the motor works fine but the solenoid was faulty) to discovering a seized Lovejoy coupling was the reason his RSW circulation pump wasn't working. His circulation pump problem could of been a diagnostic nightmare (and a lot of time wasted) but I started with the basics(like we learned to do in class), rather than over thinking the issue. Throughout all of these projects, big or small, I learned things about and familiarized myself with the different systems. 

A new seafood processing company, Silver Bay Seafoods, came to town this year(we fished for them) and the fishermen were able to tour the brand new processing facility. It was a really clean setup with a capability to process two million pounds a day. Bristol Bay 2014 was the best yet for the Nancy O. II and her crew.

Hours: 410

Boats going dry in the Naknek river when the fishing is shut down

Leaky composite seals on hydraulic pump. Replaced with hydraulic grade o-rings. 

This is an example of someone trying to haul a boat with a trailer a quarter of its size. They were holding the stern up with a forklift and slowly inched it to its dry storage location.

Sheared circulation pump shaft.

The hole in my stern roller box from getting rammed. All five bolts on the bottom of the box sheared and the whole box bent forward.

Another pic of the ramming. That three way ball valve (fish hold pump out valve) broke and I had to delete the valve, reroute the pvc under the deck, and pump out with the wash down pump.

Patch work

Sitting heavy with lots of fish on board.

Offloading fish

Picking what seems to be an empty net.

Loaded

Line fishing gets quite busy.

The biggest load of the season.

More line fishing.

My dad's crewman dozing off on the back deck.

Line fishing

The most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen have been in Bristol Bay

Inside the new Silver Bay Seafoods processing plant.

Row freeze racks

Going dry with my brother and his boat

Lots of boats raft together and go dry when fishing is closed for extended periods of time.

Silver Bay's offloading dock in the Naknek river.

This helicopter makes trips out to the fishing grounds daily running parts and supplies to fishermen and processors.

Spring14 Miles

Last week, I finished measuring that reassembling a cylinder and head assembly on the 3516 in the BTC shop. In doing a project on temperature sensors, I learned about how to diagnose where a fault is in a temp sensor circuit. I know it is information I will use in the future. Below are pictures of my measurements on both the E7 and 3516 and some pictures of steps along the way. On Friday I flew back up to Naknek Alaska for another season of fishing in Bristol Bay. So far nothing major failed over the winter and preseason prep is going well.

w: 47

t: 307

hydraulic manifold was leaking. replaced old nylon seals with o-rings

Replaced the plug in the picture with this sealed junction box to prevent corrosion and possible malfunction of my RSW system in the future.

Question 3

Spring14 Miles

Last week at Maritime I was put on a job to help finish up an interesting project. The customer wanted a stern thruster installed on his catamaran so he came up with a design that articulates down into the water when he wants to use it then can be retracted while under way via hydraulic rams. Below is a picture of it retracted (I didn't get a picture of it lowered). My coworker and I had to make some calls and figure out the valve body orientation (via assembly numbers), along with other details, due to a lack of info provided with the components. In the end we got it working correctly. In the BTC shop I have been continuing to learn about engine assembly and disassembly. In particular, I have been learning to use some measuring devices I haven't used in the past such as a bore gauge. Next week I will post pictures of the engine disassembles and the corresponding measurement info.  

w: 35.5

t: 260

Spring14 Miles

Last week at BTC, my group and I began to measure and record necessary values on the Mack E7 and started the reassembly process. At Maritime, I was put on a project diagnosing a stiff steering issue. Long story short, it was the power steering assist valve body. Throughout the process of getting to that conclusion, I followed the OEM specifications to test the different components, learning about the procedure along the way. Overall it was a very educational task.

w: 39.5

t: 224.5

Testing power steering pump pressures.

Spring14 Miles

Last week my group and I started the disassembly of a Mack E7. I learned how to pull cylinder liners and what can go wrong in the process. At maritime I was a assigned to repack two shaft stuffing boxes on a vessel. The post side went just fine with no eyebrows raised. I noticed the starboard side had major pitting and if simply repacked would have leaked again. Also the pitting has created a weak point so if the operator was to accidentally hit a rock (happens more often then one would think), it would most likely shear clean off at that point creating huge problems. The customer was notified and is taking preventative maintenance measures (new shaft) to avoid a disaster down the road.

w: 42.5

t: 185

Shaft corrosion