Triple injectorectomy

Ms. Bettencourt's 30-year-old Kubota diesel produced a spectacular plume of black smoke as we pulled away from the dock a couple of weeks ago, and full throttle refused to produce more than half-power.

A high-anxiety loop brought us back alongside the pier where I have been probing mechanical innards ever since.

Days have been spent following troubleshooting flow charts toward exhilarating peaks of likely problem solutions then to despondent lows of dashed results. And, most lately, to numbing dead-ends.

It is a fact, however, that black smoke and soot all over the transom is incontrovertible evidence of un-burned fuel. Also,the engine starts easily and idles smoothly. This means there is sufficient compression for fuel ignition.

These facts lead me to believe that the problem must lie with one or more of the fuel injectors, though individual injector tests with the engine running failed to identify a specific bad actor.

So, I think, all three injectors have failed to some degree.

As a result, with great difficulty, over a three-day period, we have come to a milestone:

Probably for the first time since Ms. Bettencourt's engine was built in the mid-1980s, its injectors are out and on the bench.

They will be going to a local diesel shop early next week.










 Her mobility thus challenged, Ms. Bettencourt will remain at the dock until this problem is sorted out. Please check back from time to time.  I'll post an update when more is known.