I'm sure all diesel engine owners have heard about the engine blower. It seems like it's always in the news, but is it really necessary? How much horsepower does a diesel engine actually require using a blower? In my diesel motorized houseboat, I can't use the blowers unless I turn off the engine and shut off the fuel supply first. So is the engine blower really needed?
Currently, the only engine blower that I could find is the one that comes on after the starter is turned on, which stays on until the engine dies and the switch is turned off. Is that true? I have been on many charter boats with diesel powered boats, and not remember ever having such a blower on for the engine compartment prior to starting the boat. Of course, there are always some maintenance issues with all diesel powered boats, but I think overall they're quite safe. You need to check out this site for more info.
Most of the time, the problem with using the blower is that the boat starts and stalls during the start up process and at low speed. Sometimes this happens at low speed, because the start up air is so dry, that the engine can't breathe through it. The diesel engine just can't function properly, without a good exhaust. Diesel fuel is much better for start ups and burns cleaner, so most of the time the diesel engine just needs a little freshening up to start running well again.
So what's the solution to the diesel engine blower problem? Well, you could try running water through the starting valve (to clear the air intake), but this is a time consuming and problematic step. You could also try to cool the engine by bringing it to a stop and running cool air through the carburetor tubes. This works, but only for a few minutes at a time. The next best thing is to try cleaning the engine compartment with a vacuum. Click on this link to get more info on how to clean an engine blower.
The engine blower is part of the turbocharger system, which is one of two parts that turbochargers increase engine power. Together, these two systems, also known as 'turbo engines' power most high performance sports cars. Unfortunately, these turbochargers often clog up, leading to less power at top speed. One way to avoid this is to keep the engine blower clean by 'scavenging air'.
Scavenging air is simple; you only need to look out for two things. Firstly, watch any leaks - any hoses or pipes that may be leaking. Secondly, check the turbocharger pipes to make sure they are clear of dirt or debris. If your engine blower is a marine engine, you need to make sure it doesn't block the vents on the back of the turbocharger, as these are vital to the turbocharger's performance. If you probably want to get more enlightened on this topic, then click on this related post: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boat.
