Update on our Hinkley Yacht Service adventure :

Wednesday was an eye opener... the new injectors were installed... as well as the rebuilt injector pump... and still the GEN SET would not start...
:( OH OH....
WELL... at that very moment one of the other mechanics came on to AB... and saw a little Exhaust smoke INSIDE the engine room... (where there's really supposed to be NONE!!!)

AT that point it was decided to check the mixing elbow... (exhaust)...
And although this is something that "happens to other cruisers"... wouldn't you know it... Exhaust Elbow CLOGGED SOLID...
That was why the engine changed "exhaust note" in seconds... the other night...
A chunk of carbon must have dropped down from the top of the elbow... and blocked the exit completely !!!!
UNREAL...

So, the GEN SET was moved out, away from the bulkhead, and the exhaust elbow removed...
The good thing: no major corrosion on the elblow itself. (Dalmation's elbow, and manifold had to be replaced this past week).
The Bad news: ... it WAS clogged solid... OK.. elblow was then CLEANED... and re-installed... BUT
and here's the really LUCKY part of all this....
Danny North, the diesel mechanic, said well "as long as we have the valve cover OFF, let's check the valve lash (clearances)... OK..

Number 2, and 3 cylinders.. NO problem... then we came to Cylinder #1... HUMMM an unusual amount of clearance... Then Danny noticed that something was MISSING!!!
On the very end of each rocker arm, there's SUPPOSED to be a wear Plate (about 1/4" in diameter); The wear plate is what contacts the valve stem during normal operation...
The Number #1 cylinder Intake rocker wear plate was MISSING... BIG time OH OH... as there's really no place for this piece of metal to go, except the oil sump, (going down the pushrod openings)... Wow...

SO... When did we discover all this rocker arm stuff... 5 minutes to 5 PM, on the day before a 4 day holiday... SO............... We're stuck here now, until the middle of next week... Parts (a new rocker arm with wear plate) will be ordered on MONDAY... Air Freighted in.. Hopefully installed on Tuesday, and then try the GEN SET...

OH... and before the rocker problem was discovered.... we found a weak and slightly torn fuel supply hose leading up to the GEN SET... WE may have done that in moving the Gen SET, to get to the exhaust Elbow, BUT now that's also taken care OF...
This is quite the "REhabilitation of this unit".... But we're looking forward now to many more years of faithful service....
FINGERS CROSSED.

The second project... the new Topping LIFT for the mains'l boom was also done yesterday.... NO mean feat as the weather was COLD, and blustery...
WE had to crank the rigger, Mark Edwards, to the top of the mast in these gusty conditions...
But, it all worked out... Mark did the high work... and I did the "low" connections Thursday, on the boom end.

SO... We hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving... and stayed SAFE.. and WARM. (We had ICE on the dock for the past two mornings).