Getting Educated

     This past week I went to the boat on Sunday. Then on Tuesday, I traveled to Solomons, MD for Trawler Fest sponsored by PassageMaker Magazine. Although Trawler Fest did not start until Friday, I was there for what is billed as PassageMaker University (PMU). On Wednesday and Thursday, I attended a 2 day workshop for the Lehman Ford Diesel Engine. I enrolled in this workshop back in June to make sure my reservation was accepted, for this class quickly fills up. The instructor was no other than the legendary Bob Smith of American Diesel Corporation. If you are not familiar with the Lehman Ford diesel engine then you would probably not know who Bob Smith is. Bob Smith was instrumental in the marinization of the Ford engine when the program was started in the early 60's. Today, in his seventies, Bob Smith conducted a workshop at PMU that included lecturing on the Lehman Ford diesel engine on the first day. Day 2 was a hands-on instruction with a Lehman Ford 120. Also on day 2, the class of 14 other fellow boaters and myself applied what we had learned and pulled the injector pump, valve train and injectors. We then retorqued the head, reinstalled and timed the injector pump, bench tested the injectors and reinstalled them, reinstalled the valve train and set valve clearances. Next, we were tested on what we had learned. We wheeled the diesel engine outside and started it. Imagine being at a Holiday Inn and see a bunch of guys fire up a diesel engine outside the hotel without a muffler on the engine! Yes the engine ran, and we all "passed the test". Although I do have a mechanical background, I found this course very enlightening. It will greatly help with our Lehman Ford 120 on board Big Run. If you have a Lehman Ford 120 or 135, you will find this course very beneficial. I especially recommend it for those who have the 120.