Voyagers need to know their diesel engines and there are plenty of ways to gain experience in working on them. My most recent experiences involved getting engines rebuilt while being in Indonesia. The experience was instructive of how to go about the process when in a foreign country.  My first foray into an engine rebuild was almost 50 years ago. I overhauled my 1961 40 horsepower Volkswagen bus gasoline engine using John Muir’s classic book How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Manual… for the Complete Idiot. What an exercise in engine mechanics that was and the start of my…

In my work within the marine industry the subjects of horsepower and torque invariably come up, and just as invariably their definitions are mangled. To characterize horsepower and torque as deeply misunderstood would be an understatement.  When distilled to its most basic, the difference between these two terms can be characterized thus: horsepower is a measurement of work over time, while torque is simply a measurement of force irrespective of time. Torque is an element of horsepower; however, it’s distinctly different. A firm understanding may enable you to better evaluate engine options for new or used vessels, as well as…