After installing the new starter Saturday, I was disappointed to find that the generator still would not start. It's not the end of the world, I'll just enter the old one into Alana's ever-growing inventory of spares and be ready when I really do lose a starter, perhaps in the middle of some ocean. Luckily I was able to reach Charles Portner of Lafayette Marine Service and he came out this morning to see if he couldn't succeed where I have so far failed. Charles has been terrific, sharing all sorts if information and troubleshooting tips free of charge over the phone, so I'm glad to have him on the job. He has also patiently answered all my questions, even the dumb ones, and has been very willing to tell me what he is doing every step of the way. More contractors should be like Charles, even if they have to fake it to promote business.
After a couple hours of checking this and that, Charles eventually identified a faulty injector as the likely cause of the problem, so the project is again on hold until a new injector gets here from New Jersey some time tomorrow afternoon. I also have new rings and head gaskets coming in case the injector proves not to be the problem. Like the extra starter, I'll just keep them as spares if they prove unnecessary.
This delay has necessitated a delay in the Chesapeake Bay cruise I've been planning with my dad. He was to have driven over from Ohio tomorrow, but will now hold off until I give him a call to let him know the generator is either fixed or beyond repair. It was a real hassle to remove the generator from its cramped shelf, so I really don't want to go to the effort of putting everything back until the generator is finally fixed.
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