Whodgins
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2016
- Messages
- 139
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- mv Möbius
- Vessel Make
- XPM78 eXtreme eXploration Passage Maker, Naval Yachts
I second the several recommendations of others here to do as you have and deeply mine the mind of the mechanic who has been maintaining this Gardner 8LXB for over 25 years, he will be a treasure trove of information for you. On the other hand, as an owner of a 6LXB, which is literally identical to yours, just two cylinders less and having just done a full back to factory new rebuild, that in many ways a Gardner is one of the most easily serviced diesel engines you will ever find. ANY good mechanic, especially one that is more "old school" and has been around diesels for a long time, will be very familiar with your Gardner even if he/she has never seen one before as they simply could not be more simple and easy to understand. There are certainly some unique features, or at least they would be to the more modern diesel mechanics such as compression release levers, ability to start with a hand crank (not kidding), they are otherwise as basic as a diesel engine gets. It is as much about what a Gardner does NOT have as what it does such as no turbo, NO electronics OR electrics other than the 24V starter, direct all mechanical fuel injection, etc. etc.
From the perspective of YOU getting to know and have confidence in your Gardner you have the perfect situation with the well experienced mechanic who knows her well. I am just adding that once you head out cruising you need not worry about finding a "Gardner Mechanic", just a well experienced diesel engine mechanic and you'll be fine.
I would also HIGHLY recommend that you contact Michael Harrison who runs Gardner Marine Diesel in Cantebury England and build a good relationship with him and his crew there. They are the continuation of the original Gardner company, Michael's Dad worked for the original Gardner company almost all his working life and then bought up all the inventory and machines when Gardner went out of business. They can provide you with OEM parts or rebuilt ones for pretty much ever single one of the very few parts that a Gardner LXB has and IMHO they are THE definitive experts when it comes to Gardner engines as they continue to this day to rebuild them and service them around the world. Michael and his crew at GMD have been absolutely fantastic to deal with and I can not recommend them to you highly enough.
If you have specific questions or ways I might assist you feel free to contact me either here or at wayne.hodgins@gmail.com and if you have time on your hands you can check out the rebuild of our Gardner 6LXB in many of the weekly progress updates I post on our blog of building our XPM78-01 Möbius on the Mobius.World blog my wife and I maintain. I will be doing the first start up of our 6LXB next month once we finish the build of our new boat and get her launched and in the water.
You will come to be truly impressed with your "new" Gardner and congratulations and enjoy the whole experience with your new boat.
Wayne
From the perspective of YOU getting to know and have confidence in your Gardner you have the perfect situation with the well experienced mechanic who knows her well. I am just adding that once you head out cruising you need not worry about finding a "Gardner Mechanic", just a well experienced diesel engine mechanic and you'll be fine.
I would also HIGHLY recommend that you contact Michael Harrison who runs Gardner Marine Diesel in Cantebury England and build a good relationship with him and his crew there. They are the continuation of the original Gardner company, Michael's Dad worked for the original Gardner company almost all his working life and then bought up all the inventory and machines when Gardner went out of business. They can provide you with OEM parts or rebuilt ones for pretty much ever single one of the very few parts that a Gardner LXB has and IMHO they are THE definitive experts when it comes to Gardner engines as they continue to this day to rebuild them and service them around the world. Michael and his crew at GMD have been absolutely fantastic to deal with and I can not recommend them to you highly enough.
If you have specific questions or ways I might assist you feel free to contact me either here or at wayne.hodgins@gmail.com and if you have time on your hands you can check out the rebuild of our Gardner 6LXB in many of the weekly progress updates I post on our blog of building our XPM78-01 Möbius on the Mobius.World blog my wife and I maintain. I will be doing the first start up of our 6LXB next month once we finish the build of our new boat and get her launched and in the water.
You will come to be truly impressed with your "new" Gardner and congratulations and enjoy the whole experience with your new boat.
Wayne