Storing Diesel engine for 3 mo?

[Captain Puget]

leave the fuel tank full - less moisture potential

[seabreez]

Originally Posted by mrybas

Hi,
I’m leaving my boat at a dock for 3 months while I go home for work. What are best practices for having the engine sit?
I was planning on doing the following:

Spray down with WD-40

Remove intake hose and run fresh water through cooling system from a bucket

Change Oil and filter (better to do now or when I get back?)


Anything else I should consider doing?

I would only change the engine oil before leaving and close all sea cocks.

[garyfdl]

Shut the hull valve/sea cock, drain the raw water side of the cooling system, and walk away. (This assumes the boat is in an area where you won't get a hard freeze - temps below freezing for an extended time.)

Change the oil and filter when you get back.

[Cheechako]

For 3 mo's I wouldn't bother with doing anything. But if you do run fresh water through it, you can open the top of the water strainer with the seacock closed and use a hose to run the engine.

[CassidyNZ]

Change the oil and filter when it is due according to a normal maintenance schedule. Why change it just because the engine hasn’t run for three months?

I have a car that only gets used once in a blue moon. If I changed the oil each time the car got used, I’d need shares in an oil company to recoup my losses.

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

Change the oil and filter when it is due according to a normal maintenance schedule. Why change it just because the engine hasn’t run for three months?

I have a car that only gets used once in a blue moon. If I changed the oil each time the car got used, I’d need shares in an oil company to recoup my losses.

Yea me too,
I think calendar changing is a myth. I wrote to valvoline & asked if oil has a use by date & they said no though wether the person who answered the email knew anything who knows?
Seen enough engines that have sat for years with the same oil in them & they are fine internally that it doesn't appear to be an issue. But people can throw away their low hour oil if they wish, seems a waste though.

[esarratt]

Originally Posted by jamhass

Especially if in a hot environment, pull the impeller.

Why? What role does the hot environment play? Just curious.