Study hall questions

[S/V Illusion]

There are a few thing noted above which are contrary to the engine manufacturer's recommendation as well as conventional wisdom, e.g., changing oil every season regardless of hours, same of fuel filters, inspection of belts, etc. I'm curious what the source of the maintenance list is.

[never monday]

Illusion,
All of the engine manufacturers I represent state 100-250 hrs (model dependant) or 1 year which ever come first.

[henryk]

My boat is on the hard in Florida (bought it last may ) and just wandering if the diesel should be started every so often ? , or what should one do to keep in the good shape if it's not used ?

[Alan Wheeler]

Yes absolutely. Start it and run it at least once a month if you can.
See the Study hall for warm up.

S/V Illusion, What I have listed is a Rule of thumb. Of course, slight variations may apply dependant on engine size and work done etc. But normaly it is as listed. However, always adhere to the manufacturers requirments, especially if it is under a warranty.

[SkiprJohn]

HenryK,
Make certain the engine has cooling water!!
JohnL

[henryk]

I'm not sure if this is a goo idea, but what if I ask the yard people to put a fifty gallon drum with water in it by the boat , hook up the hose to the impeller to have a steady flow. Just an idea

[mickmul]

That would work, but filter the intake in case rust or iron particles (or leaves) get sucked into your cooling system - I actually verify the cooling water intake is clear of weeds and other ingress first (once had a family of shellfish sheltering in there), and backwards from hose end to skin fitting just to make sure the impellor is being fed cleanly . . . then re-connect, drop a hose in the drum and off you go . . .

[S/V Antares]

It is asking a lot of a raw water pump to lift 5 ft. I use a 5 gal spackle bucket inside with a hose. Easy to hook up to the strainer or thu hull. Just do not feed the hose directly into the pump as it can fill the motor up befor you start it.

[Alan Wheeler]

Sorry I did not realise you were on the hard. In that case, don't worry about it. Sitting for a few months will cause no harm at all. You will not have the moisture content in the air to be of a worry. The is a big difference in moisture in the air between being in the water and a few hundred feet away from it. Just wait till you go back in the water in the new season and then run the engine up.
When I grew up on the farm, we regularly had equipment like harvesters, that sat all year and came out for a weeks hard work and went back to sitting for a year again. No problems. One reason to use a good oil and preferably sysnthetic, so as parts remain coated longer in a film.

[henryk]

Thanks a lot for a good advice brother sailors . Alan ! I had the same thought , I grow up on the farm too and we did the same.

[SkiprJohn]

Alan and Henry,
Every couple of months I turn the engine over by hand because just now I can't start and run it (not cooling water plumbing yet). When I will be able to start it I'll run it once a month for a few minutes.
Oops, did I hijack this thread?
JohnL