In the digital age we are used to micro electronic gadgets that never need adjustment. Even our automobiles can run for thousands of miles with almost no maintenance. But heavy equipment like marine diesels are different.
Most diesel engines need clean fuel, oil and air supplies, proper ignition and adequate cooling to provide long-lasting and reliable service. If you can take care of these items, your engine will almost always take care of you.
While engine and electrical maintenance are chores most boaters would rather not face, delaying them can drive up the cost of ownership in both time and money. Maintenance is also a matter of safety. In July of last year, Coast Guard officials in San Francisco estimated that engine failure caused one-third of the distress calls they receive.
The reality is that your power plant operates in a marine environment. Wiring is continually under attack by salt and moisture. Pumps are accosted by sand and marine organisms. Tanks are subject to condensation. Bolts can rattle loose.
In addition, the "new" boats that most of us buy are actually used, meaning they may have technology that is a decades old and was neglected by previous owners. Unlike most cars, marine engines need regular care. Without it, they will eventually succumb to the environment.
With that in mind, here are some ideas that will help prevent the most common problems from accosting one or both of your engines.
CLEAN FUEL
Many engine problems can be traced back to unclean fuel. You can guard against this by adding biocide and dewatering agents to your fuel tank before every filling, and by filtering the fuel through a fine mesh screen to remove unnecessary particles.
CAPT. ALAN R. HUGENOT
In addition, half-empty tanks form condensation on the cold tank interiors, which then rusts the tanks and adds water to your fuel – two things that can mean trouble for a diesel engine. It is a good idea to keep your tanks full, which can help prevent condensation from forming.
Once a month, check the fuel filters to make sure they are clean, and drain off any water in the bulb. When you have rust flakes or algae, your filters fill up right away and need to be changed regularly, so carry two sets of replacements.
I once helped deliver a vessel from Lake Union in Seattle to Victoria that had spent the winter with empty fuel tanks. It had been a particularly cold winter, with several freezes, so the condensation had the chance to break out a good deal of rust from the tank sides. We topped off with diesel in Ballard, headed down through the Chittenden Locks to Puget Sound, then North to Victoria. That boat had dual bypass filters, meaning we could switch between them, and that was a good thing. Ultimately, we had to change the fuel filters four times during the 90-mile voyage.
CLEAN AIR
This is one of the least obvious and the most neglected items. Most engines will usually run with insufficient air, but the fuel economy goes way down and the horsepower suffers.
