Boat Engine Maintenance Tips
Boat engines have a lot of moving parts, and they all need to work together to get the boat engine running smoothly. Even though boat engines are relatively small, they do have a lot of moving parts. If any one part breaks or fails, the whole engine won’t work properly. It’s imperative that you understand how these parts all fit together so you can keep them in good working order. For this article, we’re going to go over some basic maintenance tips that you’ll never miss when it comes to your boat engine. If you follow these simple tips, the chances are good that your boat engine won’t fail you again!
Inspect your engine often.
First, check your engine oil level regularly — even when the engine isn’t in use. This is to make sure that the oil is properly added to the engine and that there aren’t any foreign objects in the engine that are preventing it from operating. If there are any problems with the oil or the engine itself, the engine could seize up. Seizing engines usually have a loud bang when they suddenly shut off. You don’t want that! If this happens, unplug the engine from the battery, walk away, and try again later. The engine will probably continue to run without the need for a plug. Make sure that you have enough oil in the crankcase to avoid this problem. Make sure that your gas tank is mostly full so that you don’t drive off empty. You don’t want to be stuck on the water with an engine that won’t start because you neglected to add oil!
Don’t lean on your boat engine.
If you’re operating your boat engine with only a few people on board, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to use it very hard. But for a boat that’s used primarily on the lake or in the ocean, it’s important to understand how your engine works. A properly maintained boat engine doesn’t require any extra effort or stress. It just needs to be kept happy by running dry, keeping the air filters clean, and getting good gas mileage. It’s important to maintain your boat engine so that it runs like new for years to come. But leaning on your boat engine isn’t the way to go. Instead, use a float valve to allow excess water to escape while keeping the air filter in. This allows your boat engine to run more efficiently while keeping it smooth and quiet.
Change your oil and filter regularly.
Boat engines are notorious for going out on you. It’s not unusual for engines to need changing every few months or even annually. But this should be done only when you’re actually on the boat and not at the garage. There are a couple of different ways to do this. The easiest way is to use aolic, an inexpensive device you put into your oil line. It allows you to easily change the oil and filter without removing the engine. The other way to change your oil is to change it yourself. You can buy oil change kits that you can conveniently store in your garage. Once a year put the oil change kits in the garage, tighten the bolts that hold them together, and forget about them. If you don’t use the engine for a while, simply remove the oil change kits and dispose of them properly.
Take good care of your air filters.
After you change your oil and filters, you should also clean them thoroughly. This is to make sure that there are no traces of oil or dirt left in the air filters. If you don’t clean the air filters and allow them to gather dust, it will cause the vaporization of your engine fuel and create excessive black smoke during startup. This will definitely damage your engine, so clean the air filters regularly to keep them in top working order.
Routinely test your cooling system.
A classic boat engine problem is a coolant leak. You can usually detect a coolant leak by holding a glass of water next to the exhaust pipes. If the exhaust smells of fish, you have a leak in your cooling system. The most common areas for a cooling system leak are the oil filter and the Radiator housing. You should also change your oil and check your coolant monthly. If the Radiator housing is at fault, it’s likely that the engine will overheat. In this case, you’ll need to replace the entire engine. Look for brands that are known for their quality engines.
Conclusion
Boat engines are incredibly reliable and safe to operate, but they do require regular maintenance to keep them running at their best. These maintenance tips will help you avoid common problems and keep your engine running like new for years to come.