OPERATION-3
Engine Startup
IMPORTANT: Always be very careful
when starting your engines. Use common
sense and good judgement. Turn OFF the
engine(s) immediately if you observe any
unsafe operating condition.
The below listed procedures should be fol-
lowed when starting your engines:
Operate the bilge blower motors for fi ve
(5) minutes before starting your engines.
Place shift control levers in the neutral
position.
Place throttle control levers in the “down”
position.
Turn ignition switch to ON, but not to
START. Be certain the engine oil pressure
alarm sounds and the Automatic Fire Extin-
guisher System indicator light is ON.
Turn ignition switch to START and hold
until the engine starts. Release the ignition
switch immediately after the engine starts.
If the starter motor does not operate when
you turn the ignition switch to START, the
neutral safety switch may be out of adjust-
ment. Carefully move the shift control lever
up and down slowly until the starter motor
operates. Have a competent technician
adjust the neutral safety switch as soon as
possible.
If the engine fails to start within thirty (30)
seconds, release the ignition switch. Al-
low the starter motor to cool for at least
sixty (60) seconds and then try again to
start the engine. Prolonged starting at-
tempts may result in starter motor over-
heating and damage.
Failure to release the ignition switch
from the START position after the en-
gine starts may result in serious dam-
age to the starter motor and/or engine
fl ywheel.
If one of the batteries is not suffi ciently
charged to start the engine, start the en-
gine with the fully charged battery first.
Start the other engine using the “Parallel
Start” switch, which draws power from both
batteries. Release the parallel start switch
immediately after the engine starts.
DO NOT continue to depress the “Par-
allel Start Switch” after the engine has
started. Damage to the alternator(s) may
result.
Be certain the oil pressure is between
30 and 50 psi (gasoline engines) or 35 and
70 psi (diesel engines). If the oil pressure
is low, turn OFF the respective engine im-
mediately.