LAY
..
UP
&
RECOMMISSIONING
General
Many
owners
rely
on
their boatyards
to
prepare their craft,
including engines and generators,
for
lay-up during
the
off-
season
or
for
long periods of inactivity.
Others
prefer
to
accomplish lay-up preparation themselves.
The procedures which follow
will
allow
you
to
perform your
own
lay-up
and recommissioning, or
will
serve
as
a checklist
if
others
do
the procedures.
These procedures should provide protection
for
your
engine/generator during a lay-up
and
also
help
familiarize
you with
its
maintenance needs.
If
you
have
any
questions regarding lay-up procedures,
call
your local servicing
dealer.
He will be more than willing
to
provide assistance.
Propeller
Shaft
Coupling
[Propulsion
Engine]
The transmission and propeller half couplings should always
be opened
up
and
the bolts removed
when
the
boat
is
hauled
out of the water or moved from land
to
water,
and during
storage
in
the cradle. The flexibility of the boat oftens puts a
· severe strain
on
the propeller shaft or coupling or both, while
the boat
is
taken
out or put in the
water.
In some cases,
the
shaft
has
actually been bent
by
these strains. This does not
apply
to
small boats that are hauled out of the water
when
not
in
use,
unless they have been dry for a considerable
period of
time.
Fresh
Water
Cooling
Circuit
A 50-50 solution
of
antifreeze and distilled water is
recom-
mended
for
use in the fresh water cooling
system
at
all
times.
This solution
may
require a higher
concentration
of
antifreeze,
depending on
the
area's winter climate. Check the solution to
make sure the antifreeze protection
is
adequate.
Should
more
antifreeze
be
needed,
drain
an
appropriate
amount
from
the
engine block and add a more concentrated mixture.
Operate
the
engine
to
ensure a complete circulation
and
mix-
ture of
the
antifreeze concentration throughout the cooling
system. Then recheck the antifreeze solution's strength.
Lubrication
System
With
the
engine wann, drain all the engine
oil
from
the
oil
sump. Remove and replace the oil filter
.and
fill
the
sump
with
new
oil.
Use
the
correct grade
of
oil.
Refer
to
the
ENGINE
LUBRICATING
OIL
pages in this manual
for
"engine
oil
change".
Run the engine and check for proper
oil
pressure and make
sure there are
no
leaks.
A
CAUTION:
Do
not
leave
the
engine's
old
engine
all
in
the
sump
aver
the
lay-up
period.
Engine
ail
and
combustion
deposits
combine
to
produce
harmful
chemicals
which
can
reduce
the
life
of
your
engine's
Internal
parts.
Fuel
System
[Gasoline]
Top
off
your
fuel
tanks
with
unleaded gasoline of
89
octane
or
higher.
A
fuel
conditioner such
as
MARINE.STABIL
·
stabilizer
should
be
added.
Change the element in your
gasoline/water separator
and
clean the metal bowl.
Re-install
and
make
certain there
are
no
leaks. Clean
up
any
spilled
fuel.
Fuel
System
[Diesel]
Top off your fuel tanks with No. 2 diesel fuel. Fuel additives
such as
BIOBOR
and
DIESEL
KLEEN
should be added at
this time
to
control algae
and
condition the fuel. Care should
be taken that the additives used are compatible with the
primary fuel filter/water separator used in the system. Change
the element in your primary fuel filter/water separator,
if
the
fuel system has one,
and
clean the separator sediment bowl.
Change the fuel filter elements
on
the engine and bleed the
fuel system, as needed.
Start the engine and allow it
to
run
for 5 -
10 minutes
to
make
sure
no
air is left in the fuel
system. Check for any leaks that may have been created in
the fuel system during this servicing, correcting them as
needed.
Operating the engine for 5-10 minutes will help
allow movement
of
the treated fuel through the injection
equipment
on
the engine.
Raw
Water
Cooling
Circuit
Close the through-hull fitting. Remove the
raw
water intake
hose from
the
fitting.
Place
the
end of
this
hose
into
a five
gallon
bucket of clean fresh
water.
Before starting the engine,
check the
zinc
anode
found
in
the
primary heat exchanger
on
the engine and clean or replace it
as
required
and
also
clean
any
zinc
debis
from
inside the heat exchanger
where
the·
zinc
anode
is
located.
Clean the
raw
water
strainer.
Start the
engine
and
allow
the
raw
water
pump
to
draw the
fresh water through the system. When the bucket
is
empty,
stop
the
engine
and
refill
the bucket with
an
antifreeze
solution slightly stronger than
needed
for winter freeze
protection
in
your
area.
Start
the
engine
and
allow
all
of this mixture
to
be
drawn
through
the
raw
water system. Once
the
bucket
is
empty,
stop
the
engine.
This antifreeze mixture should protect the raw
water circuit
from
freezing during the winter
lay-up,
as
well
as
providing corrosion protection.
Remove
the
impeller
from
your raw water
pump
(some
antifreeze
mixture
will
accompany it, so catch it
in
a bucket).
Examine
the
impeller.
Get a replacement, if
needed,
and a
cover
gasket.
Do
not replace
the
impeller
(into
the
pump)
until recommissioning, but replace the cover
and
gasket
Intake
Manifold
and
Thru-Hull
Exhaust
Place a clean cloth, lightly soaked in lubricating
oil,
in
the
opening of
the
intake manifold
to
block
the
opening.
Do
not
shove the
cloth
out of
sight.
(If
it
is
not
visable
at
recommissioning, and
an
attempt
is
made
to
start
the
engine,
you
may
need
assistance of
the
servicing
dealer).
Make a
note
to
remove the cloth prior
to
start-up.
The
thru-hull
exhaust port
can
be blocked
in
the
same
manner.
CONnNUED
Engines & Generators
40
To Next Page
Loading...
