Engine not run for years

Porthandbuoy

Porthandbuoy

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Assuming it was winterised before being laid up, would a yacht engine, in this case a Betamarine 20hp, suffer from being idle for five years?
What checks would be recommended before 'giving it a go'? I was thinking an oil change and a squirt of oil down the bores before turning it over slowly by hand several times to spread some lub around.
 
That all sounds good provided that you can easily get some oil down the bores without major dismantling. Otherwise, I would skip that bit and just check that turns over easily by hand before spinning it on the starter for 30 seconds or so in a couple of bursts with the fuel off to circulate the new oil and bring it up to pressure.

It might have suffered from the 5 year lay-up or it might not have. You won't know until you start to play.

Richard
 
There is an assumption in that, are you sure it was winterised? What you suggest is reasonable as there are only a few other things you can do without stripping it down for inspection. You should drain and refill the coolant if it is indirectly cooled, and change the impeller, which, if it was not removed, will be perished. One other thing to check is what the oil you drain out of it is like. If its clean then it probably had an oil change before it was put away, indicating that it was cared for and is probably quite OK. In that case I suggest you refill it with new oil and spin it with the starter motor with the stop solenoid pulled to prevent it starting. That will distribute oil and build a bit of oil pressure and you can then try starting it. If the oil that comes out is dirty or emulsified you may have problems with internal corrosion, and in that case I would seek professional help.
 
If it has remained stationary for five years it is likely that all the lubricated surfaces would be fairly dry by now and the oil film replaced by something more corrosive, particularly in a marine environment. Certain lube oils are hygroscopic. You could try a very gentle turnover by hand but if there is no lubrication on the bores, crank journals, big ends, little ends, valve guides, oil pump, water pump, camshaft, rocker bearings and fuel pump then it is possible you may cause a bit of damage or at least unnecessary wear. Oil also becomes thicker with age and any residue will probably be quite acid after some years as the fuel and products of combustion will have found their way in to the sump. All engines in long term storage are drained of oil and coolant and filled with preservative fluids and that has to be changed annually. Assuming it has been winterised is only an assumption. If it hasn't then.....? I know it sounds like a bit of a faff but the careful rehabilitation of an old engine will work out cheaper than buying a new one if it is completely stuffed by trying to start it from cold.
 
Porthandbuoy said:
Assuming it was winterised before being laid up, would a yacht engine, in this case a Betamarine 20hp, suffer from being idle for five years?
What checks would be recommended before 'giving it a go'? I was thinking an oil change and a squirt of oil down the bores before turning it over slowly by hand several times to spread some lub around.
Click to expand...

I have just revived a perking diesel engine after more that 5 years and what I did was to
1) remove injectors and get the checked.
2) pore a small qty of diesel fuel into the bores and allow to stand for a day of 2.
3) drain the lubrication oil and replace the filter.
4) turn the engine over by hand with no inyectores.
5) is OK turn over with starter (no injectors ) until oil pressure is OK
6) fit injectors, bleed and try to start enging
 
Turn over by hand/ starter and fuel off (not too long, diesel lubricates pump) and fire it up briefly to check everything is fine and then service it to death, ain’t no point changing impellers/filters/injectors to find it’s got terminal issues you don’t know about
 
seaangler23 said:
Turn over by hand/ starter and fuel off (not too long, diesel lubricates pump) and fire it up briefly to check everything is fine and then service it to death, ain’t no point changing impellers/filters/injectors to find it’s got terminal issues you don’t know about
Click to expand...

Fair enough, but do check the impeller. If the engine was winterised it might have been removed to stop it getting a permanent set, if not it might have perished and be about to break up and put a load of pieces into the heat exchanger. Personally I would not attempt to start an engine with an impeller that had been left in it for five years, just in case it broke up.
 
If it turns over by hand...just hold the fuel pump off or solonoid so it won’t fire and turn her over a few times to build oil pressure. Then fire her up. Robust things these. Then obviously change the oil. Filters etc
 
Given the amount of experienced advice already posted, isn't "just starting it" a little bit gung-ho ?

If there is a waterlock in one of the cylinders, there's the risk of blowing the head off and injuring someone.
 
sarabande said:
Given the amount of experienced advice already posted, isn't "just starting it" a little bit gung-ho ?

If there is a waterlock in one of the cylinders, there's the risk of blowing the head off and injuring someone.
Click to expand...

Difficult to see how a waterlock would get in. However, I agree that turning it over a bit first to build up some oil pressure would be a good idea, though the forces in the crank bearings will still be jolly high if the injectors aren't removed.

Overall, though, five years is no time.
 
sarabande said:
Given the amount of experienced advice already posted, isn't "just starting it" a little bit gung-ho ?

If there is a waterlock in one of the cylinders, there's the risk of blowing the head off and injuring someone.
Click to expand...

I'd also worry about stuck valves, might be worth taking the rocker cover off and checking.
 
sarabande said:
Given the amount of experienced advice already posted, isn't "just starting it" a little bit gung-ho ?

If there is a waterlock in one of the cylinders, there's the risk of blowing the head off and injuring someone.
Click to expand...

Sigh! blow the head off if its waterlocked? I dont think so! If it is waterlocked then it wont turn over let alone start. Diesel engines are designed to contain combustion pressures, Why would the "head blow off"?
 
skipper_stu said:
Sigh! blow the head off if its waterlocked? I dont think so! If it is waterlocked then it wont turn over let alone start. Diesel engines are designed to contain combustion pressures, Why would the "head blow off"?
Click to expand...

Indeed. What would be more likely is a rod snapping and blowing the bottom off ..... although being abducted by an alien is probably slightly more likely than either of these alternatives. :o

Richard
 
Despite having a good imagination.. I looked at a 1GM that had been left for 10 yrs, supposedly winterised. Short story is, the exhaust valve and seat were corroded enough to require replacement. Impellor was OK, but replaced. All general servicing was done. Started fine and worked for about 30 (?) hrs, before suddenly overspeeding. Don't know why yet, but compression is down. Currently being replaced by a 1GM10.

Waterlocking usually bends the rod(s) Been there and fixed it. Only time I saw a really wrecked engine risking peeps, was a trencher that ran away after a bust chain took out the injection regulator. Everybody ran away and it showered bits when it blew.

It was not the head, but stuff flying out of the crankcase. Heads are pretty well fixed down.
 
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RichardS said:
Indeed. What would be more likely is a rod snapping and blowing the bottom off ..... although being abducted by an alien is probably slightly more likely than either of these alternatives. :o

Richard
Click to expand...
Mate of mine had a Mitsubishi pick up, it had a slight misfire from day one. He tried everything then had the head off for the second time and more by luck than judgement noticed that one piston didnt come to the top of the cylinder. It had a bent rod. He later found out that it had ingested water and this was the result. Allegedly the rods were designed to bend in situations like this.
 
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