Important engine checks

Yes. Although with a split exhaust we don't get water our of the exhaust above the water line.

The belt was tight which was why there wasn't a major whine. Just a slight change in engine tone after 45 minutes.

Checking bolts is now added to the weekly checklist.
 
mariadz said:
Last weekend, we were returning from Hamford Water and had a problem with the alternator which had shaken itself loose. Obviously something that needs more regular checking than I thought!
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It shouldn't need regular checking if the mount is properly engineered. It looks like that's an aftermarket add-on alternator (a Leece-Neville, I'd guess). These are very heavy chunks - typically around 15kg - and can suffer badly from vibration. It's vital that the mounting points have zero play, but it looks like yours just uses threaded studding, which is likely to wear and allow movement. If you can get a solid rod machined to size with threaded end sections, it's likely to last longer. I've had some experience of this, as I mounted a 140A (12v) alternator on a second bracket on a Volvo Penta 2003T in my last boat. I could never completely sort the vibration problems and ended up changing it for a lighter 90A unit, which worked perfectly for many years.
 
Homer J said:
What are you looking for with the exhaust?
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So that cooling water is being ejected in the exhaust; in systems where it us designed to do so.
CCJ said:
Read the Blog such minutiae might be there
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I did and good to see that an additional check has been added. The belt check should have shown up that problem.

I usually spend a little time on by daily checks running my hands over things and looking at the engine when stopped and working, but I come from a long line of marine engineers.
 
Sandy said:
Do you not check this ever day?

Water
Oil
BELT
Battery
Leaks
Exhaust.
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Water - yes
Oil - I think there is an oil pressure alarm but dipstick maybe once every week
Belt - Not in my first 8 years of use of the engine but will have a look
Battery - domestics continuously, engine maybe once a year
Leaks - eh?
Exhaust - double eh? Unless you mean sea water coming out in which case every time we start it.

Engines seem quite reliable - I'm interested how often you find faults with any of the above?
 
RupertW said:
Engines seem quite reliable - I'm interested how often you find faults with any of the above?
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Have to agree with you. Apart from checking each time I start that there's cooling water coming out of the exhaust, and checking the oil level every month or so, I don't open the engine compartment. We don't check things on our car engines every time we go for a drive, and they get much more use than most boat engines.
 
With a known, generally reliable, modern freshwater cooled engine, make sure seawater water pumps through every time started, check oil level, belts and and level in water expansion tank maybe every week or two depending on usage. Daily is on my opinion OTT, though if you want to .....

How may people check their car engine oil, water/antifreeze levels, brake fluid levels and tyre pressures daily? And two of those failures can kill you faster and more effectively than a duff engine in a sailing yacht.
 
pvb said:
Have to agree with you. Apart from checking each time I start that there's cooling water coming out of the exhaust, and checking the oil level every month or so, I don't open the engine compartment. We don't check things on our car engines every time we go for a drive, and they get much more use than most boat engines.
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:encouragement:
 
Dont get this. you car engine stops, you pull over. Cant do that at sea.

Engine checks daily, without fail. Whatever boat Im on. Its easy, doesnt take long, gets you familiar with the engine and can catch things before they become a proper problem.

Engines are nothing to be scared of. Or be lazy about.......:encouragement:
 
Thank god reading the first set of posting I started to think I was the odd one out ,
How much to the guys motor that check the engine dayly ?
One a week for me and very rearly I need to do any thing , but then I Dom use my sails a lot .
 
Thank god reading the first set of posting I started to think I was the odd one out ,
How much to the guys motor that check the engine dayly ?
One a week for me and very rearly I need to do any thing , but then I Do use my sails a lot .
 
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sailaboutvic said:
Thank god reading the first set of posting I started to think I was the odd one out ,
How much to the guys motor that check the engine dayly ?
One a week for me and very rearly I need to do any thing , but then I Dom use my sails a lot .
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I reckon these are the same ones who are always calling "radio check please"!:rolleyes:
 
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