Starting up after winter layup.

[Appleyard]

If the engine has been unused since layup last year,(drained oil,changed filters etc tec.) would it be sensible to turn it over for a few secs. with the stop pulled out in order that the oil can circulate round before it starts?

 

[Jonny_H]

I think so - an engineer once told us that rather than trying to fill a new oil filter with oil and then put it onto the engine horizontally and spill oil everywhere, he just puts them in dry and turns the engine over with the stop pulled out to get the oil round the engine. With this in mind - it sounds sensible.

Jonny

 

[jerryat]

[ QUOTE ]
If the engine has been unused since layup last year,(drained oil,changed filters etc tec.) would it be sensible to turn it over for a few secs. with the stop pulled out in order that the oil can circulate round before it starts?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, it's what I always do. In any case, pre-filling the oil filter on my Bukh is a recipe for huge amounts of oil in the bilge, so filling the motor to the 'full' mark, then spinning the engine over, fills the filter so that final topping up can take place.

I then let it settle for a while ( a few minutes) and check the oil level again before starting it up.

 

[Blueboatman]

Of course.Its not as though you are dumping quantities of unburnt fuel into a catalytic converter..A full minute should get the oil well up the engine.

 

[Appleyard]

Many thanks Gents... I will do as planned.

 

[pampas]

If its a diesel,undo the injector pipe at the injector, other wise cylinders get a full dose of fuel at each firing stroke,which is not good for the engine when it fires.

 

[Appleyard]

Surely if you have pulled the stop out this won't happen???

 

[pampas]

better to be safe than sorry.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
would it be sensible to turn it over for a few secs. with the stop pulled

[/ QUOTE ] If you are afloat and if this is likely to be more than just a few seconds it would be advisable to shut the cooling water intake seacock or you will risk flooding the exhaust and the engine with seawater.

Also it is not advisable to run a starter motor continuously for more than a few seconds.

Some engines do not have stop control of this type, they are stopped by turning the key to a stop position which cuts the fuel with a solenoid valve.

 

[Appleyard]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are afloat and if this is likely to be more than just a few seconds it would be advisable to shut the cooling water intake seacock or you will risk flooding the exhaust and the engine with seawater.

Also it is not advisable to run a starter motor continuously for more than a few seconds.

Some engines do not have stop control of this type, they are stopped by turning the key to a stop position which cuts the fuel with a solenoid valve.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I did not say all this in my original question as I assumed that most forumites would know these thing s by now!!!

Can anyone confirm Pampa's statement though when he advises to loosen a pipe at the injector in order to prevent excess fuel entering the cylinder. I would have thought that pulling up the stop shuts off the fuel completely. Can anyone clear this up???
It's a VP 2003 with manual stop.
Pampas advises to" loosen a fuel pipe at the injector" surely this would only stop the fuel into one cylinder,would it not make more sense to loosen a pipe into each injector?

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
I assumed that most forumites would know these thing s by now

[/ QUOTE ] You cant assume anything! There are always new people coming along as well. However i am sorry if repeating "these things" has offended you but if just one person has learnt something it will have been worth while.

I am with you on the issue of loosening an injector feed verses pulling the stop control. Pulling the stop control will prevent the engine running. Regular loosening of the injector feed will slowly lead to a situation in which it will leak from there I suspect and if you only loosen one the engine may well fire and run on the other cylinders.

In the case of engines without a pull to stop control shutting off the fuel at the tank outlet is the thing to do perhaps.

I also wondered about the merits of decompressing the engine where possible. That'll stop it running and lighten the load on the starter motor.

 

[lw395]

I use the decompressor as its less load on the starter motor.
Whether you need the water intake seacock off depends on the volume of the exhaust and the time you let it crank for.
Over the winter I drain the exhaust fully so to de-winterise the engine, I have the seacock open. I think the maths show you should only need to worry about the seacock if you have an extended amount of cranking, such as a fuel bleeding fiasco. Unless your exhaust layout is quite different from mine I suppose!
For what its worth, I also crank my ducati for a couple of bursts with the kill switch off, to get the oil moving before starting, dunno if it helps, but valve gear wear seems good so far!

 

[Appleyard]

No offence taken Vic!!!! thanks for the advice.

 

[cliffordpope]

It will take a lot longer to get the oil pressure up using the starter motor than it would by just starting it. Why is it better for the bearings?

I always pre-fill the oil filter on my car. If I spin it quickly the cold oil stays in by centrifugal action. Far more oil is spilt unscrewing the old one, because it is hot and thin.

 

[Appleyard]

[ QUOTE ]
It will take a lot longer to get the oil pressure up using the starter motor than it would by just starting it. Why is it better for the bearings?

[/ QUOTE ]

I always understood that it was better to do this as the bearings in the engine are not under the same stresses ,and it gives the oil pump a chance to push fresh oil onto the bearing surfaces & give them a good "coating" before the engine fires up.
I do always pre fill the filterabout half way,as it is side mounted & screw it on quickly. As you say, the oil is thick and does not get the chance to escape!

 

[cliffordpope]

Yes, I can see they are less stressed. But the pressure builds up in seconds when the engine is started, whereas cranking on the starter will take much longer to fill the filter and circulate the oil. In that period the bearings will be reliant on residual oil for lubrication, and the pistons will be moving in a spray of unburnt diesel.
Is it really so clear an advantage to crank up the pressure first?

 

[Appleyard]

Surely the pressure will build up when the engine is turning over in any case? Also,where is the spray of unburnt diesel going to come from? If the stop lever is pulled,this shuts off the fuel supply.
In any case,the filter in my particular engine will be full,as I changed the oil last year and ran the engine for a short time to circulate the new oil,so the pressure should build up almost immediately. Thanks for your input!
Anyway,the balance seems to be in favour of a short "dry run" on the starter first,so will give it a go.

 

[gandy]

I spin mine over with the decompresser set, so there's very little load on the starter. I don't have the stop control pulled out, I think the extra fuel helps starting. I find spinning it like his for 5-10 seconds before a cold start makes it start a lot more readily.