To run engine or not ?

[SailingDog]

What is the thinking regards firing up and running yacht engines during winter months. A boat neighbour starts his engine and runs it for 15 minutes in gear 1 or 2X times per week. What do folks think a good idea or not ?

Reasons for and against would be welcome.

Thanks all

 

[Robih]

I'm firmly in the No camp. Running a diesel engine at idle isn't good for it and serves no real purpose. If heat is desired fit a tube heater on a thermostat switch. I winterise mine so it's off in October and restarted in April, no engine idling for me.

EDIT - I should add that its also stinky and annoying for immediate neighbours.

 

[PaulRainbow]

What is the thinking regards firing up and running yacht engines during winter months. A boat neighbour starts his engine and runs it for 15 minutes in gear 1 or 2X times per week. What do folks think a good idea or not ?

Reasons for and against would be welcome.

Thanks all

Your neighbour is wasting his time and fuel.

Completely pointless.

Does he think that everyone with plant, agricultural machinery, generators etc etc go around and start them all up twice a week ? I think not.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Agree with the above, probably does the engine more harm than good. I'll run mine up once at the start of the season under load (pontoon berth) for 20 mins or so before the first sail to check for leaks etc, but other than that it stays off.

 

[Plum]

What is the thinking regards firing up and running yacht engines during winter months. A boat neighbour starts his engine and runs it for 15 minutes in gear 1 or 2X times per week. What do folks think a good idea or not ?

Reasons for and against would be welcome.

Thanks all

80% of the wear in the life of an internal combustion engine occurs during cold startups. (From my learning when studying IC engine design)

When you do want to start it after months of storage, assuming your battery is good and you can stop it from firing, crank intil the oil pressure light goes out (mine takes 8 to 10 seconds) then let it fire and warm it up thoroughly under load.

 

[jamie N]

I agree with those above, with the caveat of starting it up IF there's a doubt about a part of it, but not twice a week.
Mine hadn't been started since July, I did try to start it again in August, when it didn't want to, so as I was in a hurry because the boat was being craned out, I didn't linger. I removed the batteries once home, as well as the starter motor and alternator as they'd have been exposed, due to the cockpit being open for some other work, and thereafter haven't been bothered. Last week I refitted the bits & bobs, pumped through some fuel and it started very quickly, no glow plugs and an air temp of 3°C, so I was happily beaming through a very impressive cloud of smoke.

 

[snowbird30ds]

All he's doing is dragging a load of fresh moisture inside ready to condense and corrode the internals.
If you're going to run the engine get it properly hot before switching off.

 

[Biggles Wader]

The only time to start the engine is when you need it. The rest is just extra wear and fuel.

 

[Tranona]

All he's doing is dragging a load of fresh moisture inside ready to condense and corrode the internals.
If you're going to run the engine get it properly hot before switching off.

Running for 15 minutes under load as reported in the OP will do that.

Really no different from what many people do during the season (and proud of it!)

So fail to see what harm it can do - although not sure there are any real benfits.

 

[dunedin]

Keep boat in commission and go out for a day trip every few weeks, that is the best way to keep things working and massively reduce wasted effort decommissioning/recommissioning.

 

[ashtead]

I will run ours perhaps a couple of times over winter months and at same time run the bowthruster to lower the thruster unit as otherwise it can collect weed which impacts the lowering . Not certain I’d visit just to do it though. Maybe if not in a marina with shorepower some battery charging reason to run?

 

[vyv_cox]

My boat, and obviously engine, winters for six months of every year since 2004, except that we completely missed one season for health reasons in 2017 and three years due to covid. It is never started during winter but starts and runs perfectly when required to.

It takes a lot longer than 15 minutes for a yacht engine to reach its full running temperature. The inevitable consequence is that condensed water will remain in the engine, mostly in the oil. Bearing corrosion is a likely result

 

[Daydream believer]

I run freshwater & antifreeze through the raw water systems of both my yacht & my launch, when laying up ashore each year. I would not like the idea of leaving salt water in the exhaust section all winter, which is effectively what would happen. Part of it is stainless steel & part plastic

 

[Alicatt]

80% of the wear in the life of an internal combustion engine occurs during cold startups. (From my learning when studying IC engine design)

When you do want to start it after months of storage, assuming your battery is good and you can stop it from firing, crank intil the oil pressure light goes out (mine takes 8 to 10 seconds) then let it fire and warm it up thoroughly under load.

The neighbour to my boat did this on Monday, cranked it up for a while then let it start and ran it in gear while tied to the jetty for a good while while it warmed up.
I was down below in my boat with my head in the bilge and wondering why I was getting thrown about

 

[ean_p]

If left through the winter in a 'running' condition then I would run it approx every 4-6 weeks or so for around 20-30 minutes in gear at half load. My boat engine is currently drained down and in 'storage' but our camper van is run through the winter and any down periods at least every 6 weeks on a steady run up the motorway and back for 20 miles or so.
The norm on all the onshore and offshore plants and platforms I've worked on is to run all 'standby' engines ( firewater pumps, generators, compressors and lifeboats etc) on a predetermined time line that is generally around 1-4 weeks bringing them up to temperature with load. The exception here are lifeboat engines that are no longer loaded as its too dangerous to lower them into the water and so they are run in their slings.
At the end of the day you pays yer money and takes yer choice........

 

[Poignard]

How can running an engine for 15 minutes every week during the winter possibly protect it for the remaining 10,065 minutes when it isn't?

If the OP's neighbour has a handbook for his engine, why does he not simply refer to the section entitled "Winterising the engine", or something like that, and do what it says?

 

[Halo]

People who run engines for no reason usually end up glazing their bores and then they make loads of stinky blue smoke. Heath hazard in locks ! If someone told me that they did this I would not buy their boat.

 

[dunedin]

The neighbour to my boat did this on Monday, cranked it up for a while then let it start and ran it in gear while tied to the jetty for a good while while it warmed up.
I was down below in my boat with my head in the bilge and wondering why I was getting thrown about

One reason for doing that could be as a preparation to change the oil - which is best done hot.
Certainly that’s what we do, run in reverse gear for 15 minutes whilst preparing the Pela etc.

 

[Refueler]

If left through the winter in a 'running' condition then I would run it approx every 4-6 weeks or so for around 20-30 minutes in gear at half load. My boat engine is currently drained down and in 'storage' but our camper van is run through the winter and any down periods at least every 6 weeks on a steady run up the motorway and back for 20 miles or so.
The norm on all the onshore and offshore plants and platforms I've worked on is to run all 'standby' engines ( firewater pumps, generators, compressors and lifeboats etc) on a predetermined time line that is generally around 1-4 weeks bringing them up to temperature with load. The exception here are lifeboat engines that are no longer loaded as its too dangerous to lower them into the water and so they are run in their slings.
At the end of the day you pays yer money and takes yer choice........

Similar on ships - but that's not to maintain the engines - its to make sure they still work when called on ... ie - Ships Lifeboat engine started 1x a month ...

 

[Refueler]

My Perkins 4-107 engine sits all winter with A/F passed through it - its raw water cooled.

I know when I go to test start it before lift-in - the crankcase pulley will need a spanner on it to make her turn .. and probably a thump on the starter motor ... but once started - that's her for the season once oil changed etc.
She even uses the same fuel left in tank from season before.

The Yanmar 2GM raw water as well .... will start I know without the spanner persuasion ... but same situation ...