Bertram31.com Mechanical Section

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Bertram31.com Mechanical Section

Mechanical Section
Feature Articles

Bruce Creamer, Mechanical Editor

Bruce is Owner and Senior Mechanic of Southeast Marine Services, Inc. in the Palm Beach, Florida area. His extensive background, in Marine Mechanical Systems, encompasses both gasoline and diesel engines, air conditioning, and electrical and hydraulic systems.

"Bruce is one of the most 'In Demand' Systems Technicians we have in our area. His expertise is exceptional!"
_{(Capt Patrick McCrary, webmaster)}

March 3, 1998

This is the first of the Mechanical Feature articles here at Captains Corner.   We welcome your feed back, as this will help us produce better articles.   If there is a topic, procedure or repairs that you would like to see drop us an e-mail.

To some people, preventative maintenance means fix it when it breaks.   Wrong answer. Webster defines preventative as to keep from happening or existing.   One of the first things we check when we are called to look at an engine problem is the oil and if it has a Racor, Dahl or Separ fuel filter, the fuel bowl.   I am still amazed that I find oil that looks like molasses and sludge in the fuel bowl.

With preventative maintenance, you can extend the life of your engine and have years of good service.   We have customers with over 10,000 hours on their diesels and have had no major overhauls.   (Detroits excluded of course).   Every engine manufacturer has specific schedules, especially during the warrantee period so check your manual, but the following is a good rule of thumb.

1. Change oil and filters once a year or every 100 hours. Make sure you use the correct oil rating for your specific engine. If you're not sure, consult your manual or ask your dealer.

2. Change the fuel filters with the engine oil.

3. Check water pump impeller every 2 years or 300 hours.

4. Change gear oil every 500 hours.

5. Complete inspection of engine, hoses, belts, clamps, electrical connections, etc once a year.

6. Control cable connections every three months.

7. Exhaust system once a year.

Things that should be done every time the engines are run.

1. Oil check.

2. Coolant check.

3. Gear oil check.

4. Obvious signs of leaks or problems.

5. Steering works. Don't laugh, I can't tell you how many times I've been told; I pulled out of my slip and my steering wasn't working. Not a big problem on twin engines, unless you have a tunnel hull, but it can be fun getting a single engine boat back in your slip with the wind and tides going.

An important lesson; you can pay now, or pay later. And it always costs more later!

Smooth Running!
BRUCE

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