1. Oil & Water equals Lubrication
Diesel Services of America is going to share some basic tips that will increase the life and performance of your Diesel Powerplant. Preventive maintenance is of the utmost importance and should be exercised regularly unless you don’t mind hefty repair bills. We will cover four separate but important topics (Lubrication, Cooling, Electricity & Fuel). Remember these are just tips and you should always consult a professional like Diesel Services of America. If you have any questions please give us a holler.
1. Oil & Water equals Lubrication
The reason lubrication is bullet point 1 is because that it’s truly the A#1 most important factor in having a properly running marine diesel engine. Oil more than your cooling system greatly reduces friction for your moving parts and helps to greatly cool your cylinders and pistons. Another great behavior of clean and freshly changed oil is it’s sealant properties. Cylinder walls and valve stems along with turbocharges rely heavily upon this characteristic to protect themselves from outside harmful contaminants and corrosive factors.
Luckily, the oil lubrication system is not that difficult to maintain: You must strictly adhere to manufacturer guidelines and make sure you change your boats oil based on engine hours. This can be done according to seasons too, remember to change the oil filters in conjunction with doing the oil. Even in Florida changing the oil every fall during winterization is crucial and highly recommended by all major diesel manufacturers. Old oil easily becomes acidic and toxic causing corrosion internally for your engine. A good rule of thumb is to check your oil before every trip. You are mainly checking to see if you have enough oil according to the dip stick. The color of the oil does not determine the life of the oil – your engine hours gages are solely for this purpose.
The primary servicing point is actually the oil filter. You must remove and replace the oil filter according to manufacturer specifications. Also changing out all of the gaskets and seals is of major importance. A predominate mistake made by novices is not selecting the proper size oil filter. Choosing the wrong one can lead to detrimental conditions by impeding flow or overflow thus harming your marine diesel engine.
We have covered the oil and filter and we are almost finished with Maintenance tip #1. Now trace the oil lines route following it from the reservoir all the way thru to the engine. What you will be looking for are external signs of corrosion, rust or any other type of damage that would cause leaks. A pinhole sized leak can cause your engine to seize in a minute.
Maintaining your boat’s oil is not an overly complicated process. If you remember one thing from these tips. The oil & cooling system generally have the smallest amount of warning to catastrophic events. Have you ever heard of an “idiot” light for your car for oil pressure and water temperature. By the time these not so friendly named alarms buzz it’s often way too late to salvage. Astronomical bills will be on the horizon. Do not wait for these symptoms if you want to keep Diesel Services of America out of your engine room. Proper marine diesel engine maintenance is the core to making your diesel engine run at its optimum.
Diesel Services of America can help you with all of your Oil & Water Lubrication needs for your vessel. If you don’t feel like getting dirty and want to ensure your engines safety – get it done by a certified diesel technician.
Diesel Services of America – 954-781-1464
Stayed tuned for 2, 3 & 4 of this Marine Diesel Maintenance Tips segment. 2. Room Temperature equals Cooling – 3. Fire It Up equals Electricity 4. Burn, Baby, Burn equals Fuel
