Engine preparation for winter |
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Foghorn
Admin Group Joined: 24 August 2002 Location: Montreal, QC Status: Offline Points: 120 |
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Posted: 25 September 2002 at 8:14pm |
Sad to say, but in these northern climes I'm sure many of you have noticed the nights are getting cooler...this can only mean that winter is sneaking up on us. Perhaps you've even been notified of your haul-out date and you have already started running through the check list of things to do for the winter. Certainly one of the important parts of that process is the preparation of the Bukh engine for its hibernation. Here's a couple of tips you might want to use, if you're not already doing so, in getting your engine ready. As always, if anyone feels they have a better method by all means chime in here.
The critical aspect of this proceedure is to ensure the thermostat is open before filling with anti-freeze. This is the only way to ensure sufficient protection in the thermostat housing and possibly the head against freezing and cracking. I hope this helps and if someone would like to add more to this that's great. Cheers, |
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Paul White
Decompression CAN 214 |
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Paul, Sailing's just started here on the wet coast. We are in the salty stuff so freezing and consequential head cracking is not an issue, however starting in the cold stuff can be a challenge. My most current technique is a blow torch in the inlet with the air filter removed, this in combination with decompressing the engine to get the revs up usually works. What do others do? BTW DON"T use ether (quikstart) as this will blow the head gasket. Don't ask how I know.
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Foghorn
Admin Group Joined: 24 August 2002 Location: Montreal, QC Status: Offline Points: 120 |
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Chris, LOL..."sailing's just started here on the wet coast." Too true...but beautiful country. So you have an 'alergy' to ether do you? We'll have to remember that. I guess you've toned things down a little and just use a blow torch now . No doubt in cooler climes I can see having to use the decompression lever, as you say you need to get the rpms up to start it. You might try a hair dryer on the intake if you need to (sounds safer...lol) and don't forget that little rubber plug on the head where you can put a couple of drops of oil into to lube the cylinder and give you more compression. Cheers, |
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Paul White
Decompression CAN 214 |
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Paul: My water strainer must be different because intake and outlet hoses are both attached to the cover. Alternative technique is 1) CLOSE inlet stopcock; 2) Loosen hose clamp & remove hose from fitting; 3) Place hose in 4 litre jug of antifreeze; 4) Restart previously warmed engine; 5) Run on deck to watch outlet for colour change; 6) Stop engine before jug is empty. Happy skiing everyone
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This will be my first winter with Impact. What else should be on the winterize list? -antifreeze in engine. -full fuel tank to minimize condensation. -antifreeze in head or disassemble pump? (empty holding tank) -battery fully charged and stored off the boat indoors -empty beer cans to recycling |
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The Bukh manual recommends to change the engine oil so that it is stored with clean oil as described by Foghorn. You can also open the plug and put a few drops of oil in the cylinder head before turning it over a couple of times. I generally open the top of the water pump, remove the rubber impellor, coat it with vaseline and and either leave it out till spring or remove the antifreeze from the impellor chamber. It is however important to leave yourself a note as a reminder to replace the impellor. Depending of how much space you have to store stuff at home you might want to removthe the soft lockers and cushions. I usually lift the floor boards and remove the lifelines before covering the boat with a tarp.
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WarBird
Skipper Joined: 25 January 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 92 |
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I use a short length of 1/2 or 5/8 garden hose with a male coupler on one end. When the engine is up to temperature, I disconnect the water strainer outlet and stick the garden hose in (coupler end) to engine water inlet. Other end of hose is in a gallon jug of antifreeze. When pure antifreeze comes out exhaust, I shut the engine down. This process is neat, and clean. The water strainer gets dumped and inspected at this time for junk etc.
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Winner
Commodore Joined: 07 September 2011 Status: Offline Points: 222 |
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Hi all,
I just want to confirm the required amount of engine and saildrive oil when changing. The manual states 2.0 litres of engine oil however Paul above listed 1.3 litres. Thats a big difference! Also, 0.4 litres of saildrive oil? And finally, from my reading in this forum I gather that pumping the oil out is preferred over the drain plug so you can remove a greater quantity since the plug is not at the very bottom? Thanks |
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Chris
Eclipse #240 Thunder Bay, ON |
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Bill Layton
Commodore Joined: 15 September 2002 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 551 |
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saildrive is 1/2 litre
motor oil is to full mark on dip stick.....do not overfill and do not underfill. crankcase is very small. Also do not motorsail as engine does not like to run when heeled. When this happens you usually find oil all over the engine compartment
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Winner
Commodore Joined: 07 September 2011 Status: Offline Points: 222 |
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Hi all,
For winterizing the engine, can one use plumber's antifreeze which is safer for the environment or does it need to be ethylene glycol? At the local store today, the bottles of plumber's antifreeze all have on the label "not to be used in internal combustion engines" however I think they are referring to it's use as an engine coolant, not for winterizing. Then again I've also read that ethylene glycol has rust inhibitors etc... Also, straight antifreeze or mix it with with a bit of water (3:1 for example)? So confusing... and it's only antifreeze! Edited by Winner - 16 September 2012 at 11:57pm |
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Chris
Eclipse #240 Thunder Bay, ON |
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Bill Layton
Commodore Joined: 15 September 2002 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 551 |
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I use the 9.5 litre size container of plumbers antifreeze and run it all thru. I've done it for years now without problem. Do not dilute it.
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Seawolf
Commodore Joined: 15 March 2012 Location: missoula Status: Offline Points: 118 |
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I notice that no has mention to open the
drain plug located on the cylinder. I did, I wanted to be sure that the
antifreeze made it to the cylinder. It did, but now I am having a bugger of a
time getting the little lock nut to thread back onto the plug. I suppose an
easier way to drain, would be to pull the feeder hose from the bottom of the
cylinder head located on the Starboard side, I am thinking this should drain
the cylinder head, the cylinder and you can check for rust accumulation at the
same time. I did this not so much on whether to drain or not, (Seems like the consensus
is not to drain to inhibit rust) but just to be sure that the antifreeze made
it through the system. |
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Bill Layton
Commodore Joined: 15 September 2002 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 551 |
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If you put the large 9.5 litre container thru the engine you can be assured it got thru. I also do this once the engine has been warmed up for 20 minutes so that the thermostat is open. Yes about the rust when draining. The rust particles get caught in the head and eventually cause blockage with over heating and head warpage.
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bal149
Skipper Joined: 14 August 2010 Location: canada Status: Offline Points: 67 |
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use a 14 mm ratcheting box end wrench to tighten the bolt. Good luck.
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Winner
Commodore Joined: 07 September 2011 Status: Offline Points: 222 |
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Is it sufficient to warm the engine at idle or does it need to be under load to get the thermostat to open?
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Chris
Eclipse #240 Thunder Bay, ON |
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Bill Layton
Commodore Joined: 15 September 2002 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 551 |
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I run it at 50% throttle in neutral, consider that a semi load. After 20 minutes the engine is hot. I've done it this way since my boat was new and never had a problem.
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Mad Max
Skipper Joined: 18 June 2010 Location: Buffalo NY Status: Offline Points: 55 |
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Rather than free wheel the engine I prefer to put it in gear at the dock so the engine is running under load. Make sure your dock lines are in good shape.
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Dick #122
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Winner
Commodore Joined: 07 September 2011 Status: Offline Points: 222 |
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Yes that's what I'd read too in Nigel Calder's diesel engine book - idling the engine isn't enough. He suggested running it under load at the dock (or out on the water obviously). Mind you if Bill has been doing it his way for 20+ years and hasn't had a problem I think that's fine to do as well.
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Chris
Eclipse #240 Thunder Bay, ON |
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Winner
Commodore Joined: 07 September 2011 Status: Offline Points: 222 |
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Two questions then: 1) Why/how does oil get all over the engine compartment? Does it come out of the vent of the filler cap? 2) How much heel is acceptable? Presumable if motorsailing then the winds are light and you wouldn't be heeled more than 5 degrees or so, 10 at most. Is this OK?
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Chris
Eclipse #240 Thunder Bay, ON |
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Bill Layton
Commodore Joined: 15 September 2002 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 551 |
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Yes it sprays out of the oil fill cap. No heel is acceptable. My experience is that any heel can empty the crankcase of oil. Some engines seem to have better baffling than others it's not an early engine versus a later one, some of them are really bad. I've seen many engines empty of oil because of this. This engine only holds a litre of oil. This leaves no room for error. When we built these boats we told customers not to motorsail it for that reason. However we didn't learn about it until all literature was published so it's not on paper or in the Laser manual that came with the boat.
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