Pre-SeasonMaintenancePre-SeasonMaintenance

Heat Exchanger

Cooled EnginesBeta 10 to Beta 150

Heat Exchanger

Cooled EnginesBeta 10 to Beta 150

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a) The heart of any engine is the starter battery. Hopefullythis was taken ashore at the end of the last season andhas been fully charged up. Put it back in the boat andmake sure the terminals are clean and tight with a smearof petroleum jelly to insulate them from the atmosphere.If you have any doubts about your engine or domesticbatteries, then get these checked at your local garage.

b) The alternator drive belt (Photo 1) must be checked forwear and replaced if necessary. Follow the instructions inthe operators manual when adjusting the tension. Alwayscarry a spare belt.

c) Fuse. Yes, your engine is fitted with a small fuse toprotect the harness from shorting out due to abrasionetc... Do you know where it is? Do you have a spare?(Photo 2)

d) Give the instrument panel a check over when theengine is running (see later). A squirt of WD40 into thekey-switch will work wonders if it’s in an exposedposition. Check for leaks in the sealant round the paneland its bulk head mounting. Water getting down the backof the panel is best avoided.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS�

3The oil (Photo 3) and fuel filters need to be changedevery year and this should have been done before theboat was laid up. If not it can be done ashore (see laterengine test) or left until you are afloat and the enginethoroughly warmed up. Hot oil is more easily pumpedout. See the operator’s manual.

Always check the oil level after one hour of running andtop up as necessary. Do not overfill!

OIL AND FUEL FILTERS�

The following notes can be used as a checklist to ensure that your engine and associated systems are working correctlyprior to launching. Where the vessel is kept in the water over winter then most of the points still apply with suitablemodifications.

Pre-Season Maintenance

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4Fuel supply is critical to all diesels. Many startingproblems are due to air leaks in the supply pipe, blockedfuel filter (Photo 4) etc...

Check the supply pipe for any leaks and the fuel waterseparator for water in the fuel due to condensation in thefuel tank. If a fuel / water separator is not fitted then yourun the risk of water getting into the injection system andwrecking it!

FUEL SUPPLY�

Make sure the inlet seawater filter is clean and all thepipe work water tight. The inlet seacock is often forgotten.Make sure this is free from crustacia doing “press ups” onthe inside! Clean them out with a screwdriver and blastWD40 up the inlet if it’s a ball valve type.

Work the seacock handle to make sure it is free to moveover its total travel. The older design of tapered valve iseasily removed, cleaned, greased up and put back.

Never go to sea with a seacock that won’t close.

SEAWATER INLET - SEACOCK�

5If the wasting anode (Photo 5) on the heat exchangerwasn’t changed last year then now is the time to do it.

‘WASTING’ ANODE�

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6The seawater pump impeller should be checked forcracks at the root of each blade (Photo 6). Even smallcracks will propagate into larger ones very quickly andresult in a blade being “lost” in the system. If in doubtchange it. Always carry a spare.

SEAWATER PUMP�

7The air intake filter (Photo 7) is often ignored. If thepaper element becomes blocked with black carbondeposits, oil etc. then poor combustion and loss of powerwill be the result with a smokey exhaust. Change it for anew one.

AIR FILTER�

If the calorifier was drained down then reconnect the pipes and fill the system with fresh water, making sure that the airis carefully vented from the system.

CALORIFIER�

Most yachts are fitted with this device and they work verywell for a couple of seasons and they can then get stuck!You must check it, if one is fitted. The valve closes underpressure (ie. when the sea water is flowing) and openswhen the engine is switched off.

This piston breaks any syphoning of seawater back intothe waterlock and into the engine. Take the valve apartand make sure it’s free to move. Re-assemble and test iton the engine.

ANTI-SYPHON VALVE�

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If one is fitted then check the securing bolts and if close to a P bracket with a cutlass bearing make sure there are nocrustaceans left in the gap which will restrict the water flow.

ROPE CUTTERS�

I am a great believer in running the engine beforelaunching. You can’t easily do this with large engines butthe boat yard hose is adequate for most engines up to100 hp on fast tick over.

Start by placing a large bucket of water alongside theengine, disconnect the seawater inlet pipe from theseacock / filter and place the end in the bucket. Start theengine and run it on fast tick over (1500 rpm say) andadjust the inlet flow to match.

The engine needs to run for about 10 to 15 minutes towarm up. During this time check for leaks and thateverything is working OK. Light load running is not aproblem for Beta engines. If everything is OK then stopthe engine and reconnect the seawater inlet hose. Checkthe fresh water and oil levels when the engine has cooleddown and top up as required.

Note: Under no circumstances should the yard hose beconnected directly into the seawater intake.

ENGINE TEST�

8Every boat should carry an on-board spares kit (Photo 8).This should comprise a spare fuse, anode, impeller, fuel and oil filters and alternator belt.

FINALLY... ‘SHORT VOYAGE’ ON BOARD SPARES KIT�

Have a good season

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