Maintaining your Marine Diesel Engine and System

Reliable and Robust

Simple, regular maintenance is the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to avoid problems and accelerated engine wear. Most expensive repairs start from a lack of basic maintenance or ignoring small warnings. The work is not difficult - it just needs to be done.

The purpose is to make the whole diesel system reliable and robust – so that we can enjoy our boat for all the reasons we bought her.

Trust yourself. Do the work regularly and be methodical.

1. Know your boat. Take full responsibility. Don’t assume that because something was installed by a previous owner or the boatbuilder that it’s correct or correctly installed. Some boatbuilders, as well as owners, have been known to cut corners.
2. Can you afford cheap? Quality components rarely fail suddenly (unless the boat hits something). Using quality parts and supplies, and doing the job right the first time,  usually saves money in the long run as well as aggravation. Pay now or pay later.
3. Cultivate vigilance as a habit. Take heed of a warning that something is not right – a new sound, less water in the exhaust, a nut or washer under the engine. A keen eye goes a long way to being able to spot potential problems before they become trouble.
4. The “diesel engine” is a system. All the parts need to work together and to be in balance. Problems arise when they’re not. Neglecting any one area (perhaps because it’s too hard to reach) may well have effects that show up somewhere else.