How to pre-check an engine for delivery or purchase DIY

Here is an article that shows a system we use when picking up a boat for delivery or when considering purchase. It's non invasive and can be completed by most DIY techs.

Technician Engine Analysis Checklist

By: Scott Fratcher - Marine Engineer/Captain

An engine analysis is an advanced system of inspecting our boats drive train. We perform these tests to help catch pending mechanical issues before we leave the dock. An analysis is much more comprehensive than a typical “pre-departure peak” at the engine. We are going to not only visually inspect our engine, but also take a series of measurements that become our baseline for future tests. Our goal is use this engine analysis as a system to help make easy informed decisions about our boats drive system.

To begin you should have on-hand as much of the following as possible:

* · Camera
* · Notepad
* · Your collection of electrical meters
* · A 0-3 bar pressure gauge (if your engine has a turbo)
* · An infer red temperature gauge
* · Any other special tools you might have
* · A few rags, and spray cleaner


The steps to performing an engine analysis:

1. Visual inspection

2. Pre inspection

3. Bollard pull

4. Analyzing the numbers


Visual inspection

This is a general once over of the engine looking for blatant flaws.

Open the engine room door, look, feel and smell

Look for oil drips or other fluid under the engine. Inspect for obvious cracked hoses. Give a gentle bend where a hose attaches to the engine and look for cracks in the rubber cover. Check the fan belts for cracks and loose hose clamps. Grab the alternator pulley and see if it will spin free on the belt. If it does then the belt is worn or loose.

Feel the inside of the engine room for oil film. Touch the areas of the engine you can’t see feeling for rust or salt trails.

Smell for any burned chemical type odor. Smells can be difficult to locate, but in general any burnt, oily, or diesel smells should be searched out. A good nose can tell the difference between a hot belt and a hot wire.

Look over the complete engine for oil leaks. Pay particular attention to the front seal, and the area between the gearbox and engine. Leaks in the front or rear seal can mean a coming engine rebuild. Inspect the head to block connection looking for oil or water trails.

Take photos from all angles as a base line for later use.

This is the point where many an engine inspection ends, but in an analysis we want better scrutiny to help build confidence in our propulsion system.

Our next series of checks focus on fluid inspections


Oil

Oil is the lifeblood of our engine. It lubricants, cools and quiets our engine. But how do we know if the oil is doing its job?

Begin by pulling the dipstick. Smell for signs of diesel odor. Pinch a small dab of oil between your index finger and thumb and expand slowly to see how far you can spread the oil before the gap opens. Compare this gap to new oil and take down the difference for your notes. This is a crude method of checking viscosity and diesel intrusion.

Open the oil fill and look inside the cap for water droplets, condensation or worse, a gray gooey substance indicating water penetr ...

Scott

Bollard pull test

Dennis- Thank you for your thoughts. I have this in the article-

... or higher horsepower yacht consider getting underway for this test ...

Your not the first to mention this so I think I should make it more clear. Thanks for pointing it out.

Scott