Diesel engine preservation

We know that marine diesels on pleasure boats seldom can ever be worn out, but can easily be killed from improper storage. All engine mfg specify storage procedures , but even for the long winter months , many find it a big chore .

Da Book procedure is usually too big to do and too time consuming for a yard at todays labor rate.

I have always winter lay up properly , but the periods of no use , that "just happen" are still eating away at the engine .

I propose a simple solution , using my favorite OTS (off the shelf) parts .

There are a number of kits , factory and after market for using Ether to help a really cold engine that wont start on diesel.

I suggest one of these kits fitted to use Fogging Oil , to inject a spray in the intake before/at engine shutdown.

The cylinders and valves should all be protected till the next start.

Might be a bit of extra smoke on startup , so don't extend the engine life if you live on the Left coast USA.

FF

 

Be careful with the fogging oil as a diesel engine will happily 'run away' on it. You have to wait 'till the last few revolutions before it stops, and even then they can pick up, if the engine is hot.

 

There should be no reason to spray fogging oil down the cylinders-- you have just been runnin it on diesel!! the main thing to do is drop off the exhaust from the manifild --or--at leat drain it out and let fresh dry air into the manifold. Personally I fresh wash and drain exhaust EVER time I run my motors. Upper cylinder protection is not necessary.

Unlike a petrol engine a diesel only needs fuel and compression to start. assuming you have fuel there are ways of getting better compression. One way is to put oil in the cylinder to seal the rings, on an old engine they can dry out. Or( last resort) you can put a temporary 24V feed to the starter motor to spin it faster. I would not use fogging oil or other combustion boosters, I have seen indirect injection engines blow the plugs from the chambers and chew tham up when it started meaning a severly damaged engine.

My yanmars come with out any cold start devices, they start so quickly that I have to push the stop button to stop then from firing untill I have cranked them for a 5 seconds or so. Even 3 months cold!!

Another way to start a reluctant diesel is to light news paper( not a whole one) in the manifold and let the hot air go into the manifold. A blow lamp would be better. This hot air method is harmless.