The engine is the heart of a boat. Arguably, a well-running engine is your most important safety device. As we all know, diesel engines have good economy, long life and high reliability. Whether the engine works correctly is directly related to the operating efficiency. Here are five mistakes about the use of marine diesel engines.
1. Let the diesel run idle for a long time
This isn't limited to sailors/captains, we often see a lot of diesel pickup truck owners with the engine running when they're not on the scale, and there's actually some basis for this practice. Diesel engines burn very little fuel at idle because, unlike gasoline engines, their throttles don't limit the amount of air they take in. For truck drivers, the practice appears to be to keep diesel fuel from condensing when it's too cold in winter. But in any case, it is not a good idea to let your diesel engine idle for more than a period of time, although the fuel consumption of the engine is very low at this time, the fuel will not burn completely due to the operating temperature.
Unlike gasoline engines, diesel needs to be under load to reach optimum operating temperatures; otherwise, unburned fuel can cause unnecessary pollution and even dilute lubricants and increase wear. Also, every time the piston moves up and down in the cylinder, the piston rings and cylinder walls wear out a little. Your best bet is to turn off the engine immediately if you're not on the road.
2.Allow the engine to idle for a few minutes to warm up before setting off
Diesel does not heat up to operating temperature until it is under load. Therefore, you only need to let the engine idle for as long as the oil is fully circulated - 30 seconds should be enough. But don't crank up the throttle right away, idling will warm up the oil and make it flow better.
3.Step up the throttle once or twice before turning off the flame
Some people say that doing this ensures that there is an adequate supply of oil throughout the engine before it shuts down. In fact, as long as the engine is started, the lubricating oil circulating in an idling diesel engine is enough to ensure that everything can be kept in a good lubricating state. If you increase the throttle and then turn off the engine, the engine speed will be reduced, leaving unburned fuel in the combustion chamber, and the turbine will continue to rotate after the fuel supply ends. Again, this practice wastes fuel.
4.Coolant temperature is the best way to gauge whether a diesel engine is fully warmed up
This obviously comes from our experience with the car, unless you can't wait to step on the gas. Because diesel takes a load to heat to full operating temperature, when the coolant reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the lubricating oil does not reach the optimum viscosity. Not all boats have an oil thermometer, if yours doesn't, just let your engine crank up slowly to be on the safe side.
5.Most of the wear and tear caused by marine engines occurs at high rpm
Running the engine at full throttle is more difficult than running it at idle, isn't it? In fact, the highest wear rate occurs at startup, especially when you're not careful. The lubricating oil is designed to adhere to the internal components, but the film is only micron thick. Cold oils (even modern multi-viscosity oils) take a few minutes to flow freely once the engine starts. This is why commercial diesel engines are fitted with heaters and pumps to circulate the lubricating oil. If your engine doesn't have either, your best bet is to throttle ahead 30 seconds to a minute earlier.
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