By filling the unit in this manner, you can insure that there will be no air bubbles preventing a full fill. One note on stern drive lubrication: Always fill stern drive units from the bottom hole until the lubricant just starts flowing from the fluid level plug. However, any contaminants left in the lubricating fluids will have a detrimental effect on the engine and stern drive when the boat is idle for a period of time. Normally, these impurities do not affect the internal components because they are burned off when the unit is brought up to normal operating temperature. If moisture and contaminants accumulate in lubricants, the emulsified lubricant has little lubricating qualities and almost no corrosion protection. In the engine, normal combustion produces corrosive acids which attack and damage bearing surfaces. There is a good reason to change your lubricants on a regular basis-lubricants fight corrosion. Just a few seconds without water will severely damage the water pump impeller.Ĭhange the Engine and Stern Drive Lubricant CAUTION: Water must circulate through the lower unit and engine anytime the engine is operating. Second, and most importantly, heating and agitating the oil allows dirt and other contaminants in the oil to be suspended and subsequently removed when the oil is changed. First, hot oil flows better than cold oil, so by keeping the oil hot, you will ensure a more complete oil change. There are two important reasons for wanting the oil hot prior to draining. In general this will mean taking the boat out for a short cruise or, (if consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations) running it with a proper water hookup in dry dock) to bring the engine oil and stern drive lubricant up to temperature. Start the engine and allow it to run until normal operating temperature is reached.
If you can't avoid these fuels, be sure to top off the fuel tank to minimize the amount of air (and therefore moisture) that is present in the tank. Alcohol readily absorbs water, and may promote corrosion in the fuel system and many other problems such as phase separation. The quality of fuel you use is very important. If a milky white liquid is found on the dipstick when checking the engine or stern drive lubricant, water is in the system. Checking the engine and stern drive lubricant levels regularly allow you to spot problems before they become disasters.
One of the easiest and most forgotten forms of maintenance is routine inspection of fluid levels. This list should serve as a guide to a thorough maintenance job now and set the standard for regular maintenance in the future. If the guidelines differ from those stated in your owner's manual, defer to the manufacturer's instructions.īefore starting, make a list of what services have been performed and what needs to be done. This is a general guideline for maintaining your stern drive. Maintenance procedures aimed at prevention of wear on the engine and stern drive involve inspection, cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment. Why is maintenance so important? A small amount of time spent maintaining boats will return optimum performance, increased longevity, and greatly reduced expenses over the life of the boat.
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