Pre-Purchase Engine Inspections:

Thinking about buying a boat with used outboard, gas stern drive, or gas inboard engines? It’s not like years ago:

Engines cost real money these days!

Best to get them checked out before you buy!

With almost three decades of “Hands On” engine service and inspection experience, Bill can prevent a lot of surprises!

There are good engine technicians around, but few are experienced in pre- purchase inspections- The devil is in the details!

Bill works from long check lists developed from a body of experience that has been refined over almost three decades of inspections:

Compression (additional costs may apply)

Cylinder Wall Condition, if visible

Crank Case Oil Condition and Level

Oil Leaks

Oil Sample Analysis (price available upon request) Engine, transmission and generator: An easy way to gather more very useful information!

Engine Computer Run History and Fault Codes-(Many later model year engine computers store data about how the engine has been run: Amount of time at various rpms, fault codes, overheat events, etc. Bill has the computer and software to access Mercury/ Mercruiser, Yamaha, and Suzuki computers) Less Guessing = More Facts!

Electrical System Condition and Operation

Fuel System Condition and Operation

Engine Mount Condition

Exhaust Manifold Condition

Rust and Corrosion- engine exhausts with known issues are video scoped to assess condition of accessible/ visible exhaust system condition.

Hydraulic System Condition and Operation

Transmission/ Gear Case Oil Condition

Propeller Shaft Condition? Bent? Corrosion? Fish line on shaft? Seal condition?

Propeller Hub/ Cutlass Bearing Condition?

Ease of Starting?

Apparent Water Pressure?

Idle Quality?

Noise Level?

Performance During Water Test?

Warranty Coverage?

Rigging and Set Up?

Is/ Are the Engine(s) Set Up Properly on the Vessel?

Are they Propped Correctly?

Do They Perform Adequately? How much life is left in them?

A PRE-PURCHASE ENGINE INSPECTION IS A VITAL PART OF ANY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE POWERED VESSEL SURVEY!

There's more to lubrication than simply reducing friction.

A balanced formula is required for optimum performance in all areas of lubrication.

An oil's primary function is reducing friction. It does this by creating a film between surfaces to prevent contact, thereby reducing friction. However, lubricants are frequently needed ot do more than just provide a slippery film between moving surfaces in contact.

They are tasked to carry out several other functions, some of which might not immediately spring to mind when you think about engine oils or other lubricants.

Here are six not-so-obvious lubricant functions:

Transfer Energy-

Because fluid lubricants are not readily compressible, they can act as an energy-transfer medium, such as in hydraulic equipment, transmissions, engine valve lifters, etc.

Clean-

Lubricants maintain internal cleanliness by suspending contaminants within the fluid or by preventing the contaminants from adhering to components. Base oils possess a varying degree of solvency that assists in maintaining internal cleanliness. Solvency is the ability of a fluid to dissolve a solid, liquid, or gas. While the solvency of the oil is important for maintaining cleanliness, detergents and dispersants play a key roll. Detergents are additives that prevent contaminants from adhering to components, especially hot components such as piston, or piston rings. Dispersants are additives that keep contaminants suspended in the fluid. Dispersants act as a solvent, helping the oil maintain cleanliness and prevent sludge formation.

Cool-

Lubricants are used to cool the parts of a component or machine while in operation- like a fan or air conditioner is used to cool the inside of a house. Reducing friction minimizes heat in moving parts, which lowers the overall operating temperature of the equipment. Lubricants also absorb heat from contact surface areas and transport it to a location to be safely dispersed, such as the oil sump. Heat transfer ability tends to be a trait of the base oil's thickness- Lighter oils tend to transfer oils more readily.

Seal-Out Contaminants-

Lubricants are used to seal components from outside contamination, like windows in a house or automobile. They can act as a dynamic seal in locations such as piston rings, and cylinder contact areas to prevent contamination.

Dampen Shock-

A lubricant can cushion the blow of mechanical shock, just like a shock absorber in a car dampens road vibrations and imperfections. A highly functional lubricant film can resist rupture and absorb and disperse these energy spikes over a broad contact area. When the mechanical shock to components is dampened, wear and damaging forces are minimized, extending the component's overall life.

Protect Against Corrosion-

A lubricant must have the ability to prevent or minimize internal component corrosion. Lubricants accomplish this either by chemically neutralizing corrosive products, or by establishing a barrier between the components and the corrosive material.

Superior Protection & Performance-

The important takeaway here is that lubricant quality is not about excelling in one performance area; rather, its about the entire set of performance properties.

The quality of oil used is critical to machinery performance and durability.