Maintenance and Service:

Survey inspections and reports are a "snapshot in time".

Engines, transmissions, gearcases, gensets and other machinery require regular maintenance and service to remain in good reliable working order. Many vessel and yacht buyers opt to have their machinery serviced immediately after taking possession so that they will have a fresh service baseline with their equipment, and therefore they will know the exact service status of their machinery. A service interval of one year, or annually, is generally considered the maximum service interval for vessel machinery. Consult the machinery owner's manuals for guidance.

EXHAUST SYSTEMS-

All exhaust systems require regular monitoring and service. Hose clamps can rust and break. Hoses can chafe and deteriorate from age, heat, lack of water flow, and the pressure pulses from the engine exhaust. I have seen exhaust hose actually delaminate and rupture from these affects. Metallic manifolds, risers, adaptors and outlets can deteriorate from heat, rust and corrosion. Plastic and fiberglass exhaust componentry can deteriorate from heat, vibration, exhaust gas pulsing, and begin to leak. Engine cooling raw water discharge is often routed into the exhaust systems to provide for cooling of the exhaust gases while they flow through the vessel's exhaust system. A leak in the exhaust system can result in a tremendous quantity of engine cooling system raw water being discharged into the bilges. All engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a very dangerous gas. Carbon monoxide poisoning mimics the symptoms of motion or seasickness, and can lead to death. Any exhaust system leak poses a real threat of carbon monoxide poisoning, and raw water flooding.

Gasoline engine exhaust manifolds and risers can clog or leak internally, causing dangerous blockages that, in extreme cases, can cause engine space fires. Internal corrosion can occur, allowing water to leak into the engine, causing expensive damage. Gasoline engine exhaust manifolds and risers should be dis assembled and inspected for deterioration at least every 4-5 years. All gasoline engine exhaust systems components should be inspected regularly for discoloration, deterioration, and leakage.

Diesel engine exhaust system components, especially on turbocharged engines, are exposed to a tremendous amount of heat and corrosive salt water- They require constant inspection to find areas of discoloration, deterioration or leakage. Any significant disruption of cooling water flow into an exhaust system can rapidly result in an overheating condition that can burn through hoses, resulting in possible flooding and in some cases, fire. Diesel engine exhaust systems should be inspected regularly for discoloration, deterioration, and leakage.

Proper routine maintenance and service can help prevent many safety risks, expensive break downs and damage, and alert your service provider to an issue before it becomes more dangerous, complicated and expensive to repair.

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.