Checklist to bring engine alive (after +3 yrs winterized)

[psousa]

Hi guys.

I'll be waking up a +3yrs winterized boat in the very next weeks.
Your check-list will be important to decide the business.

Regarding to engine (merc 260hp MPI bravo 3), maintenance will be done before waking up and following items will be replaced:
- oil replace (engine and leg)
- filters (oil and gas)
- spark plugs
- belt
- impeller
- exhaust gaskets (I want to open exhaust system to visually inspect manifolds and risers)
- I will be present when they remove spark plugs and oils (to check water presence).

Now, I would like to hear opinions from you.
Besides this, what else should I check/pay attention on engine/leg when running it after all this time?
And what about comfort systems? She is equiped with black water tank, macerator, heated water, stove+mw+sink... what should I double-check?
Electronics (VHF, GPS, sounder), etc?
(no AC)

Any idea will be welcome!

Thank you.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Welcome aboard. I flagged a mod to move this to the Mercruiser forum and you will get more hits.

your fuel will probably long ceased to be fuel. you may need to drain and clean your tank

you may want to also spin the motor over for a bit without ignition to get oil pressure.

 

[Alumarine]

Is this a new to you boat or one you winterized and put away for a few years?

 

[alldodge]

:welcome: back psousa, been a while

When you pull the plugs squirt some oil in each one, let sit for a hour or so, then crank it over a little without plugs

 

[Bondo]

Is this a new to you boat or one you winterized and put away for a few years?

Ayuh,..... Marc brings up an important question,...... No reason to change the oils, 'n spark plugs if they were done at lay-up,.....

your fuel will probably long ceased to be fuel. you may need to drain and clean your tank

you may want to also spin the motor over for a bit without ignition to get oil pressure.

I also agree with Scott, start it/ run it on a remote tank hooked to the fuel filter,.....

What's in the hull's fuel system probably ain't gasoline anymore,....

 

[keith2k455]

Will you be doing this or paying someone? If paying someone, no checklist needed. If properly winterized you should only need to address fuel.

 

[smokeonthewater]

:welcome: back psousa, been a while

When you pull the plugs squirt some oil in each one, let sit for a hour or so, then crank it over CAREFULLY BY HAND without plugs

Fixed it.

EDIT: didn't fix it but rather changed it to add a detail that could prevent engine damage.

 

[poconojoe]

Oops....never mind!
How do I delete my own post?

 

[alldodge]

Fixed it.

No you didn't fix it, I meant what I said, please stick to your own comments and opinions

 

[smokeonthewater]

No you didn't fix it, I meant what I said, please stick to your own comments and opinions

Oh calm down.....

The bold type IS my own comment.... I was simply giving you credit for the rest....

Turning the engine over by hand is a VERY good idea... After 3 years of storage there is a fair chance of rust in one or more cylinders... Turning over by hand allows one to feel that and stop before doing damage to the rings....

 

[psousa]

Is this a new to you boat or one you winterized and put away for a few years?

It's a new to me. I will not take risks: replace everything. Any there is no sale contract yet since I want to see the engine working, tha's why I wrote:

Your check-list will be important to decide the business.

Will you be doing this or paying someone? If paying someone, no checklist needed. If properly winterized you should only need to address fuel.

I'm paying to do it. Just to make sure if there are other details I should pay attention to.

What do you mean with 'turning by hand'? The front belt? Or use the key to carefully crank engine without spark plugs?

Cheers

 

[alldodge]

What do you mean with 'turning by hand'? The front belt? Or use the key to carefully crank engine without spark plugs?

While there are many cases where I would also recommend turning the engine by hand this is not one of them. There is no indication which concerned me enough to go to the effort. Spray oil, let set an hour or so then use the starter crank it over without spark plugs.

I'll let smoke explain his method and reasoning

 

[psousa]

Ok!

Any way I was talking with the guy about the tip regarding oil spray after remove spark plugs and he said he will do it if spark plug heads are dry. If they are still oily, he don't need to do it. What do you think about this?

 

[alldodge]

Ok!

Any way I was talking with the guy about the tip regarding oil spray after remove spark plugs and he said he will do it if spark plug heads are dry. If they are still oily, he don't need to do it. What do you think about this?

Agree

 

[smokeonthewater]

The spark plug threads shouldn't be oily.... Also a cylinder could easily be rusty without effecting the plug threads.
Turn by hand means just that... No starter... Any mechanic will have no problem figuring out how to turn over by hand. Often times one can simply grab the crank pulley and turn.... Otherwise there is a special socket that fits the crank snout after removing the harmonic balancer

 

[smokeonthewater]

Hmmm you said heads not threads... I suppose you meant electrodes... Personally I don't speculate or guess... Extended storage, I oil and rotate by hand with no exceptions... Of course the engines I work in are my own engines and as such I likely care more about them than someone working on engine owned by other people who are looking to get work done as cheaply as possible.

Most likely none of this is needed... Most likely just swap in fresh gas and turn the key is all that is needed....

The problem is tho that if taking a shortcut turns out to be a bad idea you won't have any way of knowing it until it's too late.

A few months down the road you are using the boat and realize the engine is using oil and has more blowby than it should.... Now you wonder if you damaged rings at first startup.

 

[smokeonthewater]

To clarify, I wasn't suggesting that the op or any certain person only wanted the cheapest job possible... Rather I meant that a large portion of customers would likely go elsewhere if a mechanic always billed an extra hour or two to be more careful than his competition.