Philippe, a mechanic at the Chevalier shipyard in La Ville-ès-Nonais (Ille-et-Vilaine), advises us on mechanical winterization.
Operation of the engine itself
Once the levels are done cold ( engine oil, shuttle and coolant ), it's time to start the engine. " Starting the engine will allow to estimate several fundamental things for the continuation of the wintering "Philippe explains.
- Before starting, the lights on the dashboard
- Before starting the engine, during the warm-up phase, make sure all lights are on. " The fact that one of these lights does not come on means that there is a problem with the light, not with the underlying circuit. This is the point of checking at startup "recommends Philippe.
- Is the start-up immediate or chaotic?
- The glow plugs must be checked. " If everything goes well, there's no need to break your head." explains the mechanic. " If in doubt, a simple tip: Connect each candle directly to a battery. The resistors should all reach a very light red color ( almost white ) within the same time frame, to within one second. If one is slower than the others, then it must be replaced "he recommends. As a safety precaution, do not hold the tested candles in your hand, they will become extremely hot and can cause severe injury. " Also, do not pinch the resistors in a vice, as this will damage them. Simply place them on something that is not flammable, such as a sheet of metal "Philippe suggests.
- Check the battery charging circuit
- " While the engine is warming up, take a voltmeter and check the voltage delivered by the alternator. On a 12-volt motorization, it should be close to 14 volts. Below 13 volts while the engine is running, there is a problem in the charging circuit. Beyond 15 volts as well "according to the specialist.
- Checking the motor mounting
- Warming up the engine is a good time to check for vibrations and unexpected engine movements. " If the engine tends to move, you'll want to consider looking at its mounting or the rubber mounts - silent block - that hold it attached."
- Cables and rods
- " Whether it's the throttle, the steering wheel or the fire extinguishing system, there are a huge number of systems on board that are controlled by cables or linkages. The movement must be smooth and frictionless ", explains the mechanic who adds, "P spray a little lubricant in the rod to make it easier to slide ".
- Inverter and reducer
- Both the inverter and the gearbox are cooled by sea water. " The oil should be uniform, no bubbles or mayonnaise. Remember to check the amount of oil present before removing it to put back the exact equivalent ", says Philippe. " The presence of water or worse, a mixture of water and oil - the famous mayonnaise - indicates a damaged seal. Beware, the consequences can be dreadful if you do nothing! "
- The gauges of the dashboard
- When the engine has warmed up, all the gauges on the dashboard are up. This is the time to check if any of them are out of order.
- Cooling water circulation
- An inboard engine is also flushed. " Beware, in the long run, the consequences can be very annoying if you do not rinse the system! There is no need to use an additive, fresh water is quite effective ", explains the mechanic. " Be careful not to let the water run anywhere, it can be polluted, so it must be recovered "he warns. If the water is flowing poorly or erratically, there are several paths. " In particular, the seawater intake basket may be clogged. Ideally, it should be checked at each outlet. "
- Air filtration
- The air filter should be as clean as possible, free of grease and tears. As with a car, it is the visual condition of the filter that will determine whether or not it should be replaced.
With the motorization, the most time-consuming part of winterization has been achieved.
