If you are new to owning a boat and have never maintained an outboard motor before, then you may wish to understand the technology that you have bought. There is an excellent article explaining the workings of an outboard motor on the explainthatstuff.com website that will give you all of the information that you need to know. When you understand how the motor works, you will also need to either maintain the engine yourself if you are a skilled mechanic or take your motor to a specialist and have them service and maintain it for you.
Make Sure You Check The Motor Regularly
If you are using the outboard motor on an occasional basis, then you will still want to check it regularly to ensure that it is in working condition. Check the fuel levels and oil, ensure that there are no dents or scrapes on the propeller, and turn the engine over every once in a while to move the fluids in the engine and blow off the cobwebs. You will also want to check the cowl and ensure that the waterproof seal and the gasket and latches are working correctly and not damaged, as these keep out water from the engine. If you do not currently have an outboard motor and you are in the market for a quality one, take a look at the selection of outboard motors for sale at BBMS Swanwick.
Regular Oil And Filter Changes Required
Not all engines are the same, and some are easier to maintain than others. If you have a simple two-stroke motor, for example, you will need to fill the oil-injection reservoir regularly, and give the screens an occasional clean. When you have a four-stroke engine, you again need to fill the oil on a regular basis, but you will also need to change the oil filter as well. On top of this, four-stroke engines will also require occasional adjustments to the valves to maintain peak operating performance. The job is not one for the novice, but there are plenty of videos to be found on the internet that can instruct you on how to maintain an outboard motor, but you do not have to do this task yourself if you have no experience.
Doing The Job Yourself Or Using The Services Of A Company?
The simple two-stroke motor is relatively simple to maintain, and as mentioned earlier, there are plenty of good instructional videos available to watch online that tutor you how to do the job. The four-stroke engine is a little bit more complicated, but it still works on the same principles. If you are going to maintain your motor yourself, then make sure that you do plenty of research on what to do, and do not be afraid to call in an expert if you need help repairing a mistake. For peace of mind, if you are a complete novice with outboard motors, you may be best using the services of a professional company to help maintain it, where you will also be able to get lots of free advice on using it correctly too.
Leave a Reply