Over the years, most marine operators form habits.
Some of them are good, some of them bad.
And unfortunately, there’s one such habit that’s pretty common, which can be detrimental for your engine:
Allowing your engine to idle.
Allowing the engines to idle for prolonged periods can lead to high oil viscosity and a build-up of sludge and contaminants.
In some cases, operators idle their engine because they don’t have complete faith that it’ll restart when called upon – this in itself is not ideal, and if that’s the case for your operation, let us know and we will see what we can do to restore your confidence in your engine!
What’s wrong with prolonged idling?
Prolonged idling leads to carbon in oil, which increases the oil’s viscosity and if the oil is not regularly changed and the engine maintenance slips the result is:
- Exhaust and turbos sooting up
- Fouling of intake systems and charge air coolers
- Premature wear as a result in carbon in the oil
- Blocking of crankcase ventilation systems
- Reduced lubrication and cooling – causing catastrophic failure if left unchecked
Thankfully, this particular engine operator keeps on top of engine maintenance and therefore no damage has been caused.
What we’ll do:
To counteract that, we’ll de-carbon all rocker gear and covers before deep cleaning them as part of the service.
If you run your engine on idle frequently, it’s really important to keep checking your oil regularly, so if this is the nudge you need to get it done, then make sure you do!
