Jean Luc Pallas - AC Maintenance & Repair Manual for Outboard Motors

OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST

The Adlard Coles Book of Outboard Motors

Tim Bartlett

ISBN 0 7136 7575 6

Essential for anyone going to sea with an outboard engine, this guide to both two-and four-stroke engines includes sections on routine maintenance and fault-finding, and explains how even the most sophisticated modern outboards use simple processes to convert fuel to power.

An excellent book, well thought out and well written.

Motorboats Monthly

The Adlard Coles Book of Diesel Engines

Tim Bartlett

ISBN 0 7136 7402 4

In clear, jargon-free English, Tim Bartlett explains how a diesel engine works, how to look after it, and takes into account new developments in engine technology. This book is based on the RYAs one-day Diesel Engine course, and is aimed at boatowners rather than experienced mechanics.

The next best thing to taking the course itself

Motorboats Monthly

Skippers On-Board Diesel Guide

Hans Donat

ISBN 0 7136 7618 3

An essential reference to all types and sizes of marine diesel engine, in our popular splash-proof, lie-flat format. The guide contains advice on how the engine works, how each part interacts, dos and donts, fault-finding and troubleshooting tests and detailed exploded diagrams to show how to fix problems.

The Adlard Coles Book of Maintenance and Repair for Diesel Engines

Jean-Luc Pallas

ISBN 0 7136 7614 0

This superb manual will enable boatowners to troubleshoot, repair and maintain their diesel engines. Detailed step-by-step colour photos and diagrams highlight problem areas and procedures, whilst the accompanying text explains exactly what to do. Dont go to sea without it aboard!

Sections include:

Parts of the engine and how they work

Maintenance: 24 step-by-step worksheets

Repairs: 23 illustrated repair worksheets

Breakdowns: 88 causes of breakdowns and their solutions

20 steps to good winterising

AS WITH MOST TECHNICAL THINGS on a boat, the outboard engine is simple to use but can seem obscure and complex as soon as it breaks down. However, on taking a closer look and with a bit of guidance, all can become clear. That is the aim of this book. It explains engine technology in simple terms, with drawings that allow you to visualise how it works.

The best way to avoid engine breakdown is by carrying out regular maintenance. With a little guidance, a task that appears tedious and time-consuming can in fact be relatively quick and easy. The maintenance and repair worksheets in this book are designed to allow beginners as well as the mechanically knowledgeable to work on their outboard engines with confidence. All these tasks, whether maintenance or repair, are explained with precise illustrations showing the steps for each procedure. All the tasks are coded as either simple, technical or complex depending on your level of skill and experience.

The book is divided into four parts. The first covers the technical elements of outboard engines. The second part contains maintenance/repair worksheets that will allow you to maintain your engine efficiently. The third section reviews the most common causes of engine breakdown. A troubleshooting list allows you to diagnose and fix the most common outboard engine problems. Finally, the fourth part reviews the different steps to follow in one of the most important maintenance routines: winterising. Designed along the same lines as the step-by-step maintenance/repair worksheets, this chapter will show you how to winterise your engine in one short afternoon.

BEFORE DOING ANY WORK on your outboard it is wise to understand some basics. Bore, flow, ignition, gearbox, valves, spark plugs... these are all terms that you need to know. In the following pages the outboard engine, whether two-stroke or four, is stripped, explained and analysed in detail so you can understand how it works. This will help you to navigate the complexity of your maintenance or repair manual, enabling you to carry out the work more easily.

Nowadays, neither professional nor pleasure sailor can really safely go to sea without an engine. Outboard or inboard, each has its place.

The invention of the outboard motor revolutionised the recreational boating market. These days, few people would dispute the usefulness or efficiency of this means of propulsion.

The Johnson AC 35 (2.5hp), one of the first mass-produced outboards (1928).

1881: Gustave Trouv displayed the first external motor, which was electric.

1896: The first production gasoline outboard was the American built by the American Motor Co of Long Island, NY. It was air-cooled, and claimed to propel a rowboat at 68 miles per hour.

1909: Ol Evinrude set the standard for the removable outboard with an angled leg.

1931: the 10hp Marston Seagull engine was in production in the UK: twin cylinder and capable of powering a 30ft boat.

So by the turn of the 20th century the outboard engine, as broadly defined today, was born. But it was not until after World War II that this concept gave rise to an entire industry.

The outboard engine has become an important piece of boating equipment thanks to its compact, stand-alone format, which combines propulsion and direction and for its power, which today ranges from 2hp to around 300hp.

Because it is attached to the transom of a boat, it allows the maximum amount of space in the cockpit. There is no need for a rudder; direction is supplied by the flow of water created by the propeller as the engine pivots, giving excellent steering. A set of remote steering controls connected to an instrument panel allows for easy manoeuvering. Because it can be tilted, the angle can be adjusted to take into account load, speed and sea state. Since the engine can be raised, it enables a boat to be easily landed and trailed. The smaller models can be removed and carried.

Most outboards were originally two-stroke, but in order to address the pollution and fuel consumption problems of the two-stroke engine, manufacturers developed a range of four-stroke outboards.