Monterey Boats 350 Sport Yacht, Owner'S Manual

Page: 113 / 196

113
350 SPORT YACHT
13.4 Bilge and Engine
Compartment
To keep the bilge clean and fresh, use a commer-
cial bilge cleaner regularly. Follow the directions
carefully. The engines and engine room should be
kept clean and free of oil accumulation and de-
bris. All exposed pumps and metal components,
including the engines and drive gear, should be
sprayed periodically with a protector to reduce
the corrosive effects of the high humidity always
present in these areas.
Maintenance intervals are outlined in the engine
owner’s manuals. Their recommendations should
be followed exactly.
Periodically check the bilge pumps for proper op-
eration and clean debris from the strainers and
float switches. Inspect all hoses, clamps and thru-
hulls for leaks and tightness on a regular basis
and operate all thru-hull valves at least once a
month to keep them operating properly.
A flow of air into the bilge is provided by vents
located in the deck near the engine compartment.
Periodic inspection and cleaning of the ventilation
ducts is necessary to ensure adequate air circu-
lation.
Engines
Proper engine maintenance is essential to the
proper performance and reliability of your inboard
engines. Maintenance schedules and procedures
are outlined in your engine owner’s manual. They
should be followed exactly.
Proper engine operation requires a good supply of
clean, dry fuel. Improper marina fuel storage tech-
niques, limited boat usage, etc. can cause the
fuel to become contaminated.
The age of fuel can affect engine performance.
Chemical changes occur as the fuel ages that can
cause deposits and reduce the cetane rating of
the fuel. Severely degraded fuel can damage the
engine and boat fuel tank and lines. Therefore, if
your boat is not being run enough to require at
least one full tank of fresh fuel a month, a fuel
additive should be added to protect it from deg-
radation. Your dealer or the engine manufacturer
can provide additional information on fuel degra-
dation and fuel stabilizers recommended for your
engine.
Generator
The engine maintenance required on the genera-
tor is similar in many ways to the main engines.
The engine incorporates a pressure-type lubrica-
tion system and a fresh water cooled engine block
which is thermostatically controlled. The most
important factors to the generator's longevity are
proper ventilation and maintenance of the fuel sys-
tem, ignition system, cooling system, lubrication
system and the AC alternator.
Maintenance schedules and procedures are out-
lined in your generator owner’s manual. They
should be followed exactly.
Note: Generators charge the generator bat-
tery just enough to compensate for the
DC electrical current the engine re-
quires to operate. Therefore, it is im-
portant to activate the battery charger
to maintain the house and engine bat-
teries whenever the generator is run-
ning.
13.5 Drainage System
It is essential that the following items be done
periodically to maintain proper drainage of your
boat:
• Clean the cockpit drains with a hose to remove
debris that can block water drainage.
• Frequently test the automatic bilge pump
switches for proper operation. This is
accomplished by lifting the float switch until
the pump is activated. You can also use a
garden hose to flood the bilge until the water
level is high enough to activate the pump.
• Flush all gravity drains with fresh water to keep
them clean and free flowing.
• Operate the thru-hull valves once a month and
service as required.
Note: All drains and pumps must be properly
winterized before winter lay-up.
NEVER USE HARSH CHEMICAL DRAIN
CLEANERS IN MARINE DRAIN SYSTEMS.
PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE HOSES AND
FITTINGS MAY RESULT.