Engine warm up question

[nightvision]

Hi all,<br />I have a general question on warming up an engine. I have an 2005 I/O, 3.0l,135 hp, Mercruiser Alpha1. Part of my boating procedure is to start the engine on the muff at home for about 3-5 minutes before I leave for the lake. The lake is about 40 minutes away. Let say one hour after I warmed up the engine at home, do I still need to warm it up again for a few minutes before taking off? <br /><br />Thanks.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Engine warm up question

I have never owned an I/O boat, but a boat is unlike a car in that you have to use more power in a boat than a car to get it moveing. Not warming the engine at least for a little while would be like starting your car and taking off pedal to the metal while cold. Because you started the engine at home first at least means that you have oil where it needs to be.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Engine warm up question

There is no need to prewarm your engine. Just start it up at the dock and slowly bring it up to plane. The temp rises to normal operating temp in very little time.

 

[05GlastronSX]

Re: Engine warm up question

When i first go to start my engine after sitting for a long period of time, i normally let it(mercury 150) warm up for atleast a minute or two at my dock then go out and slowly run it until warmed up. Like cobra said, there is no need to prewarm it on muffs. just put the boat in the water, start it up, and let it warm up for a few minutes before going. by then everything should be circulating and you will be good to go.

 

[OLDSPUD]

Re: Engine warm up question

Ok, I will get ripped again, but<br /><br />In auto's, when I was younger I always thought it was good to warm up your engine. I have changed, don't know when but was told that the sooner the RPM's go up, the quicker the oil is distributed throughout the engine. Now I usually start and let run for about 3 seconds then go.<br /><br />In my boat, I usually will start my motor in my driveway just to make sure it will start on the ramp. I usually am nervious about running too long on driveway because I don't think the little water suction cup thing puts enough water through the engine to not damage the impeller.<br /><br />At the lake, I usually take the same opinion about my boat as my truck, I start up, but you can't push to hard because your usually in wakeless for a minute or two anyway. AS soon as I am clear of wakeless, I usually push it to about 2500 to 3000 rpm's to push oil through the motor, also to get the water through. I watch the temp guage and make sure it warms up properly and doesn't overheat (impeller again).<br /><br />My Four Winns will not let the motor go past a certain rpm point and will cut out until everything is warmed up, usually about four to five minutes. I thought something was wrong once and pushed the throttle and it cut out, got home called the dealer and he told me about the cut out.<br /><br />What do you think Lube dude? am I nuts or thinking clear?<br /><br />Spud

 

[magster65]

Re: Engine warm up question

During the winter I run the boat at home for 5 or 10 minutes to get some heat in the carb. This stops it from icing up at the ramp. In the summer do the same but not so much to warm it up as to make sure I don't have grief at the ramp. I don't want to be the guy clogging the ramp with a boat that won't start. Either way, at the ramp, I let it run for just a short period then pull away slowly until it's up to operating temperature, then speed up or whatever.<br /> <br />Bottom line, get your motor to operating temperature before you put it under a load.<br />An aluminum piston warms up a lot faster than the block does, thereby reducing it's piston to wall clearance. <br />Even multigrade oils are harder to pump when they're cold.<br />Unless the engine is injected or has a choke adjusted just right, the engine is likely running lean until it's warmed up.<br />Ever wonder why an engine runs better when it's warm? It's trying to tell you something!<br /> <br />The internal engine components are still warm after your 40 minute trip to the ramp.

 

[QC]

Re: Engine warm up question

FWIW, I like warming them up in gear if possible as the engine isn't the only thing that likes a little heat in it I try and bump the idle up a little as I head out of the no wake zone. Run up to about a 1000 just outside the buoy line until the water temp stabilizes, then I'm off. That first run, I usually bump her up a little at a time until she planes instead of the harder punch I would use most of the time.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Engine warm up question

AS soon as I am clear of wakeless, I usually push it to about 2500 to 3000 rpm's to push oil through the motor, also to get the water through.

By the time you've gotten this far, oil and water has long found it's way through your engine. If it took a 3000 RPM drive just to circulate your oil, your engine would have seized a long time ago. Oil pumps are designed to push oil as fast as possible at idle...everything is oiled in a matter of seconds.

 

[calwldlif]

Re: Engine warm up question

In my opinion:%
Starting at home is a
way to verify things are sea worthy.
warming up has to due with letting
pistons expand, oil circulate, generally
letting metal parts become warm and
lubricated. I believe the less load on the
motor before reaching a thorough temp
the better. The time it takes is depends on
the conditions. I have oil temp gauges and
use them.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Engine warm up question

What I do is back the trailer down until the boat is in the water but still connected to the trailer by the winch. I start the boat and let it run on high idle, and pull the boat off of the trailer and tie it off. I park the rig/trailer, and get back to the boat, and leave. I motor at displacement speed through the no wake zone, and then get on plane and go. I start it while still connected to the trailer so if there is an issue, I can pull the mess out of the ramp quickly so as not to hinder anyone else.

You really should let the motor run until the thermostat opens on a boat, it it nothing like a car, and running a boat like a car equals wear and tear. Most boats I have ran, especially I/Os, hate being driven cold, and can be balky until fully warmed up. Motoring slowly at displacement speed is a good way to warm the motor....