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Old 26-04-2018, 08:27   #1
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Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I need to do maintenance on my Tashiba-31 for the first time. I'll be changing the oil and fuel filters as part of this work and I'm wondering what I can do to keep oil and fuel from getting all over the boat.

I plan to use a siphon on the oil and have buckets for catching fuel/oil from the filters. Here are my questions -

1. What works well to protect the cabin sole while working on the engine? I was thinking of getting a vinyl tablecloth.

2. How to you cleanup afterwards so that the whole boat doesn't smell like fuel or oil? I'm particularly concerned about the buckets used to catch the fuel. I live aboard and need to store these items on the boat or in the trunk of my car.
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Old 27-04-2018, 07:24   #2
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Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I like to catch spills from filter changes in large zip loc freezer bags. The freezer ones are tougher and the bag is flexible of course.
You will suck the oil out so no spills there, and you should only have a tiny spill from fuel filter changes, usually if there is a mess it’s from the oil filter if it’s sideways mounted. If so loosen it first, then place the ziploc bag around it and remove it, letting it fall into the bag, hold the bag open against the engine as some oil will run out after the filter is removed.
Keep a roll of paper towels close by. There should be no reason to have to protect floor, spills should be only a few teaspoons at most. Place a few paper towels under engine to catch any spills prior to doing work.

If you have any spilled fuel a spray bottle with soapy water and a few paper towels will remove it, just place the paper towels under the filter housing and spray soapy water on it, the soapy water fuel mix will run off and get caught in the paper towels.
Do this of course after you replace the filter and leak check everything.
Know how to prime your fuel system prior to changing the filter.
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Old 27-04-2018, 08:45   #3
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I like the suggestion to use zip-lock bags. Thanks!
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Old 27-04-2018, 09:22   #4
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

Put a disposable diaper underneath the oil filter and some paper towels in the zip lock bag.

After a couple of oil changes you will have a clean system worked out!
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Old 27-04-2018, 09:45   #5
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I would protect the sole with those 3/8" thick grey foam tiles 36 x 36. Cheap and stowable. It's all about experiencing your job and working it out over time though. Have plenty of oil absorbent pads and rags.
I like to fill my fuel filters before closing them up. But just beware that after changing fuel filters your engine may run for some time, then quit as you exit the marina due to air or fuel flow issues.
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Old 28-04-2018, 05:47   #6
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

my first by myself boat engine oil change at sea was a trip. yes the catchment container tripped and spilled all over my sole and in bilges. ok. easy to prevent... second time i lined the sole with plastic garbage bags and engine diapers and was totally perfect.
as each time is different, always protect your dipstick's and catchment container's surroundings with something absorbant. i also use boat towels, which are those used to be lovely cotton bath towels now disintegrating and look so much better in black. as they are expendable, and not plastic, it is awesome. only takes 5 washings in detergent and oxyclean to make em light grey. perfect for boats.
as you already know, oil remains contained until you forget to place the just in case padding to protect your cabin sole.

the used filters and such go into those shopping bags given at checkout at many stores. wrap well twist and tie em off, place into another bag tie that off and dispo in your local fuel stations recycle station. (they have those in mexico, i presume there are same or similar in usa and other areas)
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Old 28-04-2018, 06:16   #7
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

Work neatly and there should be no mess.

For diesel smell, I like formula 409 sprayed on the filter housing and surrounding area and wiped off after the job is complete. It seems to remove the fuel throughly.
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Old 28-04-2018, 06:44   #8
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sailmonkey View Post
Work neatly and there should be no mess.

For diesel smell, I like formula 409 sprayed on the filter housing and surrounding area and wiped off after the job is complete. It seems to remove the fuel throughly.

ye donot know the peanuts character named pigpen?
folks come in all kinds of states of coordination. some of us havent that feature.. hahahahaha
if you are blessed with ocd, so be it.
if you are graced with non-robotic human normalcy, stuff happens and oil spills.
prepare in advance.
yes for some that can be a difficulty, but this is teak and holly we talkin'. fines for spilling, be damned. hahaha
i had 3 layers of plastic under my westerfreke when that was pulled out of my center overhead hatch. caught 4 qts cleanly. 2 points for a d d.
now i use both engine diapers under and plastic under that. better safe than 5000 usd fined err spoiled teak and holly.

with any fuel spillage, the diapers work nicely. as my racors are fg models prime is not broken with cartridge changes. the spin on engine filter stops leaking once installed correctly. diapers under make more than sense.
as for steenk, i find that is a diagnostic tool. have stink of fuel, have leakage. end stink with repairs. a general wiping of engine once filters are changed does well, as the steenk goes away with evaporation unless there is a leak
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Old 28-04-2018, 08:03   #9
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I use a disposable aluminum loaf pan under the fuel filter, don't drain, remove the whole filter assembly into the pan keeping it upright. Then remove the whole mess to the dock to drain the filter etc. then reassemble new filter and bowl and replace.
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Old 28-04-2018, 08:41   #10
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I have 3208 Cat engines with two pretty large oil filters on each engine. I have found that heavy duty trash compactor bags work well catching the filters and oil as they fall into the bag. Regular trash bags are too thin and you risk a leak.
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Old 28-04-2018, 10:04   #11
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

Cut off the bottom of a water bottle and place below and beyond the lip of the oil filter....you won't spill even one drop. Use a bigger jug with a handle on big filters like Cat 3208 filters.Click image for larger version

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Old 28-04-2018, 10:13   #12
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

I like the 5 gallon plastic buckets with a lids available at WalMart for under $3. US They are waterproof, great for carrying materials, tools and refuge. They have a long life unless exposed to the sun for extended periods and being tall and cylindrical they get through narrow hatches.
I call them garbage buckets! NEVER fill more than 1/3 full of liquid.
Cheap plastic tarps are perfect for sole and bilge covering for maintenance.
A 6'X8' size with grommets in the seams only sells for $5. US. OLd cotton clothing is my choice clean-up rags. Into the bucket after use!
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Old 28-04-2018, 15:00   #13
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

We use depends adult dipiars they take a lotta ****
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Old 29-04-2018, 13:34   #14
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Re: Keep boat clean during engine maintenance

dm-
Just pretend you're cleaning up Chernobyl. Lots of things like thin cheap plastic painters' tarp, to cover the cabin floor AND wrap over all the waste. Disposable gloves (and you buy and use two sizes, so if needed you can strip off the dirty gloves and still have clean ones underneath) and used plastic grocery bags and good paper towels. For a spin-off filter, you actually can bag the filter, start it loose, and catch the filter and drippings in the bag as you bundle it up and put it in a heavier bag, along with any paper towels used in the process. If you use a suction oil remover, think of it as a snake throwing venom around. Restrain it with both hands, apply paper towels, keep it confined in double plastic bags. And when you're done, the plastic tarp comes up, wraps everything, all goes in another plastic bag to contain it and the whole thing gets tossed.
It doesn't have to be that extreme, depends on how good you are at pre-planning it and how expensive the woodwork is.(G) And little things like how well the engineers located the fuel and oil filters. Once diesel gets into porous surfaces, like unpainted wood, it is a long process to try getting it out again, so barriers (plastic) and absorbents (rags or paper towels) are worth whatever they cost. If you can, have a helper around, with clean hands, whose job is just to "open another bag for me" or whatever you need done with those clean hands.
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