Saturday August 12, 2017
Docked - Horn Harbor Marina

Hummmm. Not a normal blog. But it is maintenance time. Preparing for our planned cruise south. On my to do maintenance is change the fan belt, change the raw water pump impeller, change the 4 fuel filters, clean out the heat exchanger, change the heat exchanger zinc, change the rocker cover gasket, change the injector pump oil, change the air filter, change the transmission fluid, change the engine exhaust elbow. Oh yea, change the engine oil.
Let’s start with an easy changing the engine oil.
1. Suck out the old engine oil
2. Change the oil filter
3. Put fresh oil back into the engine.

1. Sucking out the engine oil with my homemade pump out system. Well I had to first replace the suction hose. Off to NAPA this morning to get new suctions hose. Old hose had gotten rotten.
Check that off the to do list. Successfully connected quick change hose to the pump and got all the oil ( 3 gallons ) out of the engine. Humm a little to heavy on one side to walk it up to the recycle tank. Go get the dock cart and wheel the oil to the recycle tank. Try not to spill the oil ANYWHERE and get it into the recycle tank. I always make a mess. But not too bad.
2. Change the oil filter after writing the Hours and Date on he new filter. I leave the filter wrench around the current oil filter so I don’t have to look for it. Old filter comes off easy and new one is on!
3. Put new oil ( 3 gallons ) into the engine. Hummm done this many times. Sometime a little spill. I open the 1st gallon and the screw off the top and start pouring. I notice the little ring of plastic left behind when you unscrew the top. I’ve heard of people having that little ring of cap plastic falling into their engine. I just keep pouring and then IT HAPPENS TO ME. The plastic ring slips off the gallon of oil and into the engine. I stop and stick my finger into the fill hole of the engine. The little plastic ring much be right there around a valve or the push rod. NOPE . Can’t find it. Consider, just leaving it in there to be chewed up by the thrashing valves push rods, maybe it will fall into the crankshaft. It will come out in the next oil change. RIGHT????
So, instead I decide to remove the rocker cover and just pluck the little ring of plastic out of the valve area. Hey, it’s only 8 screws and then you are in. OK 8 screws later and the rocker cover comes off and the gasket doesn't get ruined. YEA!
OK, where is the little ring of plastic? Light, then flash light, then 100watt light. No plastic ring. Are you sure you saw it fall into the engine???????? Susan says???
Yes, I’m sure. But starting to doubt that maybe the eyes have played tricks on me. OK if it’s not on the valves or push rods, could it fallen further into the engine?? Mirror time. Now I’m pretending I’m a dentist. Do you shine the light in the mirror for it to reflect down into parts of the engine? Or do you shine the flashlight down into the engine with one hand and guide the mirror with the other? Now, I’m beginning to see why dentists make so much money. I don’t think I’m coordinated enough. Whops I’m looking on the outside of the engine for minutes before I realize I’m not where I think I’m looking. Did I mention I’m in what would be known as WARRIOR ONE POSE if I were back in Yoga class? For minutes, lots of minutes???? My leg is screaming, find the damn plastic ring NOW.
Not found.. Rest and think of something else.
A hooked pick tool. Yes, in engine class, Bob Smith said to get a set of these. I find one and stick it where the flashlight don’t shine and as I bring it up,,,, THERE IS THE PLASTIC RING. FIRST TRY. I’m not sure where that thing was headed but I got it. Put the gasket and and rocker cover back on with many adjustments to get the 8 screws back in. (You can read that as more WARRIOR ONE POSES. I’m going to be sore tomorrow)
Now pour two more gallons of oil into the engine. Make sure when you unscrew the cap off the gallon of oil that you get the little plastic ring off too.
All done, engine starts, no visible leaks and I am ready for a shower.

Tomorrow I will change three of the four fuel filters. I’ll be switching a new one from standby to operational and replacing the 3 used filters. Two of those are very meticulous to change and one is fairly easy.
Later my friends.

Brooke