The engine on your narrow boat is essentially the most important piece of equipment as it enables you to cruise, charges your batteries and supplies hot water.  Unfortunately many narrowboat engines are neglected until it’s too late and involves a costly repair bill. Routine maintenance is essential to keep the engine ticking over efficiently. Regular checks of the oil and water levels and ensuring there are no leaks will benefit you in the long term and will hopefully ensure you have trouble free cruising on your narrow boat.

Engine Oil Changes

Most engine manuals will recommend changing the oil after a specified number of running hours, or for those who do very limited cruising, once per year.

If you have a newer engine which is under warranty, ensure you compile with the manufactures guidelines to validate your warranty.  If however, you have an older engine, outside of any warranty, you may not need to be as vigilant, particularly if your engine running hours are low.

A good visual check is to use a dip stick and look at the colour of the oil; if it is clean and clear then it is likely to be fine. However, if it is black this means it has collected carbon and dirt from the engine and should be replaced (not forgetting to also change the oil filter at the same time).

If you haven’t started your engine on your narrowboat for a while, it is advisable to run the engine for an hour to bring the oil up to temperature and also remove any condensation that has collected inside. If after an hour the oil looks opaque, this is a sign there is too much water in the sump and the oil and filter should be changed.

Many automotive oils on the market today are not suitable for engines fitted on older narrow boats due to the high level of additives. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines for the most suitable oil for your engine.

Antifreeze

Changing anti-freeze is a very similar process as a car. Rather than a radiator to cool the car engine, you have a skin tank which utilises the flow of the river/canal to cool down the tank. As the skin tank is unlikely to be the highest point on the system, there is a risk of airlocks which will require bleeding; this is worth checking if your engine overheats.

Antifreeze is very damaging to the environment and water, so the up most care needs to be taken when draining the antifreeze to ensure none of it ends up on the canal or river.

Gearbox Maintenance

Always refer to the manufacturer’s engine manual to understand the maintenance requirements of the gearbox. The manual will specify the type of lubricating oil to be used, the capacity and the frequency of changing the oil.