Camanos 31 Owner's Handbook Manual - page 17
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Our suggestions below will be too little for some and too much for others. Choose your level of
technical comfort when you start trouble shooting and try to avoid things that might cause you to reach
for Rolaids. Boating is supposed to be fun.
Use Caution When Cranking
The engine and oil cooling system used in the Camano is not unlike the system used in most boats
having inboard engines. Raw water is brought into the boat via the thru-hull fitting at the forward end
of the engine. This water travels through a series of heat exchangers (oil, transmission, turbo, fresh
water, etc.) before passing through the exhaust manifold to the water lift muffler and then overboard.
Importantly, the raw water not only cools the engine, it also cools the exhaust gases and, along with the
water lift muffler, suppresses exhaust noise. The pressure from the exhaust drives the water up a pipe
in the water lift muffler (hence the name) and then overboard. What you need to keep in mind is that:
raw water can only be discharged overboard by the exhaust of a running engine. This means that if
you are cranking the engine without the engine starting, you will be pumping raw water through the
engine and you will start to fill up the water lift muffler. Once full, the water will then begin to fill the
hoses feeding the water lift muffler. Eventually, if you keep on cranking the engine, the water will
back up until it reaches the exhaust manifold. If the water gets into the manifold and if any of the
engine exhaust valves are open (and some of them will be), water will enter the piston cylinder. As the
engine turns over, the exhaust valve will close, the engine will come onto its compression stroke and
disaster will strike. You will either bend one or more connecting rods or break the crankshaft.
IF THE ENGINE WILL NOT START, NEVER CRANK IT FOR MORE THAN A
COMBINED TOTAL OF 30 SECONDS WITHOUT CLOSING THE RAW WATER INTAKE.
ONCE THE ENGINE STARTS; IMMEDIATELY OPEN THE RAW WATER INTAKE.
Failure to Crank
?
Dead Battery
?
Loose battery cable or ground wire
?
Faulty ignition key switch
?
Jammed starter motor
?
Open circuited starter motor
?
Solenoid defective
?
Seized engine
?
Water in the cylinders
Useful Tip: OK, the last two are only remote possibilities but they do exist. If you draw a complete
blank (absolutely nothing happens) when you turn the key, you might try shorting something, i.e., a
screw driver, across the solenoid at the starter, which may get you started by bypassing the switch and
the rest of the wiring. Make sure the transmission is in neutral before trying this. Overall, however,
unless you are really familiar with starter motors, solenoids and DC circuits, best to call someone who
is. You could exchange the starter battery for one you know is fully charged or use your jumper cables
from the house batteries, but apart from that it might be best to stay off uncharted waters.
Failure to Start
?
Fuel tanks empty
?
Fuel tank valves closed