A Closer Look Might Reveal Trouble Beneath The Surface
A periodic visual inspection of important components could prevent a bad surprise later, if you know what to look for. It can save you a costly claim.
Areas of rust, or a small crack or scaling on a stainless-steel component, may be a sign of crevice corrosion, which could result in failure of the part.
- Gelcoat cracks may be of only cosmetic significance, but they could indicate serious flex from too much stress in the area, or delamination underneath.
- Changing exhaust color with no obvious cause may be a precursor to problems. Generally, black exhaust means fuel burning poorly; white or bluish smoke may indicate excessive oil burning; and steam can indicate overheating. But exhaust colors have many nuances. Diesels emitting black smoke could need a new air filter. Diesels billowing smoke might need new injectors. Gas engines might smoke on startup, but more than 10 seconds could indicate a problem with the fuel mixture. Steam from either engine type could mean water getting past the head gasket (and will be accompanied by the smell of steamy water or antifreeze).
- Frayed lines may be evidence of age and too much exposure to UV, chafing, and poor fairleads. Figure out the cause and address it, and then replace the line.
- Discoloration of wire terminals or insulation could be a sign of excessive heating or corrosion underneath the insulation.
- A sheen on the water at your exhaust when the engine is running can indicate poor burning of the fuel. Possible causes could include bad injectors, timing, plugs, or poor compression, as from valve or ring problems. Pull the spark plugs on your gas-powered engine. Beige or brown is the right color. Grey indicates detonation/timing issues. The sheen could also indicate lube oil entering the exhaust or transmission oil escaping into the exhaust through a leaking heat exchanger