11. Sniff for gas fumes, particularly when starting the engines.  Engineers should do this instinctively, but often other rates must start the engines.  So everyone must be on the alert for fumes.  Practice this precaution:  Sniff for Fumes.  Use the bilge exhaust blower before starting engines if such a blower is installed on your boat.

 

12. Your cleaning of gas and oil filters periodically is one key to good operation.  Only by close watch over engines and related equipment can you discover small leaks in the water, fuel, and oil lines.

 

13. Small apertures in your lines occur usually at the joints and couplings.  Keep these tight.  A small hole will be enough to allow a little gas to spurt out, create fumes and consequently an explosion and fire.  Too many men have been killed and injured because of this hazard.  Keep close watch on your gas lines.

 

14. Engine operating instructions are covered in the “Packard Operating Manual” and the “Packard 4M-2500 Marine Engine Construction Operation and Servicing Manual.”  The latter contains a wealth of information and is well illustrated.  A lot of time, money and effort has been expended on these books.  Get acquainted with them.  Highly skilled technical engineers are continually working to improve the design and performance of your engines so don’t try to redesign them yourself; such as changing engine timing.  Performance curves prove the books are right.  Your job is to operate engines according to the instruction books.

 

15. Keep your engines clean inside and out.  A dirty engine or engine room is usually the sign of a lax engineer, and soon results in failure of the equipment.