Introduction to Outboard Systems
Boating Basics -
Study of the modern boating industry, careers, marine motor designs, major components, steering systems & gauges. Basic nautical terminology for vessels, trailers, and different hull types.
Materials, Parts & Tools -
Standardized measuring units, common materials, fasteners, parts assembly, gears, and seals. Tools used include wrenches and measurement tools. Measuring clearances and forces, as well as testing leads.
Electrical -
Basic Electrical: Including types of electricity, voltage, current, and resistance. Conventional current vs. electron flow, Ohm’s Law, creating voltage, voltage drop, and batteries.
Electrical Circuits: Closed circuit, open circuit, series, and parallel circuits. Analyzing circuit problems, electrical symbols, and diagrams.
Outboard Electrical Systems: Battery and battery-free outboards; starting and charging systems, including checking a starting system and checking a charging system.
Outboard Ignition Systems -
Compression, Fuel, and Ignition, The importance of reliable ignition, electricity basics, self-induction, and manual induction.
Components: Spark plug and maintenance. Ignition coil; ignition coil secondary circuits. Pulser coil, ignition timing, the firing order of outboards, and timing adjustment.
Types of Ignition Systems: Power source, ignition system control, and related ignition system terminology.
Fuel Systems -
Fuels, gasoline, and gasoline properties. Analyzing fuel problems.
Fuel system components; Air-fuel mixture; Venturi. Carburetor principles and systems; Changing the Air-Fuel ratio. Electronic fuel injection (EFI) Advantages, EFI system, EFI Classifications, number of injectors, components of EFI systems. EFI modes and methods.
Fuel Systems -High-Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) Why HPDI, keywords terminology
Powerheads -
Powerheads Basics:
Torque and horsepower; Internal Combustion Engines, motor displacement; comparing motor types.
Two Stroke Motors:
The basic operation of two-stroke motors and port timing.
Four Stroke Motors:
The basic operation of four-stroke motors; valve timing; engine balancing; four-stroke valve trim; camshafts and timing; valves; valve arrangement and servicing. Cooling system; intake and exhaust manifolds; exhaust gases & emissions; Nitrogen Oxide emissions; recirculation of crankcase gases.
Crankshaft and Pistons:
Crankshafts; flywheels; engine bearings and their selection; installing bearings; pistons; piston rings and ring gap; cylinder bore measurement: powerhead terminology.
Lubrication -
Friction and Lubricants; oil designations; grease designations.
Two-stroke motor lubrication: Premixing the oil; two-stroke oil injection.
Four-stroke motor lubrication: Splash type; wet sump lubrication; dry sump lubrication.
Why is service needed? Why parts wear prematurely; four-stroke oil service; other areas of outboard lubrication; lubrication terminology.
Drive Unit -
Drive Unit: Components of the upper case; cooling system water flow; water pump service; the path of exhaust gas; exhaust noise reduction.
Lower Unit: Lower unit operation, components, lubrication, gear systems, and types of shift mechanisms.
Gear Assembly and Adjustment: Gear assembly and adjustment; bevel gears; lower unit adjustment; mounting the propeller; drive unit terminology.
Propellers -
• What is a propeller?
Marine propulsion; requirements of a propeller; propeller materials; propeller hub exhaust system.
• Number of propeller blades; basic propeller design; parts of the propeller blade; cavitation: ventilation
• Propeller hubs; shear pin hub; pressed in rubber hubs; Shift Dampener System (SDS).
• Propeller matching, testing, and maintenance; annual inspection; propeller failures and causes.
Brackets -
Outboard Mounting Brackets:
Bracket components, attaching the outboard to the boat, motor mounts, transom information.
Steering: Steering and digital steering.
Trim and Tilt: Power tilt, power trim and tilt (PT & T); reverse operation.
Shock Absorber: After impact, mechanical.
Valves: Manual, relief, main, absorber, servicing a PT & T Unit.
Corrosion -
Types of Corrosion: What is corrosion? Corrosion around us; main causes of corrosion; chemical corrosion; potential difference between metals; environmental influences; what it is made of matters.
How to control corrosion: Painting, plating, sacrificial anode method; corrosion resistant materials.
Protection of boat and outboard motors: Managing boat corrosion; managing outboard motor corrosion; corrosion terminology
Rigging -
Mounting an outboard motor: Transom mounted motor brackets; Water level guidelines; Boats with multiple outboard motors; Horsepower limitations; Estimating maximum boat speed.
Rigging connections: Mechanical remote controls; instruments; steering; fuel line routing and filters; boats and modern-day electrical requirements; data networks.
