[Donaldjames]

We are getting into boating season here in Michigan fairly soon and the boat has been in heated storage for six months. I was wondering how many of you prime your diesel engines before starting for the first time for the year. Are there any advantages to doing so? These are Volvo D6 370s. Thanks!

[jclark003]

I doubt if your engines lost prime while sitting over the winter, unless you changed fuel filters during your layup.

It hurts nothing to prime them a bit regardless. I usually give the priming pump a couple pumps before launching just to make sure it builds pressure right away.

If you haven’t used the priming pump in a long time however, I would leave it alone. I’ve seen pumps start leaking air when used after a long (multi-year) dormancy.

[Donaldjames]

Thank you for the reply, I think I will just leave well enough alone, and not take the chance priming it. If it does not start for some reason, then I will go ahead and prime it. Cheers!

[MC1600]

Same here, Donald. I change my filters at the end of each season, but prefill them with fresh diesel (using the outside holes, not inside) before spinning them back on. Never had a problem losing prime. They fire right up.