PBO 1967 Vire 6 Servicing, (Amal WICO)

Easy to read with lots of photos. good introduction

Oil:Petrol mix 

The amount of oil mixed in petrol,is always 3% on this engine. you do not have to use expensive oil 30W is ok, but please be aware the engine was designed for freshwater lakes (Finland) not saltwater seas, so be extra protective against saltwater and air remaining anywhere inside or outside this engine, it must never remain.

The biggest killer of this engine, is the cast-iron cylinder jacket splitting open, it is impossible to repair reliably. This is always caused when engine is drained of water, allowing oxygen into the cavity and then rusts fast. please ALWAYS keep this cylinder jacket FULL of fresh/salt-water when afloat, and if you need to remove engine i suggest flush with freshwater and store dry, or fill with antifreeze.

the cooling pump is bronze gears not rubber impellor so you dont have to wet the rubber blades before starting like a 7/12

you are supposed to start this engine BEFORE opening the water injection into the exhaust chamber (valve)

you are supposed to stop this engine AFTER you closed the valve to dry the system out a few seconds.

some boatyards (e.g. 1970s Westerley's Warwick 23' or Thames-Marine's Snapdragon 23' ) replaced Vire 6 engine silencer with an elevated 'snorkel' exhaust silencer so doing away with this stop valve, and making it less likely owners could sink their boats via the exhaust outlet being submerged or filled by wave-action, and because the injection was unstoppable and more, they couldnt forget to turn it on and burn out their rubber pipe (another difficult to diagnose problem or sinking risk)

most parts are identical or similar to the later Vire engines 7/12

it is relatively noisy to those, and i recommend at least a waterlock or muffler in the boat's exhaust line.

In saltwater, the pump shaft, main bearings and core plugs will rust early, so i supply upgraded s/s parts you should have fitted.

The carburettor was designed to last about 10/20 years, usually a new carburettor gives an amazing improvement.

The ignition points will be unrelaible if they have ever been sanded 'clean' as this removes the anti-corrosion low-resistance plating.

This engine will not start warm reliably with a NGK spark plug, please ONLY use CHAMPION L86C (OEM) spark plugs