The simple answer is absolutely, YES! It doesn’t make any difference if you have a Rotax 2 stroke or a 4 stroke. If you own a Rotax engine and pick up a screwdriver or wrench and intend to touch your engine then you need the manuals on hand. Your neighbor is not Wikipedia and won’t always have correct advice. Even if you think you know what to do,something unexpected always comes up. An example would be; what to torque a bolt or nut, so you may need the Line Maintenance, the Heavy Maintenance or the Part manual. Another applicationfor the manual would be to see if you are supposed to have a space between certain parts and how much space, ect… This list can go on forever. All smart mechanics and owners will know that the path to easier maintenance and successful engine ownership requires manuals for references. Even if you are screwdriver challenged and never intend to touch your own engine then being up on the particulars of your engine will helpyou keep the mechanic on the correct path. If your mechanic doesn’t have your engine manuals then have him print them out or you can give him a set for his birthday. You need to have all the manuals that apply to your engine. For example the Rotax 912 series engine has 5 manuals that apply to your everyday needs and will answer just about any question that may come up pertaining to your engine. Many questions right here on the forum can have an answer ascertained from these manuals in a few minutes. I do agree that sometimes there could be a little more information or maybe just be a little better in its explanation, but the manuals are an absolute must. The reason you need them all is because information may not be in the book you are using on a specific task. An example of this is the torque settings on many nuts or bolts for a special application and it may have a special torque value and not the same as another nut or bolt somewhere else on the engine. You can buy these manuals or you can print them out on the

Rotax-Owners Forum. Get a three ring binder and start your printing and while you’re at it make sure to print any Service Bulletins, Alerts or Service Information that pertains to your particular engine and keep them on hand as well. I use the manuals all the time in the shop. You just can’t remember everything, besides you need to know when your neighbor’s advice was wrong. These manuals are your Bible, encyclopedia and teacher. You need them to make life easier for you and your engine. Follow the manuals inspection periods and maintenance schedules and you will stand a good chance of not having any major issues. I do realize that engines are mechanical things and do fail so this is another reason to keep your manuals on hand. All engines need maintenance to keep on functioning and neglected engines will usually cause its owner grief of some sort sooner or later if maintained improperly. Don’t wait for a problem to arise. Read through each manual or table of contents and get some idea of where things are or even how to accomplish a simple procedure. I always read the section I’m going to perform work on the night before the job.

I know this isn’t a technical article, but I get questions everyday about fairly simple things that are in the manual. Don’t get me wrong I really don’t mind the calls and I enjoy talking to people from all over the world, but I was just trying to have people get their answers right at their finger tips and be better equipped to deal with any issues right on the spot at home.

Safety Comes With Knowledge!