DIY oil change?

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martin

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Hi

I am considering breaking a habit of a lifetime and roll my sleeves up to change the oil on the two Volvo TAMD75P monsters.

Anyone think this is a bad idea? or should it be doable for a beginnner with willing? Any Tips?
 
Hi,

I don't see why you could not do that yourself. The size of the engine doesn't matter.
Warm up the engine and extract the oil with a vacuum device such as Pela.
When empty, unscrew the oil filter using a strap tool. Clean up the inevitable mess. Install a new oil filter (put some oil on the rubber gasket first) and screw on firmly by hand. Don't use a tool, you will overtighten it and it will not come off in future! Carefully clean the area around the oil filter from any oil that has leaked during the replacement.
Then fill with the correct quantity minus 1 pint of the correct oil. Check on the dipstick and fill it up to the upper mark.
Now start the engine. It will take a few seconds to buid up oil pressure because the new oil filter has to be filled first.
Let it run for a couple of minutes and switch off. Now check for leaks around the oil filter and top up the oil to the upper mark on the dipstick.

Job done, time for a beer!
 
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It depends what access you have to the sump plug & filters.

Take a tip from me, make sure when changing the filters that you don't leave the old seal in the groove on the mounting. I can't see mine & have to work by feel & ended up with 2 seals. Fairy Nuff you may think, it ran fine when I tested it - no leaks, great. So out of harbour I pottered, into the main channel & then I opened her up to about 3k revs, & the oil pressure disappeared - as all the oil had too, into the bilge!

With just the one sealing ring, it sits in a groove that supports the sides against oil pressure. With 2 seals, oil pressure will displace one & then dump all your oil!. It's a simple error, but hard to check if you can't see into the filter housing on the engine.
 
Times getting hard in the motorboat world ??? hee hee hee. Only joking

Of course you can DIY. My motto is why pay some other bugger to do what you can do yourself.

A couple of tips. Run the engine to warm the oil before you drain out.
Have plenty of rags ready for spills.
Do not overfill when topping up
 
Oil change

Don't just run the engines in your berth, take it out for a good run get it properly warmed up, then as stated suck it out with a vacuum pump, you will need at least two empty drums to put the old oil into, and a (hopefully) recycling drum handy, ours hold 24 pints each, Ford 180's, so you will be removing a fair old quantity. Not good to be stuck with nowhere to get rid of the old oil.
 
omega2 said:
Don't just run the engines in your berth, take it out for a good run get it properly warmed up, then as stated suck it out with a vacuum pump, you will need at least two empty drums to put the old oil into, and a (hopefully) recycling drum handy, ours hold 24 pints each, Ford 180's, so you will be removing a fair old quantity. Not good to be stuck with nowhere to get rid of the old oil.
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Good point.
 
Invest in a heavy duty oil extraction pump from A.S.A.P supplies
For this size of engine well worth the cost

See earlier post about fleet guard oil
 
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scottie said:
Invest in a 24v oil extraction pump from A.S.A.P supplies
For this size of engine well worth the cost

See earlier post about fleet guard oil
Click to expand...

The electric pumps do not work well in my experience, and 24V only any good if you have a 24V system on board. As other posters have stated, the Pela vac pump is the one for the job, but expect it to take about 20-30 mins per gallon to extract. The process is very clean, and easy, sucking up through the dipstick tube (which is why is takes so long as the tube diameter is quite small). As others have posted, it is very easy to overfill. Mine engines take 1 litre less than the spec sheet advises.
 
martin said:
Hi

I am considering breaking a habit of a lifetime and roll my sleeves up to change the oil on the two Volvo TAMD75P monsters.

Anyone think this is a bad idea? or should it be doable for a beginnner with willing? Any Tips?
Click to expand...

Very helpful post Martin, like you i have been thinking about doing an oil change for the first time.

BUT, going one step further and changing the coolant as well. Cannot be any more difficult
can it?
 
oil change

I agree with everyone but before you start the engine pull out the engine stop if you have one .turn the engine over for about 30 seconds ,then start her up,that 30 sec helps to get more oil to the camshaft and reduces wear on the engine.also use the right oil spec for the engine,no cheep stuff.
 
martin said:
Hi

I am considering breaking a habit of a lifetime and roll my sleeves up to change the oil on the two Volvo TAMD75P monsters.

Anyone think this is a bad idea? or should it be doable for a beginnner with willing? Any Tips?
Click to expand...
I cant say I ve found the Pela that good. You need the oil pretty warm.. so warm that engine 2 has cooled too much by the time you get too it. Some say the lining of the Pela metal tubing fouls or something, but I find anything up to 1 hours plus for 12 litres isnt unusual. Maybe mine is bu**ered, but I would certainly look into one of the serious pro models, of anything.
But otherwise, run the engine, stick the metal tube down the dipstick, and suck it out. No skill needed there !
Stick a bag round the oil filter to catch spillage, and twist it off with a suitable oil filter wrench (ebay for a few quid).
Oil the seal ring on the new filter and screw it on to hand tight, wipe it all clean and run the engine to check for leaks.
So, its all kids stuff, as long as you can actually reach everything.
BTW,Volvo VDS3 spec is now available from a few specialist oil firms, but otherwise there should be a Volvo truck service agent somewhere close to you, and they probably have the filters as well as the oil. Anything up to 50pct less than your local Volvo marine outlet.
But have a look that everything is accessible, coz it isnt that much fun lying upside down on a hot engine ;)
 
beejay190 said:
Very helpful post Martin, like you i have been thinking about doing an oil change for the first time.

BUT, going one step further and changing the coolant as well. Cannot be any more difficult
can it?
Click to expand...

No, simple enough. Just be careful to make sure you don't get airlocks in the system, run the engine for a while with the filler off and keep topping up. Mix the coolant 50/50 with water before tipping into the engine.
 
DIY.

25L of suitable oil( Fleet oil)from a local motor factor around £50.00
Pattern oil filters around 5-10 pounds each.
Primery diesel filter about £7.00 and and secondaries about £2.00 each
Big black plastic rubbish sacks under filters to catch worst of spillages both deisel and oil .Swiped from kitchen.

Small old fashioned brass suction pump about £10.00.and can be used for that last drop of bilge water or removing **** from bottom of diesel tank,far more useful than that Pela thingy.
Vast pile of old rags liberated form her old knicker draw......priceless;)
 
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