Marine diesel engine oil additives

wizard

wizard

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This may be a daft question but for normal car engines there are a range of oil additives to reduce engine wear at start up etc etc. Does anyone have any experience of using these sort of additives in marine diesel engines? Are there any made specifically for this purpose? Do they work?

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Conventional wisdom in the auto world is that they are snake oil. Nothing beats good quality lube oil (fully synth if you really want the best) and regular oil and filter changes. There are numerous tales of teflon additives coagulating and blocking oilways etc,

<hr width=100% size=1>Larry Botheras

Anderson 26 "Amber"
 
By changing the filters and oil every spring you start off the season with a sump with good oil and no water from winter condensation. Your engine should then last decades with no need for additives etc as long as the injectors are kept in good shape. Mine is now 16 years (equvilent of over 300,000 miles in hours run) and has never had anything more than basic grade diesel lube oil put in it, she still has full oil pressure and good starting in winter and summer.
Unless you use fuel with a very high Sulphur content ( not available now in Europe) you will not use up the base reserve in the oil in a seasons use so your engine bearings will not suffer from acidic attack in spite of all the **** written about this in magazines and books from people who should know better.


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As we use gas oil, as opposed to Derv, I would not be so sure that we were being supplied fuel with a low sulpher content.

I will continue to do one of the ouil and filter changes at the end of the season.

Having got hold of the spec. sheets for a paerticular companies gas oil and derv, I know they are differentr.

Tony Brooks

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Hear, Hear - been there & tried molyslip - no noticable difference.

Not so sure about synthetic oil though, unless you have a power boat. The change intervals for lower power jobs are probaly set to take account of excess crancase condensation due to lack of high power/high oil temp running, so the oil has little chance to loose its properties.

A warning to low speed/low engien power users. There is evidence that the additive pack in moderbn oils is implicated in bore glazing, so for goodness sake make sure you get oil of the correct (low) API spec for your engine - mine uses CC/CD which (unless you wnat to pay dealer prices) requires a visit to a motor factors to fined.

Tony Brooks

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The previous posters are largely right - changing the oil frequently with top quality oil is the key to engine life. The only additive I would recommend are those which you add to the fuel once per year or so to clean the injection system. Anyone who regulalry takes diesel cars for MOT will tell you these can drastically reduce emmissions and in my own experience these improve starting and performance.
Martin

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In the 17 years that our present engine, a Bukh 20hp, has been in the yacht it has never missed a beat. Change filter every year and change the oil twice a year, usually a high qualiy but not synthetic oil. Never use an additive to the oil but regularly but not always add an additive to the fuel. The injectors have never been in need of a service.

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I agree there different classes of gas oil, three main ones plus Derv which has a few extra specs added specifically for Road Engines use as you might expect, the most commonly known one being anti waxing for operation at low temperatures. Derv is the high grade Gas Oil plus these additives. The lower grade Gas Oils are normal only available in large tonnages from a bunker barge to MN ships, not from Marinas, Marina fuel barges etc. Your engine will run on these lower grades but at risk of increased wear rates to clylinder bores, valve stems, injector seats, gumming of ring landings if your engine is running a lot of hours. Once had to carry out unscheduled overhaul of engine at 2,000 hours running 24/7 in Borneo due to this, but how many of us are doing 2,000hours a year in our yachts?

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Of course they are different ...

They are produced for different markets. AND Red Diesel is bog-standard 0.2% Sulphur diesel with a dye in it ....

Would you like to visit my lab and see it tested ? We test all forms from Ultra Low right up to high sulphur fuels including Fuel Oil ..... aside from all the gasolines and lube oils we test as well.

Lets put some basics down :

Marine diesels are normally slow revving jobs in most boats and therefore don't need fancy lube-oil.
Red diesel has about 0.2% sulphur and does not normally cause problems in the engine unless continually run at tick-over for its life ...
Additives are good in small doses - too much can actually be detrimental.
City diesel is not recc'd for marine diesels unless you have one of the higher revving real modern high speed jobs ....
Bugs are in ALL diesels irrespective of supplier / origin.

So advice is :
Don't use real cheap lube-oil - it is often recycled crap and if its the 'liquid Engineering' grade recycled - I don't use it !!!
Don't overdo the additives and that includes Bug treatment
Give the engine stick regularly - make it work hard at times to get rid of that crap building up inside.

My engine has been due oil change for about 2 year now ..... that's me - too bloody lazy !! I don't use biocide - I just refresh tank sensibly and drain of water- I provide biocide and all sorts of additives to clients in TONS !! I make sure that my engine does not idle too long, when opportunity I open up to full bore and especially when pushing against a strong tide ....

My engine is more than 30 yrs old and still plenty years left in it ....


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
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Oil additive

wizard said:
This may be a daft question but for normal car engines there are a range of oil additives to reduce engine wear at start up etc etc. Does anyone have any experience of using these sort of additives in marine diesel engines? Are there any made specifically for this purpose? Do they work?

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Click to expand...

I use the Metabond ECO one, got it from ebay, it helped me, I had gain in MPG and power, the engine runs smooth, that's enogh for me :cool:
 
brianhumber said:
I agree there different classes of gas oil, three main ones plus Derv which has a few extra specs added specifically for Road Engines use as you might expect, the most commonly known one being anti waxing for operation at low temperatures. Derv is the high grade Gas Oil plus these additives. The lower grade Gas Oils are normal only available in large tonnages from a bunker barge to MN ships, not from Marinas, Marina fuel barges etc. Your engine will run on these lower grades but at risk of increased wear rates to clylinder bores, valve stems, injector seats, gumming of ring landings if your engine is running a lot of hours. Once had to carry out unscheduled overhaul of engine at 2,000 hours running 24/7 in Borneo due to this, but how many of us are doing 2,000hours a year in our yachts?

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One of the tugs I ran (St Margaret, Ex Inchcolm) had a harbour generator with 65,000 hours on it, all on commercial grade Marine Gas Oil. Towards the end of our time owning her we were running the generator on load almost continuously due to switchboard issues and she was fine. I wouldn't worry about MGO.

As for Sump Oil. As stated above change it regularly with the correct grade and quality filters and you will never have to worry about anything.
 
wizard said:
This may be a daft question but for normal car engines there are a range of oil additives to reduce engine wear at start up etc etc. Does anyone have any experience of using these sort of additives in marine diesel engines? Are there any made specifically for this purpose? Do they work?

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Click to expand...
use a good spec 15/40 oil
 
cryan said:
One of the tugs I ran (St Margaret, Ex Inchcolm) had a harbour generator with 65,000 hours on it, all on commercial grade Marine Gas Oil. Towards the end of our time owning her we were running the generator on load almost continuously due to switchboard issues and she was fine. I wouldn't worry about MGO.

As for Sump Oil. As stated above change it regularly with the correct grade and quality filters and you will never have to worry about anything.
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How much oil did the sump hold
 
sailorman said:
How much oil did the sump hold
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Can't quite remember but about 15-20 litres? Not a big genny as only running lights, nav aids, kettle and domestic water pump.
Engine was not much bigger physically than a Ford 2700 series. It was ran on MoD OMD 113 oil. which was basically 15/40.
I worked her(nursed her) for four years and I don't remember an oil change or filter change as the boss would never supply new filters and oil had to be "found."
 
Tranona said:
You must be bored again - get out in the sunshine!

Would think after 11 years he has sorted himself.

V old (and not very good) thread brought to life by a new member probably selling snake oil.
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Been in the sunny garden most of the day thanks T. mowed the lawns too all ready for holidays ( mower has straight 30 :encouragement:) changed its oil yesterday
as it happens i responded to #13 :p
 
sailorman said:
Been in the sunny garden most of the day thanks T. mowed the lawns too all ready for holidays ( mower has straight 30 :encouragement:) changed its oil yesterday
as it happens i responded to #13 :p
Click to expand...

Not boaty enough. Lifted the boat at 8.30 this morning. Just a bit of slime to wash off - another vote for Jotun Sea Queen. Anode did not need changing. Back in berth by 10.00 then a few hours cleaning off the last of the winter carp from the decks. Nice and shiny now with grey teak instead of black.

Wife mowed the lawn, (and cleaned the sprayhood). Not allowed to use the lawn mower as I drive it the wrong way.
 
Tranona said:
Not boaty enough. Lifted the boat at 8.30 this morning. Just a bit of slime to wash off - another vote for Jotun Sea Queen. Anode did not need changing. Back in berth by 10.00 then a few hours cleaning off the last of the winter carp from the decks. Nice and shiny now with grey teak instead of black.

Wife mowed the lawn, (and cleaned the sprayhood). Not allowed to use the lawn mower as I drive it the wrong way.
Click to expand...
I have a REAL mower wimmin cant understand the complexities if a 1970s 42" cut Stiga
 
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