Oil Change Musings

[boatone]

Ok, so conventional wisdom and manufacturers data says change engine oil every year or 'x' hours. But does anyone exercise a different regime and why and to what effect?
For instance, for an average river cruiser doing say 200 hours/season what difference would it really make if we only changed oil every eighteen months or two years?
Before everyone says Im a nutter, how many of you follow the suggested regime for your outdrive re oil level checking/changing/bellows renewal?

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[ccscott49]

Change the oil every year, even if you dont use the boat, acids in the oil from combustion will eat your engine alive. Don't leave old oil in over the winter for the same reasons and the fact it will absorb water and make things worse, the additives in the oil will deteriorate over time aswell. Oil is still cheap enough. It also keeps me in a job and living the way I've become accustomed!! Cheapskate you!

 

[byron]

<font color=blue>Tony, my last boat I had some 10/12 years and people would say to me "you are so lucky you never get a minute's trouble from your engines"
This was true, it was also true I used the best quality oils and had new oil every 20-40 hours. After each service and when the Engineer had gone I would open a hatch up stick my face in and have a little chat with the engines telling them how much 'daddy' loved them and asked them to note how I had spared no expense and not touched them myself. I'm sure that helped.</font color=blue>

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[jfm]

contrarian view

Use top grade synthetic and change it every 2 years and 400 hours?

 

[ccscott49]

Re: contrarian view

Top grade synthetic in a diesel? Does that mean combustion acids don't form in synthetic, from burnt carbons and sulphurs in the fuel? OK, no problem with that, they still get the chemicals from oil, so my job is still safe and it's expensive enough, so no arguments.

 

[syd]

Stop being a tight arse Tony, change the bloody oils, especially in the outdrives where there are many different metals all scrunched in together. You'll be dragging your feet to the bar next! We'll start calling you Tony ALEXANDER!!

Syd

 

[byron]

We'll start calling you Tony ALEXANDER!!

<font color=blue>Hurt! thats what I am. On Sunday I walked into the place where the ODCC was having their 'do' and as I approached the bar people appeared from underneath tables, out of ashtrays, behind curtains eveywhere all waving empty glasses... net result my final bar bill was in excess of £80.00p. The only person who never got on the bandwagon was Chris (Pheran) and that worried me more than the bill.</font color=blue>

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[boatone]

I am not being a 'tight arse' as you so eloquently put it! I simply thought it would be interesting to question what has been regarded as normal practice and see if anything new gets thrown up.
After all, we all hear about long neglected and unused engines that are subsequently returned to useful service.


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[byron]

I agree Tony isn't a tight arse, how could he be with his sexual preferences /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[syd]

Tight Arse!

 

[pheran]

Happy to trust your judgement on that one Byron!

As far as the oil is concerned, I have always been of the more rather than less, often brigade. As a result I change my engine oil twice a year, once at the end of the season for the reasons Colin gives above. Then use the boat for a few months on the river in the Spring but change the oil again before setting off for the 6-8 weeks we spend on the salt and abroad during the Summer. Over the top perhaps but for a few quid it manages out one area of risk given the heavy use made of the boat.


What am I doing pratting about on this puter in broad daylight? Nurse......

 

[boatone]

So how many hours/year do you consider heavy use?

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[David2452]

It’s all been said re the engine oil, Outdrives need looking after just as if not more meticulously. Grease the splines, change the oil, grease the gimble bearing and hinge pins checking all the bellows and anodes at the same time every year in fresh water and 6 months in salt. I’m not a believer in doing it by the hours run as most privately used boats will be more than covered by the above.
In addition I remove the drive to check the gimble (and grease the splines if there is no nipple on the drive coupler) and ensure there is no water ingress. As for changing the bellows, about every 5 years should be OK unless they are damaged or there are sharp molluscs clinging to them. Apart from the exhaust bellows if any of them leak badly, damage to the drive might be the least of your worries (Glug Glug Mayday Mayday). Also thing check and grease the prop shaft carefully looking for monofilament fishing line that will eat your shaft seal if left for long. Oh! And another thing, wash behind your ears.

 

[pheran]

About 260 hours last year. And I 'economise' where circumstances permit inland by running on one engine and then alternating between them. Saves hours on the engines as well as fuel, kinder to the environment. Blimey, feel a dose of sainthood coming on/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

 

[hlb]

Tight arsed. You've heard nothing yet. I've had a flag specialy made for You. Caused no end of throuble. It's been sat here for months /forums/images/icons/frown.gif. With BOAT ONE wrote on it. Why not buy the flag this year and then save up and buy the oil next year./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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Haydn