single
New member
Thread drift but does anyone use Prolong? They claim they drove a truck across the US with nothing except the Prolong in it.
Oil - to change or not to change?
- Thread starter Robert Wilson
- Start date
colind3782
Well-known member
Having driven across the States five times I'm not sure that's much of a claim as it's only 3000 miles or so and mostly cruising at 55-70 mph.
cliff
Active member
Oh fighting talk there...... FYI Bukh recommend a straight sae30 lube oil for both the engine and gearbox on my "vintage" DV24 and that is what they get (the engine and gearbox) - no multi grades, no synthetic oils (either semi or full) and no EP gear oils or ATF. - 5 litre sae30 is around £15 or if I buy a 25l drum it is around £60. I think I prefer to follow the guidance of the engine manufacturer rather than some rabid ramblings on a forum.
Latestarter1
New member
If anybody is still running nasty old direct cooled thump, thump, motors on a shoestring why are we actually bothering too much about lube drains??
I am wall aware of yacht duty cycles, I used to own a Sadler 32 with lousy thump thump motor. I also applaud changing lube more fequently than manufacturer requrements, however suspect most boaters in the UK actually do! If you look at manufacturer engine hour change matrix Vs actual hours, sensible owners generally perform annual lube service which is frequently well inside manufacturers guidelines. Not over sure what all the fuss is all about.
Not sure why when discussions arise over lube servicing we always have to be driven by the lowest common denominator of geriactric machinery instead of what the majority have. I always think of the cartoon found in many garages. 'Have you ever considered keeping your oil and disposing of the car sir'
Robert Wilson
Well-known member
I accept there will always be thread-drifts, but my OP was merely a question about a practice which I found alarming, but not having a mechanical engineering degree or decades of "alternative experience" I was seeking further enlightenment on the subject.
As it is, I shall continue to service my aged thumper and if I ever get the chance to tactfully give my friend the aggregated wisdom of this forum, I shall do so in the hope that he doesn't blow his engines.
single
New member
Still not bad with no oil in the engine.
Georgio
New member
Another nasty old direct cooled thump, thump, motor here (2GM direct cooled). Oil is changed at least once a year with the cheapest suitable oil and an filter from the motor factors. Total cost for oil and filter is about a £10-15 and 20 minutes of my time once the engine is warm.
When it's that cheap and easy why would you not change the oil.
I tend to buy my oil and fuel filters online in bulk to save on delivery. Just restocked and bought enough for the next 5 years.
When it's that cheap and easy why would you not change the oil.
I tend to buy my oil and fuel filters online in bulk to save on delivery. Just restocked and bought enough for the next 5 years.
chrishelen
N/A
And another cheapskate thump thump raggie here, direct cooled 10hp Sabb,no oil filter only a magnet in the sump, no oil pump (splash lub) no themostat, engine temp gets up to 70f after 1/2 an hour, change oil twice a year with cheapo supermarket stuff.clean the magnet off no need for costly gasket as no oil pressure, just paper gasket.
fuel filters once a year from fram £1.50 for the primary a lofty £6 for the secondry.
how i love my old thump thump engine.
fuel filters once a year from fram £1.50 for the primary a lofty £6 for the secondry.
how i love my old thump thump engine.
prv
Well-known member
What a daft way of doing things!
Get yourself one of these:
Take out the dipstick, poke the probe down the hole, give it a dozen or so pumps, then leave it to get on with it while you do the fuel filters, anodes, or whatever else you need to do. If the flow seems to slow down, give it a few more pumps. You'll hear it gurgling like a kid with a milkshake when all the oil is out (assuming you inserted it all the way into the sump). Remove probe, change oil filter, refill with oil. Take pela-sucker away for emptying via the spout provided.
Simples.
Pete
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Not a good idea. No matter how hard you try you will not get the last bit of sludge out of the sumpWhat a daft way of doing things!
Get yourself one of these:
Take out the dipstick, poke the probe down the hole, give it a dozen or so pumps, then leave it to get on with it while you do the fuel filters, anodes, or whatever else you need to do. If the flow seems to slow down, give it a few more pumps. You'll hear it gurgling like a kid with a milkshake when all the oil is out (assuming you inserted it all the way into the sump). Remove probe, change oil filter, refill with oil. Take pela-sucker away for emptying via the spout provided.
Simples.
Pete
Daydream believer
Well-known member
When i worked for the family building firm we had about 30-35 concrete mixers & dumpers etc running on lister & perkins engines
I used to regularly check oil levels on them as i travelled from site to site & have a go at the site foreman if oil level was low as he should keep a check
I soon found that some sump levels went up even without adding oil
This was because diesel would find its way into the sump. Hence after a while the engine would be lubricated with a mix of oil & diesel. Rubbing a sample of oil would soon show this up
Believe me i ended up changing lots of knackered engines & kept a few spare recons so i could quickly change an engine if there was agro.
The point of this is that my Volvo Penta is based on a Perkins block so i cannot be sure the same thing is not happening
Therefore i change the oil every year
The Volvo manual also suggests that oil gets an acid content in it & one should not leave old oil in the engine over the winter so i change all filters & oil at the end of the season
Buying oil from a tractor dealer is in my area cheaper
I used to regularly check oil levels on them as i travelled from site to site & have a go at the site foreman if oil level was low as he should keep a check
I soon found that some sump levels went up even without adding oil
This was because diesel would find its way into the sump. Hence after a while the engine would be lubricated with a mix of oil & diesel. Rubbing a sample of oil would soon show this up
Believe me i ended up changing lots of knackered engines & kept a few spare recons so i could quickly change an engine if there was agro.
The point of this is that my Volvo Penta is based on a Perkins block so i cannot be sure the same thing is not happening
Therefore i change the oil every year
The Volvo manual also suggests that oil gets an acid content in it & one should not leave old oil in the engine over the winter so i change all filters & oil at the end of the season
Buying oil from a tractor dealer is in my area cheaper
lynall
Active member
If theres any sludge in the sump you are doing something really wrong!
Lynall
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Yes---- using a pump via the dipstick hole
Latestarter1
New member
Perfectly acceptable way of changing lube lube oil, decent quaity lube of correct spec will keep any leftover junk in suspension.
As to 'thump thump motors yes I hate them with a vengance. I started engineering career on large thump thump motors see attached, then traded down to designing small 1/liter per jug engines. I can say with pride that the progess in terms of general sociability over a 30 year period has been astounding.
Have been involved of good few restoration projects where big $$ spent on hulls and rigging, but owners still clinging to Fred Flintstone motors, I have zero time for the stuff.
prv
Well-known member
Perhaps you should discuss that with Yanmar, who designed and built my engine and ought to know?
The dipstick hole is the only access into the sump, and the manual says to use an extractor pump exactly as I have described. There is no sump plug.
Pete
lynall
Active member
Quite a few cars like that, i think smart cars are one.
Lynall
Lynall
Boo2
Well-known member
I don't think this is true. I read a report which actually tested changing oil via pump vs drain plug and it found there was essentially no difference between the methods. Can't find the link now though.
Boo2
Latestarter1
New member
Yanmar distributor service training in U.S. advises lube changing with Perla oil extractor, no other way.
Robert Wilson
Well-known member
My exact experience, too!
davidej
Well-known member
I don't know what engine this came from, what oil was used or when it was previously changed
but I wiould be horrified if my filter looked like that