Should I change the oil?

Murv

Murv

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Engines: Volvo TAMD61A's 1989
Last changed middle of July 2016, since done ~ 120 hours.
We've got a two week trip coming up, cruising the inland waterways of Europe, but the engines will have a fairly hard run crossing the channel.
Plan was to service again in the Autumn, but now I'm not so sure, would it be better to do it before leaving?
Oil was VDS3 with genuine filters (with bypass system)
 
Older engines can be good at polluting the oil with combustion products and traces of diesel, so changing it at 120hrs would be showing lots of love for your engines.
 
Recommended change interval for Volvo engines of that age was 100 hrs I think, it certainly is for mine anyway, so really it should have been changed last autumn before standing through the cold weather.

If it were mine, I'd change it. But depending on your circumstances you may not plan to keep the boat much longer. Check the dipstick and look at the oil. If very black & smelly then definitely change. If it still seems relatively smooth and clean, it'll probably be fine until the autumn - but definitely do it before the cold damp weather kicks in. October latest.

All IMO
 
Thanks both, I do want to lavish love and care on my engines, so will get it changed.
Although, if I'd done it last Autumn, it would only have been a couple of Months old which seems a little overkill!
 
Buy a 12 volt oil extractor murv. Stick one end in the dipstick and the other end in a barrel. 20 mins later all done. Another 10 mins filling and that's that. I'm not sure I'd even change the filter really.

I'm jealous of your 120 hours. I'm on 12 but then each runs finds something to look at or fix. Hell of an engine though. Mine are gleaming now I've found a few pesky fuel leaks. No point cleaning beforehand!
 
I did it last Year using a pela extractor. As soon as it was done, I bought an electric one! Life is too short for the hours and hours spent watching that oil dribbling out, the other engine was cold by the time I'd drained the first so that one took even longer...
It's just the cost of the service items, on top of the lift out and antifoul etc.
But, I do love my engines so they are worth it!

Right there with you with the fuel leak. Just found one that's been annoying me for nearly a Year. I'd assumed it was a fractured tank but happily it seems to be down to a fuel union that was dribbling diesel along the pipe, then dripping it down into a space behind a stringer. Once that space was full, it would creep over, under the calorifier and into the bilge.
Most annoying, but the bilges are sparkly clean now and they're staying that way :) Need them to match the shiny new steering wheels!
 
As said it is due for an oil change in terms of hours.

Not changing the filter seems false economy - the filters for my VP engines are about a fiver each for Baldwin filters from Inline filters ,but perhaps yours are more?
I do think the 100 hour rule is not to be exceeded by very much .

I found it easier to do one engine at a time, therefore able to start pumping oil while it was still warm after half an hour engine running. I have a Seeley oil extractor which works quite well - not fast but well under an hour to empty my 8 or 9 litres of oil
 
FARSCO said:
Buy a 12 volt oil extractor murv. Stick one end in the dipstick and the other end in a barrel. 20 mins later all done. Another 10 mins filling and that's that. I'm not sure I'd even change the filter really.

I'm jealous of your 120 hours. I'm on 12 but then each runs finds something to look at or fix. Hell of an engine though. Mine are gleaming now I've found a few pesky fuel leaks. No point cleaning beforehand!
Click to expand...
Here is a thought.......last year I ran up my TAMD75Ps to temperature......than extracted approx 22 litres of old oil from each engine (warm). The following morning, I stuck the PELA extraction tube down the dipstick tube again........and extracted nearly a litre from each engine !! (Cold)!!........think about it!!??..........
 
Murv, glad to hear you got the other wheel off!!

Martyn G, I was told I could buy after market for many things but not the oil filters on these so went with genuine. £50 each! Perhaps I have been had!

Noillusion, not sure I have the patience to worry about getting the last 5% of old oil out :)
 
NoIllusion said:
Here is a thought.......last year I ran up my TAMD75Ps to temperature......than extracted approx 22 litres of old oil from each engine (warm). The following morning, I stuck the PELA extraction tube down the dipstick tube again........and extracted nearly a litre from each engine !! (Cold)!!........think about it!!??..........
Click to expand...

I refilled the new oil to the high mark on the dipstick with the engine still warm. When the engine was cold I discovered I had slightly over filled the engines and had to extract some oil !
 
FARSCO said:
Murv, glad to hear you got the other wheel off!!

Martyn G, I was told I could buy after market for many things but not the oil filters on these so went with genuine. £50 each! Perhaps I have been had!

Noillusion, not sure I have the patience to worry about getting the last 5% of old oil out :)
Click to expand...

I dont have the same engine . But try the inline filters and enter the VP part number to see if it gets a cross reference.
https://www.inlinefilters.co.uk/

I had engines serviced by Volvopaul and I asked for alternatives to volvo and he supplied/fitted Baldwin filters . If Volvopaul thinks Baldwin filters are okay thats fine with me.

Another possibility is Volvo truck parts suppliers but I have yet to try that route..
 
No need to buy genuine VP filters, especially when you consider Volvo don't make filters, they make engines... So they buy in filters from a reputable supplier and badge them as their own.

Which means it's perfectly fine to fit filters like Baldwin, Fleetguard, Mann, etc. Especially if they're commonly fitted to automotive applications and it's a name you've heard of.
 
If vp says it ok I will go with Baldwin next time. I used fleetguard for the fuel ones. Only thing with Baldwin.......they're red!!! :):):)

Sorry murv, kinda drifted this thread
 
FARSCO said:
Sorry murv, kinda drifted this thread
Click to expand...

Not in the slightest! It got me researching alternatives as I still haven't clicked the button on my £550.00 shopping cart from keyparts yet...
Also, glad that I'm not the only one offended by those red filters :D but, at £3 as opposed to £13, I may have to learn to live with that!

The oil is about the biggest single expense, but at £184 it's about the same price as shell rimula anyway, and the oil is the one thing I'd rather not take any chance at all on.
 
Thanks for those, much appreciated :)
Can't find anything negative from Googling, will do a bit more research but looks very promising at < half the price of the Volvo branded stuff!
The air filters were only changed last summer, but I'll certainly give the cone filters a try next time. The volvo ones were eye wateringly expensive and I still object to having to take up the floor to change them!
 
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