Check Oil Every Time - What Do Most Owners Do?

[rardiH36]

Good morning:I'm still new to keel boat sailing. Sailboat diesel maintenance/operations guides that I have read specify that the oil level/condition should be checked "each time" before an outing. My diesel's oil level/condition is the same every time I check. Since I am using the boat frequently, and running the engine for only 30 minutes or so each outing while in the channel to/from the marina, I've taken to pulling the dipstick about once per week to check for change in level or appearance. Getting to the dipstick is a bit of an ungainly and time-consuming stretch, which I admit is a disincentive to going at the task every time out.We don't check our vehicle's oil level every day. (Or for some people, even every year!). What am I missing about this "every time" oil check requirement for sailboat diesels? What do you experienced owners do?Thanks and regards,rardi

 

[Randy6414]

I check each time

I am in the habit of checking the oil on my C-27 each time I use the boat. On my boat the engine compartment and dipstick are easily accessible, so it's not a chore. I also like knowing that the oil level is correct each time I use the boat. Actually, opening the engine compartment door is necessary for me before each outing, as I close all the seacocks, including the raw water intake, each time I leave the boat. In addition to checking the oil and opening the seacock, I also check the belt tension, and eyeball the clear bowl on the Racor fuel filter, too. I use my boat an average of once per week over a six month sailing season.I also have an antique truck that I use once or twice per month year round. I check its oil before each use, along with eyballing other things in the engine compartment.You are correct--my car, which I use daily, gets its oil checked only once per month.Randy

 

[Ross]

I check the engine and transmission oil

at the end of each use and look everything over for oil leaks. I check the oil in my cars each time I buy gas.

 

[John]

Sea cock

I see one person mentioned closing all sea cocks, including the raw water intake, before getting off the boat. I know this is recommended, but in my boat (C36 MK II) , getting to this sea cock for raw water intake is a bit of a hassle. Do most people close this one anyway?

 

[higgs]

Once every week

Unless I am cruising which I will do if I am going to be motoring that day for any length of time.

 

[Fred Ficarra]

It depends.

Sorry.I know my stuff. That means that I check it based upon that knowledge. I know my engine's oil consumption rate. During the off season I don't use it much so I don't check it. When I'm off for a long cruise in the summer I'll check it as often as once a MONTH. Hey, where's it going to go?

 

[Rick9619]

Checking oil

When we first got our Hunter 336, I was religous about checking ALL fluid levels before and after each outing. As I did this, I began to learn her habits (oil burn, tranny, antifreeze, BATTERIES), as well as the sounds she makes when her raw water strainer is beginning to clog. As long as she runs normally (no new smoke, soot, hot smells), I dont check the fluid levels everytime. Im more of a once a month kind of a guy. Now before and after going to Catalina, thats another thing.As far as closing all the seacocks.. the good thing is it forces you to exercise them however, unless you are very consistent with some sort of a checklist, or you are in a situation where at rest she doesnt sit in flat water, forgetting to OPEN the raw water intake is inviting an overheat situation at perhaps a very inconvenient moment.I do open the engine cover before each outing after a few minutes warmup. Problems will be right in front of you.Cheers

 

[Fred Ficarra]

And another thing

Those problems will be first evident by their SMELL. Under way (engine on), I pop open the cover and sniff. Then look around. At sea, every half hour or so. In protected waters, when I get the urge.

 

[Rick9619]

Fred

Why is it that you and I typically seem to think alike. Of course, except for out choice in cars... Merry xmas my friend

 

[Rick D]

Interesting Question

I check the oil level before any significant trip. By that I mean over a couple of hours motoring. However, what I think is more important is that I inspect the engine while underway once or twice. I once found a parted raw water line and another time found a lot of oil caused by a hose clamp chafing the oil filter. Lots of problems can be found and fixed by simply "lookin' at stuff" Rick D.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Every time

Access is excellent via a neat little door in the aft cabin, and I use it to also check to see if there are any drips under the engine of any kind.We also close all sea cocks when leaving the boat. John, either reroute your seawater seacock so you can get to it more easily, or figure out a way to access it. One leak can sink your wonderful investment/boat/second home/friend, etc. I'm sure that if you asked over on the C36 Message Board you'd get some good input on how to address the access issue.Seems like a simple safety / investment issue to me.A friend many years ago gave us a small black "pirate's chest" that had a little note in it which said that the more "good things" you do to/with your boat "put in" good vibes for use when the sh*t hits the fan. Except for boat denaming ceremonies, and this, I'm not superstitious at all.

 

[Scott]

Habits ...

I look for a dripping packing gland more often than I check the oil. Like Fred says, where is it going to go? It certainly doesn't burn so much that a few hours of running is going cause a change that you need to monitor every time out. I check the oil a couple of times a season and have never noticed any change in oil level. It gets replaced every season whether it needs it or not (which it probably doesn't). We run the engine maybe 20 hours a summer, tops. I have never had to add oil and can't think of any reason why I would have to check the oil unless I have an oil slick in the bilge or my exhaust is black.I close all seacocks after every outing. Once it is habit, I can't leave without closing them and I never forget to open them before starting the engine.Stu, I check the hose connections on our sailboat frequently but I had a little shock recently with our ski boat (which is pretty neglected now that we have a sailboat). When I opened the boat up this spring and put all the plugs in and reconnected the hoses for the cooling system (there are about 3 or 4 hose connections at various locations that I drain for the winter), I neglected to tighten the hose clamp on one of the connections that is on the engine underneath. All summer, I was wondering why I was getting so much water in the boat after a few hours use and I figured it was about time to re-pack the packing gland. We normally trailer the boat over to the lake when we use it but on a few occasions we left the boat at a dock for a few weeks at a time. I was constantly running the bilge pump to drain the boat, but not so much that I actually felt like doing something about it.So the mystery was solved on the day that I decided to winterize the boat. I figured we would take her for a quick spin one day afew weeks ago - after we had a pretty good freeze overnight. I left the boat on the trailer after starting it up just to give it a good look over to make sure the cooling system didn't have any problems. I noticed water spurting from the hose when I reved at a high rpm and thought I had a problem because I waited too long to winterize. I was going to drag the boat out again and I was disappointed that we couldn't go out for a spin since it was a nice day, so I thought I would see what happened if I tried tightening the clamp at a new position on the hose. That's when I noticed that I never tightened the clamp to begin with at the beginning of the season. I felt like I really dodged a bullet that time - not to mention that my wife thinks I'm an idiot and she is re-thinking her confidence with me in open water!

 

[sonofasailorsailing]

All good

I check the oil, coolant level, sea cock open, raw water strainer (never can tell when a nasty plastic bag will show up), and battery charge each time before I leave the dock. In addition, I ensure a good flow of water out the exhaust after start-up.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Another reason to check the oil every time

The raw water pump has two seals in it. One to keep the oil in the engine, the other to keep the water out of the engine.Unless you've recently changed the oil pump, or rebuilt with new seals, there "COULD" be a time when the seals break down. The earliest warning of this would be a change in the color of the oil, which you will ONLY know by???A new engine costs $10,000 to install. A few seconds to check it daily?

 

[Paul Akers]

I Learned from a Charter Captain...

...to check the fluid each time I start up. Why not? For all the reasons mentioned by the other posters, it gives me a peace of mind knowing that everything is all right rather than wondering...Did I...??? I usually check after the engine has run a bit and check the levels of the oil and cooling water/antifreeze, strainer contents, Racor bowl and outflow of raw cooling water.Also when first underway, and occasionally while motoring (about every half hour - one hour, I check "things" to make sure they seem to be ok. Carefully, I feel the hoses to ensure warm water is moving, make sure there are no leaks at pumps or oil filter, belts aren't slipping, Racor again, etc.).Where's it going to go? I don't give it a chance to go anywhere that'll cause problems!Just "an ounce of prevention..."

 

[Landsend]

I check the oil each time and do a visual i

inspection and check the belts for tightness. Only takes about five minutes.

 

[Dave from Mi.]

checking

I think I learned this trick here on these boards, but I hang the keys for the start panel, on the thru hull for the raw water to the engine. That way I will never start the engine without opening the thru hull.I check fluids each time we come on the boat, (Usually each week) and before each trip that is longer than a day sail.Fair windsDave

 

[Tom s/v GAIA]

I never crank an engine without checking

fluid levels, boat, car or bike. If I stop for gas on a roadtrip I check again.Toms/v GAIA

 

[Stephen K]

Like the ad says

"You can pay me now or pay me later"....All these items are easy "ounces" of prevention /insurance.1st ounce - check the oil each time2nd ounce - close all thru hulls upon leaving the boat3rd ounce - place starter key near engine water intake thru hull4th ounce - be observantThe next few ounces are going in my favorite beverage... usually after the day is done or in moderation while underway.

 

[higgs]

the car

Checking the oil every time is comparable to doing the same with your car. Sure, you may get the catastrophic oil leak once in every 10,000 lifetimes, but most of us realize that our oil pressure gauge will clue us there is a problem and we can shut down to investigate. If you feel better checking the oil every time out, do it. If you are confident the engine oil has not leaked into the bilge after your last sail - go with that.