Engine maintenance frequency

[Dave]

For a diesel engine in a relatively warm climate (California), do fellow boat owners schedule engine maintenance on a calendar year basis or engine hours basis? In a year in which it is less than 50 engine hours since the last oil change and only 20 additional engine hours were added during the year, is it best practice to change the oil and service the engine anyway becasue a year has passed or do you wait until you reach the 50 additional engine hours? Seems strange not to do yearly tune-ups but also seems inefficient to perform service if only 15 engine hours added over the course of the year. Your thoughts? DaveS/V AllegraCatalina 30

 

[Trevor - SailboatOwners.com]

Annual service

Hi Dave -I'm certainly no diesel expert, but I choose to change the fluids in my engine annually, regardless of hours. Some choose to change oil before and after each season, and some wait until the hours rack up. I personally believe that an annual engine fluid change is also an opportunity to carefully inspect the components that are accessible, and this keeps the oil relatively fresh.Just my routine...Trevor

 

[JR Castro]

I've been changing the engine oil and transmission oil on my 320 every 12 mos even tho I use engine less than 50 hrs per year...fuel filters at least every two years ..this seems to work so far over the past 5 years.....JR Castro

 

[Dave]

Ounce of Prevention

Thanks, JR and Trevor, for the feedback. I think I'll consider the yearly oil change as cheap insurance for long engine life and start changing on a 12 month schedule whether or not I exceed 50 hours during the year. FYI, I checked the Universal maintenance manual on-line and it recommends service at 12 month intervals or 75 hours, whichever comes first, so your're consistent with that advice.