Eureka! Oil pad under engine

[JonnyQuest]

I love seeing the photos of other boats with engine sumps clean enough to eat off of. Unfortunate mind does not fall under that category!

I recently saw a single photo of an engine compartment and noticed an oil absorbing pad slid into the sump under the engine. Aha! (...and why hadn't I thought of that?)

Anyone else keep an oil pad under the engine full time?

JQ

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

I do keep an oil 'diaper' under my engine. I usually change it once a year. There is usually a few oil spots and some coolant too.

Barry

 

[Warren Milberg]

I slide a disposable foil cooking tin, about a foot wide and two feet long, under my engine. I cut the aft end to make a notch for the packing gland, which it goes under. Catches everything and keeps things clean.

 

[Stu Jackson]

We use a pad. Helps to not only catch but identify drips - any color on the white is easier to spot. Even if the fiberglass below is clean, that's one way to keep it that way. Doesn't hurt.

 

[Sailm8]

I put a pad, (Huggies work well too), in a baking pan and slide it under.

 

[Johnb]

Our marina gives out "free" oil absorbing/water resistant pads and I keep one under the engine permanently.

As a testament to Yanmar my 30+ year old engine doesn't leak.

 

[svPelican]

Yep. When I purchased Pelican, the PO hadn't done a very neat job during his last (or perhaps, all?) oil change. The bilge was a mess. I used oil pads and a handheld bilge pump into a five gallon bucket to get it all up, followed by a trip to the hazardous waste disposal center.... Clean bilge. I now keep one down there all the time, just in case.

 

[bawlmer]

I do as well. PO had a disposable diaper under there. I splurged and got the real deal at west marine. relatively inexpensive. It is beneficial as it protects the bilge (and the bay) and as previously stated will let you know if something begins to leak.

 

[zeehag]

when it runs my perkins wears a diaper under it...it WILL leak,and that way i know where it is leaking.

 

[gettinthere]

Iike most Perkins, mine leaks oil.
But thankfully Endeavour built a fiberglass catch pan under the entire engine. I could dump the entire oil sump and the pan would hold it all. Not a drop in the bilge.

 

[JonnyQuest]

Thanks for all the input. Simple one, and I have had oil pads in the past, just never thought of keeping one there permanently. Baking pans is great addition but I might not have the clearance for that. Time for one more cleaning and then the diaper goes on!

Or is it Depends? After all, The engine is old!

 

[Chris Patterson]

Mine takes a bucket. Next year will be a #3 washtub..

Actually a net works better. That way I can recirculate the bolts, main caps, assorted lifters or whatever. Kinda like panning gold, except the reward is oily parts..

 

[Ken13559]

I usec to have an oil pad under a baking pan and another oil pad in the pan until I repaired my leaking Timing Gear cover. Now I don't need any oil pad under the engine.

 

[Ron20324]

I put a pad...in a baking pan and slide it under.

An added plus is that you know where the pan is when you want to make lasagna!

 

[py26129]

I slide a disposable foil cooking tin, about a foot wide and two feet long, under my engine. I cut the aft end to make a notch for the packing gland, which it goes under. Catches everything and keeps things clean.

Now there is a great idea. The tin makes it so much easier to remove any accumumulated water etc.

Thank you!!

Matt

 

[Benny17441]

I keep one under the pan, it's an effortless procedure.

 

[WayneH]

My beast has a slight fuel drip and I keep a diaper under it to keep track of the rate and location. Can't quite get the injection pump to stop leaking but it's really really slow.

Plus the dang oil filter is horizontal and every time I change the oil about three pints of oil drop into the engine pan and the diaper.

 

[Mark Maulden]

I keep about 15 of them there. It's where I store them and I they're immediately accessable.