How do you store
- Thread starter Ken Cross
- Start date
They stay in nasty plastic bags in my basement instead of on the boat. I only use that kind of stuff once a year for oil changes, so at least it doesn’t take up boat space. My bags are in an old cardboard box, but a plastic Tupperware style container would probably be better to keep the oil contained.
Mine also stay home. However, when it is time to travel extensively (post covid) we will carry the extractor and a funnel. Wipe both clean with an oil absorbent pad and probably store in a plastic garbage bag.
After last use cleaning in a one gallon plastic milk jug with the top cut off. Extractor, tubes and funnels all fit.
Last used empty one gallon oil container gets saved for next oil change. Oil filter goes into a biscotti container with a screw on lid, it has enough space to take used paper towels and disposable gloves as well.
Something different happened on the last oil change. My 3qm30 has a horizontal oil filter and unscrewing it has always precipitated a mess. Last time I got interrupted just as I completed sucking out the crankcase oil and did not get to the filter for about 30 minutes. When I did it came off with no drips at all. I am going to make this standard practice.
Last used empty one gallon oil container gets saved for next oil change. Oil filter goes into a biscotti container with a screw on lid, it has enough space to take used paper towels and disposable gloves as well.
Something different happened on the last oil change. My 3qm30 has a horizontal oil filter and unscrewing it has always precipitated a mess. Last time I got interrupted just as I completed sucking out the crankcase oil and did not get to the filter for about 30 minutes. When I did it came off with no drips at all. I am going to make this standard practice.
Must have, where it joined the other small amount that does not get extracted. One way or another, the oil filter had only drips when inverted as opposed to the usual little gush that has to be caught as the filter breaks loose.
Our solution was to stop doing that any more by buying one of these Easy Drain Valves. Couldn't be easier and if we wanted to go electric we could even fill it through that valve. https://ezoildrainvalve.com/index.html
After use, my oil extractor sits in transom locker securely together with cleaning and other stuff. The extraction tube get coiled and sit vertically and secured. The funnel after cleaning and stuff with tissue papers goes into a plastic container which sits in a shelf just under companionway.
All tuck away neat and tidy.
Ken Y
All tuck away neat and tidy.
Ken Y
Similar to your practice and many others. Wipe down everything, blue paper shop towels get stuffed tightly into any openings. Everything goes into a clear plastic trunk along with a larger fuel fill funnel and a couple of other oil items. Then it goes into the lazarette. @Johnb, I love the idea of stuffing the extractor into the plastic jug!
The oil extractor and hoses go home to my storage locker because they are used only once a year. To avoid any mess in my trunk, I stuff a little piece of oil absorbent paper towel (the blue ones) into each end of the hoses after draining as much oil out of them as I can. Oil funnel gets wiped down and stored on the boat. Extractor is emptied at Pep Boys on the way home.
I put the oil extractor in a garbage bag with the hoses. I put rolled up blue shop towels into the ends of the hoses to catch the used oil. My dock box is tall enough to store the extractor inside it's bag standing up. Which is good news as I would hate to drag it 700 miles back to my house.
Why change oil while you’re out? (PNW). Going over the prescribed interval isn’t going to hurt anything.
Been using the Topsider two gallon tank with vacuum pump for years to extract the oil from our engines. Clean and no mess. Keep the tank and pump in a plastic box that is kept stored at home. Yanmar recommends an oil change every 150 hours for our 4JH2-TE and the Onan Genset. Seldom ever reach over 100 hours during the season, but change the oil and filter every year regardless.
That was my thought too. If you are close to the oil change time change the oil before leaving or go over the limit by a few hours.
Really thought my life was about to change ...................... until I read the installation instructions.
I think most marine engines avoid drain plugs to stop people from draining the crankcase oil into the bilge and from there into the environment.
Live in hope, die in despair.
What engine do you have? Is it possible there is a drain, usually in the back end of the pan, and you haven't located it. We had our engine for 9 years and never noticed the drain plug.