After the July 4th weekend, I generally change my Hunter 336 (3GM30F) oil and filter as I do again in November the day I put her on the hard. My total engine running hours so far this season is about 200 and I usually only add another 150 for a total of 300-350 for the season tops. I really do not have a problem doing this small task but am I being a bit too much of a motor head by changing the oil/filter twice a season with low operating hours on the engine. Please advise.
- Status
Oil
Hi James, I change the oil and filter on our 1991 4JH every 100 hours, which usually works out to be the beginning or end of each season. When we purchased the boat in 2002 it had 630 hours and it now has 1,430. Altogether we spend about three months of the year on the water and I prefer to sail over motoring, but sometimes the wind does not cooperate. I say change it every 100 hours. Others will say...
Terry Cox
Hi James, I change the oil and filter on our 1991 4JH every 100 hours, which usually works out to be the beginning or end of each season. When we purchased the boat in 2002 it had 630 hours and it now has 1,430. Altogether we spend about three months of the year on the water and I prefer to sail over motoring, but sometimes the wind does not cooperate. I say change it every 100 hours. Others will say...
Terry Cox
Not sure you will get a totally objective picture here (or any other boat forum) as these type sites tend to attract one of two general types - those who are maintenance freaks and those looking for a specific answer. Hopefully you and others will take no offense from that as I am a regular here who fits into the moderately "freaky" category..
Having said that, I change the oil annually upon winter haulout and avg between 50-100 hrs/yr. If I were to use the engine more, I would simply monitor the quality of the oil which is usually much easier to do than to change it more frequently.
About the best thing you can do for your engine is run it frequently up to operating temp and periodically run it at full load.
And to state the obvious, baring no empirical evidence to the contrary, changing it more often than the rest of us is cheap insurance and can't hurt.
Having said that, I change the oil annually upon winter haulout and avg between 50-100 hrs/yr. If I were to use the engine more, I would simply monitor the quality of the oil which is usually much easier to do than to change it more frequently.
About the best thing you can do for your engine is run it frequently up to operating temp and periodically run it at full load.
And to state the obvious, baring no empirical evidence to the contrary, changing it more often than the rest of us is cheap insurance and can't hurt.
I change mine twice a year regardless of use. Heard once, (can't remember where), that doing that added to the life of the engine and it certainly can't hurt.
- Status