Oil Change Frequency??

[Marcia]

I was wondering just how often most folks change their oil. We decided a couple years ago that we would just change the oil and filter once a year, early in the season. We changed it today and put a new Yanmar filter on it as well, then (of course AFTER the task was done) I checked our log book and realized that we had less than 20 engine hours for the whole year! Am I wasting our money by doing this with so few hours during the change cycles? Do most folks go by calendar time or motoring hours??

 

[Allan R]

Both

You want to go by hours first, but in the event you do not put on a lot of hours during the season, change anyway. As a suggestion, you should consider changing at the end of the season before you put away for the winter.

 

[Frank15180]

At the end of the seaon

We changed ours at the end of boating season, it keeps the engine in fresh oil over the winter months. We never put the 150 hours between oil changes on the boat so we opted for once a year

 

[CalebD]

We have been changing oil at both ends of the season.

In part because our engine is ancient (40+ yo A4) and another part because I read in Nigel Caulder "Boatowners M&E Manual" about how oil and its special additives can combine with residues from normal operation to produce some corrosive by products. The section in that book on motor oil is well worth reading.Another point he makes is that not all oils are created equal. Combustion (spark induced eg., gas) and compression engines have different requirements as per the additives that are added. One of the few oils that has the additives for both the "S" and "C" (spark and compression) engines that I know of is Rotella T, which is a bit more expensive but cheap in comparison to replacing or major surgery on your engine (cheap insurance).Still another reason for at least 2 oil changes is that usually when you drain your engine oil you do not get all of it out. There is always some left inside sitting at the bottom of the pan or coating the moving surfaces. Normally this is due to the angle your engine is mounted to accommodate your prop shaft alignment.Personally, I just hate to see dark, murky oil coming out when I drain the oil. I think that diesels can get really dark ugly looking oil pretty quickly. I do not factor engine hours into our schedule, but that is just me. The Nigel Caulder book is available from the Chandelry on this website.My $.02.

 

[Rich (P303)]

I agree with Allen...

Change all filters and fluids at the end of the year... unless you motor more than you sail.I had a diesel car... 15 miles after the oil change the oil is black.

 

[RAD]

Half way through the season

I'll change just the filter and at the end of the season before haulout I change the oil and filter again,I have owned this boat for 4 seasons now and when I first got it I started this filter change operation and now notice the oil stays a golden color a lot longer and its a 30 year old diesel.

 

[sailaway78]

Change it more

If you only run your engine 20 hours a season, change it twice a year. Yanmar recommends every 100 hours. And if you run your engine a lot this will work. What happens if you run it no more than you do, it does not get up to operating temps. enough to eliminate moisture content in the oil. Where does the moisture come from? How many days a year does your humidity get to 80 or 90 percent. An engine heats and cools and breathes as it does so. You will also build up some acid content that you need to get rid of. An oil change isn't very expensive, and if you switch from the Yanmar filters to a Wix, or Puralator or something similar, you will save a few dollars of that cost. Yanmar does not make their own filters, and you can buy a Puralator oil filter at Wally World for a bunch less money. I don't include Fram in this, because they are at the bottom of the barrel, at least in my opinion. Do your self a favor, and change your oil more often.

 

[Steve Dion]

Don't think of it as wasting money.

Marcia:Don't think of it as "wasting" money. Think of it as possibly saving money. You probably don't need to change the filter after 20 hrs, but when you think that the process probably takes about an hour and your total out of pocket expense is less than $20, why not just do it.A new engine costs about $7,000-8,000 plus installation. The longer you make your engine last the better.We typically do ours once a year.

 

[Manny]

I doubt I put 3 hours on mine a year

And I change it once a year very late in the season. It has no filter and it doesn't even hold a full quart, so it costs me about three bucks (probably up to five bucks by the end of this season ) One tip, get the engine up to full operating temperature before changing the oil.Manny

 

[Tom Spohn]

Oil Changes

We shoot for every 50 hours or once a year. Last year we had 600 miles total distance over the summer which put us a t 50 hours for the year. Most years we motor less than 50 hours in a year.

 

[Benny17441]

Oil twice a year, filter once. Running hours low.

NC

 

[Chief]

Oil Change

I am a big believer in preventative maintance. I change the oil at haulout in the fall along with the filter. I also change it again after splash. the oil sits in the engine all winter long, and has already been posted diesel breaks down and acids are left bathing your engine. If I motor more than normal during the season (northeast, only 6 months)I may even change it mid-season. Again, overkill but look at the cost of 5 quarts of oil and a few filters. With a good pump the entire process takes less than 30 minutes. I have a sump drain, and yet I know I can never get all of the old dirty oil out. If you need any further reason just look at the oil coming out when changing. Then look at the oil right after it goes into the engine. Start the engine and run it for a few minutes. On my engine it is already goes from a nice clear brown to black. Many mechanics have told me to use clean diesel, let the engine have plenty of clean air and change the oil. With those three objectives met the engine should last a very long time.

 

[MoonSailer]

Look at the Oil!!!! once a year minimum.

I look at my oil and feel it. If it looks like tar and doesn't feel slippery it is time for a change. But once a year at least!!!!! I probably put less than 50 hours/year on the engine. I also smell the oil. New fresh oil has a certain smell. When it smeels too funky that is the time to change. As others have noted it is better to change too often than not often enough. I change my filter every time and have changed the filter without changing the oil when changing the oil wasn't practical but the oil looked a little funky.