Oil Changes

[sailaway78]

So here is the deal. 3GM Yanmar, 1981 model with 2000 hrs. Engine is angled down at the rear, probably more than most. When changing oil, I am figuring there is 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart I can't get out. With the hours and the old oil left in it, the new oil is black, almost immediately. Is there any trick, other than removing the pan and installing some kind of drain valve, to get the remainder of the old oil out. Also, would it be of any benefit to try to flush this thing out with something, and if so what. How bout using some kind of cheapo oil, filling and letting it run at idle for a few minutes, drain and repeat a couple of times. Or any other ideas to keeping the oil a little bit cleaner for a little bit longer.

 

[Tim R.]

Mine is also angled down a bit. I just change it twice with running in between. Diesel oil soots up very quickly anyway. Much worse than a gasoline engine. Doesn't mean it is bad though.

 

[Don Crowther]

Could you add a short piece of metal pipe to the suction hose and get down into the corners of the oil pan that way? Say something about an inch long just to add some weight to the plastic hose? If it was metal would a strong magnet pulled along the oil pan and drag it into a lower corner?

 

[kloudie1]

I have the same engine with the same problem, Easy.. I plan to pull the oil pan this winter and install a drain as close to the starboard aft corner of the pan as I can get.. I had another thought about this ... The oil pickup tube threads into the block on the starbd bottom, forward end, just above the oil pan joint.. there is an external plug threaded into the outer end of that same hole.. I am thinking about removing the plug and putting the suction pump on the oil pickup and see how that works..??

 

[Ross]

Some of the solution lies in the location of the oil pump. I suck out all that I can and then hand crank the engine several turn and pump again. I do this twice. It clears the oil filter and gives a more complete change besides allowing me to pull an enpty oil filter from the engine (not so messy) after fifty hours of running this year my oil is still clean enough for me to see the marks in the dip stick before I wipe it.

 

[Stu Jackson]

This comes up yearly. Many folks get particularly particular about the "tilt" and have come up with interesting solutions.

Almost all of our engines are on a tilt, least mine is.

I change the oil and filter with the built in sump to a hand pump, not through the dipstick.

Sure there's some old left down in the back, but it becomes friends with the new stuff pretty quickly.

I'd rather be sailing!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Think of it this way - it comes out of the ground pure and it's already black.

 

[Stu Jackson]

...after fifty hours of running this year my oil is still clean enough for me to see the marks in the dip stick before I wipe it.

Do you have a gasoline engine?

 

[Ross]

diesel ! All that oil in the filter and the sump adds to the black. I can pull the filter with almost no mess. I stuff a rag under the filter when I unscrew it. Before I started doing this I spilled oil into the bilge each time.

 

[Mike Holibar]

The Lombardini FOCS engines come with a banjo fitting at the lowest point which is connected to a hose which runs to a stirrup pump. The pump is mounted at the bell housing but can be moved to any convenient location. The pump has a screwed plug to stop any leakage through pressure in the sump. It is a very simple arrangment and could be made up for any engine. All you need is the bung hole in the right place in the sump and of a size and thread that would suit a banjo fitting.