I'm trying to change the oil on my Universal M25 in a Catalina 30. I cannot figure out how to get a tool onto the drain plug to loosen it. I've drained the oil via the dipstick tube, but I've heard it doesn't get it all, and you need to get the dregs out via the drain plug. Mark
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oil plug
Hi Mark; Good for you! I have a C30 and it is a PITA to get the plug out, but i get about 1-2 cups of dirty oil when I do it. I use a short 16pt #17 mm box end wrench that has a slight angle to the end. Come in from the front of the engine and if the wrench is short enough, you can turn it about 1/8 of a turn at a time. Takes a while, but worth it. I have not found a socket short enough to fit, so I must use my box end metric wrench. Don't forget to replace the washer every now and then. They do crush flat after a while and you will get a drop or two of oil every couple of days. Same applies to draining the tranny, only replace the washer each time for that. If I remember right the tranny washer is copper. fair winds Dave
Hi Mark; Good for you! I have a C30 and it is a PITA to get the plug out, but i get about 1-2 cups of dirty oil when I do it. I use a short 16pt #17 mm box end wrench that has a slight angle to the end. Come in from the front of the engine and if the wrench is short enough, you can turn it about 1/8 of a turn at a time. Takes a while, but worth it. I have not found a socket short enough to fit, so I must use my box end metric wrench. Don't forget to replace the washer every now and then. They do crush flat after a while and you will get a drop or two of oil every couple of days. Same applies to draining the tranny, only replace the washer each time for that. If I remember right the tranny washer is copper. fair winds Dave
I bet you are the only two sailors who do this
I am pretty anal myself but even I don't take out the drain plug after an oil change. I use a oil change pump that works great and then I add a quart of clean oil and after it has had a chance to work it's way down to the pan I use the dipstick pump to get most of that. I always do my oil changes on time or before but do not worry abvout the small amount of gunk that is left in the pan.
I am pretty anal myself but even I don't take out the drain plug after an oil change. I use a oil change pump that works great and then I add a quart of clean oil and after it has had a chance to work it's way down to the pan I use the dipstick pump to get most of that. I always do my oil changes on time or before but do not worry abvout the small amount of gunk that is left in the pan.
I am with Bob V on this one
I drained the oil from a friends Universal diesel (similar to M-25) while down near Galesville, MD. I asked the marina owners where I could take the waste oil to have it 're-cycled'. They looked at me funny and said something to the effect that 'didn't all sailboat owners just drain their oil into the bilge?' I had used a pump through the dipstick hole. I found an automobile oil change place later to drop the waste oil at. Tell me you guys are not draining your engine oil into your bilges first? Please tell me?
I drained the oil from a friends Universal diesel (similar to M-25) while down near Galesville, MD. I asked the marina owners where I could take the waste oil to have it 're-cycled'. They looked at me funny and said something to the effect that 'didn't all sailboat owners just drain their oil into the bilge?' I had used a pump through the dipstick hole. I found an automobile oil change place later to drop the waste oil at. Tell me you guys are not draining your engine oil into your bilges first? Please tell me?
Most M25s have oil drain pan hose extensions
which make it easier to drain the oil. Synthetic oils also work well and last longer.
which make it easier to drain the oil. Synthetic oils also work well and last longer.
Just in case you are using bilge disposal
Don't be surprised when you get boarded by the Coasties. The first thing they wanted to see was my bilge and engine compartment. As per usual, mine was clean enough to serve soup from. They were impressed. I think the conversation would have been considerably different if there was oil or anti-freeze in there.
Don't be surprised when you get boarded by the Coasties. The first thing they wanted to see was my bilge and engine compartment. As per usual, mine was clean enough to serve soup from. They were impressed. I think the conversation would have been considerably different if there was oil or anti-freeze in there.
Relax Guys
Hi CalebD and Bob V. Don't get excited, no oil goes into our beautiful Lake Michigan from my boat. Catalina 30's have a small bilge under the engine, that is seperate from the main bilge. That last 1-2 cups I get when removing the plug goes into an oilsorb pad and is proberly disposed of. Both my engine bilge and my main bilge are dry, and CLEAN. That way I can see any fluid leaks that should not be there. I am a bit surprised that you guys would jump to the conclusion that we are pumping oil overboard from our bilges. That is Taboo here in the Great Lakes, but apparantly not in your areas. I guess I am just as surprised that anyone would leave 1-2 cups of dirty oil in an engine, and call it an oil change. In our area, most autoparts stores and Tractor Supply Co. stores accept used oil for recycling. I only put about 50 hours a year, (after all it is a SAIL boat!) So draining the oil in the fall is not a big deal. Pulling the plug takes an extra 10 minutes. Fair winds Dave
Hi CalebD and Bob V. Don't get excited, no oil goes into our beautiful Lake Michigan from my boat. Catalina 30's have a small bilge under the engine, that is seperate from the main bilge. That last 1-2 cups I get when removing the plug goes into an oilsorb pad and is proberly disposed of. Both my engine bilge and my main bilge are dry, and CLEAN. That way I can see any fluid leaks that should not be there. I am a bit surprised that you guys would jump to the conclusion that we are pumping oil overboard from our bilges. That is Taboo here in the Great Lakes, but apparantly not in your areas. I guess I am just as surprised that anyone would leave 1-2 cups of dirty oil in an engine, and call it an oil change. In our area, most autoparts stores and Tractor Supply Co. stores accept used oil for recycling. I only put about 50 hours a year, (after all it is a SAIL boat!) So draining the oil in the fall is not a big deal. Pulling the plug takes an extra 10 minutes. Fair winds Dave
Good advice Stu
My boat has a hose connected to the oil drain with a valve at the end, instead of a plug. To drain my oil I just put the end of the hose in a 1 gal jug and turn the valve. All the oil drains out in about 5 min. Much faster than using a pump and cleaner too. Not a drop of oil leaves my engine any other way.
My boat has a hose connected to the oil drain with a valve at the end, instead of a plug. To drain my oil I just put the end of the hose in a 1 gal jug and turn the valve. All the oil drains out in about 5 min. Much faster than using a pump and cleaner too. Not a drop of oil leaves my engine any other way.
Dave from MI
I never thought that you would be pumping oil overboard in lake MI or anywhere else for that matter. I just never heard of anyone draining oil into their bilges without receptacles (or at least oil rags) to catch it. I was mostly trying to refute what the marina owners said to me down in MD about sailboat owners draining their oil into their bilge first. I like to think that sailboat owner's are a little more eco-conscious about stuff like that. I know you can't pump your head waste overboard in the Great Lakes (my current boat came from there and has no pump overboard capability), nor can we legally do so in the LI Sound or Chesapeake according to USCG regulations. We all try to comply with our MSD devices and tanks. The same applies to our boats and bilges with regards to oil from the engine. I just thought that these 'southern' marina owners were being a bit facetious with me about sailboat owners draining their oil into the bilges before recycling it. I am fairly convinced that their old crab boats spit out more oil and gasoline residue than most of the sailboats in their marina. Southern hospitality perhaps, but that is the way I took it. We drain our engine oil twice a year (spring and late fall) and I rely on the multiple oil changes to get most of the gunk out of the bottom of the pan. I have no gripe with you draining the oil from the bottom of your engine as I am pretty sure you get most of the crap out once that is done, which is good for your engine. No offense intended.
I never thought that you would be pumping oil overboard in lake MI or anywhere else for that matter. I just never heard of anyone draining oil into their bilges without receptacles (or at least oil rags) to catch it. I was mostly trying to refute what the marina owners said to me down in MD about sailboat owners draining their oil into their bilge first. I like to think that sailboat owner's are a little more eco-conscious about stuff like that. I know you can't pump your head waste overboard in the Great Lakes (my current boat came from there and has no pump overboard capability), nor can we legally do so in the LI Sound or Chesapeake according to USCG regulations. We all try to comply with our MSD devices and tanks. The same applies to our boats and bilges with regards to oil from the engine. I just thought that these 'southern' marina owners were being a bit facetious with me about sailboat owners draining their oil into the bilges before recycling it. I am fairly convinced that their old crab boats spit out more oil and gasoline residue than most of the sailboats in their marina. Southern hospitality perhaps, but that is the way I took it. We drain our engine oil twice a year (spring and late fall) and I rely on the multiple oil changes to get most of the gunk out of the bottom of the pan. I have no gripe with you draining the oil from the bottom of your engine as I am pretty sure you get most of the crap out once that is done, which is good for your engine. No offense intended.
No Offense taken;-))
Hi CalebD; No problem. I have read enough of your posts to know you were not "getting on my case" Here in Great Lakes, it is a big deal on any dumping of any sort. EXPEPT FOR MUNICIPAL SEWAGE PLANTS! A lot of larger cities bordering the Great lakes dump millions of gals of raw sewage with faced with a lot of rain. recreational boaters (Sail and Power) are probably the best stewards of the lakes out hear. As far as oil goes, any visiable "sheen" is supposed to be reported and cleaned up. The worst offenders are still the ocean going frighters that still pump out the ballast water from their bilges before taking on cargo here in the lakes. It is getting better, but it still happens. As far as the drain plug on my Universal, yes, I know I am anal about it, but my background is in aviation, spent my whole live flying aircraft and maintaining them, and I try to maintain my boat the same way I did my aircraft. The guy that taught me to fly 50 odd years ago stressed that if you take care of your engine it will take care of you! I still believe that. I guess it is just a comfort factor for me. I also take pleasure in keeping a clean engine compartment and hearing other boaters wish the rest of their boats were as clean as my bilge;-))) fair winds Dave
Hi CalebD; No problem. I have read enough of your posts to know you were not "getting on my case" Here in Great Lakes, it is a big deal on any dumping of any sort. EXPEPT FOR MUNICIPAL SEWAGE PLANTS! A lot of larger cities bordering the Great lakes dump millions of gals of raw sewage with faced with a lot of rain. recreational boaters (Sail and Power) are probably the best stewards of the lakes out hear. As far as oil goes, any visiable "sheen" is supposed to be reported and cleaned up. The worst offenders are still the ocean going frighters that still pump out the ballast water from their bilges before taking on cargo here in the lakes. It is getting better, but it still happens. As far as the drain plug on my Universal, yes, I know I am anal about it, but my background is in aviation, spent my whole live flying aircraft and maintaining them, and I try to maintain my boat the same way I did my aircraft. The guy that taught me to fly 50 odd years ago stressed that if you take care of your engine it will take care of you! I still believe that. I guess it is just a comfort factor for me. I also take pleasure in keeping a clean engine compartment and hearing other boaters wish the rest of their boats were as clean as my bilge;-))) fair winds Dave
I don't ...
...have a Universal diesel but a Yanmar and the first year I had the boat I removed the oil pan and installed a petcock(it doesn't come with one). Each year I slide an aluminum baking tray under the engine and open the petcock(no gasket to worry about) and drain into the pan. I only use Mobil One synthetic and it flows very easily. BTW Dave, try using a 17mm ratcheting gear wrench. It will make removal much quicker.
...have a Universal diesel but a Yanmar and the first year I had the boat I removed the oil pan and installed a petcock(it doesn't come with one). Each year I slide an aluminum baking tray under the engine and open the petcock(no gasket to worry about) and drain into the pan. I only use Mobil One synthetic and it flows very easily. BTW Dave, try using a 17mm ratcheting gear wrench. It will make removal much quicker.
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