As a new owner of a '99-310, I have changed the oil on the 18-hp. Yanmar 2GM on two occasions: Before a 6-day motoring up the ICW (no previous record of last, or any, oil change)and at the end of this trip wherein the gauge read 479 hrs. After each oil and filter change I discover a large quantity of oil in the bilge indicating overfilling of the oil. The recent oil change started with the dip stick registering a spot of oil at the very tip of the stick. Removing the old filter we encounter 1/4 qt, or less, old oil. Using a Jabsco hand pump with extraction tube in the dip stick hole we pump-out less than a quart as it seems there is no more oil in the engine sump. Adding 2-quarts of fresh oil and a new oil filter we then check the dip stick and note oil to the top notch of the dip stick. After uneventful motoring for 2-hours, we shut down for the day and discover at least 1-quart, or more, oil in the bilge that was throughly clean before motoring. I sense the "Jabsco" method is both messy and inefficient (I'm new to sailing)and we are not extracting "all" the oil from the sump. I also question the reliability of the dip stick marking. In the meantime, the engine runs efficiently and does not overheat....although it appears to do this with about 1-quart of oil. Please respond if you have any good advice. I would like to spend less time removing oil from the bilge.
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Engine oil leak.
You have an engine oil leak. The source of engine oil leaks are sometimes difficult to find. Here's what I would do. Inspect the engine for the source. If not found carefully wipe down the engine and clean the bilge. Line the bilge with plain white paper towels. Start the engine and watch for the first sign of oil dripping. When the first sign of oil is noted shut down the engine use your fingers to trace the leak to the highest point on the engine. It can be difficult and may take a few trys but it never fails.
You have an engine oil leak. The source of engine oil leaks are sometimes difficult to find. Here's what I would do. Inspect the engine for the source. If not found carefully wipe down the engine and clean the bilge. Line the bilge with plain white paper towels. Start the engine and watch for the first sign of oil dripping. When the first sign of oil is noted shut down the engine use your fingers to trace the leak to the highest point on the engine. It can be difficult and may take a few trys but it never fails.
Oil change
I have an 18 GM in my Hunter 29.5 and have some familiarity with this. Three things that people forget: (1) Only pump after motoring, when the engine is still warm. (2) Remove the oil cap or you'll build up too much pressure. (3) Don't remove the oil filter until after pumping (don't laugh). Ask around the marina for who has the best pump. I use a hand-held in which I cleverly glued the draw line to find the dipstick hole perfectly. The tendency is to snake 2 feet of hose down the hole, but only 10-12 inches is necessary. By maneuvering up and down an inch or so, you'll strike oil and be able to draw 1 to 1.5 quarts of the 3 quarts. That's fine. There's no reason whatsoever for oil to wind up in the bilge. To avoid overfilling, you should only replace what you remove, no more or it will overflow and smoke. The dipstick is reliable, but if you forget to pour a little oil in the oil filter, the dipstick will (correctly) show some loss of oil because that's where it went. I recommend replacing the oil every month, because you're really only replacing half the oil at the time. Ergo, after two months, you've got a fresh engine-full of oil. By the way, CD-II in the form of Texaco Ultra 30 is what's recommended for the 2GM.
I have an 18 GM in my Hunter 29.5 and have some familiarity with this. Three things that people forget: (1) Only pump after motoring, when the engine is still warm. (2) Remove the oil cap or you'll build up too much pressure. (3) Don't remove the oil filter until after pumping (don't laugh). Ask around the marina for who has the best pump. I use a hand-held in which I cleverly glued the draw line to find the dipstick hole perfectly. The tendency is to snake 2 feet of hose down the hole, but only 10-12 inches is necessary. By maneuvering up and down an inch or so, you'll strike oil and be able to draw 1 to 1.5 quarts of the 3 quarts. That's fine. There's no reason whatsoever for oil to wind up in the bilge. To avoid overfilling, you should only replace what you remove, no more or it will overflow and smoke. The dipstick is reliable, but if you forget to pour a little oil in the oil filter, the dipstick will (correctly) show some loss of oil because that's where it went. I recommend replacing the oil every month, because you're really only replacing half the oil at the time. Ergo, after two months, you've got a fresh engine-full of oil. By the way, CD-II in the form of Texaco Ultra 30 is what's recommended for the 2GM.
Yikes...
I agree with Jim, it sounds like you have a pretty good oil leak. My Yanmar dripped a bit around the oil pan seal until I tightened the bolts a little. In addition to using paper towels to look for the leak you might also want an inspection mirror. It looks a little bit like what the dentist uses to look inside your mouth. Very handy for seeing the underside of the engine. There really aren't very many external oil passages on a Yanmar that can leak that much oil assuming the filter is on properly and the oil pan is tight. Good luck, it's a messy job but you'll be glad when it's done.
I agree with Jim, it sounds like you have a pretty good oil leak. My Yanmar dripped a bit around the oil pan seal until I tightened the bolts a little. In addition to using paper towels to look for the leak you might also want an inspection mirror. It looks a little bit like what the dentist uses to look inside your mouth. Very handy for seeing the underside of the engine. There really aren't very many external oil passages on a Yanmar that can leak that much oil assuming the filter is on properly and the oil pan is tight. Good luck, it's a messy job but you'll be glad when it's done.
Hot Oil and Drill Pump
Hot oil is a must. Cold oil is *impossible* to suck out. Everybody has their technique for pumping the oil out. After several years I changed to a pump that attaches to an electric drill (I use a cordless on the boat). Attached to the pump on each side is a clear plastic hose (so you can see the oil flow). On the tube that goes to the engine is a short length of metal tube (the largest diameter that will fit the dip stick hole and with the thinest wall and shortest length). The metal tube does not "coil up" on the bottom of the pan. The pump coupled with the electric drill and hot oil makes short work of an oil drain. I keep the tube and pump in a plastic bag with the tube ends stored in the "up" position. The oil is drained into a used gallon plastic container that the oil once came in so when it goes to the recycler they empty the oil and I reuse the container. Put some masking tape on the container that says "used oil" so as not to confuse it with new oil. The filter is the really messy part and I haven't developed a standard operating procedure yet. Zip Loc bags *kinda work* in a pinch but keep the filter upright using the cardboard box it came in. Used oil is one of the worst parts about sailboats.
Hot oil is a must. Cold oil is *impossible* to suck out. Everybody has their technique for pumping the oil out. After several years I changed to a pump that attaches to an electric drill (I use a cordless on the boat). Attached to the pump on each side is a clear plastic hose (so you can see the oil flow). On the tube that goes to the engine is a short length of metal tube (the largest diameter that will fit the dip stick hole and with the thinest wall and shortest length). The metal tube does not "coil up" on the bottom of the pan. The pump coupled with the electric drill and hot oil makes short work of an oil drain. I keep the tube and pump in a plastic bag with the tube ends stored in the "up" position. The oil is drained into a used gallon plastic container that the oil once came in so when it goes to the recycler they empty the oil and I reuse the container. Put some masking tape on the container that says "used oil" so as not to confuse it with new oil. The filter is the really messy part and I haven't developed a standard operating procedure yet. Zip Loc bags *kinda work* in a pinch but keep the filter upright using the cardboard box it came in. Used oil is one of the worst parts about sailboats.
use a vacuum can
I use a can with a vacuum pump. As others have said be sure to do when oil is warmed up -- much easier to do! Also be sure that the draaw tube is straight - mine has a tendency to curl and then it doesn't really get to the bottom of the sump. it is very important for obvious reasons that the tip of the draw tube has to be in the very lowest part of the sump to get it all. see link for a good extraction system.
I use a can with a vacuum pump. As others have said be sure to do when oil is warmed up -- much easier to do! Also be sure that the draaw tube is straight - mine has a tendency to curl and then it doesn't really get to the bottom of the sump. it is very important for obvious reasons that the tip of the draw tube has to be in the very lowest part of the sump to get it all. see link for a good extraction system.
2 suggestions
On a hand pump for extraction, a 1/4 copper line works well. If the old oil is pumped into a used 2 liter coke bottle, you know if your are getting most of it (I think the capacity is about 2 liters). Secondly, put a plastic bag over the filter as you remove it to catch oil. Then just leave the used filter and the oil it caught in the bag for delivery to a recycling station
On a hand pump for extraction, a 1/4 copper line works well. If the old oil is pumped into a used 2 liter coke bottle, you know if your are getting most of it (I think the capacity is about 2 liters). Secondly, put a plastic bag over the filter as you remove it to catch oil. Then just leave the used filter and the oil it caught in the bag for delivery to a recycling station
Check the oil line behind the engine
I had the same problem on my vision and there was a pin-hole leak in the oil line that runs behind the engine. It was cause by vibration of some electrical lines being tie-wrapped to the line. The friction of vibration made a tiny hole that made a mess after several hours of operation. Good Luck
I had the same problem on my vision and there was a pin-hole leak in the oil line that runs behind the engine. It was cause by vibration of some electrical lines being tie-wrapped to the line. The friction of vibration made a tiny hole that made a mess after several hours of operation. Good Luck
oil leaks and changing
gabriel, 2 qts with a new filter showing full indicates that you are getting all of the oil out. That's about the specified capacity. Jim Hague has a good procedure for methodically finding an oil leak. Yours is apparently so big shouldn't be much trouble. John Nantz mentions a copper tube extension on the suction line. That's the only way to be sure that the bottom of the tube is in fact on the bottom of the pan. I have added a photo of the engine cross section. A solid tube section will essentially follow the indicated trajectory of the dip tube to the bottom corner of the pan. I second Bill Murray's recommendation of the Topsider vacuum can. Done properly it is essentially messless. Even when pulling it out, a little vacuum on the can will assure that it doesn't drip.
gabriel, 2 qts with a new filter showing full indicates that you are getting all of the oil out. That's about the specified capacity. Jim Hague has a good procedure for methodically finding an oil leak. Yours is apparently so big shouldn't be much trouble. John Nantz mentions a copper tube extension on the suction line. That's the only way to be sure that the bottom of the tube is in fact on the bottom of the pan. I have added a photo of the engine cross section. A solid tube section will essentially follow the indicated trajectory of the dip tube to the bottom corner of the pan. I second Bill Murray's recommendation of the Topsider vacuum can. Done properly it is essentially messless. Even when pulling it out, a little vacuum on the can will assure that it doesn't drip.
Attachments
Be careful about overfilling
Diesel engine can be destroyed by overfilling with oil. What happens is the oil becomes a fuel source, causing the engine to rev out of control and destruct. You cannot stop it, either. Remember, you do not shut off ignition on a diesel to stop it, you cut off fuel supply. If overfilled with oil, the engine cannot shut down. This happened to my friend's Ford truck after an oil change service overfilled the diesel engine. A $10,000 blown engine.... Scott
Diesel engine can be destroyed by overfilling with oil. What happens is the oil becomes a fuel source, causing the engine to rev out of control and destruct. You cannot stop it, either. Remember, you do not shut off ignition on a diesel to stop it, you cut off fuel supply. If overfilled with oil, the engine cannot shut down. This happened to my friend's Ford truck after an oil change service overfilled the diesel engine. A $10,000 blown engine.... Scott
Shutdown a run-away diesel.
Scott: This can happen even without an overfilled crankcase. This happened to a fellow sailor in our harbor (couple of times YSM12). You are very correct that the fuel shut off will NOT kill the engine in this case but decompressing the engine will do the job.
Scott: This can happen even without an overfilled crankcase. This happened to a fellow sailor in our harbor (couple of times YSM12). You are very correct that the fuel shut off will NOT kill the engine in this case but decompressing the engine will do the job.
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