Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

Hi,

I have a Volvo 4.3 GXi with SX-A drive unit on my Regal 1900. Unfortunately, September is the month where I need to think winterizing my boat...:grumpy::grumpy:

I've done only 24 hrs with my boat this summer and it was for cruising at 3000 rpm max. I'm wondering if I need to change the motor & hydraulic oil since it was used so little.

I'm using synthetic oils.

If I slightly open the drive unit oil plug and I see no oil degradation, no water presence, is it safe to say that my oil is still good ?

Thanks !!

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

Some say yes, some say no. It's personal preference. Personally if it was my boat, I wouldn't bother if the condition and level of both appear to be good.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

I would change the engine oil but I just do that every year no matter how much I use my boats. hyd oil, not so much, I just check it for water and dirt and use it for a long time.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

Easy answer...replace both.

You are risking your $10K outdrive with gear oil that may have some moisture in it.

Obviously your choice but its such an easy change.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

It's always the big question.. Save around $100-$150 and take the risk or do it maybe for nothing.

If water or moisture is present in synthetic hydraulic oil, I thought it would become milky ... Is it the case ?

For the Motor oil, since i use a pump to remove it, I was thinking that water, if present, would stay there since I cannot remove 100%. That is why I was sceptical.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

Supertaz said:

It's always the big question.. Save around $100-$150 and take the risk or do it maybe for nothing.

Click to expand...

So, how are you coming up with $150?

Seems like penny wise pound foolish to me to not change it.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

bruceb58 said:

So, how are you coming up with $150?

Seems like penny wise pound foolish to me to not change it.

Click to expand...

I'm not that cheap... As a scientist, I just want to know the reasons behind this.

It is easy to say why not doing it but i'm also interested in the why doing it.

The approx $150 is as follows :
3 X 1L gear oil synthetic = $53.07
1 X 4L motor oil =$39.76
1 x oil filter =$13.78
1 x fuel filter =$11.44
1 X 4L antifreeze =$4.99

Total = $123.04 + tx =$ 141.46

I always have put Volvo oil... Can i use synthetic oil from another manufacturer ? Does it impact my Volvo warranty ?

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

dup post

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

What will impact your warranty is not changing it.

The reason behind changing the lubricants is that if there is any moisture at all, it doesn't sit in the drive over winter and into the next year. As far as the engine, you want to remove the contaminants in the oil that gets forced by the rings in the combustion process.

I would use the Volvo gear oil but the engine oil can be mobil 1 15W50.

The gear oil is only 2.1L and I thought that was the one you were questioning. The engine is a no-brainer. You definitely change that. I use Wix oil filters instead of the Volvo filter.

Why do you have anti-freeze on your list? If its for winterization, aren't you always going to use it?

So to me, the only thing you are questioning is spending the $38 on gear oil.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

For AF , i just use a little to rinse off after draining the water. The moderator Don S (oracle of the sea) is one of those guys that only drain water and never had any problems.

Me , i do a flush with AF to drain humidity and leave the 4 blue plugs removed. i also leave the water pump hose disconnected after AF flush.

And thanks Bruceb58 for the info !

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

Getting the synthetic oil that states "volvo" on it from the marine parts dealer is no different than getting the same weight synthetic motor oil from the auto parts store...just 30-40% more expensive.
Same for the oil filter....
And the synthetic lube....

(And for what it's worth, my in-laws are total gearheads, who nearly all have worked/work for conoco/phillips, including one as a lubricants analyst for a major mining company, and not a one of us uses "synthetics"....but that's another ball of wax....) (The only thing they ever say is never use an oil with paraffin in it....i.e. Pennzoil)

As far as not being able to drain "all" the oil....on my regal (1700, not 1900) I can easily remove the side panel accessing the motor, and get to the drain plug installed in the oil pan, just like on any car. I can even get a pan in there to drain into, or drain into a cut-open two liter bottle attached to cheap drain line that can run right through the bilge plug....and into a drain pan. Pumping oil out sucks! and if it's just as easy to get to the drain plug....can you reach yours?

But as far as cost, you may or may not have forgotten the can of fogging oil for the cylinders, and the sta-bil for the fuel. And the new spark plugs. (I replace mine every spring because they've been "fogged", and they're a cheap diagnostic tool.)
And what about the new seals/o-rings/nuts when pulling the drive to check the bearings, grease the splines on the drive and/or ujoints, etc....?

As far as the drive lube....that's your call. You have a nice, beautiful boat. Might as well keep it well kept. I didn't do mine last winter, but would not let it go for more than two seasons (and I don't go running around at WOT either....just tubing and fishing). But I've checked it....no water.

And as far as winterizing.....I don't use AF either (learned that from Don) but I take off (and leave off) all of my hoses for the winter, and leave all the block plugs out too.

Impeller? Every other year, and it still looks brand new.

But that's just my two cents......

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

insttech1 said:

(The only thing they ever say is never use an oil with paraffin in it....i.e. Pennzoil)

As far as not being able to drain "all" the oil....on my regal (1700, not 1900) I can easily remove the side panel accessing the motor, and get to the drain plug installed in the oil pan, just like on any car. I can even get a pan in there to drain into, or drain into a cut-open two liter bottle attached to cheap drain line that can run right through the bilge plug....and into a drain pan. Pumping oil out sucks! and if it's just as easy to get to the drain plug....can you reach yours?

Click to expand...

The parafin Penzoil thing is a myth.

His Volvo doesn't have a drain plug. The dipstick tube connects where the drain plug goes and the top of the dipstick tube has a very nice hose thread fitting so you can attach any number of pumps, that work easily.

Re: Changing oils (motor & hydraulic) , Yes or No ???

Yeah I'll stick with those who work within the industry.

As for the drain, it was just a question.