stupid oil question

[kinsmen]

I'm sorry in advance for having to ask this question but why do we need to change the oil in the engine every year as part of the winterizing?<br />I live in So. Texas and we don't get a lot of freezes. I have a 3.0 1984 GM engine with the Alpha 1 outdrive. I used my boat about 10 hours this summer. Crusing and fishing, no skiing. Do I still need to change the oil? I do see the need for fogging and draining the block. Thanks.

 

[Don S]

Re: stupid oil question

Oil, even after a short amount of time on it, builds up acids and impurities in the oil. Changing the oil and rerunning the engine for fogging basically gives the bearings and other moving part some nice clean oil to sit on during storage.<br />

I used my boat about 10 hours this summer. Crusing and fishing, no skiing. Do I still need to change the oil?

That's up to you, if it was my engine it would be changed. Oils cheap, engines aren't.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: stupid oil question

Well, I tend to agree with Don S for the very reasons he suggested although 10 hrs isnt much and Im sure you would be fine providing the oil looks fine with no visable milkyness. I think I would change it never the less. After you change it, run it back up to temp before turning it off for the season.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: stupid oil question

I have to agree with the guys advice!! I will also offer this advice because I know you will be tempted to leave the 10 hour old oil in for the winter.If you do decide to leave it in, you should at least add some oil stabilizer or a fresh quart of oil(1/2 a quart in each valve cover)after you shut the motor for the season.If you do this(and I am only suggesting that you do this if you go against good advice) make sure to write "1 quart too much"on a piece of cardboard and tape it over the ignition so you remember to change the oil immediately in the spring before launching the boat.Charlie

 

[MH9371B]

Re: stupid oil question

Everyone sure does like to talk about oil

 

[ron7000]

Re: stupid oil question

for the reasons of fuel dilution and water/condensation in the oil. Those two along with the hydrocarbons from combustion make the oil acidic.<br />The more hours on the oil, the more the need to change it before winter storage obviously. Should it be changed after only 10 hours of service? I'm sure you could get away without doing it, but common practice is to put the engine away with fresh oil to minimize the risks. Oil analysis with a tbn report would give you peace of mind, although it would be cheaper for 6 qts of oil and a filter.<br />It's not a stupid question btw.

 

[snowmon]

Re: stupid oil question

The acids will etch the surfaces of the metal. Bad news for bearings, crank etc... Change the oil.

 

[kinsmen]

Re: stupid oil question

Thanks for the reply and information. It seems I will be changing the oil very soon. I don't need any surprises waiting for me on my next fishing trip.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: stupid oil question

Back to the original question … we change any oil because it is convenient to do so. With the proper filtering it is not necessary to ever change oil (its lubricating properties never wear out), but you must maintain the filtration and the level of any needed additives. Today, that oil analysis Ron7000 mentions goes without saying. It’s easier to just change the oil and spin on a new filter, but necessarily cheaper.<br /><br />A guy (just down the pier from me) has a boat built around a Cat straight-12. Gene has all the maintenance records for the engine since it was built in 1950. He had the oil changed for the first time this year (2004), over 50 gals of oil. Cat told Gene he would never have to change oil again, didn’t need to change it this time, either. The oil filter vessel is about the size of a typical home water heater, has 16 elements in it that are maintained.

 

[tommays]

Re: stupid oil question

its hard to believe that any motor maker would be ok with useing the oil for 54 years as i am not sure how you would keep the additives at the correct level<br /><br />i am not sure how you keep the water out with out a centrifuge<br /><br />that oil filter element must cost some dollars<br /><br />but i learn new things here everyday<br /><br />tommays

 

[18rabbit]

Re: stupid oil question

Yeah…something I never thought about before, either…how/when do those huge cruise liners change engine oil? I don’t know if they ever do?!?!? Obviously one would need to maintain the additives and oil level. If you’re not changing oil, you would think you would almost have to do analysis.<br /><br />Something else, I think oil analysis wasn’t used by the military until the 1960s, at least 10-years after the boat was built. The boat was moored in the Carquinez Straits (S.F. Bay delta) as part of the US Navy’s mothball fleet for I-don’t-know-how-many years.<br /><br />My understanding is centrifugal filters won’t remove all the water. See the RCI fuel filters. You need a filtering medium, cellulose (wood pulp, aka paper) is as good as it gets. See the Gulf Coast Filter fuel and oil filters.<br /><br /> http://www.rcipurifier.com/marine.html <br /> http://www.gulfcoastfilters.com/ <br /><br />What I thought was a hot water heater was described as the oil filter. Of course I couldn’t see inside. Supposedly the elements are clustered in groups of 4 and stacked. No part of it impressed me as centrifugal, tho that wasn’t discussed…don’t even know if it is a technology used for oil filtration.

 

[tommays]

Re: stupid oil question

most ships use centrifuges for oil cleaning and water removal<br /><br /> i have repiared many Sharples units they spin at 15000 rpm and will discharge 2 or more streams of fluid (water and oil) cleaned down to under 5 microns<br /><br />(Solid particles greater than 2 µ in size can be removed and free moisture in centrifuged oil is obtained at 150-500 ppm depending upon the number of passes and initial moisture content of the dirty oil.) <br /><br />tommays

 

[Bondo]

Re: stupid oil question

i am not sure how you keep the water out with out a centrifuge

I would think that Heat would do the trick......<br />250* Oil temps on a hard run isn't uncommon.......<br />Water goes out the crankcase vents at 212*........