Easier Oil Changes

Regular oil changes are arguably the single most important thing a boat owner can do to increase an engine’s service life. As with most preventative maintenance however, the easier the process, the more likely it is to be done. Here’s a look at how to make your oil-changing routine as painless as possible.

How often is regular?

Most engine manufacturers recommend oil changes be completed every 100 hours, or annually at a minimum. Some engine manuals may allow longer intervals, however more frequent oil changes are a better strategy to extend the life of the engine than stretching out the period between them. This is particularly true for diesel engines which tend to be harder on oil lubrication properties than gasoline engines—one reason many experts recommend diesel oil be changed every 50 hours of use rather than the 100 hours commonly quoted. Another recommendation is to change the oil before a long layup period, not afterwards. You want clean oil in the crankcase during storage, rather than dirty oil laden with grime and potentially corrosive combustion byproducts.

Prepping for success

In addition to your normal oil changing preparations (purchasing the correct type and amount of oil, gathering the necessary tools, etc.) it’s always a good idea to place catch pans and oil-absorbent pads beneath the engine and oil filter. This adds an extra layer of prevention against accidental leaks, dropped filters and the like from reaching the bilge.

It’s also important to bring engines up to operating temperatures prior to an oil change. Warm oil not only flows easier (which assists in removal), but also holds more contaminates in suspension, meaning more abrasive gunk and chemical impurities will be removed from the engine when the oil is changed.

Out with the old

Unlike changing the oil in your car, many marine engine installations provide little or no access to the oil pan drain plug or space below the engine to place an open container to drain into. Engine installations that lack drain plug access must use some form of oil evacuation system, i.e., one that uses a manual or electric pump to transfer oil from the engine into an open or (better yet) closed container.

Closed oil changing systems range from portable vacuum pumps designed to remove oil via the dipstick tube, to permanently mounted pumps plumbed directly to the oil pan drain.

Oil filters

All regularly-scheduled oil changes should include replacement of the oil filter. Some people advocate replacing the filter every other oil change (presumably to save a few bucks), but this is false economy over the long-term and is not in the best interest of your engine.

Spill-free oil filter replacements can be a challenge, depending on the filter’s orientation. Vertically-mounted filters can usually be removed with minimal mess by keeping the filter level during removal, but horizontally-mounted filters (or worse still, those mounted upside down) require additional precautions to minimize oil spills during replacement. These include positioning oil pads or a catch pan beneath the filter, as well as placing a large Ziploc®-style freezer bag around the filter prior to removal. Once the filter is removed, the bag can be sealed and used to transport the filter without fear of leaking oil.
Eight Tips For
Oil-Changing Nirvana

1. Always warm the engine prior to
2. changing the oil.
3.  Use a closed oil-changing system whenever possible. They’re easier to use, reduce the chance of spills and make it easier to transport used oil to a recycling facility.
4.  Use oil absorbent pads and containers to prevent and contain accidental spills.
5.  Temporarily disable automatic bilge pumps to prevent oil from accidentally being pumped overboard in the event of a spill.
6.  Wrap the oil filter with a thick cloth during removal to avoid burning your hands.
7. Write the date and engine hours on the new filter to serve as a visual reminder of when the next oil change is due.
8.  Recycle oil and filters.
9.  Dispose of used absorbent pads and rags properly.

In with the new

Once the old oil is removed and the filter replaced, the next step is adding new oil. The design of modern screw-top containers simplifies pouring oil into the filler at the top of the engine (provided you have the space to invert the container), but using a funnel will make adding oil easier in most cases. You can even add a short length of hose to the funnel to assist with those hard to reach oil fills.

Once the oil is added, start the engine and look for leaks, particularly around the oil pan and filter. Keeping a fresh oil absorbent pad beneath the engine will aid in spotting leaks both between and after oil changes.