cloudmaster_321

at what time intervals are you changing your oil, i was originally gonna change at the fifty hour mark, but i may go less than that, it is on a 7.4L

Active Mike

It depends on how you are running it. Hard every 20 hrs. Average 30 maybe 40, thats pushing it.

jhnrckr

Change it when it starts to get dark, don't let it get black. 50 hours is way too much.

BAD-HABIT

Do an Oil Analysis....That will tell you if you need to change more often or less....Will save you tons in the long run...$15 will usually get you a good test. Results usually in 2-3 days.

BH

Biggus

iTrader: (1)

I've always changed mine every 20 hrs.

Active Mike

Myself 20 hrs regardless of how it was ran. Also use a good oil and filter, its worth it in the long run.

cloudmaster_321

well, i've got 27 hrs on mercruiser oil and filter, on a 7.4 L

Macklin

You should be fine, but it's probably time.

I love my HO's. They actually tell me when to change it. They don't burn a drop of oil until between 25 - 30 hours. Then when I see the oil level start to drop I know it's time.

Hydrocruiser

Every engine and application has a different maximum frequency change and a minimum. The minimum is usually 20 hrs on higher HP engines especially those with blowers. So if you change every 20 hrs no matter what engine you have and use a premium conventional or synthetic oil and a quality filter such as a Mobil-1; Amsoil; Baldwin or A/C Duraguard you are being extra careful and are less likely to experience premature wear or an oil failure.

A good perspective might be comparing service hours in cars to boats. Cars usually ought have an oil change every 3,000 miles. If you average a speed of 45 MPH that's about 65 hours between changes. But the service duty in a car is light to moderate at best in most cases whereas a boat is considered high to severe duty.

If you use a premium synthetic (Amsoil 20w50 Severe Duty Series 2000; Royal Purple 20w50; Redline 20w50 all at $ 6.00 to $ 8.00/qt) and are comfortable with extended oil changes you would be fine going 40 hours but changing the filter every 20 hours and topping off. I have enough faith in these products to go that route as long as the fliter is a premium filter such as a Mobil-1; Amsoil or Baldwin or Wix plus I now use a magnet on the filter too. I think the time is here to consider this. I am doing this myself now on my 350 Magnum's. I did an oil test on each engine after 25 hours and running a new Mobil-1 filter and topping off, for an hour before sending the sample, they came back as basically being "new oil" data results with no contamination. No water, no acids, no metals. I was running Royal Purple. The "moly" in the oil was shown present as I knew it would be. I am finding that the more I use Royal Purple or Redline the more I like it. Redline and RP hold up best in HTHP tests across the board due to the moly additive. So I will plan to change the oil at 50 hours next but send a sample before at say 40 hrs just to see what was in there.

I like the idea of using a premium oil and oil filter and going the season with only one change. I go by test results. If the oil came back in "new quality" after 25 hours and granted an hour through the new Mobil-1 filter. Then that's all you need to do.

Mercedes Benz in it's S-55 AMG 496 HP twin screw blower motors says to go 15,000 between changes using Mobil-1 0w40 oil. At an average speed of 45 MPH that's over 300 hours. Porsche also says to go 7,500 in their Twin Turbos using Mobil-1 10w30 and that's around 150 hours. You don't have to change filters or top off either. If you use a premium synthetic like Amsoil 20w50 Severe Duty you can go twice the frequency with a premium filter change in-between.

The time is here and I am doing it. I analyzed my 20w50 conventional oil after 25 hours last year and it was broken down to a 5w40 and had metal in it. Test your conventional to a synthetic for a few bucks and you will see similar results.

I am doing this in 350 cubic inch GM engines. I would be ok in a 496 or 525 as well. I would not extend in marine blower applications because they run "fat" and gas gets into the oil regularly from blow-by. That's got to be a 20 hour change no matter what you use.

As always. Use what you like and change when you like.

cloudmaster_321

how about the drive oil, what r the intervals for it and on a bravo one, i don't need any special tools do i? just crack the vent till it starts running out and then the resivoir all the way, right?