powerquest280

The help on this site it very good. I am trying to learn how to do routine maintenance on my boat. NOt to save money but simply to learn and enjoy this process.

Can anyone give me a step by step procedure on doing an oil change on the twin 500 EFI's while the boat is in the water (and no it does not have a oil pan drain)????? I have the filters, fuel filters and oil.

TY!

zitoracing

Its best to use a oil pump on top of a bucket can get them from west marine for about $ 200.00 thats what I use. Sounds like alot of money but not when you change your oil every 20hrs. The pump screws on the dip stick tube and you just flip the switch and the oil comes out. Changing the filter I punch a hole in the top of the filter and let it drain the night before I change my oil that way there is not a mess.

This is the pump I have

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...9&classNum=170

powerquest280

OK Zito, thank you for this.

BUt help me here. Is this correct?

1. Drain oil using pump you suggested.
2. Remove old oil filter.
3. Install new oil filter and fill it with oil?????? How much???
4. Add recommended amount of oil.
5. Remove feul filter.
6. Add gas to new fule filter and install. How much gas????
7. Job completed???

zitoracing

Add 6 Quarts of oil and check it should hold 7 but start it in the water then check and add till full.
On the fuel filter I just add fuel to the filter till its full dont hold much thats just so you dont suck air when you start the motor that why you add fuel to the filter.

Then your done with the job and ready for the rest of the summer.
Good Luck
Ty

Velocity Vector

iTrader: (4)

Run the Engine

Before you begin an oil change, the engine should be hot. Warm oil is easier to suck through a rubber hose or copper straw, but the reason for running the engine is more essential than that. You are changing the oil because it is contaminated with abrasive and chemical impurities. But the dirt in oil is just like dirt in water; leave it undisturbed and it settles to the bottom. Suck out the cold oil and much of the dirt stays behind, immediately contaminating the fresh oil and defeating the whole purpose of the oil change. Run the engine and get all of the contaminants in suspension so they come out with the oil.



Through the Dipstick Tube

Many marine engines simply don't have a drain plug, or it is too inaccessible even for a hose connection. Draining the oil from these engines requires a pump to suck it out through the dipstick tube.

On some engines the dipstick tube is threaded. The supplied oil-change pump screws directly to the dipstick tube and the oil is removed with a few pulls on the handle. This works fine where there is good access. Otherwise, you can mount the pump to a convenient bulkhead and connect it to the dipstick with a hose with threaded fittings-essentially a very short garden hose. Mount a short length of PVC pipe fitted with a male hose adapter next to the pump to provide a place to "park" the hose when not in use.

Where the dipstick tube is not threaded, you have to use a pick-up tube inserted through the dipstick tube to extract the oil. Most pick-up tubes furnished with oil-change pumps are unnecessarily small. Replacing them with 1/4-inch (ID) copper tubing changes this common method of oil removal from agonizing to amazing. Be sure the tube is long enough to reach the bottom of the engine oil pan, and connect it to your pump with a length of rubber hose. Again, mounting the pump to a bulkhead eases the process. Also mount a length of PVC pipe, capped at the bottom, to sheath the pick-up tube.

Change the Filter

Regardless of manufacturer's recommendations, change the oil filter every time you change the oil.

Virtually every other filter you will encounter sits vertically so the fluid it contains does not spill when the filter is opened, but for some reason that totally eludes me, engine designers mount oil filters at an angle, horizontally, even upside down. You can guess what happens when you open them. For all but the upside down variety, you can contain the spilling oil by slipping a freezer bag over the filter and unscrewing the filter inside the bag. Bag it before you break the seal.

Most oil filters are the "spin-on" variety. You need a strap wrench to remove them. Strap wrenches grip the canister when pressure is applied to the handle. If the wrench slips, take it off the filter and reverse it; it only works in one direction. Coat the gasket of the new filter lightly with oil before screwing it in place. Hand tighten it until the gasket makes full contact, then tighten it another 3/4 of a turn.

Some older engines are equipped with cartridge type oil filters. A center bolt typically holds the filter housing in place. Release the bolt and remove the canister. Empty it and discard the old cartridge. Clean the housing with diesel fuel (or kerosene) and insert the new cartridge. If a separate sealing ring is included with the cartridge, carefully pry the old seal out of its seat by *****ing it with a straight pin. Coat the new seal with oil and push it into position. Reinstall the canister.

Pour in Fresh Oil

The last step in every oil change is pouring in the fresh oil. Your engine manual will give you the viscosity and API rating for the oil recommended by the manufacturer. Screw-top containers make it simple to pour the oil into the filler opening on top of the engine, provided there is ample room to turn up the container. If not, you can avoid a lot of irritation by using a funnel and a piece of hose and to get the oil from the container to the engine.

Make generous use of oil-absorbent pads when draining and filling engine oil. Remember that even a sheen on the water from your bilge pump discharge can cost you dearly.

Last but not least, now that you have cleaned up and wiped down the engine you need to check for leaks. Start the engine and run at idle speed while checking for oil pressure. Now check for any oil leaks, particularly at the oil filter that you just replaced. If all looks good, pat yourself on the back and happy boating!

Racerngr1

This may sound like a funny questions but How do you punch a hole in the top of your oil filter without running the risk of very small metal particles being created and left behind when you pull the oil filter off? The first way you would think of would be to just use a drill; however, that would seem to create the most amount of metal shavings. I would think to use a screwdriver and a hammer. Low tech but probably less shavings? What do you do?

Velocity Vector

iTrader: (4)

If the filter is looking up you have to flip the boat upside down, if the filter is looking down nothing will be left behind. Now that's funny!

Boomer35

where is the best place to punch the hole,

sleek1

If you punch a hole in the oil filter the night before you perform your oil change, then you are changing oil while cold?

Also, any pointers as to the best way not to have oil spill all over when taking off a vertical filter that is "upside down"? I'd prefer to warm up the engine before changing the oil.

JetJock

Will this pump work for MERC 500EFI's?

I am pretty sure it will---anyone know where they might be on sale?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...9&classNum=170