Change oil before or after winter?
 

I read a lot of mixed feeling through a google search about my topic. Didn’t find anything on OSO. Im 29 and it seems like my OCD gets worse every year about doing things right so I dread when I’m old.

Anyways this is my third fountain and I’ve always changed the gear lube before winterizing in fear of possible water in the oil. Still very unlikely IMO because I had a propsaft seal leak only out of the water. When in the water, the pressure of the water and oil appeared to neutralize each other. Oil was fine when drained.

For the motor oil, what should I do? I haven’t been consistent when I change so what’s the experts’ opinions? I’m thinking now so I won’t have “containmented oil” in my motors sitting until April. On the other hand, will the cold condensate my oil?

Boat is is stored in a block insulated garage. Not heated yet.

Change before winterizing and storing. New oil is good to go come spring boating time. Going on 20 yrs doing it this way.

Agree, before winter storage

Change it when it is due or when you want. :)

Thanks guys. Simple question but I like other opinions to reassure my decisions.

So now we need an oil change expert to chime in..........winter is here

Just don't change it and then not start engine till next year. I've heard a few of those motors start up in late spring. Kinda makes you want to cry.

If you change it make sure to run min for a minute or two before you store.

Good suggestion.
I winterize late because I’ve been on the water in November. Unwinterize in April.

Boot'n.........Im just messin with ya,:angry-smiley-038: its great to see younger guys in our hobby, :drink:......but your OCD is not to be taken lightly .......:readinghelp:

up north (lake erie) every fall right around apple cider and hay ride season started we would;
change oil and filter, tune it up, check it all out, run and winterize engine.
gear lube, grease any/all zircs, check alignment, bellows and gimbal bearings, outdrive o-rings, props,
prop hardware and zincs.

any issues can be addressed over winter when dealers are slow and looking for work.
or if you can perform what ever it may need.

sucks finding gear lube on outdrive in early spring because fishing line got the prop shaft seals
and a few ounces of water froze and cracked the the lower and the dealer is back logged to late may early june.

knowing she's good to go come spring is only way to barely contain the ocd

change all oils at the end of the season for winter lay up. This is written in all marine engine manuals and most owner manuals. .

while winterizing...... get the contaminates out of the engine

I've seen holes rusted in the oil pan from the inside.... Change Oil at Lay Up.

Change it after your last run, don't let the contaminants sit in there all winter and settle into the pan. Oil changes are pretty simple and quick too. You can rest easy all winter then without any concerns.

Before layup and always with 5W20 Redline! :drink:

Since you started it , lol, this begs the question, does synthetic or conventional stay clinging to parts better over long term storage.

Remember, quicker/faster flow has always been toughted as a + for synthetics.

:helmet:

Fresh oil.
Cheap filter.

Warm it up in the spring; and then change out the cheap filter to your nice one for the season.

Change it in the fall,add fuel stabilizer, run it to to get the oil hot and to pump the new oil into the lifters, winterize, hook the battery to some sort of maintenance charger and walk away.
In the spring, drop it in the water and turn the key.
No need to change the oil again
You really should restart the engine, because if you don't, the only engine part that gets the benefit of the new slug of additive is the top of the oil pan.

Ken

Neither , change it in the middle of winter.. This way the contaminents don`t sit there all winter and also the oil doesn`t go bad from sitting all winter!! :frog:



February 2nd sounds good.

:funnypost:

Change it before, during, and after every run. Then you rule out any contaminents!!
Seriously, some people put 15 hours on a boat in a summer, does it really matter? You could argue heating and cooling all winter can introduce condensation too.
Definetly not against it especially if its been run hard and needs to be changed but dont over think it.

Oil in my lawn mower has to be 10 years old Should I start thinking about changing it

I've always changed it in the spring but it sounds like I have been doing it wrong. Glad I read this thread!

By products of combustion and heat cycles makes oil become acetic to a point it actually becomes corrosive. The older and nastier the oil is the more acetic it becomes. Sitting long periods is when it does it's damage. I leave the drain plug open on my engine all winter. Inside storage.

I'd like to see evidence , or how about even a made up story :), of an engine that was seriously damaged from changing oil in spring...or even worse, received an oil change every two years. :)

Funny thing is, I actually know a guy with an older SeaRay, late 70s early 80s, not really sure as I dont know chit about SeaRays. Boat has twin small block Mercs. He only uses the boat maybe 15-20 hrs a yr or so, and as such feels the need to change the oil every 5 or so yrs, whether it needs it or not. He has like 600 hrs or something with no issues. I only found this out because one day at a mutual friends house, we were talking maintenance on my boat, and he asked if he could have my 20 hr old Mobil 1 15-50 drain oil to use in his boat, as he told me I was wasting my money with what I did!

All depends on the yr, make and model.............if its a black engine ? they will run 12-1500 hrs without top end refresh....with the same oil

Oil is supposed to hold dirt and other contaminants in suspension so... :cartman:

If you use non dertergent oil, that will never happen.

Ken

20W50 Tide! :evilb:

Very good points and glad I read this as I would have waited until Spring

Yup, your engine would have not been there if you didn't. :) Just playin. LOL.

Haha!!! That would suck