How do YOU change your oil?
 

I am curious how others change their oil. I am very anal about how i change mine,let me outline MY procedure and see if I'm nuts compared to others or maybe someone can gain insight from my procedure.
First off i have a 540 bbc thats blown and i get ALOT of gas and condensation in my oil. My pan is a 14 qt pan,my line are -12 and hold 1 qt,my filter holds 2 qts and my cooler holds 2 qts,(18-19 total). First i drain all the oil I can thru drain hose out bilge hole,i put hose in a 5 gallon pail and let drain for 5-6 hours. Next i change filter, then i put 6 qts in motor and crank over till it primes in 30 second intervals (to keep from killing starter)w/fuse out of fuel pump and coil dissconnected. I keep cranking over until pressure starts to drop from sucking oil pan dry. I then let the dirty oil that got pushed out of lines and cooler back into motor drain completely than fill with clean oil.I do all this because their is so much dirty oil in cooler and lines that i don't want mixed with clean oil,is this overkill or a good idea,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I just use the drain hose to suck the oil out. Leaves 2+ quarts in the Teague offshore cooler/lines. I don't worry about the remaining. At 50 hours I don't feel like am anywhere near the end of the M1 20-50's life anyway. With the accusump my system probably holds 12+ total.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I just use the drain hose also. I keep it changed every 20 hours, so like Wobble said I don't think the M1 is at the end of its life. There's no question your way is better though. BTW I'm running a 496 Mag with a Procharger.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Sounds like it takes a week to change the oil.When it drains from the bottom of pan then i would use a oil changer to suck the rest out from the bottom of the pan.sounds like it would work.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

My boat is running rich still(I'm taking it to crockett soon and he's going to check the A/f ratio as installed while under way under boost and at idle) so my oil gets fueled up under 20 hours and looks like crap,holds great pressure though but i'm cautious. If i don't purge lines and cooler oil looks real dirty still after changeing it out.Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I start draining it during a weekday when I'm not using it and usually let it drain overnight,finsh the next day after work,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Smitty- I think your procedure is very thorough. Just curious as to how many hours you run the oil before changing it? When you shut the motor off, can you smell gas on the dipstick? Does the oil level ever show higher after a run then before you fired it up? Just curious...Lou

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I disconnect the exit hose from my pre-oiler and hook up another hose which leads to a five gallon bucket on the ground and flip the switch. In less than a minute my 14 quart pan is drained. Replace the filter and I'm done in less than 5 minutes.

I still have a couple of quarts in my Teague oil cooler and the lines, but I also use Mobil One and don't think it's a big deal to leave it there.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Sounds like you guys know what you are doing. ;)

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

You can't smell gas in the oil but it looks thin although it still has 75-80 psi warm at wot.It doesn't gain oil from fuel,just gets contaminated looking. I ran this oil 12 hours but i changed it on vacation without getting old oil out of lines and cooler so it started out partially contaminated. Once i get computer re-mapped if tyler takes fuel out of curve anywhere i will stretch my intervals out to 20 hours. I'm leaving to go boating for next three days,I'll talk to you guys sunday night,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Same way with a drain line out the bottom through the bilge drain! Anybody ever use Royal Purple in their motor?? I was running straight snythetic (vavoline) and switched 2 this 4 giggles and man does it smooth out the ilde and the hole shot (rpm wise). SAE 30 is what i run. Bone stock 7.4L with 300hrs.
just wondering.............. :cool:

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

We finally got an oil analysis of Royal Purple 15W-50..

Phosphorous....1126
Zinc 1213
Mg 22

.................................................. ........

The new Mobil-1 15W-50 EX Goldcap has:
Phos..1223
ZInc...1376
Mg 22

Very close chemistry in additives (M-1 having more ZDDP now)... the RP has 20% Group 3 carrier oils and M-1 is 100% Group IV or V..

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Flushing the engine is a great idea especially if you have fuel contanimation. One other littl side note though, when you unhok the coil you should ground out the coil wire from the coil. It can burn the coil up otherwise, rare occurance but it happens.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

good info :D

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I think it's a little anal but if you don't mind going the extra mile than go for it. All I do is suck my oil out through the dipstick and change the filter. I'm sure there is still some oil in the lines and cooler, but I'm changing every 25 hours with 20/50 v-twin oil and usually an M-1 filter or a Napa Gold or something along those lines. I don't skimp on the filters or oil or intervals for that matter. I don't take that much time to do all the extra steps you do though. It takes me about half an hour to do my oil start to finish with the separator too, add another half if I do the drive oil too. I let it drain while I do the crankcase, come back when the motor is done and refill it.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I'm with BADKACHINA I pull mine out through the dipstick tube.
About 40 years ago my dad built an electric motor hooked to a bronze positive displacement pump to change the oil in our first boat. I still have it and it's been adapted for my current setup. Works just as good today as it did 40 years ago. It'll suck the oil pan dry in less than 2 minutes.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

The Cig has drain lines from the bottom of the pan. Remove the cap from the line at the front of the motor and stick the suction hose on it. The more vacuum the better. Usually get and equivalent to what she holds. Change oil every 10-15 hours or when it changes color.

The Cat is dry sumped. Run the engines so all the oil is in the sump. Remove the cap from the reservoir. Remove the cap from the drain line which comes from the bottom of the reservoir. Stick the suction hose over the line and vacuum the tank. I change oil every 10 hours. Religiously.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

artic.....
when you say that you have condensation in the motor....what is it that you see? is it noticable in the oil or elsewhere? just curious cuz i have some moisture in mine too!! was really worried but some say its just normal for some motors. i started changing oil more often now because of this! i worry about winter storage with some moisture on the rockers and stuff!! :eek:

any input?
kevin

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Why change it....my 502's just burn it anyway. :rolleyes:



25 hr intervals pumped through the dipstick. M-1 filter and 15-50.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

If i pull the valve covers on my motor,especially after idling it on the hose where oil never warms up you will literally see some white foamed up oil in valve covers near water jackets on front of motor,maybe 2 tablespoons of foam.My comp cams(junk) roller rockers are starting to rust slight and discolor. These blower motors run at 90-120 degrees with just a water crossover,you can see condensation form from the cold water going thru block and heads. The aluminum heads don't help things either. I never go over 20 hours with oil,usually closer to 10 hours. It takes alot to get oil to warm up to temp with the 14 qt pan even though the oil cooler i run has temp bypass. Some of the water in michigan that i run in is real cooold,i hate to run my boat without getting oil good and hot,i laugh when i see these guys that love to show off leaving the ramp running there boats at wot after warming them up for 30 seconds,that KILLS valve springs,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Hillbilly,I think thats how i killed my msd coil earler this summer,i quit pulling the coil wire off and started un plugging the twin plug connector to my NEW coil,then it doesn't spark at all,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

When my present motors were installed I had hoses hooked directly to the oil pan drain fitting. I simply warm the motors, connect the hose to my Jabsco pump on a bucket and in a few minutes its all sucked out. I'll usually let it drain for a few more minutes then do a final pump. Put the cap back in the fitting on the end of the hose and it's over. I also fill my filters when I install them. I use extra large heavy duty baggies over the filter and cover below the filter area with paper towels for any spill. When the filter is off I seal the baggy and carry to an oil disposal depot along with the changer bucket. I use 20W 50 Alysin synthetic @ 50 hr intervals.

It's easy, not messy at all, quick, and I believe it gets more oil out than through the dipstick tube.

30-45 minutes start to finish both motors.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

My drain plug is on the side of the pan. I pull the plug and turn on the shop vac!!!!! :D

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

anyone ever suck it out the dip tube then pull the drain plug to see how much it really gets out ? I would like to know. .....

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Sucking the oil out of the dipstick isn't a option for me as my hardin marine 14 qt pan(junk) uses a flimsy plastic dipstick BUT the worst contamination(small debris and metal particles) would be left in the very bottom of the pan if you sucked it out of the dipstick tube as it is ar least 1/4 inch from bottom of the pan if not more.Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

you cut the plastic tube at an angle and stick it down the dip stick tube. You can get it right on the bottom of the pan. I pulled the pan plug after doing it one time and got about 1or 2 teaspoons of oil out. I don't think you can get much better than that. Then you just reverse the pump and pump it into the empty jugs.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I use a Topsider MVP...Metal can with a hand pump...about 30 pumps and warmed up oil for 10 minutes comes out the dipstick tube in about 2 minutes.

I once measured the amount sucked out by filling empty oil bottles and most all came out. I used oil filter magnets to keep the metal on the sides of the filter and not the bottom of the pan.

Complete oil change in 2 motors with filters in about a 1/2 hour. Had both drives draining as well...heated the sides up with a hot air gun...

What matters is having a routine that works for you and a schedule. Then checking the dipstick before every run for color and gasoline smell...if it smells like gas it's out of there.

My friends are now going 30-35 hours on M-1 Extended 15W-50.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I have the topsider dipstick changer as well with a 502EFI. I have probably about a cup of oil that comes out the oil pan drain when I pull the plug. I'm not real fond of my topsider....what are you guys using for the "electric motor and a 5 gallon bucket"? I've seen them advertised but can you make one that's cheaper?

Great thread!!!

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I heard if you drain while the boat is in the water you can get a bit more out as the pan is tipped back.

Don't sweat a small amount remaining if you change regularly.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Excellent idea,I guess i never really thought of that.I will see if any of my tubes that came with my oil sucker that i bought when boat had stock dipstick tube will fit thru the plastic tube,sounds like it has worked for you in the past. I have adapted it to my drain hose before when i was in a hurry but my pump only holds 5 quarts so you have to do it several times. Its great when someone points something out so obvious that has been overlooked ,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

[QUOTE=Hydrocruiser]I heard if you drain while the boat is in the water you can get a bit more out as the pan is tipped back.
I try to make sure boat is sitting so motor looks as level as possible because my drain is in very center of the pan,Smitty

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

Smitty,

I have a panavac sytem on my boat. The exhaust draws a vacuum on the motor like on a sprint car setup. I had them on both sides but that seemed to cause more condensation, so now one valve cover draws air from inside the air cleaner and the other is still hooked to panavac. Never any sign of water now.

Re: How do YOU change your oil?
 

I have a Hardin 10 qt pan and there is a drain bung in the bottom of the sump and the pan is actually funneled to that bung to insure complete removal of old oil. I have a hose that I leave threaded into that bung for easy pump out. I don't get carried away draining lines and the oil cooler. I just pump the old out, change the filter and add the new. I do change oil every 15 hrs.

Craig