oil change question
 

I changed the oil in my 496 HO this year as I usually do every year and got to use it a total of 20 hours before the lake went to drought levels with no boat ramps to launch. Hopefully 2012 will be better. Is it safe for me to keep the oil in the boat with that few hours on it for next year 2012. I assume so but want to check with the "experts" here on the forums. Thanks for your time. Dave

i wouldn't consider myself an expert but i change every year regardless of hours, i only got 15 in this year because of flooding, go figure right?:angry-smiley-038:

It would depend on how the 20hrs was run. If it was all WOT or close to it, change it. If it was mostly cruising 3200rpm and a couple wot hits each outing you are good to run it another year.

good for another year..

for as little as a oil change cost...i'ld just change it for the peace of mind...

Change it.

Change it, condensation and other other contaminants sit in and with the oil, I'd change it at least once a year even if you only put 5 hours on it. Never taken an engine apart and said "wow this guy changes his oil way too often"

+1.

The oil is the last thing that gets changed in my boats, regardless of hrs, just for that reason.... contaminates.

Really, this is where to look to try and save a FEW bucks?

change it

+1000 :drink::drink:







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Any contaminants in the oil can start to affect the metal in the engine over time. This is why car manufacturers state to change the oil after so many miles, or so much time, depending on which is first. Most engine manual instructions I believe do the same....

Plus, if you have to ask, change it anyway. I change mine at the beginning and end of each season. Regardless of hours. If I have more then 30 hours during a season, then I change it again during the season. Never been broken down and have always run well..... Cheap insurance when considering the cost of a rebuild....

??? Is that a typo or do you really change fresh oil just because it sat in the motor all winter? I change mine at lay-up time and run the engine long enough to circulate the new oil. Then I usually change it once in the middle of the season. (about every 20 hours)

Nope, not a typo at all. I change at the beginning and end of each season. Oil sitting in an engine for an extended period of time (i.e. 6 months or so) tends to leach contaminates into the metal and affect bearings, oil lines, seals, etc. Granted, this is not a huge problem, but over the years it can take a toll. I have always been taught, and a lot of folks agree, that putting fresh oil in helps keep this process at bay. I use either Merc Synthetic or Amsoil when running during the season, and back down to a non-synth Rotella or Delo 15-40 for storage. (This way it does not get to expensive just for storage. )

In my 22 years of boating, I have never had an issue with any oil-related problems on ANY of my boats. It may seem in excess to some, but it seems to work out very well for me. My last Sea Ray 340 had over 1500 hours on the original 454's. Still had 30psi at idles and 45 at cruise. I was doing something right.

Like I said earlier, if you have to ask then change it. It is cheap insurance.

I agree with the contaminate issue and also change the oil and filter and run the engine before 5-6 months of indoor storage. I just don't see any need to change it again in the spring when it's brand new.:confused:

All I can say is you guys worry way too much. Its a good thing you don't have 3 boats with 5 engines. Your carbon footprint would look like godzillas. Not to mention I have never seen evidence of these acids or byproducts of combustion ever causing internal damage to any engine. Now if your oil is shot from over temp or dirty from too many hrs or other failure like fueling, change it. Otherwise you are just enriching those in the crude oil patch.

After you change the oil at the end of the season, run it so it is circulated and store it for 5-6 moths, it is no longer "new oil". When you drained the last of your old oil out, your motor is not suddenly sterile. Contaminates still reside in the residue of the old oil and at the bottom of your oil pan and lifter valley. When you changed that oil at the end of the season and recirculated the new oil, you started the contamination process all over again.

It's OK if your not as anal retentive as I am. This is just what I do. I used to conduct oil analysis of my oil several times a year on previous boats. I can attest that the oil after sitting for a storage period is not "new" any longer..... It looks new, but.....

Does it count that I have 4 boats with 6 engines. And do the same for all 6? Two of them are from 1958 and still run like new......

I'm often accused of "Overmaintaining" my equipment. It still seems to break... but that's not the point ;)

There's certainly nothing wrong with your oil change schedule. Oil is very cheap compared to motors. I have done the same in the past as well, although I usually use a less expensive oil for the storage months then switch back to the good stuff for the summer.

I'm with you. I think these guys are losing sight of the fact we are talking about a 496 HO.

:stupid:

wives tales

Right on. The engines in my scarab are supercharged so they get a different schedule then my 350cid crusaders in the carver. In fact more often then not I rebuild them (the scarab) to winterize them. Just reloaded port back in last weekend all refreshed for another year of thrashing. A 496ho is a work horse of known tune which will make the oil stay clean unless like said originally the guy did the 20hrs at wot.

Keep changing in boys, this guy needs a new boat!!!:evilb:

+ 1

I was thinking of you phil when I wrote that. Although $150/barrel wouldn't upset me a bit either.:grinser010:

Way too much fuss over all this. If you have a stock, non-juiced engine you can change your oil whenever using $.99 wal mart oil and you will never know the difference.

I used to change oil every year or two in a basic small block chevy engine using the cheapest oil I could find and got 3000 hours out of it. It does not make a big difference.

If you have a hot or super/turboed motor then you should change often and use good oil, otherwise it makes no difference.

As for storage, it will make absolutely no difference when you change the oil. Not the slightest.

Always change oil and filter at the end of the season. Use an oil that is recommended for long termed storage such and Mobil-1 20W-50 V-Twin or Mercury Oil and worries of corrosion are negated completely.

Piston rings can take a beating during storage and a potential dry strat the following season. M-1 coats very well and hangs on better than most.

If you want an edge then this is the way to go.

Only if you re-start the engine and pump the new oil thru out the motor.

If you just change the oil and let it sit in the pan, the only engine componet to see fresh oil is the pan. You basicly did nothing at all to protect the engine parts from seasonal layup issues.

Ken

The Mercury 496 manual says oil change is to change the oil a minimum of once a year. Take it for what it's worth ....

I always restart long enough to fill the oil filter/get oil press and let it run a few seconds to circulate thru.

How much money do you have in the boat? How much did you spend in gas to run it? Oil is a small .001 percent of that, change it as much as you can. End of story..

the best question is how long do you plan to own it? a few years don't bother, forever change it.

I can guarantee if you have the oil analyzed now you will find it has plenty of life left in it, and in six months of sitting it will be essentially the same

Awww, come on guys, it's so simple maybe you need a refresher course. Heyya! It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads, and I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

Glad to see I was to get a topic with so much response. We hit 80 degrees here today in Austin 1-20-12. Hope to get the boat out soon and will probably just run it the first time with what I have and then come back and change it to some new stuff while it is warmed up. 3 month lay up on a oil that has seen 20 hours is not that long.

names Fletch. Fletch F. Fletch.

Fax those to Rita (Who's Rita?)
She's my secretary. (Who are you?)
Rita's boss. -walk out.....

I change my oil at 10-15 hrs with my supercharged set up. Always at the end of the season with fresh oil and run to winterize. My boat stays in a garage that is not temperature controlled. Condensation is a real problem in the winter when my dehumidifier is ineffective. I popped one of the valve covers off last year and saw water droplets on the rockers and inside heads. There is no doubt in my case the oil is contaminated over the winter.
I am not for doing unecessary things, but I think storage conditions should be factored into the decision. If your boat is lucky enough to be in a controlled climate I think your not going to have as much reason to change in the spring.

My guys use 20W-50 M-1 V-twin in my blower engines with Wix Filters.

Oil changed every 20 hrs and at the end of the season 30wt dino is installed and in the spring after initial startup and warmup up for 20 minutes it gets changed back to V-twin.