Change oil in the Spring or Fall?
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Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: Common Questions
Forum Discription: Visit here first for common questions regarding your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15747
Printed Date: November-22-2024 at 7:05am
Topic: Change oil in the Spring or Fall?
Posted By: skierbrant
Subject: Change oil in the Spring or Fall?
Date Posted: November-04-2009 at 11:52pm
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Does it really matter when you change your oil? My dad always changed the oil just before winterizing so I have always followed suit. I hear of others waiting until spring to change just to make sure there isn't any condensation. So now this year, I am thinking of waiting until spring time to change the oil! Any thoughts? ------------- mailto:skierbrant@aol.com - Brant Augensen http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1536&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1989&yrend=1989 - My 89 Nautique |
Replies:
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:02am
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I've whondered the same. Does oil break down? ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: Andy
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:20am
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I thought the worry was the acidity of dirty oil, or something like that. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=3721&sort=&pagenum=6&yrstart=1982&yrend=1982" rel="nofollow - My Blue 82 SOLD! |
Posted By: vrod02
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:51am
| Doesn't matter. Fog your engines! |
Posted By: Terp
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 1:14am
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This topic was hashed out to a certain degree recently in this thread...
(it comes up further down in the thread) http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=15348&KW=OIL&title=winterization-anomolies - Winterization Anomolies I think the general consensus is fog your engine, get the old oil and all the contaminants out, new oil in and put her to bed. |
Posted By: skierbrant
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 1:59am
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Good Thread! Guess I missed that one. Sounds like I will continue changing in the fall like I always have done! Thanks. ------------- mailto:skierbrant@aol.com - Brant Augensen http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1536&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1989&yrend=1989 - My 89 Nautique |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 11:02am
Fogging is something I do, but not everyone does. It does matter when you change your oil. Like I said in the other thread, its commonly agreed upon that it should be changed at the end of the season so that the block doesnt sit all winter with the old, acidic oil in it. ------------- |
vrod02 wrote:Posted By: tullfooter
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 11:42am
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Do you guys see a little water in the drain tube as the oil starts to run out? It happened when I did mine last week, and I figured it was condensation in the drain hose. ------------- Play hard, life's not a trial run. '85 BFN '90 BFN White Lake, Michigan |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 11:53am
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I took the drain hose off an old Ford engine and drained it out through the oil pan plug and got about an ounce of water.
I change in the fall, but does it really matter? The oil drains into the oil pan and just sits there, and how long does it take for oil to get acidic? An old boat mechanic told me the reason why it is recommended to change in the fall is because most people won't do it in the spring because they're in too much of a hurry to get their boat in the water. ------------- |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:17pm
Bruce, its the byproducts from combustion that contaminate the oil. New oil with no run time will never turn acidic. ------------- |
Posted By: Air206
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:18pm
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I get a little water when I begin to drain..... but the water is clear, not sludgy so I always figure it is from the outside of the hose and the edges of the bilge drain........ never anything to fret over since the oil is always great lookin. ------------- https://tinyurl.com/y6t5e3bu" rel="nofollow - 04 Air206 http://tinyurl.com/9urzgls" rel="nofollow - 91 Barefoot 78 SkiTiq |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:24pm
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Tim, don't you fire the boat up after you change the oil? That's when I fog. Does that contaminate the oil? I've been changing the oil in our Skier every fall for the past 6 years and it usually only has 10-15 hours on it. People with multiple boats may only put a few hours on them each year. I got to wonder do they really need oil changes? ------------- |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:35pm
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With that little run time, I wouldnt worry about it Bruce. Sometimes I fog before changing the oil, sometimes I do a quick restart afterwards and fog it then. I dont think it matters much. ------------- |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 12:42pm
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With one or 2 boats, I've always changed it every fall, but now with having a couple project boats that get little run time, I'm beginning to re think things.
On winterizing I'm thinking about switching from draining and filling with anti freeze, to draining and pouring 2 gallons of -100 anti freeze through the engine and re capturing it and using it on all the boats. But that's another thread... ------------- |
Posted By: skierbrant
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 4:37pm
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After I change my oil, I probably only run my boat for another 5 to 10 minutes while I am fogging it out. ------------- mailto:skierbrant@aol.com - Brant Augensen http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1536&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1989&yrend=1989 - My 89 Nautique |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 5:03pm
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Got mine tucked in at a warm shop till St. John's at the latest. Whonder if I should have loosened the belts? ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: behindpropeller
Date Posted: November-05-2009 at 5:16pm
Changing the oil to get the acid out really does not mean anything unless you run it for a few minutes after the oil change. There is still old acidic oil in the bearings, even after you change it. Running it with the new oil is the only way to flush the system. Mine has always been changed twice a year. Once just before winterization and the other time, usually in July. With 1600+ hours on it and 115-125 compression cold this is a pretty good indicator. Still does not burn enough oil to be noticeable. I always get water in the oil when I drain it because it leaks from the bilge into the oil container through wicking action along the drain hose. Tim ------------- |
Posted By: Waterdog
Date Posted: November-06-2009 at 5:37pm
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OK - I'm from the goverment and I'm here to help. I'm NOAP(Navy Oil anaylsis program) and JOAP(Joint-service Oil Analysis Program) qualifided
A total acid no.(TAN) is pretty much solubilized water in oil. A small by-product of combustion is water that gets squeezed out. In piston engines that "stuff" or blow-by that gets passed the rings mixes with the oil in the pan, and builds up. In turbine engines(jets) the oil and combustion process never cross paths. The oil for jets will sometimes get contaminated in the aircraft service barrels and requires a "TAN" test. All in all it's best to change the oil before she goes into hibernation for the winter. P.S. I ran 238 oil samples today. ------------- - waterdog - http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=3896&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1978&yrend=1978" rel="nofollow - 78 Ski Tique |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-06-2009 at 5:51pm
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Now that's thinking with your dipstick Jimmy! ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: November-06-2009 at 9:17pm
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Good (high grade) oil has a acid neutralizer additive that eventually gets used up with hours of use. I like to change it in the fall, for the same reasons mentioned above. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: Waterdog
Date Posted: November-06-2009 at 11:41pm
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SNobsessed,
What acid neutralizer additive do you mean. It will have to soak-up water(hydroscopic quilities) methanol or toluene will get "used up" when it soaks up all the water it can hold. Any additive hurts lubricity, anti-foaming, detergent what ever. They do what they do but don't help lubrication. With spectroscopic analysis we are able to detect 24 elements @ 1/10 part per million (PPM) the oils with zinc have over 1000 ppm Zn(Mil-PRF-2104 oils). The best oils are pure petroleum straight grade 30/40/50 wt. for severe duty, zinc adds high pressure protection for the cam/lifters/spring pressure and diesels. 5w-10w-15w adds cold start protection by thinning the oil at low temps BUT the straight grade oil is up to 5 times "sticky er" so they work better. I understand multi viscosity oils have there place and I use them but with proper warm up and oil pressure straight grades are the BEST in piston engines. Have you ever "FELT" a fuel(Nitromethane) car run ? Police cars, fire trucks ect ... all use straight grade oil. When I "found" my cracked block (a LOT water in the oil)I saved a sample to analyze. It was a tan/cream color. I tried to spin it down in a centrifuge but it would'nt seperate. Looking at it under magnification it was a fine "foam". Now that it's sat on my desk for more then a year it's 3 seperate parts creamy color foam on top the middle is a dark tan foam and the bottom is PURE oil. I think that's why ya see a little water in the oil drain, it seperates out. ------------- - waterdog - http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=3896&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1978&yrend=1978" rel="nofollow - 78 Ski Tique |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-07-2009 at 1:13am
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Andy,
That is very, very interesting, but if it would be better for me to use a straight weight in my new boat, why does PCM recommend a multi? This is a real question and not sarcasim by the way. ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: November-07-2009 at 1:18am
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Andy - I certainly don't want to start another pee'in contest like I did 2 years ago!
This is the oil I started using this year, it is comparable to VR1, but locally mixed. Not trying to sell anyone on this brand. This is where I got the idea that oil has a acid neutralizer, maybe I got it wrong: 
 ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: Waterdog
Date Posted: November-07-2009 at 11:49am
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It's all good. (you'll know if I get aggravated )
There's a reason for multi- grades start up, warm up protection. Ever put in drive, when your in a hurry before the starter stops turning? I have. Straight grades DO require special care that my wife just dosen't get and sometimes I forget. TAN's and PPM's for most of us isn't very useful. Just remember to change your oil and if it's the least bit cloudy it's reached it's saturation point. Most engine wear happens at start up. Big dollar engines always use pre-oiling of some sort, accumulators, rotating the engine with out ignition to build oil pressure... In the material lab we listen to the manufactures "pitch men" then test it our selves to see if "it" does what they say it does. The manufactures usually have a big contract(money) on the line. I remember when FRAM was top shelf stuff now I'd have a hard time wiping my butt with a fram filter. ------------- - waterdog - http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=3896&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1978&yrend=1978" rel="nofollow - 78 Ski Tique |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-07-2009 at 2:44pm
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Andy, what's your opion on filters? ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: Waterdog
Date Posted: November-07-2009 at 11:45pm
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SN 206,
Just get back from the drag strip. Wix, Napa (made by Wix) Motor Craft (Ford) are good choices for paper filters. Fram has a plastic by-pass valve and maybe 60-70% of the filter material of a better filter. Mobil 1, Red Line, Royal Purple ect make synthetic filters that are very fine 3-5 micron (I think) but you can buy 3-4 Wix filters for the price of 1 synthetic filter. Warm it up easy ,change the oil every 50 hrs. and at the end of the season with Shell Rotella 15-40 and a (stock) engine will last 2000 plus hrs. But - I hot rod mine so I have a bunch of extra crap! ------------- - waterdog - http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=3896&sort=&pagenum=2&yrstart=1978&yrend=1978" rel="nofollow - 78 Ski Tique |
Posted By: SN206
Date Posted: November-08-2009 at 1:29am
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Thanks,I payed an arm and a leg for this motor option and I use it mostly for footing so it gets worked hard. I just want to take the best care of it. I've seen wix before, but I'll look around for the others. ------------- ...those who have fallen and those who will. |
Posted By: skierbrant
Date Posted: November-08-2009 at 1:11pm
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Now what about the gas tank? Full or almost empty for winter storage? I typically try to leave mine with 1/8 of a tank of gas with sta-bil in it. Seems to work but I get conflicting stories on this subject too. ------------- mailto:skierbrant@aol.com - Brant Augensen http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1536&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1989&yrend=1989 - My 89 Nautique |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: November-08-2009 at 2:20pm
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I fill it up, with Sta-bil added to the gas. Supposedly this reduces condensation. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: wakeboardin2k4
Date Posted: November-10-2009 at 9:33pm
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Sta-bil doesn't prevent phasing that occurs with ethanol fuels. Not trying to open up a can of worms...just saying what ive seen ------------- "I'm planning to bring my girl that rides on a trailer with me and leave my girl that complains about camping at home" |