put away with new oil?

[Doug Durako]

Well, looks like we are starting the winterizing and put away discussions, how sad.<br /><br />My questions is about oil changes (motor and drive). What is the point of putting new oil in the motor and drive unit just to let it sit all winter? (I am in the midwest---boat sits in storage from Oct. to April.)<br /><br />I DO CHECK the drive oil for water and fog the motor as part of my "put up" routine. Then I do NOT START the motor in the spring until fresh oil goes in both the motor and drive.<br /><br />That way, I get a little new oil in the top of the motor before starting----I always thought this was better than starting the motor cold with oil that sat for several months.<br /><br />Other opinions, tips? What am I missing?

 

[CCrew]

Re: put away with new oil?

The purpose of changing it before putting it away is so that the acids/combustion byproducts/moisture that have accumulated in the system are removed rather than let stew in the system. Those acids are especially hard on soft items internally like bearings

 

[Boomyal]

Re: put away with new oil?

Use synthetic oil! Then you won't have to worry about acid. Acid is formed in oil when moisture mixes with the sulfer content in all natural petroleum oils. The result is sulphuric acid which does all that CCrew says. <br /><br />Pure synthetic oils have NO sulpher in them so they cannot form acid. Additionally if you do use synthetic and go with the additional bypass filtration, those filters actually remove moisture from the oil as well. See my previous message near the bottom of this thread.<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=003667

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: put away with new oil?

Boom----I am seriously thinking about synthetic stuff next season--in the motor and the drive.<br /><br />CC---why not drain the oil completely and not put anything back? My oil never has more than 40 hours on it---when does all this "breaking down" take place? Doesn't new oil break down anyway over time?

 

[CCrew]

Re: put away with new oil?

Boomyal's absolutely correct in his analogy. I also run synthetic. While Mobil1 themselves will tell you that their Marine testing is limited, the science behind marine lubrication is pretty clear. <br /><br />One of the major issues with marine applications is that you need to minimize high RPM foaming. Since a Marine application is almost exclusively high load/high rpm this can cause lubrication issues if foaming is present, which is more likely in, and is further compounded by the polymer packages that are in many multi-vis dino oils. That's why many manufacturers state single grade as there are no viscosity polymer packages in a single grade stock. Synthetics don't share these problems, as they're much less suceptible to the problem due to the structure of the base stock. The inability to coke, the shear strength, the truly necessary change intervals if oil analysis is done all bear this out. <br /><br />I build crazy fast turbo motors as a "hobby", and have never had an oil related issue driving these motors to beyond 200hp per liter and exclusively run Mobil 1, so personally I swear by it. If it's good enough for a Viper, a Corvette, or an AMG Mercedes from the factory, it's good enough for me. <br /><br />As far as leaving it dry, you probably could, although I'd be very scared of that first dry start of the season after every bit of the oil had drained into the pan. More bearing damage is done in the first 10 seconds of a motor starting than occurs in 10k miles.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: put away with new oil?

CC and all. get one of these. best thing since aspirin;<br /><br /> http://www.autoenginelube.com/pages/903473/index.htm

 

[Hasbeen]

Re: put away with new oil?

BOOMYAL:<br /><br />I myself would have one of these in any car, RV, boat, or anything I owned that ever set for any period of time!<br /><br />Id fill everything with amsoil synthetics, (engine, gear, auto trans,) also bypass oil filter system!<br /><br />I build engines sometimes and I always prelube them before starting them, Whats the difference in a fresh engine and one that has set for a month? or two, or three,???<br /><br />Hasbeen

 

[Boomyal]

Re: put away with new oil?

I'm working on that myself, Hasbeen. This is the first preluber I've seen that cost under $300.00. I've seen some that go for more. That adds up considerable when you have a fleet the size of mine(including boat)<br /><br />But not sure I understand your question Hasbeen. Or were you making a statement that there is basically no difference?<br />(finally got it Hasbeen. You talkin bout a fresh 'dry' motor as opposed to a motor that has sat and drained) <br /><br />First off your synthetics have been shown to actually hang on to idle parts longer than natural petroleum oils. That is great except for parts that take a pounding such as bearings, that actually need lubricant under pressure to protect them. So whether a fresh or older engine sits for an hour, a day or three months, even with synthetic, that pressurized cushion is gone. That is where a pre-luber comes in.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: put away with new oil?

Thanks for all the info. So, if I put synthetic oil in this fall, am I safe to run it 40 hours before changing next spring?

 

[Hasbeen]

Re: put away with new oil?

OK, am I to understand that after you change your oil to synthetis(Amsoil now makes an oil specifically designed for marine use) Im not sure what they recommend for drain intervals on this yet! Then you are going to run it through the winter for 40 hours before spring? I personnally see no problem! <br /><br />Ill research the oil and get back to you!!<br /><br />Ok Im back! They do not give a recomended hour designation but say they can go much longer than conventional oils and have much better acid and rust protection in off season times! The other thing I saw was that the best way to tell if it is time to chang is with oil analysis! Its tough enough having to change oil in an out drive without doing it when you do not have too! <br /><br />Hasbeen

 

[Oil Man]

Re: put away with new oil?

I agree with Hasbeen -- use a good quality synthetic oil with a high TBN (such as Amsoil Diesel/Marine) and you should be fine with 40 hours.<br /><br />I typically use an equivalent of about 40 to 50 miles per hour of operation. 40 hours would be "about" the same as driving 1600 to 2000 miles.<br /><br />I have commercial charter boat accounts that typically go up to 400 hours on an oil change with Amsoil.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: put away with new oil?

Thanks!---I should have been a bit more specific. The boat will sit all winter and I will run it approx. 40 hours next spring before changing oil---about the end of June. The sitting all winter will not hurt synthetic oil?

 

[Oil Man]

Re: put away with new oil?

Not at all.<br /><br />Dave