Oil Changes on long cruises

John S · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:02 am Post subject: Oil Changes on long cruises

This question is for the serious long range, multi-day cruisers.

We will be cruising the Northern half of the inside passage next year starting out in Haines. I may be due an oil change while underway on my twin Honda BF90's. So....how is it done. Changing oil on my Honda's makes a mess everytime, I couldn't keep oil out of the water if I tried to change it while floating. I haven't even mentioned the easy possibility of dropping the drain plug in the water.

So how is it done.

Thanks,

starcrafttom · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:10 am Post subject:

You dont do it in the water. How long are you going to be gone? If your motors are going to be due for a oil change soon there is no reason not to do them early before you leave. so you think you are going to put 200hours on the motors on this trip???

Dora~Jean · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:31 am Post subject:

Is it possible to put a small tube down the dipstick hole and suck the old oil out?

doc · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 4:06 am Post subject:

I've done it in the water, using my oil suction pot and long tube that goes down the dipstick. Worked well for me on the 25 and was pretty clean, didn't get any in the water. You are welcome to borrow mine if by chance your change interval should fall or be planned for when you are in Juneau. The biggest problem, especially in S.E. is disposal of the used oil.

rogerbum · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:19 am Post subject:

As others have suggested, you can fairly easily change the oil cleanly while on the water by using one of the vacuum pumps and a tube down the dip stick. You might not get all the oil, but if you change frequently and change it while it's warm, this is fine (and certainly better than not changing). West Marine (and other stores) have a wide variety of pumps. Many have a container/pump system so the oil goes straight from the engine to a jug. If you do a search for "oil change" on the West marine web site, it will list several - typical prices for a manually operated on are about $50.

I'm not too familiar with how they do things in SE Alaska, but here in WA nearly every marina I have ever been to has a place to dispose of used oil. That may be a regulation the state puts on marinas to encourage proper disposal - I don't know. All I do know is that I see many places in marinas for oil disposal. Also, I think places in WA that sell oil are required to accept used oil for recycling. You could probably call a few places along your route to find if any accept used oil. I'd bet there are some places that do within a few block walk of some marina along the way.

Jeanie P · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:56 am Post subject:

Thomas
My 90 Honda manual calls for oil and gear oil change every 100 hours. Confused

On a long cruise, I'd be changing about every three weeks.
Allan

tsturm · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:13 am Post subject: Re: Oil Changes on long cruises

mikeporterinmd · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject:

Maybe you could get a haul in the sling, buy the oil locally, borrow a
place to hold it, do the change yourself, and dump the oil. Around here,
a haul in the sling would be $50 or so for a large boat. I don't know if t would
cost less than that for a small boat.

That way, you don't have to carry a tank to drain the oil into, a pump,
and the oil while on the trip. Us CD-22 owners try to never carry anything
we don't really need to/want to!

Mike

SEA3PO · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject:

The easiest thing would be to change it before you go.....

But the more complicated answer would have to come from some real outboard expert.... I know that in a car we mainly change our oil to remove contaminants....most of which accumulate from short starts and stops...and remove moisture from he oil... when a motor is run for an extended period of time is dries itself of moisture... from he heat of the crankcase...and extended running does not build up the same contaminants... so for cars that are used on long runs the oil change periods are extended...sometimes allot... Possibly that will also be true with an outboard...

Just a thought

Joel
SEA3PO

Hunkydory · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject:

I remember when this subject came up before someone maybe El and Bill had a person at one of the harbors who had a business doing just that sort of thing, suction it out at the harbor. Believe they posted the price and it didn't sound to bad. Better than carrying the paraffinalia with you.

We use Mobile 1, 100% syn, extended use and wouldn't be afraid to go beyond the normal change hours on such a trip.

Jay

John S · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the response guys.

Yes, my BF90's call for a motor oil and gear oil change every 100 hours.

By the time we start this journey we will have about 40-50 hours since the last change from our May PWS cruise.

It sounds like the best bet is to start this trip on a fresh lube job. I would be OK if I went over 20 hours or so, but I wondered what my options were.

"doc" thanks for offer of loaning the suction pot, hopefully I won't need it, but I'll keep you in mind.

Thanks,
John

Larry H · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject:

John,

I know that Ketchikan, Wrangell, and Craig harbors all have oil recycle tanks, usually at the head of the wharf. Since all the major towns have automobiles, they all have some type of oil recycling.

El and Bill · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject:

Yep, Jay, we had an oil change in Wrangell -- in the water. Don't remember the cost(Our memory is clicking along somewhere a megabite below yours) -- but not very expensive. We have also been told, Joel, maybe by some guy running around named Sea3P0, that we don't have to change but every 200 hours or more if we are using the engines daily and with long runs. Anyway, we get oil changed at the start of an extended cruise and go for it (and save the repair bills for that dude called Sea3P0 if we ever see him again).

Maybe some friendly Brat (with a name like that, that Brat sounds as friendly as Sea3P0) would meet you at a ramp with his empty trailer, pull you out, and then you could change it on the spot or haul to a handy nearby dealer (aren't all Honda dealers handy and nearby?)

thataway · Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject:

There is no harm in charging the oils early--100 hours, depending on speed, may be several thousand miles. When we were crossing oceans, we changed at 200 hours (except diesel injector pump, which required 50 hour intervals--but since we were running at about 50% of rated rpm, we lengthened this to 100 hours). We used the Jabsco pump or Reversco suction pumps, where there was a discharge tube permently plumbed to the diesel's drain plug.

I would think that the lower units would be fine even with 200 hours, if you are running every day.

oldgrowth · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject:

I can’t speak for outboards but all my vehicles get between 5,000 and 7,500 miles between oil changes. Hardly any of this is city miles and most of my vehicles have between 225,000 and 300,000 miles before I sell them. Haven’t had an engine failure since 1972.

If I was going on a long cruise, I would not hesitate putting on 200 hours between oil changes, but I would keep a close eye on the level, color and smell of the oil. If there were any indication it was getting bad, then I would change it sooner.
________
Dave