Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Changing Oil in Your Boat


As with your car, oil is your engine's life blood, and neglecting it can cause irreversible damage. This is particularly true when you're laying up for the winter. Residual acids and moisture left in the crankcase over the winter can pit bearings and other vital engine parts. For this reason we recommend that you do the oil change for boats before laying up for the winter or summer.

Frequency
Engine manufacturers have recommended oil change intervals (check your owner's manual for your engine's specific interval requirements). This applies to both gasoline and diesel engines. If your engine is brand new, we recommend that you make the initial oil change between 20 – 50 hours of operation.

You probably already know that if you use your boat a lot, regular oil changing is a must. Did you know that if you use your boat infrequently, it is important that oil changing follows the manufacturers recommended time interval independent of hours of operation. 

Oil changing is a simple operation, but there are a few things to bear in mind if you want to get the best results
      
  • Before changing, run your engine for a few minutes. This will lower the oil's viscosity and suspend the contaminants.
  • Shut off your engine and change the oil and filter.
  • Prepare in advance to collect oil from sump and filter without spilling it, and for proper disposal.
  • A good tip is to apply a thin coat of oil on the filter's gasket and tighten per manufacturer’s recommendation.
  • Restart your engine and allow the oil to circulate.
  • Check for leaks while it's running.

For more information go to: http://whiticarboatworks.com/