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/
