What kind of motor oil do you use?

[Skywalker]

Question for the group.

How many of you have the old, manual oil extraction pump?

My 1966 has it. When I got the boat back from Harry, the yard removed it, threw it in the bilge. The leather cup was shot. I went to my auto part store on the advice of Ken. He sent me to the hardware store. Turns out a 1/2 inch faucet washer fits just fine.

Love that old pump. It's just cool. I put a two liter soda bottle in the bilge, and pump away.

Skywalker

[Mo]

Pre-season oil change done 10 April 2013. Used a drill pump to suck the old oil out but wasn't as happy with the results as when I used a shop vac. My son burned the motor out of it over the winter ...sucked plastic up around the air intake and burnt it up...so I'm down to one 5 gallon shop vac and have to keep that one hydrocarbon free..LOL.

I found the drill pump didn't have the ability to suck the base pan really dry...so, I may commission the "garage" shop vac for oil changes.

Mobile 15w40 in there again....change again in 20 - 25 hrs. Engine hrs on new meter showing 166. (I will refer to hrs here for next oil change as I have not started this year's log yet....I know I'll forget. ) Engine fired first thing again this year and purring like a kitty.

[BadaBing]

shell rotella 10-40 as of last year.

[hanleyclifford]

I love the 15-40w Rotella, too; but watch your start up pressure and let her warm up thoroughly before going to work.

[Bratina]

I love the 15-40w Rotella, too; but watch your start up pressure and let her warm up thoroughly before going to work.

I've been running the same 15-40w Rotella too, since day one (when I swapped out some kind of black treacle that the PO had apparently been using). Oil pressure hasn't been an issue, although I'm on Lake Ontario so only in the water April - Oct. I change the oil every 40h or so as it's cheap insurance, and it's always clean-looking when I change it.

[sastanley]

I love the 15-40w Rotella, too; but watch your start up pressure and let her warm up thoroughly before going to work.

Hanley, For this very reason (I was seeing 70+ PSI), I am trying the 5w-40 Synthetic Rotella for 2016. I'll let you know pressures after spring start up. Too bad we cannot change our poll choice as our decisions evolve.

[joe_db]

Someone on here had good luck with Mobil 1 motorcycle oil. I am somewhat nervous about using automotive synthetics with a wet clutch.
BTW - our local Dollar Store has both Marvel Mystery Oil and Rotella 15w40

Hanley, For this very reason (I was seeing 70+ PSI), I am trying the 5w-40 Synthetic Rotella for 2016. I'll let you know pressures after spring start up. Too bad we cannot change our poll choice as our decisions evolve.

[jbsoukup]

I switched from 10w30 to 15w40 Rotella for last season, after reading so many posts in favor of it.
I have noticed no significant change in pressure, but she does sound a little quieter.
I'm going to stick with it. I like the idea of more detergent.

With the 10w30, after motoring at idle speed for extended periods, when I would increase throttle, I would get a big puff of oil smoke. This seems to be greatly reduced (if not eliminated) with the heavier Rotella.

as a side note, I have used 5w30, 10w30, and straight weight 30.

I'm pretty sure lower viscosity yields higher pressure readings and more blow by and valve guide leakage, hence more smoke.

[hanleyclifford]

In my experience higher viscosity yields higher oil pressure for the same conditions. Oil pressure should be regarded as a specification whereas valve guide leakage is a failure of specification.

[jbsoukup]

so are you guys seeing higher pressure at start up and then a decrease after the engine warms up?

[edwardc]

so are you guys seeing higher pressure at start up and then a decrease after the engine warms up?

Yes, exactly. When cold, I show a pressure of 40PSI @2000 RPM. This drops to between 25-30 PSI when fully warmed. That's with 15W40 oil.

[jbsoukup]

hmmmm, I guess I don't pay close enough attention to my pressure. warmed up at cruising speed it's always near 40. and I do check often when I'm under way, but mine seems to be lower at start-up. probably because it's not making the revs it would under way.

[jbsoukup]

what kind of start-up temps are you guys dealing with?
Sometimes in spring around here it can be as low as 40 degrees, but I guess if straight 30 weight is okay, 15w-40 should be no problem.

[joe_db]

It is pretty rare to start the engine when it is below 32 degrees engine block temp for obvious reasons. I have started it a few times on 20 degree days and had to rewinterize at the end of the day.

what kind of start-up temps are you guys dealing with?
Sometimes in spring around here it can be as low as 40 degrees, but I guess if straight 30 weight is okay, 15w-40 should be no problem.

[Mo]

Starting around freezing temps not an issue. Diesel engines do it all the time and their tolerances and journals are no larger than ours. As long as the oil is good oil. In the "Arctic" we used 0W40 diesel oil but most still had 15w40 with a block heater. If it was -40 we kept machines running 24 hrs a day anyway. 32 F or 0C is not too cold for this stuff.

When the spring comes my boat goes in: there are many mornings when the frost is on the deck and I fire up and go for a sail. Same in the fall, mornings are cold.