What kind of motor oil do you use?

[jeffgerritsen]

Don,
Thanks for that clarification. That's the problem I have when I read newsletter with the Droid phone - I miss a few important words here and there -

Jeff

[CalebD]

Rotella T 30W

As Shawn mentioned I use Rotella 30W oil only because the PO of my boat told me to use it.
After reading a bit in Nigel Caulder's book "Boat Owners Mechanical & Electrical Manual" I discovered why. The API rating (American Petroleum Instute) for Rotella T 30W has additives that are compatible with BOTH gas and diesel fueled engines. After looking at the API ratings of oils in the auto parts store I found that very few oils are actually engineered for diesel engines but Rotella T is good for both spark and compression ignition engines.
My engine seems to like it even if it costs a few more dollars.
After our cabin got a small flood that got water in the engine oil Don Moyer suggested I buy some cheaper 30W oil to use for the multiple changes that cleared out the water intrusion problem. The last change was done with Rotella T 30W of course.
The multi-weight oils (15-40) make sense for warmer climates, from the Chesapeake on down to the Gulf, where people tend to keep their boats in the water year round and use them during the winter months when my boat is 'on the hard'. The 15W-40 oil would probably be fine in my engine too but the 30W oil has served me quite well. My engine seems to love it when I change the oil - I can only go by the sound it makes when it is running or purring.

[hanleyclifford]

Most of what is written on a jug of oil is hype and nonsense. I like oil that says 30W, high detergent, and gets out of my engine after 50 hours.

[Marian Claire]

Need some advice. I believe the 50 hr oil change is based on the A-4 with no oil filter. The MC has a filter and I have run more than 50 hrs between oil changes. I would be changing the oil every week on my runs on the ICW. Am I damaging the engine? What is a good hour recommendation on an A-4 with a filter? My filter fits in a canister, not a screw on. If in a place where I can get oil but not a filter can I just leave out the filter?
Dan S/V Marian Claire

[hanleyclifford]

Very interesting. Your cannister style filter has considerably more capacity than my spin on cartridge type (Indigo set up). When running the ICW I do actually change the oil every week, but you may have the filter capacity to go much longer. Still, I would change the oil anytime it looked dirty. I do not change the filter at each oil change, rather every third or fourth oil change.

[Marian Claire]

HC: Thanks for the info. I check the oil every morning before start up so monitoring the color/cleanliness of the oil sounds good. Dan S/V Marian Claire

[jhwelch]

I run the ICW and change the oil about every week too, usually a little longer, because
some runs have to be shorter than what I would like due to how the anchorages
are spaced out.

I start from the top end of MA and do 5 changes @ 2 1/2 quarts/change to get to a
stopping place in FL.

It doesn't take long at the end of the day (or drifting/sailing if I am in a wide spot),
maybe about 15 or 20 minutes from start to finish, when everything is put away
and the motor is on again. I use one of those suction/vacuum canisters so
there's no mess and while it is sucking I can be updating my records.

-Jonathan

[hanleyclifford]

Speaking of oil changes on the ICW...one of the issues that can be difficult is proper disposal of waste oil. Perhaps we can compile a list of disposal facilities that are right on the route. I'll start by listing two that I use. 1) Beaufort SC municipal marina, and 2) Titusville Municipal Marina.

[Marian Claire]

MM185, actually a few miles up river on Clubfoot Creek, Matthews Point Marina, my first and last change.
MM 536, Beaufort SC, Factory Creek, Ladies Island Marina, I think is the name, you can leave oil at the shop to be recycled.
MM 1095, Dinner Key Marina, Coconut Grove Fla
MM 1142 Bayside, Buttonwood Sound, Key Largo, About a block or two south/west of dingy landing is a auto parts, I think it is NAPA, that has recycling.
MM 1195, Boot Key Harbor, Marathon Fla, if registered you can use there recycling area.
MM 140 on the Okeechobee Waterway, Fort Myers Yacht Basin
Dan S/V Marian Claire

[jhwelch]

Dismal Swamp Canal -- Deep Creek (mile 10)
You tie up to the concrete wall by the mexican restaurant and go across the
street to the auto parts store, walk through the counters back into the stock
area and there is a disposal drum there. This is also the best place on the ICW
to get groceries. You can fill your cart up and push it back to the boat.

I also use the previously mentioned Titusville spot.

[hanleyclifford]

The stop at Deep Creek also offers low prices on cases of oil at that Auto Zone. There is kerosene available across the bridge at the filling station. The Mexican restaurant is good too. For a very quiet free dock try the "Elizabeth's Dock" between the lock and the bridge.

[hanleyclifford]

Just an update

Since repenting of my "straight weight" mentality and switching to 15w-40 I have been enjoying steadier oil pressure and less oil loss. FWIW

[Mo]

Nice to hear 15w40 working well.

So it seems 15w40 is working well for you Hanley....cool. I found the same results but I didn't want to push it too hard on the forum here as it is not my forum. You've used your engine consistently for the trip from the Vineyard to Florida...and now heading back, so it's nice to hear that it's working for you and a motor that is punching a few miles

[ILikeRust]

The only concern for me is whether that oil has the friction modifiers that will mess up the wet clutch. I'm assuming you made sure the oil you're using doesn't contain those?

And if so, care to share exactly what brand you've found to work so well?

[hanleyclifford]

Rotella, available at WalMart.