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Advice re servicing intervals


Nick D

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6 minutes ago, Nick D said:

 Doing it once a year is much simpler and from what you have said that should be ok?

 

Not unless the hours per is equal or less than the manufacturers service interval.

Perhaps you are only reading the answers you want to read .

 

 

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1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

I agree.

Extending the time from 250 to 400 hrs is ok now and again and wont adversely affect the engine but you should normally do it every 250 hrs. It takes less than 30 mins to change the oil so you can easily do it when out and about, a hour or two after you finish your daily cruise so the oil is nice and warm. It is soooooooo easy to do. Even a muppet can do it.

I normally stop, have a cup of tea and then do the oil change, it lets it cool enough to handle but warm enough to flow.

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7 minutes ago, MartynG said:

 

Not unless the hours per is equal or less than the manufacturers service interval.

Perhaps you are only reading the answers you want to read .

 

 

Yes, you’re probably right Martin!  I will go over the hours on this occasion, but will aim to stick to the recommended hours in future.  I have been on the RCR mechanics course and know that I ought to be able to do it myself but I just lack confidence. Strange really, as in all other aspects of life I’m very gung-ho and dont mind going out of my comfort zone but for some reason engines frighten me. Same with cars as I have never looked under the bonnet save for basic checking etc. Guess I just need to man up and get on with it. (Sorry, I know I’m not supposed to use that expression any more but it seems appropriate in this case!)

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My method (every 4 weeks) was :

Start engine.

Boil kettle and make Cup-Of-Tea.

Take SWMBO Breakfast and Tea in bed.

Switch off 'warm' engine.

Pump out engine oil (in built pump)

Put plastic bag around filter, unscrew filter (extend plastic bag to catch oil as filter is removed.

Screw in new filter.

Fill up oil

Start engine

Tell SWMBO it is 'up-time'.

SWMBO washes and dresses.

Stop engine allow oil to settle, check level. Top up if necessary.

Start engine.

Untie lines - depart.

Wife makes bacon butty and mug of tea.

 

half-an hour from start to finish.

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31 minutes ago, Nick D said:

Thanks all for your comments and the answer is what I was hoping for. Tbh, I think we will be averaging about 400 hours a year made up of several 3/4 week cruises and I was hoping to have a service every year rather than every 250 hours as this inevitably falls mid cruise or I end up having one service under the recommended timescale and one over. Doing it once a year is much simpler and from what you have said that should be ok?

Well, you could draw that conclusion, but you're practically doubling the oem's recommended service interval.  The interval has a safety margin, clearly, and but that's not the same as it being stupidly conservative - ill considered short service intervals don't sell engines. Whilst a few hours over might be fine, your interpretation means the engine is routinely going to run for a further 150 hours beyond the point where the oil within it can no longer be guaranteed to provide the minimum level of protection its manufacturer thinks it needs.  An oil change is an easy job even for a novice and it takes half an hour maximum, so stick as close as reasonably practical to the 250hr intervals -  annual changes at 450 hours would be neglect.

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22 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

My method (every 4 weeks) was :

Start engine.

Boil kettle and make Cup-Of-Tea.

Take SWMBO Breakfast and Tea in bed.

Switch off 'warm' engine.

Pump out engine oil (in built pump)

Put plastic bag around filter, unscrew filter (extend plastic bag to catch oil as filter is removed.

Screw in new filter.

Fill up oil

Start engine

Tell SWMBO it is 'up-time'.

SWMBO washes and dresses.

Stop engine allow oil to settle, check level. Top up if necessary.

Start engine.

Untie lines - depart.

Wife makes bacon butty and mug of tea.

 

half-an hour from start to finish.

Thanks Alan, I have an oil sump pump and what you say makes sense.  Maybe I will have a go after this next service which I have already booked.  Don’t know why I’m being such a wimp

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7 minutes ago, Nick D said:

Thanks Alan, I have an oil sump pump and what you say makes sense.  Maybe I will have a go after this next service which I have already booked.  Don’t know why I’m being such a wimp

You could ask whoever you have booked to let you change the oil and filter while they have a cup of tea and keep an eye on you. That is the only bit you really need to do between annuals.

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4 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Mayfair used to show a good selection.

 

My New Year Resolution is to give up Celibacy (I may need help)

I think that has probably reached 9/10 on the Auntie grumpy-Icther scale so we had better cease otherwise Uncle Sam will start moaning again. Oh no, he won't see the posts as he has us on block.

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If you extend the oil change intervals it must be done from a position of knowledge, not hope.

 

When I worked for BT I was part of a senior management project looking to reduce maintenance costs, but not reliability.

 

For their 6500 standby generators we took a selection of 5% as a pilot trial and had oil samples monitored rather than oil changed annually or at a specified number of hours.

 

Eventually we were able to extend the service interval of all 6500 generators, based on the results of the oil analysis.

 

However it is important to note that unlike the diesel engines in boats, standby generator engines have crankcase heaters to pre-warm the coolant and lubricating oil, thus enabling the engine to take full load within 30 seconds of starting. This minimises wear (90% of engine wear occurs whilst the engine is warming up) and means no condensation ever contaminates the lubricating oil.

 

For a single engine oil analysis just isn't cost effective, so I would just change the oil every year, 250 hours or even sooner.

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11 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

My method (every 4 weeks) was :

Start engine.

Boil kettle and make Cup-Of-Tea.

Take SWMBO Breakfast and Tea in bed.

Switch off 'warm' engine.

Pump out engine oil (in built pump)

Put plastic bag around filter, unscrew filter (extend plastic bag to catch oil as filter is removed.

Screw in new filter.

Fill up oil

Start engine

Check around oil filter for any leaks (If your engine does not have a built-in pump and you've drained it from the sump check around the plug for any leaks too).

Tell SWMBO it is 'up-time'.

SWMBO washes and dresses.

Stop engine allow oil to settle, check level. Top up if necessary.

Start engine.

Untie lines - depart.

Wife makes bacon butty and mug of tea.

 

half-an hour from start to finish.

 

  • Greenie 1
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One major advantage of doing it yourself is that it builds familiarity with your engine, and lets you find other minor problems, such as chafing hoses, minor water leaks. etc before they become major ones. Unlike someone you're paying to do the job, you're not "on the clock".

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