[moondance100]

How many hours do you guys change your oil at? Do you do it at the end of the year or at the beginning? I don't want to leave the end of year combustion by products in there all winter, but then if I change it, I'm thinking moisture, etc...

what a dilemma!

[mikeyt]

You have to change the oil too? Damm....what did i get myself into??



okay...i'll come clean... Usually change mine at the start of the season and at the end of the season just to be safe.

[moondance100]

Thats what I usually do. Start the season with fresh oil and change it around Labor day, then leave that in over winter, then change in spring...etc...

[180diablo]

yeah that sounds like the way to do it, get some fresh clean oil to sit in the crankcase over the winter so harmful deposits have been majority flushed out of the system and they arent getting into bearings and seals and such. Then start out clean again come the new boating season.

btw ... dont talk about end of season! LOL

I'm hoping to stay on the water till the end of September. Depending on rain and however long the heat will stick around for. Thanksgiving weekend would surely be the last weekend for boating up here (October 8th).

[Z 202]

I change my motor and outdrive oil when my boat gets winterized. I maybe put 60 hours on it during a season, so I don't see any reason to change it during the season at all.

[moondance100]

Seems like every way to do it has a downside. I don't like the thoguht of leaving last seasons oil sit in it all winter, bearing corrosion, etc...

I started out running 15w50 Mobil One in it and it's ready for it's first oil change. (new motor at start of this year). I think I'm going to go back to good ol Valvoline 20w50 and change it at the start of the season and again around Labor day...

[Z 202]

What's the downside to doing it at the end of the season?

I definately wouldn't leave used oil in the cc over the winter.

[moondance100]

The downside (real or imagined, I don't know) is the possibility of the oil sitting and drawing moisture over the winter. I'm thinking the oil you put in it in the fall won't be the same when you start it in the spring. But I'm obviously searching for answers!

After spending 8k on the new 502 this spring...I"m a little anal about this subject!

[Z 202]

Well, I guess that's a possibility depending on where you store it. Mine goes to bed inside a nice dry building, so I'm not too worried.

I would bet that any small amounts of moisture are gonna evaporate out shortly after you run for the first time in the spring. I wouldn't be terribly concerned. I would definately take that over leaving the used oil sitting in it all winter...

[180diablo]

I don't even change my own oil. The fellow (aka my mechanic) at the marine where the previous owner has had the boat stored for the past few years, he changes and checks the boat over for me. So its in his capable hands since he knows exactly what has been done on the boat.

It's better to have a history with one person, then to start up a new history somewhere else.