READY2GO
Guru
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2012
- Messages
- 521
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Walkabout
- Vessel Make
- 1989 Sea Ray 380 Aft Cabin
I changed the oil on our Lehman 120 today. This is the second time for me to change it. I bought an oil change kit from American Diesel that is basically a hose that connects to where the oil pan drain plug is. First I removed the oil through the dipstick tube with a pump and a piece of copper tubing that slid down the dipstick tube to get as much oil out as possible, then finagled a plastic container into the bilge and under the drain plug. I removed the drain plug and got at least another two quarts of oil out. I then pumped that oil out of the container so I could get the container back out from under the engine. What a pain. I then installed the oil change kit so from now on I will be pumping from the bottom of the pan.
It got me to thinking. The motor has 3400 hours on it. Assuming proper maintenance was done, that is 33 oil changes. If someone had done this a long time ago it would have been much better for the motor to have all 12 quarts of oil changed instead leaving 2 quarts of old oil in the motor. Also when I put the 12 quarts of new oil in the level on the dipstick showed 2 quarts low. So the dipstick was marked wrong all this time as well.
The point of this thread is what simple things have you done to your boat that make a big difference and you can't believe someone hadn't already done.
It got me to thinking. The motor has 3400 hours on it. Assuming proper maintenance was done, that is 33 oil changes. If someone had done this a long time ago it would have been much better for the motor to have all 12 quarts of oil changed instead leaving 2 quarts of old oil in the motor. Also when I put the 12 quarts of new oil in the level on the dipstick showed 2 quarts low. So the dipstick was marked wrong all this time as well.
The point of this thread is what simple things have you done to your boat that make a big difference and you can't believe someone hadn't already done.