How often do you change oil.

[BonesD]

Curious what others do.

In my case I might have 30 hours on last years oil & filter change
The oil looks great. Engine is 40 year old Perkins 4-236.

Do I change it just because it’s been a year?

How many hours do you go on an oil change?
I’m sure there are lots of “what if’s and it all depends on ” concerning this question.
Just looking for generic answers.
Thanks

[sailormed]

Oil absorbs moisture from the air, depends on the time it is in your engine. So once a year is not overdoing it.

[Dockhead]

Every 100 to 150 hours (upper end only when doing a lot of hours per month) PLUS once autumn and once spring. Autumn because I want the boat to enter the less intensely used season with clean oil, and ditto for the summer season. I don't want the engine sitting in dirty oil for long periods.


There may be an element of superstition in this -- now that we have low sulfur diesel fuel there isn't nearly the problem with acid there used to be. But I think it really can't hurt so it's really cheap insurance in my view. I buy motor oil in 20 liter canisters. Diesel engines like clean fuel and clean oil and don't typically need much of anything else, so why not give it them?

[Woodland Hills]

Every 100 hrs, two or three times a year. Detroits

Generators @ 100 hrs too, 4 to 6 times a year.

The 100 hrs interval is as per factory manuals.

[rslifkin]

On my engines and generator, I change at 100 hours or end of season, whichever comes first. In general, regardless of hours, in marine use I'd change the oil once it's a year old.

[01kiwijohn]

3GM 30F at 100-125 hours, change oil, filter and pull sample

[MV Caroline]

I change oil in my main, a 3304 Cat, every 300 hours when cruising or once a year when not putting too many hours on it. My Northern Lights 20kw calls for a change every 150 hours. Most auxiliary sailboat engine manufacturers call for a 100 hour or yearly oil and filter change. Typically fuel filters are changed at the same time.

[Paul Carey]

If your boat diesel were a car (auto) engine , you would service @ circa 6,000 Miles , based on average speed of 50 ish MPH that would be 120 Hrs ,, but I do oil & always FILTER every 200hrs or annually whatever comes the soonest ..this is the best insurance on high cost engine replacment/spares , be sure to use a diesel specific oil that will maintain viscosity at high bearing loads & contains detergent to breakdown carbon also pre fill new filter with oil to be sure of lube at 1st spin .

[GreenWave]

Once per year or every 200 hours on the engine... whichever comes first.

[Kd9truck]

Yanmar 4jh5a every 200 hrs or 1 year.

[Mike OReilly]

Perkins 4108. Every 100 hrs or at the end of each season. I rarely put 100 hrs on. Sometimes barely 10, but oil is cheap, and I'd rather get rid of any moisture and other contaminates at the end of the season.

I tend to change my oil filter every second oil change though.

[garychurch]

Depends on condition of your engines, how you use your engines and what oil and filters you use.

For my Cat 3406e’s in good condition (5500 hours) run easy (1200 RPM) but always up to operating temperatures (180) I use a synthetic 10W40 Shell every 250-300 Hours or once a year. Always change OEM filters with each oil change.

I don’t want to have moisture, particulates or combustion byproducts which exhausts an oils additives.

[Tayana42]

Yanmar 4JHE 32 years old with less than 3,000 hours on it. I change oil every 100 hrs or every year, whichever comes first.

[SaltyMetals]

Yanmar 4JH3TE says every 250 hrs which is what i do. Approx 1x every 1-2 yrs. Plus of course the fuel and oil filters (and impeller) at the same time.
Andrew

[sv_pelagia]

Yanmar... every 150 hrs