checking oil level in a seaway

[markxengineerin]

Any creative solutions for this? I have found it to be impossible to do accurately, but I wish I could.

[Ballsnall]

It doesn't need to be accurate, it just needs to be above minimum. Head on or stern to the sea is best as oil level change is more dramatic side on.
I gotta ask, Why?

[markxengineerin]

It's a minor problem, just something I've been thinking about. The engine uses more oil when it's sloshing around like crazy in a seaway, yet there isn't a good way to check it when I most wish I could.

[wholybee]

How much burning oil are we talking here? A tight an healthy motor wouldn't burn a quart in 500hrs. One in reasonable shape might burn a quart in 500hrs. And an old motor I would expect a quart in a 100 hrs. That's a quart every 4 days. Let's say you burn a quart every 50 hrs.

It isn't often that I motor 48hrs nonstop in a seaway. Either the seas calm, or I pull in somewhere. If my motor burned that much oil, and I was in a seaway like that, I would probably just add half a quart after 50 hours, then check it when I reached my destination.

If your motor is in good shape, just check it when you arrive.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by wholybee

How much burning oil are we talking here? A tight an healthy motor wouldn't burn a quart in 500hrs. One in reasonable shape might burn a quart in 500hrs. And an old motor I would expect a quart in a 100 hrs. That's a quart every 4 days. Let's say you burn a quart every 50 hrs.

It isn't often that I motor 48hrs nonstop in a seaway. Either the seas calm, or I pull in somewhere. If my motor burned that much oil, and I was in a seaway like that, I would probably just add half a quart after 50 hours, then check it when I reached my destination.

If your motor is in good shape, just check it when you arrive.

I agree that there are very few cases where a healthy engine will be run for so long that it would start out full and need oil added before you got somewhere that you could reasonably check the oil.



Although actual oil consumption will vary depending on the engine design and how it's being run. Some engines burn more oil when run hard, for example. And some engine designs naturally burn more oil than others to start with.

[markxengineerin]

Yea, I don't have a specific concern, more paranoia / wish to have an earlier warning than "oil pressure is now zero" when running full load in a seaway. By then, it is far too late. A continuous oil level monitor, as many cars now have, would be a good product IMO, just was looking for other ideas on how to do it, since I don't think a little float gauge would work in this application.