Oil Change Blues

[gates_cliff]

I bought a CD 27 last November, and before I put it back in the water several weeks ago, I had a local, Annapolis area, diesel mechanic check out the engine, and prepping it for operaton. I was assured it was ready to go. I assumed that included a check of the oil. ( I know, don't remind of what "assume" really means) By the way, I had replaced the fuel tank and all fuel lines and they 1/2 jokingly offered me a job.

So, I get it to it's new marina. About a 4 hour run down the bay, no wind on the day I moved it so motored all the way. Westerbeke ran fine. So, I decided to do some checking on my own, like check the oil. Took me close to 30 minutes to just find the dipstick. Anyway, checked the oil, full. However, it looks to me like it needs to be changed.

So, here I am, love this board!

Did a search and came up with this thread. Now, the big question is, once I get one of the pumps suggested here, do I go through the dipstick hole? Is there any other access that would allow for an oil change?

Thanks,

Cliff

[Warren S]

My Westerbeke has a hose permanently attached to the oil pan. It;s heavy duty mesh reinforces black rubber - typical of petrochemical applications - with a brass plug on the end. It's long enough to rest upright with end about even with the top of the water pump. For stowing, it is tucked neatly aside. In use, i just remove the brass plug and insert the pump out hose as far as I can force it in there. The oil in the hose makes a sufficient seal for the vacuum.

I bring this up because, on the 270 anyway, the dipstick hole is extraordinarily hard to find, let alone access.

[Ben Thomas]

My Beta came with an oil change pump mounted on the block, I moved it with a longer hose to the port bulkhead. swivel and pump into gallon jug. takes about 2 minutes to remove warm oil, turn valve and screw cap back onto nozzle of pump, rotate pump 90 degrees so its out of the way. Done.
The downside is you have to keep pumping, stroke equals vaccum.

[Warren S]

Buy that pump separately?

Nice, clean engine space by the way

[Ben Thomas]

Warren, I'm the Beta dealer here in Oregon, I can get them. They are available as: just the pump, or with mounting brackets, & what ever length of hose and size of fittings you need.
Decide where the pump will be located and measure the distance to the oil sump for the hose length.
Most importantly what size fitting (plug) is on your oil pan/sump? So the hose fitting matchs up.
Would it come off straight or @90 degrees?
Send me a PM.
Ben

[Ben Thomas]

Warren, should have read all your postings, sounds like just the pump.
Ben

[gates_cliff]

I like the idea of a hose attached to the oil pan, but I have to get the old oil out first. I'm still in a quandry as to how to get the oil out. Did I miss something?

Thanks

My Westerbeke has a hose permanently attached to the oil pan. It;s heavy duty mesh reinforces black rubber - typical of petrochemical applications - with a brass plug on the end. It's long enough to rest upright with end about even with the top of the water pump. For stowing, it is tucked neatly aside. In use, i just remove the brass plug and insert the pump out hose as far as I can force it in there. The oil in the hose makes a sufficient seal for the vacuum.

I bring this up because, on the 270 anyway, the dipstick hole is extraordinarily hard to find, let alone access.

[Warren S]

It's called the MOELLER Fluid Extractor Kit, and this pump comes with a variety of hose diameters. It as advertised to work through the dipstick tube. I haven't had to do this, so I can't swear that the hose sizes supplied are small enough, but again it is sold with that in mind.

I also use it to pump out the oil for my car as well, in this case I do use the dipstick tube).

[John Vigor]

I like the idea of a hose attached to the oil pan, but I have to get the old oil out first. I'm still in a quandry as to how to get the oil out. Did I miss something?

Cliff, I also have a Westerbeke 13 that has a rubber hose attached to the oil pan. It seems very likely that all engines of this model were similarly equipped.

Look for a black hose with a bronze plug in the end. Mine comes up from beneath the engine and is tucked in adjacent to the water pump at bottom left as you face aft. You might find it hard to identify at first but if you pull and tug on all the black hoses you can see in that area, you should be able to locate it. It's probably a little over a half inch in diameter.

Once you have found it, the oil will start to flow out of the pan if you unscrew the end plug and lower the hose into the bilge access hole at the foot of the companionway. This is very slow, however, and it helps to attach a small pump to the end of the hose.

You don't get all the oil however, because the attachment point of the hose at the oil pan seems to be forward of the deepest point. Our engines are angled downward, so the oil that collects in the pan behind the attachment point can't be withdrawn by this method. I always pour an extra quart of clean oil down the filler tube after I've got out all the old oil I can. I let it drift dowards through the engine for a few minutes, then pump that out, too.

Keep looking for that oil drain hose and let us know if you find it.

If you really don't have a hose, you will have to suck the oil out through the dipstick hole. You can buy small brass hand pumps complete with the right sized tubing for that job, but it could be quite tricky, given the lack of space to work in. I use a Jabsco Little Pal ($34) pump.

John V.

[gates_cliff]

John, thanks. I might have seen the hose, when I was cleaning the bilge and around the engine. I don't recall exactly but it seems that there was something that I couldn't identify. I'll be checking tomorrow, thanks again.

[BillNH]

Heres a photo so you can see the hose John refers to... In my case it was spraypainted red with the rest of the engine, but that's it coming off the forward left side of the oil pan as you look aft at the engine... The cap holds it in the keeper bracket when not in use.

[Carter Brey]

Here's the hose on your engine, a W13. I've circled it in black. When I change the oil, I thread a narrow tube from my Tempo Oil Boy up the hose as far as it will go, rather like a catheterization procedure, and pump up the vacuum.

[img]http://pws.prserv.net/cbrey/w13_oil_change_hose.jpg[/img]

[Gary M]

The best I've ever seen was installed by my friend on his Alden 30 Pilot House.

When his engine was out during a rebuild, he had the oil plug drilled and tapped with pipe threads.

Then he screwed on a hose (I don't remember what kind. maybe acetylene torch type)

The hose leads to a convenient area in the boat to change oil and is attached to a 12 vdc pump. The installation is permanent.

Now changing oil is as simple has putting a collection container under the exit side of the pump, and flicking the switch. The oil is out in maybe a minute.

[gates_cliff]

Thanks guys, I found the hose in question today. I have to say though my engine doesn't look anywhere near as clean and all as the ones pictured.

The hose on mine doesn't have a bracket like that. I like the idea of having it secured somehow, so it doesn't get cut or mangled or something.

I really appreciate all your help.

Cliff

[sfreihofer]

I don't think hot oil is really the objective. The goal is to get any sediment stirred into suspension so it drains with the oil. You could always let it cool before you change the filter and re-fill.

Stan Freihofer
1981 CD 25, #794
Ft. Lauderdale
www.ReefRoof.com

I've always wondered if it's best to drain hot oil or wait until more of it has run down into the crankcase. This would mean the oil has cooled. I have never found it difficult to drain cold oil. It seems more convenient to change the oil filter too when the engine is cold.