For you oil experts

[pflcjl]

Here is a general question for you oil experts.

I winterize my MC197 myself. I have always changed the oil in the fall before storing the boat. I use Amzoil synthetic 15-40.

So, I bring my 4 stroke sea doo to the service man and he winterizes and charges me $100. I ask if he changed the oil and filter. He tells me that he always changes the oil in the spring during the spring service.
I tell him I think it's better for clean oil to be in the engine during storage and he tells me that why would you want the new oil getting condensation, etc. He also says that Sea Doo recommends oil change in the spring as well.

I think I'm getting a line and just a reason to come back for another billing in the spring.

Any comments??

[TMCNo1]

Ask Bigmac, I think he works at Jiffy Lube!

[KHall]

It is recomended to chage the oil before winter to remove any acids from engine operation. We are also supposed to change in spring to
eliminate the moisture.

I change before winterization. Acid eats things and a little moisture will bake out upon running.

[bigmac]

Originally Posted by KHall

It is recomended to chage the oil before winter to remove any acids from engine operation. We are also supposed to change in spring to
eliminate the moisture.

I change before winterization. Acid eats things and a little moisture will bake out upon running.

That's how we do it at Jiffy Lube..

Anyway, SeaDoo recommends changing the engine oil and filter when the machine is being put up for storage, not in the spring - for the reaons KHall mentioned. Condensation could occur over the winter, but that's going to happen no matter when you change the oil. Protection from rust caused by condensation is what fogging the engine is all about. Any water that does condense in the oil pan will boil off PDQ when the engine is started. IMHO, an oil change in both fall and spring is unnecessary.

SeaDoo Service Bulletin - storage

I don't think there should be any "spring service". Winterization should have the vehicle set up so that all you have to do in the spring is put the thing in the water and go.

Where do the acids come from? I can understand soot (carbon), glycol, water and gas as pollutants.

[pilot02]

Blowby past the rings as part of the combustion process which includes unburnt fuel as well. Nothing's 100% efficient... The unburnt fuel removes the oil coating from internal parts which allows rust/oxidation to occur due to the lack of a protective surface and the addition of moisture in the mix.

[mitch]

What the he(( do they do for a 100 bucks? I don't own one of those stupid things , but I'm thinking grab the manual and 'winterize' it yourself. Can't be too hard. Ya, I'm a little sour, the frieking Sox lost

I would not want that old oil sitting in my motor all winter, always change it in the fall. Run in after the oil change w/ Stabile in the gas, fog it, drain any water and you're done or something like that. I'm sure the manual covers it.

Originally Posted by pflcjl

Here is a general question for you oil experts.

I winterize my MC197 myself. I have always changed the oil in the fall before storing the boat. I use Amzoil synthetic 15-40.

So, I bring my 4 stroke sea doo to the service man and he winterizes and charges me $100. I ask if he changed the oil and filter. He tells me that he always changes the oil in the spring during the spring service.
I tell him I think it's better for clean oil to be in the engine during storage and he tells me that why would you want the new oil getting condensation, etc. He also says that Sea Doo recommends oil change in the spring as well.

I think I'm getting a line and just a reason to come back for another billing in the spring.

Any comments??

[TMCNo1]

Originally Posted by bigmac

That's how we do it at Jiffy Lube..

I'm glad you got a sense of humor, made my day!

[bigmac]

Originally Posted by Leroy

Where do the acids come from? I can understand soot (carbon), glycol, water and gas as pollutants.

Oil undergoes oxidation as part of the ongoing combustion process and those oxidation products, mostly acids and peroxides, will accumulate along with soot. The primary means of preventing that for decades was the addition of detergents. They don't prevent oxidation, they only keep those products in suspension to prevent accumulation on engine parts (sludge, varnish, etc). With the advent of catalytic refining ("hydrocracking") instead of the old solvent refining technology, the base oils are substantially more resistant to oxidation and that's one of the reasons we've seen extended drain intervals in engines allowed by the auto mfgrs over the last few year. PAO-based oil (synthetics) aren't really any more resistant to oxidation than mineral oils, nor to soot and therefore acid accumulation. That is a rather debatable issue, but even Amsoil bases its claims of superiority mostly on shear stability and lubricity rather than oxidation resistance. That oxidation and subsequent soot and acid accumulation is the reason that auto mfgrs still don't allow extended drain intervals even if synthetic oils are used, and why synthetic oil mfgrs still have to use detergent additives in their products.

At least, that's how we do it at Jiffy Lube...

[vogelm1]

I change oil in the fall during winterization to remove all the old contaminated/acidified oil, just like you should. But how many folks run the engine after that to circulate all the new, clean oil? My guess is it does no good to refill the crankcase with fresh oil and then just put it away for winter. How will it get into the main bearings and up into the heads? This tells me there's still old oil in the critical parts where it can still do harm. Just a thought to wing out there...