Merc QSD 2.0 Oil Questions

[NorthernFocus]

Excuse my asking something so basic so I'll explain why I'm asking first.

I just completed only my second oil change on this engine. Last time I pulled the oil out via inserting suction tube through the dipstick tube rather than using the factory supplied drain hose. Last time I only got about a gallon (vs. 6 liters per manual) out of the engine. I assumed that was because I didn't get all the way to the bottom of the pan via the tube. Not the end of the world. So I put back in the same amount that I got out plus a bit for the filter housing to refill. Though the dipstick is hard to get a decent reading on, as best I could tell it was just a bit above the "max" line when I was done. So I ran it that way all season.

Now to present. This season I got the fittings that I needed etc. and used the hose that's installed on the side/ bottom of the oil pan. And guess what? Only got a gallon of oil out of the engine. Hmmm. Well since the stick is so hard to read and I find it hard to believe that two quarts of oil could be hiding in the engine, I went ahead and put in 6 quarts. And now the stick is definitely wet up to about half an inch onto the spring portion of the stick. So WAY above the Max mark on the stick. So now I'm wondering whether in-fact a third of the oil doesn't get pulled out through the hose or do I have a bogus dipstick?

Oh, and the boat is more or less level. Enough so to be within 1//8 in. or so across the oil pan anyhow.

1) How many of you use the installed hose to drain the oil? If you do, how much oil do you get out and put back in?

2) Can you read the dipstick? Even after sitting overnight, mine is difficult to read, i.e. smeared wet to the top with no clear level line. Though not truly wet to the top as now). With the level up onto the spring portion it is pretty easy to see. I also verified the level by running a piece of poly tubing down the tube.

3) Wondering if I have a bogus dipstick, I'd appreciate it if someone could measure theirs from tip to the "seat" that it rests on top of the tube when fully inserted and post result. And from tip to Max line on stick.

 

[daveo]

I wrote a reply but it never showed up.
I have a 2008 Cummins. When I changed the oil, with the hose from the bottom of the pan, I never checked the amount I pumped out but I added 4 quarts to the full line. After I ran it the first time, I checked the dipstick and the oil looked clean, not like a quart or more of old oil had mixed with the new stuff.
My dip stick is very easy to read.
Measured it last night:
from the tip of the bottom to the neck at the top = 29 7/16"
from the tip to the max line = 1 21/32"
How does yours compare?

 

[Just Dreamin']

Hi Dan.

First, the photos you requested on the enlargement of the opening behind the battery selector panel will be sent tonight or tomorrow by email. I think I am going to further enlarge the opening by an additional 1-1/2-2" as it looks like the panel will take this.

Second, on my oil dip stick measured the following:
Tip to seat: 29-7/16"
Tip to max fill line: 1-11/16"

I use both methods to extract oil and the most I have ever pulled out is 4 to maybe 4.5 qts and it does not matter which method I use. Have no difficulty reading the stick.

Mike

 

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks, guys. I'll measure the stick to be sure and post results.

But it's rather obvious at this point the info in the manual is wrong. That's what I get for trying to go by the book. Though in all fairness for this size engine, particularly a diesel, six quarts sounds more typical than four. But I also noted that the oil was way to clear after running to be mixed with 1/3 dirty oil. Just hard to believe something as basic as oil volume could be wrong in the manufacturer's manual. As a matter of fact, I think this is the first time I've encountered an owner's manual giving the wrong oil volume. And I've owned a lot of engines; cars, trucks, outboards, inboards, etc. and worked on many more than I've owned.

 

[NorthernFocus]

Measured the stick and got the same dimensions as you guys. Now we know. Four quarts, not six per the manual. I wonder if there's a road version of this engine with a bigger oil pan. Surely there is some logical reason for them putting that number in there...

 

[Levitation]

Or the factory is inserting the dip stick for a different oil pan than they installed on Tug engines :mrgreen:
I will be changing the oil on mine in a week or two. I shall endeavor to measure the depth of the oil pan and the length of the dip stick as well as add oil one quart at a time and calibrate the dip stick.

 

[NorthernFocus]

Or the factory is inserting the dip stick for a different oil pan than they installed on Tug engine...

And we've all been running our engines with only 2/3 of the oil in them. If that's the case maybe these really are Cummins engines. Tough as nails 😀

 

[NorthernFocus]

Follow up on the dipstick topic... it works once a day. I get an accurate reading before running the engine every morning. Once the engine runs it seems that oil gets on/in the bottom of the guide tube and smears on the stick as you pull it out. It takes several hours of being shut down to drain back out/off of the tube and get a reliable reading on the stick. The spring type design of the stick holds onto the oil resulting in quite some time required before it all finally runs back out of the tube. I guess this may be a peculiarity to the tube/stick configuration on my engine that it gets contaminated with oil this way. A bit bothersome but now that it's understood can be lived with.