Oil and coolant

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J

Just Limin'

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Dec 7, 2011
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154
Fluid Motion Model
C-26
Hull Identification Number
2517
Vessel Name
Just Limin'
Hi,

Just commissioned our new R 25 SC yesterday in Annapolis. I'd like to keep some extra engine oil and coolant onboard. What is recommended?

Thanks,

Bill Eggert
Just Limin'
 
Easy there, oil is next to religion and politics...
Being a heretic, any major brand of oil with a diesel rating will do for me... Whatever is on sale this week at the auto parts store will work...
When it is time to change your oil MY usual choice is Rotella 15W40...
Go to
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... =22&page=1
and read until you are totally confused - then go to the auto store and buy what is on sale
Now, in your specific case, I don't suspect you will burn any oil so save money and don't bother... Besides, oil is available just about everywhere if by some chance you need a quart...

Now coolant: Stolen directly from Cummins website
"Cummins Inc. recommends Fleetguard® Antifreeze Coolants including ES Compleat containing DCA4 Plus, Fleetcool EX containing DCA2 Plus, and ES Optimax Organic Acid Technology (OAT), which meet the requirements of Cummins Engineering Standard 14603."

Let me tell you what I do for the many engines on my farms and businesses... I use good old GREEN antifreeze and change it every third year... Forget about OAT and extended changes, and all that crap - Go green... Since you may not have access to distilled water for mixing it on the boat, I would get a gallon of 50:50 premix for carrying on the boat... You cannot go wrong with Prestone brand..

Now that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it - at least until I change it...
 
Bill,

Have you talked to the Yanmar folks there at Bert Jabin's for their recommendation? Or are you looking for another recommendation/alternatives?

John
 
Always..... Open the owner's manual and choose from the oils and coolants listed. The manufacturer goes to great length to determine how to get the best life out of the engine.

Brands are unimportant but the SAE, JIS and/or ASTM specifications are. The manufacture will try to strong-arm you into using one of his particular branded products, at much higher price than oil company brands. You may feel free to ignore that. But make sure any product of choice matches the industry-wide specifications that are listed. If there is a choice between "real oil" and synthetic, take your pick, that argument will never end. But make sure the specifications match.

On oil, use the viscosity that matches your ambient air operating temperature range. Remember that multi-viscosity oils really are that. They adjust the viscosity to the engine temperature. The second number is generally the number that the oil will match once the engine is up to the temperature determined by the installed engine thremostat except in real extreme raw water temperatures. Using a heavier or lighter oil than specified will not help operation and may cause harm.
 
Bill,

Considering what I paid for my Tug and the annual docking costs, a few bucks extra for Yanmar recommended fluids is insignificant. I use Penzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40 oil at 8 bucks and change a quart, and Yanmar coolant that I think is around 20 bucks a gallon for 50-50 mix. I keep a quart of oil and a gallon of anti freeze on board. Enjoy your new Tug!

Phil
 
See the link below for an example of how the wrong coolant can ruin a Yanmar engine with an aluminum exhaust manifold:

http://www.yanmarhelp.com/s_coolant.htm

Yanmar marine engines are NOT the same as cast-iron diesel tractor engines or truck engines. Yanmar uses an aluminum exhaust manifold immersed in coolant that has 1000 degree exhaust gas one one side of it and 200 degree coolant on the other side. If normal automotive antifreeze with silicates, nitrates and borates is used, these will precipitate out of the solution onto the hot manifold surfaces and eventually cause failure of the thin aluminum allowing coolant into the cylinders. See the photos in the attached link and read the article!

As to oil, this varies by engine. My little 110 hp Yanmar can use about any diesel oil but some of the newer, higher horsepower engines REQUIRE synthetic oil meeting newer standards. Even though not required for my engine, I use synthetic anyway for a variety of reasons that I won't go into here. Bottom line, follow the manufacturer's specifications for both oil and coolant!
 
OK, my final say on this...
First read what he said, that he "SUSPECTS" it was filled with standard coolant - pure conjecture on his part without a even a shred of fact...
Then look at the picture showing the inside of the heat exchanger and it is clear to anyone who has ever held a wrench in their hand, that engine was neglected and old coolant was left in there for many years without being changed... Does not matter what coolant you use, the end result of never changing it will be the same...
Now, having said this, if you feel better using Yanmar branded coolant who am I to argue...

cheers
 
I still believe in following the manufacturer's recommendation (disregarding branding only). They know the materials in their equipment, the interactions, and the failure rates if not followed. Some will (rightly so) void warranties if the specifications are not followed. I do admit that the life of the engine may not be shortened appreciably by not using the recommendations, but why take a chance? My engine will probably run on household fuel oil, but I wouldn't use it like I would have in a '50s GM Diesel. I suspect even if I got away with it, any next owner would pay a price.

Per my 3YM30 owner's manual: (red is my highlighting)

Use clean soft water and always be sure to
add LLC (Long Life Coolant) in order to
prevent rust built up and freezing. (Do not
use water only.)
The recommended LLC conform to the fol-
lowing specifications.
• JIS K-2234
• SAE J814C, J1941, J1034, J2036
• ASTM D3306
• ASTM D4985

3.1.3.1 Handling of Coolant
(1) Choose LLC, which will not have
any adverse effects on the materi-
als (cast iron, aluminium, copper,
etc.) of the engine's fresh water
cooling system.
(2) Replace the cooling water periodi-
cally, according to the maintenance
schedule given in this operation
manual.
(3) Remove the scale from the cooling
water system periodically, accord-
ing to the instructions in this oper-
ation manual.
 
I could not find the Yanmar YG30 coolant locally so I ordered it from Torresen Marine. I also ordered a quart of Yanmar 5W40 Y-Spec synthetic oil. When I changed the oil I used Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel 5W40 purchased at a local auto parts store. This meets the specs listed in the Yanmar BY2 operation manual.

The marine suppliers in my area (Rhode Island) did not even know what a 4BY2-180 engine was and had puzzled looks when I asked for full synthetic oil.

Howard
 
In a pinch, you can go to your nearest BMW dealer. The 4BY2 is a BMW engine, marinized by Yanmar.

Phil
 
For engine and transmission oil, Rotella appears to be the brand of choice for all diesel engines. It is readily available at Walmart at a good price. As with any warranty, be sure the SAE specification in your engine manual is what you use in your engine/transmission. If you use the wrong SAE specification and your engine fails, your warranty will be voided. When an engine fails under warranty, the first thing the manufacturer does is test the oil and coolant to ensure they are the correct type and specification. Manufacturers love to void a warranty because the wrong type of oil or coolant was used, or the user did not follow recommended/required maintenance. It pays to read the manual
 
I'm really confused......I'm ready to change oil in my Ranger27 with its 4BY2 180 HP engine. Yanmar manual that came with the boat says use a synthetic oil that has the following API Service categories SM,SL,SJ,SH/CF and CF.

Went to an auto parts store, a marine parts store and then to Walmart today. NONE had a synthetic oil that listed all of the above categories on the gallon jug!

What gives? Does the oil have to meet all of the categories or just 1 or 2? Staff at each store did not know nor did my auto mechanic.
trawlerdeejay
 
You need to purchase an oil that has at least one of those designations, not all of them. Now if the letters are higher in the alphabet than the recommended designation that will also apply. Just as a hypothetical example if it says CF is okay and there was a CG, that would be fine because G is higher in the alphabet, meaning it supersedes CF. In any event Mobil-1 5W-40 synthetic or Rotella T6. Here is a link for a $5.00 rebate on Rotella http://www.shell.com/rotella/promotions/fall-synthetics-promotion.html
 
Rotella T6 is a great oil. Works in many situations. As far as antifreeze goes, why wouldn't you use OAT antifreeze? Look after our environment and our animals too.
 
I use Rotella or Yanmar for the oil but stick with Yanmar for the coolant. There was a period when I had cooling issues and in that scenario Yanmar coolant performed best when the cooling system was not working at peak efficiency. It really isn't that much more when compared to the cost of dealing with an overheated engine.
 
I asked this question in another thread, but did not get a clear response...so encore. There are several coolant manufacturers that label their product as "dexcool". Is there any reason different dexcool products should not be mixed ?

In my case, I know what is in the system and it was changed this spring by the dealer I bought the boat from. It was low and the Havoline LLC Dexcool is not readily available here, nor could the dealer supply any. Other dexcool products are available - notably from any GM dealer, Walmart etc. Short of draining and changing the coolant, can these different dexcools be mixed ?
 
When I went through exhaustive research to determine what I could use. I discovered that the products specified in the Yanmar manual as alternates are actually Asian numbers. Hence, not available in the US. The Havoline tech that I spoke to told me that in reality any long life coolant is acceptable as an alternate. Then at some time there was a service bulletin published (I never saw it) but heard that Prestone Dexcool was acceptable. I have always used the Prestone Dexcool once I ran out of the Yanmar coolant. The other reality is that you will most likely never get all of the old coolant drained. If one were to follow the Yanmar instructions you have to remove the heat exchanger to access another plug in order to drain all of the fluid. The best I have been able to drain is two gallons using the side and stern petcocks on the heat exchanger.
So, long story short. I would stick with the Prestone long life dexcool and I change mine once a year since I can't get it all out. I usually buy the undiluted and mix it 50/50 with distilled water. It is about $16.00 per gallon.
 
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