This is a report of me performing my own very FIRST oil & filter change on my R25 with a Yanmar 150 hp engine.
I'm posting this for at least two reasons - 1) To show that a DIY oil/filter change is fairly straight forward and shouldn't take much more than 1.5 hrs for a beginner and 2) to pop some questions (highlighted in red below) I'd really like to get answers for.
I want to thank Bob (Nellie Too) for lending me his electrical oil changing pump out system and for his early advice prior to me performing this engine maintenance task. I also want to thank Andrew Custis who answered my telephone call early Saturday evening concerning the new oil filter I had planned to use (more on this below).
Summary
I loaned the electrical oil changer system from Bob -- which proved to be very handy, clean and easy to use for this task. These systems can cost anywhere from $50 to $200. Bobs' was a Shurflo Oil Change unit that sells for $167.99 at West Marine - Model # 6836175, Man # 8050-305-426. Manual systems obviously cost less.
The overall task took about 1.5 hours (20 mins for engine oil warmup to 135-140 deg F, 5 mins to loosen oil filter cap, 25 mins to extract oil, 10 mins to fill engine with new oil, 10 mins for changing oil filter and 20 mins for new engine oil warmup and checking for proper oil level -- more on this last item later as I got quite a scary surprise). Add say another 30 mins for taking the old/spent oil to Shucks for proper disposal and you have some 2 hours needed to perform this task.
The Yanmar 150 hp engine requires 8.5 quarts of oil so to be safe I bought 3x 1gal bottles of oil (Valvoline Premium Blue SAE 15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil branded Cummins from Shucks-O'Reilly Auto Parts on sale for $8.99 per gallon -- regulary $13.99/gal)
Yanmar Oil filter on hand from Ranger Tugs was Part # 165000-69590 (and more on this later as it was this that caused me to call Andrew for help).
Details
First I idled the engine for some 20 mins to allow the engine oil to warm up. I decided 135 to 140 deg F reading on the Yanmar engine display reading should be sufficient for this.
1. Setup the oil changing system by connecting its leads to a single 12v +ive/-ive battery terminals. The system's motor has an on/off switch so this is safe to do. I positioned the system in the cockpit just outside of the cabin door and had the 3.5 gal oil catching bucket placed in a large deep tray to protect the cockpit from any accident involving the bucket tipping over. The motor makes the bucket top heavy and can easily tip over when the bucket is initially empty.
2. Now I held open the engine access door (the step just inside cabin door) using a bungee with hook at each end -- one hook just jammed in crack running around the cockpit engine cover and the other simply over the leading edge of the engine access door/step.
3. Remove oil dip stick and move a rubber hose from engine side of the oil dip stick's tube to the other side to allow better access for removing the oil filter casing. There's a large molded hex nut on top of the oil filter casing which is used to aid unscrewing the casing. The size of this I found to be approximately 1-7/16 inch (or 36mm). The Yanmar service instructions say that a socket should be used rather than an adjustable or open wrench for unscrewing the oil filter canister. I used an adjustable wrentch (my bad). 😉
4. The oil filter casing is now unscrewed with no more than one or two complete turns. Presumably this is for allowing the oil to drain from the filter and to allow air into the engine's oil system and making it easier to pump out the oil. If you do use an open wrench it needs to be a short handle one as there's little room to swing the handle.
5. The small diameter tubing of the oil change unit is now inserted down the oil dip stick tube. Slid it down slowly until there's significant resistance. When reaching this point pull the tube up and reinsert just to make sure it's down all the way.
6. OK -- now ready to turn the oil change system's motor. After turning the motor on oil should start being pumped out and can easily be seen traveling up the white tube at first. To check that it continues to extract the oil look into the bucket to satisfy yourself oil is exiting into the bucket.
7. It took approximately 25 mins to extract all the oil. The motor will make a very different noise when there's no more oil for it to suck up, plus you will see air gaps and bubbles traveling up the white tube.
8. Remove the white tube from the oil dip stick tube and secure the end with a rag as soon as it end comes out of the oil dip stick tube to avoid oil drips.
9. Now unscrew the oil filter casing and carefully extract the filter while holding a plastic bag to place it in as quickly as you can -- to avoid oil dripping down to the bilge. There shouldn't be much if any oil if it has drained nicely during the 25 mins it took to extract the engine oil.
10. The filter is removed by pulling it off the central spindle -- you may need to pull forcibly as it could be seated down and stuck in some. Leave the old filter in the plastic bag.
11. Installing the new filter -- this is where I had some concern. The new filter did not look quite like the old filter (see photo below). I studied the issue some and ended up thinking something was amiss. It was at this point I decided to call Andrew to get some advice. To cut a long story short Andrew quickly determine the new filter I had was the wrong part. I had part # 165000-69590 and it should have been 165000-69520. So I was somewhat relieved but now having removed the old engine oil and filter what was I to do this early Saturday evening? I decided that I would use the old oil filter and replace it later when obtaining the correct filter part. I reinstalled the old oil filter without replacing any of the O-rings. Fingers crossed. 😉
12. I now filled the engine with 8 quarts of oil using a funnel placed into oil filler hole. Just before I reached 8 quarts I inserted the oil dip stick to check the oil level. I waited about 3-5 mins and then checked the oil level. It was not quite at the full mark. So I poured in the remaining oil for a total of 8 quarts. This told me I had extracted around 8 of the 8.5 quarts of the old oil.
13. Ok - the final steps. I removed the Oil Change kit's electrical lines from the battery and closed up the cockpit's battery cover. Tidied up the Oil Change unit and moved it to rear of cockpit to be out of the way. I ensured the engine's seacock was open and prepared to start the engine.
14. I started the engine and the oil pressure alarm sounded. Geeeesh, what have I done or not done I thought... I quickly shut down the engine. I scratched my head... I checked the engine and engine bay for oil spills... none were to be found... it all looked OK... so what on earth is wrong ?
15. I decided I had done nothing wrong and that maybe the engine oil system simply had to prime. So I started the engine again and thank goodness there was no alarm. This oil pressure alarm was very scary and surprised me. Can others comment on this ? Is this to be expected ? Did I not perform the oil change process correctly and/or did I miss doing something that would have avoided the oil pressure alarm ?
16. I allowed the engine to idle for some 10 mins while watching the oil pressure and temperature carefully. All was well and I stopped engine and waited 5 mins before checking the oil level. The dip stick showed the correct level.
17. Before lowering the engine access step/door I decided to take the opportunity to re-position the rubber strips on the step's/door's under surface as they were not engaging the fibre glass surfaces the closed step rested on. I did this thinking the engine noise would be lessened in the cabin. I have to say it did seem to work but cannot quantify the sound level decrease other than to say it was simply my perception of less noise.
Here are some photo shots I took as I performed the oil/filter change.
My adjustable wrench showing the opening size for the oil filter casing's hex nut
Hex nut on top of oil filter casing
Tube inserted into the oil dip stick tube
Engine access step/door opened for access to oil dip stick, oil filter casing and oil filler cap
Oil Change kit - Bucket and tray
Photo showing the hose repositioned to other side of oil dip stick tube to make it easier to get at the hex nut on the oil filter casing.
Oil filter casing with filter removed (slightly out of focus).
The old oil filter still attached to the spindle
The wrong part # for the R25 Yanmar 150hp engine oil filter
This is what the wrong oil filer looks like
This raised rubber ring is what alerted me to the oil filter being the wrong part as the old filter did not have this, plust there was no use I could find for the provided copper washer!
The proper part # is 165000-69520
This is the oil brand/type I used
This is a typical Oil Change Kit sold at West Marine
I'm posting this for at least two reasons - 1) To show that a DIY oil/filter change is fairly straight forward and shouldn't take much more than 1.5 hrs for a beginner and 2) to pop some questions (highlighted in red below) I'd really like to get answers for.
I want to thank Bob (Nellie Too) for lending me his electrical oil changing pump out system and for his early advice prior to me performing this engine maintenance task. I also want to thank Andrew Custis who answered my telephone call early Saturday evening concerning the new oil filter I had planned to use (more on this below).
Summary
I loaned the electrical oil changer system from Bob -- which proved to be very handy, clean and easy to use for this task. These systems can cost anywhere from $50 to $200. Bobs' was a Shurflo Oil Change unit that sells for $167.99 at West Marine - Model # 6836175, Man # 8050-305-426. Manual systems obviously cost less.
The overall task took about 1.5 hours (20 mins for engine oil warmup to 135-140 deg F, 5 mins to loosen oil filter cap, 25 mins to extract oil, 10 mins to fill engine with new oil, 10 mins for changing oil filter and 20 mins for new engine oil warmup and checking for proper oil level -- more on this last item later as I got quite a scary surprise). Add say another 30 mins for taking the old/spent oil to Shucks for proper disposal and you have some 2 hours needed to perform this task.
The Yanmar 150 hp engine requires 8.5 quarts of oil so to be safe I bought 3x 1gal bottles of oil (Valvoline Premium Blue SAE 15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil branded Cummins from Shucks-O'Reilly Auto Parts on sale for $8.99 per gallon -- regulary $13.99/gal)
Yanmar Oil filter on hand from Ranger Tugs was Part # 165000-69590 (and more on this later as it was this that caused me to call Andrew for help).
Details
First I idled the engine for some 20 mins to allow the engine oil to warm up. I decided 135 to 140 deg F reading on the Yanmar engine display reading should be sufficient for this.
1. Setup the oil changing system by connecting its leads to a single 12v +ive/-ive battery terminals. The system's motor has an on/off switch so this is safe to do. I positioned the system in the cockpit just outside of the cabin door and had the 3.5 gal oil catching bucket placed in a large deep tray to protect the cockpit from any accident involving the bucket tipping over. The motor makes the bucket top heavy and can easily tip over when the bucket is initially empty.
2. Now I held open the engine access door (the step just inside cabin door) using a bungee with hook at each end -- one hook just jammed in crack running around the cockpit engine cover and the other simply over the leading edge of the engine access door/step.
3. Remove oil dip stick and move a rubber hose from engine side of the oil dip stick's tube to the other side to allow better access for removing the oil filter casing. There's a large molded hex nut on top of the oil filter casing which is used to aid unscrewing the casing. The size of this I found to be approximately 1-7/16 inch (or 36mm). The Yanmar service instructions say that a socket should be used rather than an adjustable or open wrench for unscrewing the oil filter canister. I used an adjustable wrentch (my bad). 😉
4. The oil filter casing is now unscrewed with no more than one or two complete turns. Presumably this is for allowing the oil to drain from the filter and to allow air into the engine's oil system and making it easier to pump out the oil. If you do use an open wrench it needs to be a short handle one as there's little room to swing the handle.
5. The small diameter tubing of the oil change unit is now inserted down the oil dip stick tube. Slid it down slowly until there's significant resistance. When reaching this point pull the tube up and reinsert just to make sure it's down all the way.
6. OK -- now ready to turn the oil change system's motor. After turning the motor on oil should start being pumped out and can easily be seen traveling up the white tube at first. To check that it continues to extract the oil look into the bucket to satisfy yourself oil is exiting into the bucket.
7. It took approximately 25 mins to extract all the oil. The motor will make a very different noise when there's no more oil for it to suck up, plus you will see air gaps and bubbles traveling up the white tube.
8. Remove the white tube from the oil dip stick tube and secure the end with a rag as soon as it end comes out of the oil dip stick tube to avoid oil drips.
9. Now unscrew the oil filter casing and carefully extract the filter while holding a plastic bag to place it in as quickly as you can -- to avoid oil dripping down to the bilge. There shouldn't be much if any oil if it has drained nicely during the 25 mins it took to extract the engine oil.
10. The filter is removed by pulling it off the central spindle -- you may need to pull forcibly as it could be seated down and stuck in some. Leave the old filter in the plastic bag.
11. Installing the new filter -- this is where I had some concern. The new filter did not look quite like the old filter (see photo below). I studied the issue some and ended up thinking something was amiss. It was at this point I decided to call Andrew to get some advice. To cut a long story short Andrew quickly determine the new filter I had was the wrong part. I had part # 165000-69590 and it should have been 165000-69520. So I was somewhat relieved but now having removed the old engine oil and filter what was I to do this early Saturday evening? I decided that I would use the old oil filter and replace it later when obtaining the correct filter part. I reinstalled the old oil filter without replacing any of the O-rings. Fingers crossed. 😉
12. I now filled the engine with 8 quarts of oil using a funnel placed into oil filler hole. Just before I reached 8 quarts I inserted the oil dip stick to check the oil level. I waited about 3-5 mins and then checked the oil level. It was not quite at the full mark. So I poured in the remaining oil for a total of 8 quarts. This told me I had extracted around 8 of the 8.5 quarts of the old oil.
13. Ok - the final steps. I removed the Oil Change kit's electrical lines from the battery and closed up the cockpit's battery cover. Tidied up the Oil Change unit and moved it to rear of cockpit to be out of the way. I ensured the engine's seacock was open and prepared to start the engine.
14. I started the engine and the oil pressure alarm sounded. Geeeesh, what have I done or not done I thought... I quickly shut down the engine. I scratched my head... I checked the engine and engine bay for oil spills... none were to be found... it all looked OK... so what on earth is wrong ?
15. I decided I had done nothing wrong and that maybe the engine oil system simply had to prime. So I started the engine again and thank goodness there was no alarm. This oil pressure alarm was very scary and surprised me. Can others comment on this ? Is this to be expected ? Did I not perform the oil change process correctly and/or did I miss doing something that would have avoided the oil pressure alarm ?
16. I allowed the engine to idle for some 10 mins while watching the oil pressure and temperature carefully. All was well and I stopped engine and waited 5 mins before checking the oil level. The dip stick showed the correct level.
17. Before lowering the engine access step/door I decided to take the opportunity to re-position the rubber strips on the step's/door's under surface as they were not engaging the fibre glass surfaces the closed step rested on. I did this thinking the engine noise would be lessened in the cabin. I have to say it did seem to work but cannot quantify the sound level decrease other than to say it was simply my perception of less noise.
Here are some photo shots I took as I performed the oil/filter change.
My adjustable wrench showing the opening size for the oil filter casing's hex nut
Hex nut on top of oil filter casing
Tube inserted into the oil dip stick tube
Engine access step/door opened for access to oil dip stick, oil filter casing and oil filler cap
Oil Change kit - Bucket and tray
Photo showing the hose repositioned to other side of oil dip stick tube to make it easier to get at the hex nut on the oil filter casing.
Oil filter casing with filter removed (slightly out of focus).
The old oil filter still attached to the spindle
The wrong part # for the R25 Yanmar 150hp engine oil filter
This is what the wrong oil filer looks like
This raised rubber ring is what alerted me to the oil filter being the wrong part as the old filter did not have this, plust there was no use I could find for the provided copper washer!
The proper part # is 165000-69520
This is the oil brand/type I used
This is a typical Oil Change Kit sold at West Marine