[C320-list] Perkins M30 Oil Change

[David Veeneman]

I am getting ready to do my first oil change on Adelante (Hull #131), which is powered by a Perkins Perama M30 engine. I have read in some old posts that there are two ways of draining the old oil from the engine:

The tried-and-true narrow hose down the dipstick approach; or

Temporarily attach a fitting with a barb to the end of a tube near the bottom of the engine, then fit a hose from the barb to the pump used to drain the oil.

I understand the tried-an-true method has some problems getting the hose to the bottom of the oil pan, so the second method looks like the better way to go.

Are any members of this group using the second method? If so, could you help me with this question: Where exactly is the tube to the oil pan?

I have taken a picture of my engine, showing the location of the oil filterIt is located at:

https://c320.org/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20210202000120339 <https://c320.org/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20210202000120339>

There are three ports next to the oil filter, labelled A, B, and C in the picture. I think the tube is at label B. Can anyone confirm this? Also does anyone know what size barb fitting it takes?

Thanks for your help!

--
David Veeneman
SV Adelante, C320 #131
Dana Point, CA

[Dave Hupe]

Dave-
I'm pretty sure "A" is the petcock to drain engine antifreeze,  and "B" I'm pretty sure is another way to drain the engine oil. I think it has a threaded cap on it.
Dave Hupe1994 C320 (#32)Perkins Perama M30

[mark]

A is definitely the drain for coolant, and I'm pretty sure that B is the tube to drain oil. I'm not sure what the label for C is referering to, but it's not the oil drain tube or coolant drain.

I've been sucking the old oil out the dipstick tube for oil changes on my Perkins. (I figure that since there are only about 25-30 hours on the engine between my annual oil changes, any small amount of old oil left behind won't matter much.) But if anyone has figured out the size fitting to attach the hose barb, I'd like to know as well.

Mark Seyler
S/V Reality,
Catalina 320, #232
New Orleans, LA

[Charles Holbrook]

Warm engine oil, battery powered drill pump down the dipstick tube.  Baby diapers are good absorbents for any drips around the filter.
Charlie #192"Nautigirl"  

[Bob Borelli]

I use the second method to hand pump the oil out of my Perkins M30.

A is the coolant drain, a 1/4" ID vinyl tube fits over the nipple to drain coolant into container.
B is the tube I use to pump out the used, warm oil from the oil pan, annual oil change, using a threaded barbed fitting.
C is a lube oil tube from the cylinder block to the cylinder head.

I tried pumping oil from the dip stick, also slide tube down dip stick, no success.
So I remove the old oil from B.

I remove the old oil filter first to allow for room.
Then I remove the Cap Nut on B with a 7/16" open end wrench.
Then I screw in a 3/8"x 1/4" Adaptor Barb MIP purchased at Home Depot.
A 3/8" ID vinyl tube is attached to Barb and other end to a PAR Handy Boy hand pump.
A fast, clean oil change!
Re-install Cap Nut, add new Fram PH2951 filter & Shell Rotella T1 SAE 30 Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil.

What oil & filter are you guys using on your Perkins M30?

There is also an oil drain plug on the aft end of the pan, under the oil filter, reachable with a socket but how to catch the old oil without a mess.
I use oil absorbant cloths from Amazon Prime. Plastic gloves, 13 gal plastic trash bags, blue Shop Towels & Spray Nine Marine cleaner.

Bob Borelli 1995 C320 no. 209 Sailing Associates Inc, Georgetown Maryland

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of mark <mse...@cox.net>
Sent: Monday, February 1, 2021 8:19 PM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com <C320...@Catalina320.com>

[Dave Hupe]

I have been using NAPA Gold 1348 oil filters for a while now after I had read criticism of Fram filters' quality (although I used them on cars all my life without a problem). I use Shell Rotella® T4 15W-40 heavy duty diesel engine oil. 
I pump out of the dipstick hole using a suction oil pump with no problem except that it takes a very small diameter semi-rigid tube to be able to extend down into the oil pan ( and make sure the oil is warm). I did originally pump with a hose out of the "B" access point using a hand pump, but it took forever, since I was using a simple economy hand pump and a soft hose that collapsed under suction. 
Dave Hupe1994 C320 (#32)Perkins M30

[Jack Brennan]

I have a Yanmar, so some minor details may be different, but here is how I have always changed oil.

I have a West Marine pump with a two-gallon reservoir for holding the oil. Run the diesel for 10 minutes or so to heat up the oil. The tube is relatively stiff, so you can push it down the dipstick hole until it reaches bottom. Pump a couple of times and all of the oil is suctioned out.

Remove the oil filter after that to minimize leakage. I put an absorbent mat under the filter to catch the drips. You can wipe up any oil slop from the pan under the diesel.

Wipe some fresh oil on the rubber gasket before you screw on the new filter. Hand tighten only, unless you are pretty weak. I pour oil in about a pint at a time, giving a minute or so between doses, so I can use the dipstick to see how it’s building up. When it looks full, I put in the dipstick, screw on the oil cap and start the engine after putting a paper towel under the filter.

I run it for five minutes and then check the dipstick and the paper towel for drips that mean the filter is not tight enough. The level should have gone down a bit as the oil filter filled. Don’t worry if you see some carbon in the oil. That’s what diesels do. You can change the oil again to get perfectly clean oil, but it practically makes no difference.

The big thing is to change oil every 75 hours or so. It is the single most important maintenance item on your boat (and your car …) Do it and your diesel will likely run 10,000 hours. Neglect it and you will have black smoke puffing out of your exhaust.

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.



Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[P.F. Ross]

David, timely question since I just changed my oil today.

As others have said, I run the engine for 10 mins or so to heat up the oil
a bit. I use a West Marine manual pump system that has a stiff plastic
tube that I push down the dipstick tube. Although it is hard to tell
exactly what the tube is doing as it comes to a stop, I figure that if I
get close to 4 qts of oil out, I must be doing it right. To double check,
I move the tube up and down a bit toward the end of the process and if all
I hear is a sucking sound (requires some extra pumping), I figure I am
finished.

I have considered using the oil extraction tube but have never thought far
enough ahead to get the correct barbed fitting. So I just use the dipstick
tube method, works fine.

Frank Ross
Beta Wave #206
Naples, FL

On Mon, Feb 1, 2021 at 10:24 PM Jack Brennan <jackb...@bellsouth.net>
wrote:

[Jeff Smith]

I use the same as Dave Hupe Napa Gold 1348 and Rotella 15W-40, though it is more a function of finding the size when I show up at the boat. With over 200,000 miles on multiple cars using Fram oil filters (changed every 3,000 - 5,000) with no issues, though, I would use a Fram filter without concern.

By the way, the bolt labeled “C” looks like another way to drain the block (quickly) and possibly someplace where an engine block heater could be installed.

Regarding evacuating oil from point B, that is the way to go. Unfortunately I am not at the boat, but I have a threaded fitting with a rubber hose attached to it. I have the hose extended to the front of the engine with a brass cap. I simply unscrew the cap, either screw-on my hand pump (a Jabsco) or I use the one of the suction containers for transmission fluid, etc. If you use the screw-on hand pump I recommend a 5-gal bucket so it does not splash. Evacuating the oil through this method is just as quick as draining a car, probably quicker than the dipstick method and I believe it fully drains the oil, and it is much less messy.

Jeff, ’94, #121

[David Veeneman]

Thanks for all the good info and advice. I thought I’d throw in another option for pumping out old oil. I use a JABSCO drill pump <https://www.amazon.com/Jabsco-17215-0000-Drill-Pump-Kit/dp/B000O8B10Q/ref=sr_1_3?crid=6CNBEM84RGUS&dchild=1&keywords=jabsco+drill+pump&qid=1612276705&sprefix=jabsco+drill+pump,aps,208&sr=8-3>. Does a great job, and takes very little storage. I’ve used it to pump out my fuel tank, as well.