[C320-list] winter maintenance questions

[Louis Friedman via C320-list]

Hi all, general questions here-

I let the yard do alot of the winter maintenance last year but thinking of
doing a few things myself this fall-

oil change on Yanmar 3GM30F - DIY videos look like the only way to drain
the oil is through the dipstick opening with a pump? can you get all the
oil out that way?

for the batteries - last year a friend told me it's ok to leave them on the
boat for the winter hooked to my 7 watt solar trickle charger. seemed to
work ok though at 5 years of age I needed to replace them this year
anyway.
anyone disagree with this versus having the yard remove and store them?

Lou
623
MissAdventure

[John Brennan via C320-list]

Not sure where you are, but any yard work here in Florida is frighteningly expensive. I will pay for rigging and complicated diesel work, but I do everything else myself. It saves thousands and sometimes is even fun.

Buy an oil extraction pump from West Marine that will suck out the oil from the dipstick hole. There is an art to wiggling the hose so it gets ALMOST all of the oil. But a few ounces of old oil in the engine has no practical effect. Anyway, your oil will be black after a number of running hours. That's how diesels are.

The drill is to run the diesel to normal operating temperature, then shut it off and pump out the oil. After that, place an oil-absorbing mat under the filter and twist it off. Have a waterproof plastic bag (I double-bag trash bags) so you can quickly dump the old filter and the mat. Wipe everything clean, then install the new filter, making sure you coat the gasket with oil first.

I put in about a quart of oil and let it settle, then measure with the dipstick and put in smaller amounts until the oil reaches the line on the dipstick. Replace the oil fill cap and fire up the diesel. Let it run a few minutes and then remeasure with the dipstick. You'll probably need to top it off a little because the filter filled up.

Also, check for any drips around the filter.

A small solar panel should be fine for the batteries, but how cold does it get where you are? Can a deep freeze damage batteries? As a Floridian, I can't answer that question.

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

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Louis Friedman via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 10:46 AM
To: C320...@catalina320.com <C320...@catalina320.com>
Cc: Louis Friedman <lou...@gmail.com>
Subject: [C320-list] winter maintenance questions

[artstree--- via C320-list]

I have a Perking and is has a fitting on the side of the engine for oil changes. However on the Yanmar in my Capri 26 I had a hose that was connected to the bottom of the pan for oil changes. If your are buying an oil pump make sure the hoses are clamped on securely. You do not want to lose the discharge hose in the middle of pumping out the engine. Don't ask me how I know.
As for the 7 watt panel. I have two of them and mount them on the mast above the winter cover. I got 9 years out of battery#1 and and I am working on 8 years for #2.  I will replace #2 next year.  these are wet cell batteries. We are in Sandusky, Ohio where it gets well below freezing over the winter and in the spring they always seemed to be in good condition. The marina used to offer removing the batteries and putting them on a trickle charge, but they were no in a heated area so I just figured what would be the difference. NOTE if you have sealed batteries they should be in a heated environment. A shipmate of mine had glass mat batteries in his Capri 26 and he did not remove them over the winter. When he did Spring commissioning they almost caught on fire. Fortunately he was onboard and could smell the fumes and removed them. They were only a year old. I feel safer with the wet cell batteries.  Just my opinion.
Art Harden
Catalina 320 "Tortuga" E-42
937.885.9380 (o)
937.477.5544 (m)

[surprise thompson87.com via C320-list]

I'm in Maryland and have kept my lead-acid flooded cell batteries in the boat on a trickle charge from a small solar panel for about 10 years now with no ill effects. I've heard that a fully charged battery is less likely to freeze. If the batteries are not sealed you will want to visit them occasionally over the winter to add distilled water as needed.

T. Scott Thompson
Catalina 320 “Surprise,” #653 (1999)
surp...@thompson87.com

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Louis Friedman via C320-list
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 10:46 AM
To: C320...@catalina320.com
Cc: Louis Friedman <lou...@gmail.com>
Subject: [C320-list] winter maintenance questions

[Kim Chapman via C320-list]

A fully charged lead-acid battery will not freeze.

Cheers...

Kim Chapman
Sanity
C320 #416

[Louis Friedman via C320-list]

thanks all, this is incredibly helpful. Will pick up a pump and take a
stab at the oil change. looks like Rotella 15W 40 should work. yes, the
yard is crazy expensive, labor is about 150 an hour alone and they increase
the price of supplies.

for adding water to the batteries over the winter, I'll search this on
google but any tips on doing this? no need to disconnect batteries?

--
Louis Friedman, DO, FACP
Woodbridge Medical Associates
www.woodbridgemed.com
732-634-0036

[jackbrennan via C320-list]

Add distilled water, not tap. Leave a little room at the top of the cell, but make sure the lead is covered well.Sent via the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Louis Friedman via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> Date: 8/28/25 12:46 PM (GMT-05:00) To: C320...@catalina320.com Cc: Louis Friedman <lou...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [C320-list] winter maintenance questions thanks all, this is incredibly helpful.  Will  pick up a pump and take astab at the oil change.  looks like Rotella 15W 40 should work.  yes, theyard is crazy expensive, labor is about 150 an hour alone and they increasethe price of supplies.for adding water to the batteries over the winter, I'll search this ongoogle but any tips on doing this? no need to disconnect batteries?On Thu, Aug 28, 2025 at 12:33 PM Kim Chapman via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:> A fully charged lead-acid battery will not freeze.>> Cheers...>> Kim Chapman> Sanity> C320 #416>> On Thu, Aug 28, 2025 at 11:09 AM John Brennan via C320-list <> c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote:>> > Not sure where you are, but any yard work here in Florida is> frighteningly> > expensive. I will pay for rigging and complicated diesel work, but I do> > everything else myself. It saves thousands and sometimes is even fun.> >> > Buy an oil extraction pump from West Marine that will suck out the oil> > from the dipstick hole. There is an art to wiggling the hose so it gets> > ALMOST all of the oil. But a few ounces of old oil in the engine has no> > practical effect. Anyway, your oil will be black after a number of> running> > hours. That's how diesels are.> >> > The drill is to run the diesel to normal operating temperature, then shut> > it off and pump out the oil. After that, place an oil-absorbing mat under> > the filter and twist it off. Have a waterproof plastic bag (I double-bag> > trash bags) so you can quickly dump the old filter and the mat. Wipe> > everything clean, then install the new filter, making sure you coat the> > gasket with oil first.> >> > I put in about a quart of oil and let it settle, then measure with the> > dipstick and put in smaller amounts until the oil reaches the line on the> > dipstick. Replace the oil fill cap and fire up the diesel. Let it run a> few> > minutes and then remeasure with the dipstick. You'll probably need to top> > it off a little because the filter filled up.> >> > Also, check for any drips around the filter.> >> > A small solar panel should be fine for the batteries, but how cold does> it> > get where you are? Can a deep freeze damage batteries? As a Floridian, I> > can't answer that question.> >> > Jack Brennan> > Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320> > Tierra Verde, Fl.> >> > ________________________________> > From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of> > Louis Friedman via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>> > Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 10:46 AM> > To: C320...@catalina320.com <C320...@catalina320.com>> > Cc: Louis Friedman <lou...@gmail.com>> > Subject: [C320-list] winter maintenance questions> >> > Hi all, general questions here-> >> > I let the yard do alot of the winter maintenance last year but thinking> of> > doing a few things myself  this fall-> >> > oil change on Yanmar 3GM30F - DIY videos look like the only way to drain> > the oil is through the dipstick opening with a pump? can you get all the> > oil out that way?> >> > for the batteries - last year a friend told me it's ok to leave them on> the> > boat for the winter hooked to my 7 watt solar trickle charger.  seemed to> > work ok though at 5 years of age I needed to replace them this year> > anyway.> >  anyone disagree with this versus having the yard remove and store them?> >> > Lou> > 623> > MissAdventure> >>-- Louis Friedman, DO, FACPWoodbridge Medical Associateswww.woodbridgemed.com732-634-0036

[Michael Deslauriers via C320-list]

Get yourself a deep cycle battery Jug with auto shut off so you do not
overfill the batteries (which is bad) and also buy a gallon
of distilled water.

[Dave Hupe via C320-list]

Add distilled water only to your wet cell batteries. No need to disconnect.
Dave Hupe 
1994 C329 #32

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

On Thu, Aug 28, 2025 at 12:46 PM, Louis Friedman via C320-list<c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote: thanks all, this is incredibly helpful.  Will  pick up a pump and take a

[Bob Borelli via C320-list]

Oil change - operate the diesel for a few minutes to warm oil, makes it viscus.
Need empty container, 6 mil plastic gloves, oil absorbent pads, shop towels, plastic trash bags, filter, fresh oil, filter wrench or screw driver, awl & hammer.
Pump warmed old oil out with hand pump into container.
Remove old filter. Lube new filter gasket.
Install new oil filter, add new oil to correct level.
New oil same amount as just removed in container.
Operate diesel short time with new oil for winter storage.
Discard old oil at auto parts store.

Batteries - wet cell batteries, you must check monthly to ensure distilled water level during winter storage.
Water level must not go down and uncover cells.
Charge batteries monthly. However if solar charger maintains charge above 12.5 volts...
I leave my batteries onboard during winter storage wet or dry.
I plug into 30amp service & let onboard charger maitain battery charge during winter. Monthly.
Charged batteies will not freeze.
If I removed my batteries from boat to home garage, I would connect 'Battery Tender Junior' charger.



________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Dave Hupe via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2025 1:53 PM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com <C320...@Catalina320.com>; C320...@catalina320.com <C320...@catalina320.com>
Cc: Dave Hupe <hoop...@yahoo.com>

Subject: Re: [C320-list] winter maintenance questions

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