OIL CHANGE Quick - Easy - No Spill

General
1

I was contemplating my first Oil change on Southpaw.

The oil fill is located under the cockpit sole.

There is only a few inches of overhead clearance to allow for filling.

This coupled with fiddling with a funnel and hose guaranteed a spill a minute.

SO!

I decided on the following all for less than $100 USD.

I would connect the present oil drain hose to a reversable pump.

It worked like a charm, not a drop was spilled and took less than 5 minutes.

  1. Put hose into empty container

  2. Support container with right hand

Hold switch down with left hand

More than one Gal pumped out in less than a minute

  1. Insert hose into clean oil container support as before

  2. Hold switch UP until sump is full

Test level on dip stick

I mounted the assembly on a small board.

This was so that it could be easily removed if required to work on engine.

It also made the actual job much easier.

The mounting board is 5/8” thick and just large enough for the pump

The switch mount is 1/8 x 1 x 5 ½, it also was in my might use someday locker.

I used fender washers under the other two pump mount feet 3 made a stack 1/8 thick

I reduced the pump to 3/8 and used 3/8 fuel hose, nice and flexible

The pump is taped for straight Pipe but tapered fittings with dope work just fine

Some day I’ll wire it but for now I use an extension cord for power

I used a snug metal plug to close the In/Out hose, cross drilled for hanging ring

I think I’ll add a 3/8” OD Metal or Plastic tube to reach bottom of a I gallon oil container

Reversing Switch $11.99 at Amazon

weideer Momentary Reverse Polarity Switch 12V 30A Motor Control RV Jack Switch DPDT 4 Pin (ON)-Off-(ON) Toggle Switch with Waterproof Cap Wires

Adapter available at Defender Industries as a 5 pack

I cut off one male leg and used these to facilate wiring the switch

Ancor Double Male-Female Adapter

Item:#1393803

Reversable Gear Pump $63.99 at Amazon

YaeMarine 12V 3.2GPM Oil Scavenge Pump Oil Pump Turbo Pump Impellor Gear Pump Self Priming Reversible for Diesel Lubricants Machinery Fuel Scavenge Oil Transfer (White)

Fran Cichowski Southpaw N30U Noank CT captfran1@gmail.com

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1 Like
2

Cool! We had a lube oil transfer pump on the tug, but that was a 250 ton boat with a 45 ton engine. First time I’ve seen such professional level equipment on a sailboat. :slight_smile:

Now I want one…

3

Cool! My work around works well but yours is just plain sweet!

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4

Fran,

This is brilliant!

What you’ve outlined for under $100 is how to build the equivalent of the Reverso oil change pumps ( Products - Oil Change Systems - Page 1 - Reverso Pumps LLC ) that I had and loved on some of my previous boats.

I’m electric-powered myself now, but having changed oil for 40 years before switching, I know how big a boon this is to the bulk of the Nonsuch fleet. Especially given that Reverso models start at close to $600 USD and go up in price from there.

Two requests:

  1. Write this up for the INA Update and Members Tips & Projects. Because everyone should know about this.
  2. Figure out how to do the same thing for changing the transmission oil. If you do, someone will create a “Hero of the Nonsuch Empire” award just so we can give it to you.

:+1: :+1:

– Bob

5

I think I sorta did do that
BUT
There are some things I don’t understand yet.
What is members tips and projects?
What are article requirements that I may not have met?
How do I submit this?

I’m glad so many have already responded
It is a joy to share stuff that works, is cheap and easy, and could help for years to come.

I have a “V” drive and am about to top her off.
I’m not yet certain about the drain procedure.

I had a westerbeke with a “V” drive on my last boat.
I am selling her now.
I have owned her 36 years
My maintenance record was just awful.
Oil and fluids were so much trouble
I only changed oil once a year and never changed the tranny fluid.

This trick will definitely make me a better boat custodian
I hope to make this engine last another 40 years, (I’m only 85)
Thanks for the heads up on the tranny

Fran

6

Member’s Tips and Projects is a section of the INA website where things like this are posted for anyone to download. They are typically some kind of procedure and would need to be formatted into a PDF. If you look here you can see examples: International Nonsuch Association - Authorization required

You gave many of us everything we need to know to reproduce your device. Others would need more specific details and a step-by-step procedure. It requires some work to produce a procedure like that and I don’t blame you if you don’t want to do it. Your device looks so practical and useful that I bet more than one of us will follow your lead. If you don’t do the procedure, then hopefully someone else will.

7

Hi Bob,

I just did my Tranny

and

I’m on it

System design and specifications complete in my head

Much cheaper than $100

BUT

A bit of fussy drill press work to be done.

Possibly I’ll get it built this winter

A bit over one pint per minute

How many quarts in one of these trannys?

Fran

8

I want to say one quart in the tranny, but I’m working from fading memory.

My boat’s electric, and the only maintenance is grease in one zerk fitting every 500 hours. At the rate I use my engine, that’s in several years from now.

– Bob