RossWilson
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 7, 2017
- Messages
- 237
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
- Vessel Name
- Good Vibrations
- Vessel Make
- Mainship 34T
Hello Everyone:
When the marina mechanic was changing the oil and filter on my diesel generator recently, he found that the oil was the colour of cafe au lait, that is to say, coffee with cream.
He offered no immediate opinion as to the cause, but advised an oil test. I agreed and he continued with the service. A couple of weeks later, after the boat had been hauled and stored in a heated building for the winter, I received a message from the service manager stating that the milkiness was the result of water in the oil. (BTW - my boat is a fresh-water vessel.)
He suggested that the water probably entered as a result of cranking the genny without starting it. I had been having difficulty starting it a month or so earlier due to a weak battery and never got it started before hauling. He recommended that I start the generator after launch next spring and let it run for an hour or so, and that should resolve the water issue.
Now after another month, I'm wondering if that was good advice. It seems to me that changing the oil once probably won't remove all traces of the water. And leaving it in the genny all winter couldn't be good for the engine. If this is true, what should I do? Any other options? Should I change the oil and filter again before running it in the spring? Should I insist that the oil be changed again now even though the boat is on-the-hard? Thanks.
When the marina mechanic was changing the oil and filter on my diesel generator recently, he found that the oil was the colour of cafe au lait, that is to say, coffee with cream.
He offered no immediate opinion as to the cause, but advised an oil test. I agreed and he continued with the service. A couple of weeks later, after the boat had been hauled and stored in a heated building for the winter, I received a message from the service manager stating that the milkiness was the result of water in the oil. (BTW - my boat is a fresh-water vessel.)
He suggested that the water probably entered as a result of cranking the genny without starting it. I had been having difficulty starting it a month or so earlier due to a weak battery and never got it started before hauling. He recommended that I start the generator after launch next spring and let it run for an hour or so, and that should resolve the water issue.
Now after another month, I'm wondering if that was good advice. It seems to me that changing the oil once probably won't remove all traces of the water. And leaving it in the genny all winter couldn't be good for the engine. If this is true, what should I do? Any other options? Should I change the oil and filter again before running it in the spring? Should I insist that the oil be changed again now even though the boat is on-the-hard? Thanks.