• Creator
    Topic
  • #42912

    Thomas Hale
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Tadhana
    Engines: QSB 5.9 230 HO
    Location: Full time cruiser. always moving
    Country: United States

    I have searched the forum and did not find an answer to my question, so here goes. When our boat was built 9 years ago Cummins sent a tech to the boat to go over the engine operation and service and to answer any questions we might have: the “Captains Briefing”. One question I asked was whether I should switch to synthetic oil after the break in period. The answer was, “Sure, use any oil you want so long as it meets our spec, but if you use synthetic oil you still must change it every 200 hours.” Well I figured that over the life of the boat we might put on 2,000 hours, so I sort of forgot about synthetic oil and just change the Rotella every 200 hours. I retired 4 years ago and we now cruise further. Last year we put on 600 hours, and this year 964 hours. All of a sudden we have 4,200 hours and the boat is not 10 years old! We are likely to continue putting 600-800 hours on the engine every year. We will probably have 10,000 hours by the time we stop cruising. Given that we are running a lot more hours per year than most boats, would it be better for the engine if we used synthetic oil?

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  • #43237

    Tony Athens
    Moderator
    Vessel Name: Local Banks
    Engines: QSB 6.7 550 HP
    Location: Oxnard, CA
    Country: USA

    IMO——- NOTHING MEASURABLE OR QUANTIFIABLE..

    #43056

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    Understood. That I would have no first hand experience with so would have to rely on reading published articles, Google, etc. But I do know that Tony’s commercial fleet includes vessels in the 10,000 – 20,000 hour range, I never once heard him mention the use of synthetic oil.

    #42933

    Thomas Hale
    Participant
    Vessel Name: Tadhana
    Engines: QSB 5.9 230 HO
    Location: Full time cruiser. always moving
    Country: United States

    Thank you

    No, Cummins has already made it clear that the oil must still be changed every 200 hours.. The question I have , but did not clearly ask, is will I have less engine wear with synthetic oil, after another 5,000 hours? ?

    #42923

    Rob Schepis
    Forum Moderator
    Vessel Name: Tenacious
    Engines: 6BTA 5.9 330's - "Seaboard Style"
    Location: Long Island, NY
    Country: USA

    So is the question as to whether or not synthetic oil can extend your oil change intervals? IMO, that would be a No. Regardless of the oil that’s in the engine (dino or synth) the oil needs to be changed due to it becoming contaminated, not because it is “expended” or “bad” due to it’s own properties.

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