If the oil
pumps out when cold, I be surprised if it makes a difference. If you warm the engine first, the oil will be less viscous and easier to
pump out. However, if your pump can handle it I can also see a benefit for pumping out cold: you *may* get more oil out because it has time to settle in the bottom (for the same reason, you only check your oil level when the engine is cold.)
I'm also surprised that they change the oil as part of the winterizing. I think I read somewhere that you're better off changing oil in the spring. Some condensation may collect during layup periods and so if you change oil after the layup, you will also pump out the water with the oil. Maine Sail's suggestion of running the engine before the layup to minimize moisture during the layup also sounds like a good one, as does preventing air getting in with saran wrap and does running the engine after any oil change (so as to circulated oil and protect parts from corrosion).
As I understand it, the important step of any layup is to remove water from places where it may freeze and break whatever it is contained within -- results may be a cracked engine or a sunk boat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bene505
I heard somewhere that you have to start an engine and get the oil warm prior to changing the oil. The oil change is about to be done at the marina, and I think they aren't going to start the engine first. Is this a problem?
As a side note, the marina manager seems very adamant about winterizing our sailboat this morning, and not waiting until I can be there to watch. I would like to learn how to do it, and I also like to oversee what's going on. (Maybe not a good comparison, but Jiffy Lube once tried to start my car engine before the other mechanic had put oil back in.) She's been waiting for this event for 2 weeks now. Is this normal, that they would have a small time window? Do you usually watch or attend these types of things?
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