Changing Oil in a Perkins 4.154

Hi All I wanted to change my oil on a pair of Perkins 4.154's and had no luck. I started with a Temco hand pump through the dipstick, Nothing then changed to a Jabsco drill pump, no luck. I then borrowed my buddies pump rig, once again no luck. The engines were cold and the oil looks pretty dirty but I was not able to pump it out. Is there an easy way? And yes the tube was long enough to reach the bottom of the pan. Cheers Brian

Greetings,
Mr. G. Can you warm up the engines? After successfully draining your engines, you may want to invest in a oil change pump plumbed into the oil pan drain plug. Next oil change will be a breeze. ONE example of several types (I think)...
Gear Pump 602 DC Series

Thanks RT The boat was on the hard when I tried but is now back in the water. I can now start the engines to heat them up. How do you plumb this pump? I don't think I can access the bottom of the pan.

Take the boat out for 30 minutes and run it at hard cruise for about 5 minutes and normal cruise for 10. Then the oil may come right out w any of the extractors you've already tried.

I ALWAYS warm my engine up before extracting the oil. The idea is to get all the contaminants suspended in the oil so when you extract the oil you get rid of the crud.

I have a built in extractor like RT mentioned. See it in the pic slightly above and fwd of the Racor filter. For whatever reason it's chrome. The "L" shaped pump handle is above and the oil comes out the facet hook shaped thing.

Yes, draining cold oil via the dipstick tube is close to sucking molasses through a straw. As suggested, definitely bring the engine up to operating temperature.

Also on Perkins engines with the mushroom shaped pan, there is usually either a plug or oval plate, about the size of a quarter, held in place with two bolts in the top of the pan which is above the oil level. If you have this feature, then remove and pump your pan out from there.

If you haven't already got a manual, a free copy of the Perkins engine manual for your engine is available at this site (below).

http://www.kp44.org/ftp/Perkins_4-154_Shop_Manual.pdf

PS: Pages specific to the Marine version are near the end of the manual.

Greetings,
Mr. G. I'm not at all familiar with your engine. I'm sure a 4-154 owner can talk you through it. Simply, the oil pan drain plug is replaced with a barbed fitting and a hose is connected to a permanently mounted pump thence to a discharge hose. To change oil, run engine to warm oil, shut off engine. put discharge hose into empty container, turn on pump and walla!

Besides warming the engine so a tiny pump can extract the oil, the BETTER reason for a long warmup is crud falls out of suspension and collects in the engine.

When hot the detergent in the oil will again pick up the crud .

The crud is fine enough to pass the oil filter, and works like grinding compound.

The best oil change is just after a Looong days run , to give the detergent many hours to pick up the crud.

Not a load of fun in a hot engine space after a long day , but worth the effort.

As others have said, get the oil up to operating temperature before changing which is not real fun when the filter has to be removed but that is what gloves are for.

If you have the room for a container to collect the oil a Fumoto oil drain valve is wonderful.

Fumoto USA | Quick and Easy Engine Oil Drain Valves

I put one on my truck years ago and it really speeds up an oil change. The lever to open the value has to be pulled towards the end of the value and then moved to the side. It is not something that can be done by accident or at least not easily. Even though it is not likely for the value to open, I put a cable tie over the valve lever which makes it all but impossible to move until the tie is cut off.

My truck drain bolt required a new copper washer every oil change or it would leak. PITA. I tried a "plastic" washer that sorta worked but the Fumoto value does not leak. I don't have a Fumoto valve on the tractor since the tractor runs over logs, stumps, rocks, etc and there is a good chance the value could get hit and get damaged or knocked off.

They show a hose connected to the valve to help drain the oil but I have never used a hose.

Later,
Dan