It's oil change time.... never done it.

[Bob Quinn]

My oil changes take a couple of days but no burnt hands, less sweat and no spills.
Start in the afternoon.

1) Service all fuel filters.

2) Warm up the engines nice and toasty. This also clears the fuel filters of air.

3) Shut down, red tag the breakers and pump the hot oil out.

4) Pop a top and call it quits for the day.

5) Next morning, now that all has cooled off, Lay down a couple sheets of oil-sorb pads under the oil filters.
I use double, heavy trash bags open & under the oil filters next.
With a strap wrench, just loosen the oil filter. Do not un-screw it, just loosen. then, with a bucket or large pan under the oil filter, punch a hole in the filter bottom. Your going to get a couple of quarts from the big oil filters.
On dual oil filters like my 12V71s, the top oil filter has drained.
When the filter has drained, the filter can come loose and gently lower the filter into the open bags. Even if you drop the filter, it is not full of oil and way less messy.
When done, you can gently raise the bags up and away.

6) Install new filters using fresh oil on the seal ring.

7) Pump out more oil from the engines. This would be the oil from the engine turbos, blowers, galleys, filters and lines that has drained into the sump over night. You will be be surprised how much oil comes out the next morning.

8) Pour or pump in 1 or two quarts of fresh oil. then pump it back out. This rinses the oil pump, hoses and bottom of sump.
Oil is cold and requires a lil more from your pump.

9) Refill engine oil to the dips full mark.

10) start engines, when oil pressure is up and steady, shut them down.

11) Do not try to read the oil dips now. Go service the generator(s), replace zincs, clean up area. remove old oil and have lunch.

12) Hours later, now check oil level. Fill to rite on the full mark.
Always check Detroits cold. Remove red tags.

Nice procedure, good call on letting it drain overnight! I did it all quick (well all while hot'ish)
I'm sure I didn't get all the old oil as I had to use the pump in the dipstick method, but was surprised to get 5 gallons out of 8v71's. I was also surprised after refilling and warming up not to see much if any oil discoloration from old oil. One side was cleaner that the other though. Next time I think I will try to get some hoses installed on the drain plugs in preparation for an oil change system. I also didn't try to flush any clean oil through, but I don't think that would be nearly as effective with the pump in the dip stick method as there is no way to know for sure how far down you are pumping. Next time I think I will be ready with new fittings etc. to hook to the oil pans after getting the oil out through the dip stick.

[jim rosenthal]

First thing, if you are going to take the oil pan drain plugs out, drain all the oil through the dipstick tubes, then wait overnight and drain it again, then have a lot of diapers on hand when you take the plugs out. You will need to pre-measure for all your lines AND bring the hose shop the drain plug so they can match up the threads. Also, make sure that the hose ends that they use are the kind you can turn with a wrench without turning the whole hose. Use the best hose they have- the hoses take a beating. This is one installation where it is essential to use the best of everything you can get.

I don't use the oil change system to pump the new oil in, but you can. I buy 5 gallon buckets and use a hand pump I got off Amazon to pump the oil in the top of the engine.