Does anyone run Kendall oil ?

[Bahner tunnel]

Has anyone had any luck with Kendall oil in thier boats ? My enginre builder suggested running 50 wt. I want my new 13to1 496 BBC to enjoy a long life . If not Kendall , what oil are you running ?

[liberator21]

WE RUN KENDALL 40 IN OUR RACE BOAT, IT'S A 567CI ABOUT 1100 HP AND AROUND 980FTLBS OF TORQUE. WHEN YOU RUN A JET THAT FAST YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY SHORT CUTS. WE CHANGE OIL ABOUT EVERY 6-8 PASSES. YOU ADD 400HP NOS IT'S A RIDE. THIS BOAT ET'S SO HARD DOWN LOW. 4.8-4.9 SEC. AT THE 660 LIGHTS BETWEEN 113-117MPH THATS WITH OUT SPRAY. I US KENDALL IN ALL MY RIDES.
[ August 24, 2002, 01:10 AM: Message edited by: liberator21 ]

[HammerDown]

I also only use Kendall Oil...I only used GT-1 40/wt in the Jet Boat , I run a T-Stat so water temp is around 160. This season after a freshen up I've been using Kendall GT-1 20/50. So far so good...I belive that the 20/50 flows better cold throught the motor after sitting all week.
But then again I would think the 40/wt (may) have a better cling value on metal parts after shut down, that may also help out on cold start up? Just let that 40/wt warm up before ua nail it on the water. PS Kendall isnt GREEN anymore!

[S/C Rebel]

Kendall is a high qaulity oil, you can't go wrong with it. I also use straight 40wt, it provides very consistent oil pressure for the abuse these boats get. I also "take it easy" until the engine is up to temp (170). I have not tried 50wt, but I can tell you that straight 40wt maintains better pressure than 20-50wt. I just changed oil today, I'm trying Royal Purple straight 40wt synthetic. I'll try it tomorro, it can be had at Napa for $3.59 a qaurt.

[Bahner tunnel]

Thanks for the response . I think I'll go with 40 wt. 50 sounds a little thick. Good advice about letting it warm up before getting on it. I would hate to blow up my oil filter with all of the pressure at start up.
[ August 27, 2002, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Bahner tunnel ]

[diggler]

S/C Rebel:
Kendall is a high qaulity oil, you can't go wrong with it. How does Red Line Synthetic straight 40wt compare? I just put this into my boat to try to maintain consistent oil pressure.
Thanks!

[69 Elim]

I use Redline in my blower motor, trans & v-drive.
I dig it! however in the old ski boat, it gets some cheap oil (what ever is on sale), but I really don't care about that motor.

[HammerDown]

Diggler, by chance did ya read that little post from Gary Teague on Syn. oil's in boat motors? (Good reading). I'll see if I can find it and repost it here.

[HammerDown]

Digger, here ya go......I just gug it up for ya.............
WHAT ABOUT SYNTHETIC OIL?
Question: I would like to know if it is okay to run synthetic oil in a boat engine? I have read many different answers to this question, but would appreciate your professional opinion. I am running a stock 502 Magnum MPI and have always used Mercury's oil in it. I use Valvoline SynPower synthetic in my tow vehicle, but don't want to put synthetic oil in my boat without knowing if it is okay. If it is okay, what brand do you recommend?
Answer: This is a widely debated topic. Of course, the synthetic oil manufacturers would want you to believe that their products are going to increase your engine life. I have used a few synthetic oils with pretty good success, including Red Line, Mobil 1, and Amsoil to name a few.
In racing applications, I have done testing by using two different types of oil in each engine in the same boat. After the race, when the engine was disassembled, there was evidence that the synthetic oil was slightly superior in the competition environment. The same results have not been observed in the recreational marine engines, though.
More recently, I have noticed that engines with roller lifters used in the pleasure-boat environment have exhibited undesirable wear patterns when synthetic oil is used. Specifically, because the oil is more "slippery," it appears that the rollers are sliding on the cam instead of rolling. This results in flat spots on the rollers and increased wear on the cam lobe. This problem only seems to present itself with lower valve-spring tension applications typically used with hydraulic roller cams. In race applications, with solid roller setups where 250 or more pounds of spring pressure exists when the valve is on the seat, there seems to be enough pressure to keep the roller on the lifter rolling on the cam instead of sliding.
Depending on your climate and the water temperature you typically operate your boat in, the viscosity of your oil should be selected accordingly. I believe that a straight grade SAE 40 oil is the most suitable for the majority of the performance marine engines. SAE 30 would be better for cooler climates. For extreme performance and supercharged engines, SAE 50 is suggested. Most synthetics are a multi-viscosity oil. Fuel dilution of the oil and contamination as a result of increased moisture in the crankcase seems to affect the multi-viscosity oils faster.
The most important thing is that you change your engine oil regularly and use a good quality oil. I think an oil change every 25 to 50 hours is a good idea. The higher performance your engine is, the more often the oil and filter should be changed. I use Kendall SAE 40 in all the pleasure boats in our Southern California climate, and SAE 50 in the hot rods.
I have found the synthetic oils are always superior in gear boxes, blower gear cases, and stern drives. Red Line's 80-140, and Amsoil's 80-90W, to name a couple, seem to provide extra protection in Bravo drives. If you are a reader that has a Casale V-drive in your boat, put synthetic oil in it. You will be surprised how much cooler it operates.
The above question was asked by a reader of Power Boat Mag.(not me) And the answer's come from a gentelman named Gary Teague...from Teague Performance...a builder of some massive off Shore motors.
[ August 27, 2002, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: HammerDown ]

[diggler]

HammerDown:
Digger, here ya go......I just gug it up for ya.............
Thanks! I just gave you five stars! Now for another question. I have hydraulic lifters and the matching crane cam I just installed. There is nothing rollery about them. They're just solid pieces of metal. What is a roller lifter?

[Bahner tunnel]

A "roller lifter" has a roller wheel on the bottom that actually rolls as it rides on the can shaft instead of "rubbing " like a conventional lifter . A roller lifter MUST be used on a roller cam . They cannot interchange with a non-roller set up . They come in "solid" and "hydraulic" versions just like standard camshafts. The idea behind using a roller is they are more efficient , have much less friction to spin them and can handle much more radical cam profiles and ramp speeds compared to a standard style cam . As well as holding the valve open for a longer period of time even with the same duration numbers inturn makes more power . For example , my cam is .680" lift 270 degree @.050" solid roller and it is not completely wild in roller cam standards while that same grind in a non-roller cam would towards the end of the road as far as for what you could get away with . The o.d. of your lifter limits what you can get away with with a non-roller cam and not have the edge of the lifter hit the ramp of the cam lobe. Mopars' lifters are bigger around than Chevy lifters , Mopars can handle a more radical non-roller cam grind compared to Chevy motors . Roller cams have basically no limit on how radical of profile the can safely run . Just as in any style cam , roller or non-roller, solid cams can handle much more radical grinds than hyd. cams because of the spring pressures that are needed to avoid valve float.