engine using oil

[ACE]

I have about 20 hours on my 06 LSV w/ the 383 engine and it feels like it spends more time in the shop than in the water. My check eng light will come on and the boat will go into limp mode when I hit even the smallest wave. Later that day I could not pull anyone out of the water because it would do the same thing. Needless to say it make for a pretty disappointing day on the water. I had the oil threshold light come on and I decided that was the end my day.

This is my first Malibu. I pretty young to have a boat like this but I wanted to buy the best right off the bat so I could keep it for a long time and now I'm starting wonder if I am going to be learning a huge lesson.

I have taken it in a couple of time and my service manager seems to be a really good guy. He told me that Malibu uses a break in oil and this is a common issue. "We are experiencing the same problem w/both the 8.1 and this 383 burning some oil." This is a direct quote from an e-mail by my local service manager.

Has anyone in the crew had issues like this and what did you do?

Thanks in advance

[andyb]

I have no doubt Tracie will be commenting on the great 383 motor in her boat and my 2005 383 has been nothing but perfect from day one. Break in oil referred to is SAE 40 that they seem to be using for the first 100 hours now. My Hammerhead used SAE 20/50 mineral oil from day one and I have just switched over to Mobil 1 synthetic (with 120 hours now on the clock). My Hammy has never used a drop of oil between changes; it has run like clockwork from the first turn of the key and it certainly doesn't get putty -footed about (it sounds so great at WOT).

I would not be pleased with my dealers feedback if I were you - especially as you consider:

- how much you have invested, and

- that it is right in the busy part of the season!!

Edited July 24, 2006 by andyb

[ACE]

I no it's been around 110 all week and I'm off at 6pm tonight with the following 2 days off.

[stewart]

I have about 20 hours on my 06 LSV w/ the 383 engine and it feels like it spends more time in the shop than in the water. My check eng light will come on and the boat will go into limp mode when I hit even the smallest wave. Later that day I could not pull anyone out of the water because it would do the same thing.

Is it dropping to idle? If so, then when you re-start the engine it runs fun, right?

If so, this is not a problem with the engine. This maybe a problem with the "fly by wire" my boat is in the shop for it right now. There are some sensors that are used for the fly by wire. And for safety purposes if one of the sensors is out of parameter, the engine will drop to idle. You can re-start it right away and it runs great and then out of the blue, drop to idle again...... Anyway, they can do an adjustment at the service center to fix it. My dealer wanted my BU in ASAP since it is a safety issue. Mine died twice while I was doing tight maneuvering.

As far as oil usage, if it is using oil it will only be for the first 30-50 hours depending on what type of break-in you did. My 05 383 used about a 1/2 qt in the first 20 ours and then nothing.

Make sure you use a good 40 or 50 wt. I'ld lean to 50 wt in the hot summer months.

[ilovetrains]

You did not state that your was actually using oil but rather the dealer service manager noted that many engines were using oil.

Have you actually been checking your dipstick and noticed the oil level go down?

I imagine that what Stewart says is correct, this is an electrical problem. There are bugs with many boats off the assembly line. Give the dealer a chane to work it out.

I actually had the same thing happen not too long ago, one time deal, has given me no problems since.

[NvBoarder]

I've heard from my service center that oil pressure on the bigger engines has been a slight problem and they went to 50 wt oil to help solve the problem. He also told me that over the first 50 hours the enigine could use some oil. If you have no leaks it should be fine after a few more hours. Don't give up on the boat just yet. You won't be disappointed. One last thing from past experience check the oil 2 or 3 times with the dipstick not just one quick check. I have found that sometime the first reading may not be accurate and you might have less oil in the engine then what it shows.

[Birm]

My boat has the Monsoon Engine. I noticed that at 17 hours it had burned a bit of oil....I have been checking every couple of hours, and did not notice a drop in level until 17 hours. I added about 1/3 a quart of Penzoil HD 10W40 and it brought it up to full. My dealer, and the engine manual state that a new engine will burn through some oil in the break in period.

Good Luck!

[WakeGirl]

Ace,

What Stewart said about the fly by wire is the thing to have them check. As for the oil pressure, I know the area that you live - have them put 50w oil in that thing, it's too flipping hot in that part of the country to run anything less. Otherwise you'll have your oil pressure alarm going off with regularity. 40w where we live seems to be fine, but you're quite a bit warmer than us. I've actually been thinking about using an additive like Slick 50 or Lucas, not to keep oil pressure up but to help with lubrication. I do plan on switching to full synthetic at 100 hours.

I haven't noticed any oil useage at all out of mine. We did the "drop the hammer" break in, per the dealer's okay & it runs like a abused primate. I can only begin to imagine how much fun this motor would be in a Response like Andy's.

[andyb]

I'm a grown up teenager

[WakeGirl]

Nice.

[ACE]

Thanks to all who responded. I had my first service complete and I will definitely check the oil from now on more that it is really needed. I did take it out and did not have an issue all day. Ripped out of the hole; and smooth all day. We pulled a couple of boarders and had a blast. Hopefully having to add engine oil will not be an ongoing thing, but as long as she keeps running smooth I'll feed her what ever she wants.