Vintage Engine Oil Change On A Narrowboat . . . 

A few popular questions have popped up so I'll give the answers below, rather than answer every one individually. Why didn't I change the filter? The engine doesn't have an oil filter, just a gauze screen that requires cleaning every other oil change. Why didn't I put the vacuum tube down the oil filler hole? The oil filler has internal baffling, which makes it difficult/impossible to reach the bottom of the sump. Why didn't I use a bigger pipe? As I was stuck with using the dipstick tube, it wasn't possible to get a bigger pipe down there. Didn't you notice there is a brass pump attached to the front of the engine for extracting oil (you idiot, etc)? Obviously yes, I know the pump is there. However the internals of the pump are worn, so now makes a nice decorative piece. Why shouldn't you leave a diesel engine ticking over for an extended period? This is an extract from one of many articles freely available on the subject. "... letting your diesel idle for anything more than a short duration is a bad idea because while the engine will use little fuel, what fuel it does burn will not combust completely because the operating temperature is too low. Unlike gasoline engines, diesels need to be under load to reach optimum operating temperature."

I never thought I would say I enjoyed watching someone change oil but that was fascinating! Thanks so much for the video! Watching your videos seems to be like changing the oil in my brain. I come away feeling a little less anxiety!

When I lived on a narrowboat, there was nothing I liked better, than the sounds of these vintage engines, as they disappeared out of the range of my hearing. Wonderful!

Lovely engine, never thought I would sit through an entire oil change and be entertained :)

Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to next season.

I just love the sound of that engine - a lt like an old John Deere 2 cylinder.

Interesting video. 50+ years ago I was working in agricultural engineering. We could buy the workshop oil at the wholesale price. It was SAE 30 HD or diesel oil with detergent. What we found was if you used straight after a rebuild no problems but beware of putting it in an older engine. I ran BSA B31-3s Ariel Red Hunters air-cooled 1950s British singles. We found an SAE 50 oil worked well, especially with higher mileage engines. We probably worked them harder than you work Aslan, but if Aslan starts burning any oil it would be worth thinking about if you can still get it. I don't live in the UK anymore.

Always a pleasure to see and hear you. When I first found your vlog, it was new, and I had never heard of a narrowboat before. Sort of like a baby chick, I imprinted on you, and your take on things. I found an incredible peace in the whole experience, and the sound of your engine was a soporific that relaxed me at night. With you missing for awhile, I turned to many different canal boaters to fill the gap, and enjoyed a lot of their vlogs, but truly, I’d trade the lot of them to be able to have you back. I cannot wait till you’re back on a regular basis! Here I am, a native of San Francisco living in Southeast Texas on the border with Mexico, during the plague, a stranger in a strange land. It’s a crazy time and place, and I’m more grateful than ever to have your soothing presence on the screen once again. Thank you for being you!

I could listen to that engine all day long...actually its relaxing ...very nice work...😊

Was only thinking today. Have not seen Kevin for a while on here. Here you are looking good. Look forward to Season 7 too!

Good to see someone who is like me - First thing is to don safety slippers for routine maintenance... Thanks for another informative and enjoyable video. Best wishes

You are certainly gifted with more than your fair share of common sense ....👍😉

Happy to see you back I was missing Aslan

Very handy those suction pumps used one for servicing my car for years no pissing about underneath and removing all kinds of guards a Godsend really

I find that I'm always interested in seeing videos involving all the mechanical needs of narrowboats. That trick, so to speak, of changing the boat angle to facilitate draining the oil was cool! Probably perfectly obvious to narrowboaters. Always good to see you and your videos. Ever grateful as watching narrowboating life saves my sanity in crazy times.

I love your very understated way

Hi Kevin, I had a few questions and after I read all the 340 comments, all my questions were answered, many times over. Great video. Cheers

Good 2 see you back 😁

Hey Kevin and Aslan! Greetings from Clinton, Mississippi, USA! So good to see you! We can’t wait until Season 7!!!

Agree with you on using the proper oil for the older engines, worth the money and peace of mind. Looking forward to seeing season 7!

You've got a cracking vessel to move that oil from the big container to the engine but I couldn't help thinking how much easier (also less messy) it might be to use a big funnel. I realize this is yet another piece of equipment you would only use once every few years but you could keep it with the suction pump. Originally I thought, "Why not use the suction pump to get the oil out of the big can," but you'd have to clean it between each different step of the change which would undo any benefit. So, yeah, a big funnel that could double as a party hat I truly love Aslan and your adventures upon and within it. I wish you a long lifetime of such well documented travels by narrowboat.

truly enjoyable episode -- just the sort of homely task I enjoy seeing you undertake...looking forward to begin watching season 7...

Hi glad your back missed you hair looks fab really enjoy the info thanks keep them coming 👍

Hi Kevin, great to see you are doing well in this strange world we are living in. We do still talk about you everytime I make my favourite Beef and Leek Stew. Keep healthy and looking forward to the next series!

What a nice surprise to open RU-vid and there you are. I do enjoy all your vids. Looking forward to episode 7 and hopefully more travels by motorbike.

Great to hear from Kevin.....great advice & well explained on boat maintenance....stay safe...thanks for sharing

Great seeing you ❤

Missed seeing you & Aslan on RU-vid Good oil change and she sounds just as I remembered her. Morris is a Great English company. Good lubricants 👍🏻

Awesome video and thank you for showing the steps in the process ,,, Always look forward to watching your videos !!!

Unreal! This was such an education! Love my diesel engines, but this was fantastic! Thanks!

Good to see you and Aslan and and anxiously awaiting season 7 🙂 stay safe and well,🌤CHEERS 🍻

Hi Kevin, good too see you again!, glad to see Aslan gets nothing but the finest goldenfilm, I use the same in Freya's Lister HR2 and I swear by using what was designed for the older engines! and Aslan is as sweet sounding as ever! :)

I smiled for first time today when I saw you posted! I love your long hair. Bring it back. Really happy about your return. Thanks.

Kevin great to see you, I really missed your post! Charlie from Pennsylvania

Enjoy so much, especially this video. I’m in the US and envy your lifestyle. Keep the videos coming.

Yeah, the wife and I were saying only this morning that we weren't sure you were still using RU-vid, then you popped up! Cool! Good to see you are well and looking forward to upcoming videos.

Hi Kevin, you can make anything look relaxing. I would have spilt lots. Good to see you.

Thanks Kevin it's great to see you are doing well and a nice interesting vlog. Take care and all the best. Stevie

Very comfortable tee shirt you have and haircut is well done

Great to see you back Kevin and very much looking forward to series 7

Thank you for the ride on your motor Bike.....I’ve always wondered what they are like to travel on, am a bit scared of them really, and am impressed. You have the best of both worlds don’t you? Roaming the roads with one half of your life while you are being a landlubber and wending your watery way anywhere at other times. I spent the first few minutes of travels with a motor bike wondering how you got a motor bike onto a narrow boat before the penny dropped. Even in lockdown you have freedom, dead envious so thank you for sharing it.

Good to see you again!

Beautiful sound from that vintage engine.

Maintenance is most important, good to see you again, cheers .

Kevin, loved the episode! I love working in a marina on your boat when nobody else is around 'cause they're all working at regular jobs!! Its the best. BTW, loved the "Marty Feldman" eyes and looks!! Best regards Casey

Thank’s Kevin, lovely old engine. My old grey Ferguson loves 30 grade and I owned an old fishing boat with a “petter” engine, also ran on 30 grade mineral oil. Cheers.

Spooky.......Was just talking about you and hoped that your ok. Glad to see you are!!

Great Vlog as usual Kevin....enjoyed it my good man! Mark

Glad you're back. Can't wait for next season. Cheers!

Hey! CountryHouseGent. I love that pump. I got to get one. Thanks for sharing.

Very interesting video nice to know these little tips ☺👍

While I have been waiting for season 7 I found your older RU-vid videos on repairing Land Rovers and body work on your caravan. Several times I laughed to myself ...I can’t believe I’m watching this...and enjoying it. You’re a whiz at that mechanical stuff. Keven, stay safe and may we all get back to our normal lives soon.

I can’t believe that I just sat and watched an engine oil change. Enjoyed it though. 😂

Love watching your travels, you uplift my worries regarding this pandemic. When ever I watch your travels I forget all of the problems that we face daily. You are truly a positive force in helping all of us get through these precarious times. Thank You!!! Dan.

Thank you for this! Just finalising the purchase of my first nb Agincourt and she has the exact same engine as Aslan (also 45 foot) so teaching myself how to change the oil. Thank you

I was recommended your video channel in my RU-vid feed. I do enjoy watching about narrowboats in England and Wales. I maybe a Ocean and a Continent away from you I thought it was nice to see how you were doing a simple job of changing the motor oil. I fully agree with you on using non detergent motor oil in older engines. I previously watched your video where you had you Aslan blackened, you painted the Gunnels and replaced the rope fenders. Because of it you have a new subscriber.

i have a hand pump, which i use to extract the oil from my 1982 motorcycle engine. I try to use Duckhams 20/50, Glad to see these old engines still in use. Great vlog.

There's only one way to do an oil change for any engine. Properly and with care. It may seem a simple operation but like anything done well it isn't and you have to understand what you're doing to get it right. Great video

Good job man , a good days work . Thanks for video and comedy ! I just love vintage engines , they always seem to work properly without a lot of electronic gizmos. Thank you for the video 👍🍷

Cant wait to see you out n about cruising down the Canals on Aslan again soon , great to see you're in good health too , Cheers 😎👌👍

Looking forward to the next season. Stay safe.

SO HAPPY to see you! The hair looks great, and you look well. Looking forward to seeing the next season Kevin. Have missed Aslan and your adventures.

Hey Kevin glad to see your doing good waiting on season 7

Looking forward to another season.

Looking forward to Season 7 Kevin!

I really enjoyed spending time with your vintage Petter-Mclaren. And they're from Leeds, too which seems very appropriate given your travels on the Leeds-Liverpool. That vacuum pump is very familiar. Every scooter shop in Taiwan has one. They use a wide nozzle and get a 125cc scooter's 1 quart of oil out of the crankcase in about two minutes.

Looking forward to another season! That huge oil can seems like a novelty prop.

This was the best episode of celebrity oil change I've ever seen! ....great video as always. I have to change the oil on our vintage tractors soon. We have 5 gallon buckets....not looking forward to lifting those but I'd better get to it before it gets really hot outside.

Nicely done chap ... I wish I got that close to the full line every time!

Celebrity Oilchange.. Sounds genius to me!

A very enjoyable and informative video thanks Kevin

Hi Kevin. Thanks for sharing how you change the oil. That drum was very large and I bet it was difficult to control the glugging from the spout. Glad you didn’t get it on your slippers 😄. Looking forward to season 7. Take care. Nick

Good to see you; looking forward to the new season!

Glad to see you, take care of Aslan, patiently waiting for season seven!

For the last few days the oil in my Gardner 2LW has got slightly higher! You talking about empty water tanks I now know why!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😊 my tank is empty lol

Nice to see you again. Love the sound of Aslan's engine. Looking forward to season 7 xx

Great vlog..as usual...and you are absolutely right about the oil...the reason we have different oils available is because we have a variety of engines, each with their own specific needs.

Thank you for showing us, your fans, how oil is changed in your boat as I had always wondered how that was done. You should put this segment in with your current season of Travels By Narrow Boat as people will be interested with the up-keep of Aslan.

Great to see you back Kevin. We've all been looking forward to the new series

Great job Kevin.

great to know season 7 could be back soon!!!! ever thought about making a white noise video clip just with Aslan's engine sound? It's like listening to a steam engine, very relaxing.

Just discovered your channel, it looks like just in time for your travels to resume (fingers crossed). You're an amazing ambassador for canal life. Thank you!

I did a search to see if you had posted anything about a week ago glad to see you're ok and healthy and Aslan then my computer went down for a few days so I am back and so are you hope more vlogs are coming .

Celebrity Oil Changing!! Coming to a TV station near you! A very COVID safe thing to do from a home near you. :-) Cheers from Seattle! Stay safe!

I have a 1974 BMW bike that uses the same make and grade of oil. Older engines were designed with the straight viscosity profile in mind and in my less than profession opinion one should always use straight for these engines. On a side note.. If you ever have to do more involved maintenance on your engine i'ld love the opportunity to offer a second pair of hands whilst we discuss Star Trek :) I truly appreciate the context you produce. Thanks

Haha nice! Good to see you again after a loooooooong while! I was beginning to wonder Kevin, if the evil powers that be "disappeared" you.....phew! Good job on the oil change, love that engine!! Happy chug-a-lugging!!!

I can't wait anymore. I'm going thru Narrow Boat withdraw

I remember asking you what oil the old girl took nice to see you do an oil change looks like golden syrup, top job mate and great vlog 👍

Had the oil changed in my car this weekend. Dad made sure I knew how to take care of my transportation because well, girls should know how to live life alone! Not a subject that fascinates me but missing your videos so watched the entire video! You are very entertaining. Thank you for the smiles!

After watching this I'm definitely going to make sure my sump drain plug is accessible. Always assumed those vacuum pumps worked faster.

Gotta love the elevator background music whilst waiting for the oil to extract. 😂

Thanks for the vlog, learn something new every day!

Good to see you back again and looking well.

Very interesting. I like your vacuum pump. Looking forward season seven.

Hi there, Kevin. What a pleasure to have recently discovered your Travels by Narrowboat adventures and I'm happy to see that you are still on the boat! Being rather isolated during this time of the Coronavirus, traveling along with you is a great way to relax and take in the scenery. I've lots of great places to explore nearby in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, however, traveling along the canals with you, being in the beautiful surroundings and charming villas is lovely. Thank you for sharing your experiences with such honesty and transparency. Cheers!

Hi Kevin, Aslan looks spectacular. Thank you for taking such good care of a wonderful boat. You will never know how much you helped me, but thank you for being there during a major health crisis I overcame. The rhythmic sound of Aslan’s engine was so soothing while I followed my daily rituals of intravenous infusions as you explored the canals of Great Britain. I looked forward to every new episode of Travels by Narrowboat and it gave me the strength to endure discomfort and depression. I’m all well now. May God continue to bless you. Very sincerely, Robert Nalepa. Citrus Hills , Florida

Great video. I learnt some thing as well. Always enjoy your work, whatever the subject. Dry sense of humour too.

Very enjoyable segment Kevin! You're correct on old engines and "modern" oils. Waiting for season 7 so I can wear my "Lock up your pork pie" shirt again! Cheers from the Puget Sound.

Hi Kevin glad to see you again can’t wait for season 7 to start I’ve been missing you even though I’ve been rewatching season 1-6 it’s not the same .Im excited to see what surprises you have in store for us from your pantry 😜.stay safe and carry on 👍💕.

Hey Mr Kevin. Boyo am I glad to see you back! You are spot on regarding the use of modern oil formulations and older engines. Aslan is like many of us old timers. T t eat us right and we'll get you there - slow and steady does it. Cheers