Oil Capacity for 1992 Rinker 202 4.3 Mercury GM

slick92202

Mercury has the oil capacity for this 1992 4.3 6 cylinder motor mercury GM motor at 4.5 quarts. So I change the filter and in pore in 4.5 quarts then run the motor, shut it off and check the dip stick. 

This amount of oil is 1" over the full mark on the dip stick.  It would seem that this particular Merc motor would not take 4 or less quarts oil which to me seems like too little oil.  The dip stick is marked 41092-1 which seems to be the correct stick.  Maybe Rinker changed the oil pan on that model for the motor to fit the boat.  Does anyone know what the correct oil amount is for this year and type of motor?  Any one have any info as to why this might be.

howardrams

4.5 quarts is the number.  I doubt Rinker changes the oil pan sizes.  They just install factory motors.  It's likely some of the old oil remained in the engine which could be why the dipstick reads a little high.  Try not to exceed the "max" mark on the dipstick.

Michael T

@howardrams is 100%. You never really get all of the oil out of your engine unless you have an oil pan extraction system. I always put in less oil than specified, heat the motors up to operating temperature, shut them off, remove the dip sticks and wipe them off,  let the oil drain down, replace the dip sticks and read them - then - top-up with oil. You do not want to operate your engines with too much oil. Doing that can cause a host of expensive problems. The oil will likely "froth" causing hydraulic lifters to collapse or underperform and bearings to receive too little oil - ALL bad things. You must remove the extra oil.

slick92202

I took all of the oil out of the oil pan by the drain plug,  I used a level to level the motor before empting and filling, the engine was empty.  I did not use vacuum extraction.  I guarantee all of the oil was out of the motor.  I am not a inexperienced.  I put in exactly 4.5 quarts. I understand that I should not run the engine with too much oil, but if I filled it up to dip stick level the it would have taken about 3 to 3.5 quarts which to me seem too little oil.  Does anyone have a 1992 202 festiva with a 4.3 motor that can comment?  I appreciate your help guys.  I am concerned.  I do not have a Rinker manual for this boat.

MarkB

Rinker manual will tell you nothing about that engine. You need the mercury manual. Anyhow do you think the dipstick is OEM? If that was changed it could explain the problem. 

Also I assumed you replaced the oil filter and lines were empty? 

Michael T

@Mark B has two good points. The first does happen too many times  -incorrect aftermarket dipstick. I would assume that you replaced your oil filter BUT if you didn't and the filter had a check valve to retain some oil that would likely raise the level on the dip stick - too high. When I check my oil I have always checked it with the boat in the water (I have had trailered boats and boats on boat lifts) with the normal amount of gear and gas I usually use. I have never added the specified amount of oil in any engine the first time and I have had auto removal oil systems from the bottom of the pan. On engines where I could fill the oil filter then spin it on I would put about a half quart less, then heat the engine to operating temperature to check the level. After that I'd top-off the oil as required. With my new remote "upside down" filters filling them with oil can get messy. For those I add about a quart/liter less then I top-up as required. That process has never let me down. For me it has always been a two step job.....:-)

slick92202

I took out enough oil  (a little over a quart) to put the level to the full line.  At this time I decided to flip the dip stick around and take a reading and found the level to be barely to the minimum.  The angle that this dipstick enters the oil seems to be at an angle that concerns me.  Just flipping this stick goes from full to add.  I put 1/2 a quart back.  I have good oil pressure.
Yes I did change the oil filter.  Thanks for your comments!