My to do list for the weekend...perhaps a little beyond

rasbury

Brought the boat home to work on a couple of things...one being to re paint the out drives and I will post pictures of where I'm starting from...also want to change the fuel water separator for the genny. There is also another inline filter, I assume the only thing that was on there oem right where the fuel goes into the genny. I'm thinking of yanking that and putting an aftermarket inline filter as that think looks like a pain. I also want to do a little research on checking the torque on the gimbal bearing- after reading one of the other posts on the pivot shaft I believe it was, it had details of how to inspect that. The other thing I want to do is change the engine oil. I have changed the in line and fuel water separator filters a couple weeks ago. I do not have the cool fuel filters to deal with. I did discover that my motor has the quick drain or what ever you call it- the hose that comes from the bottom of the pan to change the oil. To get all the old oil out I would like to use it, so far have just used the line through the dip stick. I see the hose end is fastened somehow up against the transom, I would guess there is a clip or something that holds it in place. To change the oil, do I have to fish that line through the drain plug hole or do I attach the line I used to go through the dip stick and attach it to that hose and suck it out that way? My bow rider had this feature and it was attached to the drain plug so when you pulled it away from the boat it would pull through. I don't see any way to fish that darn thing through the drain plug...

youstolemybeer

take a long rod and put it through the drain plug hole, then tape the oil drain line to the rod and pull both out of the drain hole and proceed with draining the oil.  Or do it the way you said. either or works fine

rasbury

Thanks beet, I guess the cool thing about drawing from the tube inside the boat, you can easily do on the water. I hate putting the muffs on the out drive- burned up my water pump doing that. I will take another look at the set up and give it a whirl, one way or the other!

rasbury

ok, got my oil, oil filter and the fuel water separator for the genny, no luck on the inline fuel filter so will have to dig into that a little deeper. I went to a shop down the street and they did not have the  merc oil- had the filter but not the oil. They sell a fully synthetic 15W40 vs 24W40 merc oil- is this ok?  They are a Volvo dealer it looks like and have been there a while but got to thinking....

Michael T

I would only use the recommended Mercury 25W-40 semi-synthetic

rasbury

yes, that's why they have different ones I suppose...dang, have a good deal on some oil...

youstolemybeer

years ago I had a boat that called for 15-40. It was out of warranty so to heck with it Im gonna put 10-40 in it cuz its on sale for a buck a quart cheaper, well during the course of the season I had to add a quart of oil. where as with the 15-40 I never had to add anything. so my savings was negated by having to spend more money on the extra quart. since then I use what ever the book calls for
make your life easy, someone who works at the engine manufacture (probably named Bill) designed that engine to run whatever the book calls for. Dont let Bills  work be in vain, if the book calls for abc10-80 or whatever, just do it. it will only cost a few bucks more but is money well spent.
What I HATE is when I go to get the oil and they always put the MERCRUISER oil for 6bucks a quart RIGHT NEXT to the wallmart brand at 3bucks a quart

rasbury

I bought amsol, so it wasn't even cheap!

jme097

You guys running 25W-40?

Michael T

I run Mercruiser semi synthetic 25W-40 and Mercruiser High Efficiency oil filters. 

rasbury

@jme097, that is what I run also...this is 15w which concerns me. Looked on their web site and I do not see any recommendation from Amsol for this application-they list a lot of marine engines. I wanted to send them an email and ask, I like the idea of full synthetic but perhaps it just is not always a good thing! I will get the right oil.

06Rinker270

@Michael T why semi synthetic?  Also thought full synthetic

Michael T

Ras,  I ran full synthetic in my 2013 350 Magnums but Mercury said not to in my 2014 502 Magnums as it could harm the catalytic converters. They said to use semi-synthetic to maintain warranty as this was a new formulation specifically for the engines.  If I didn't have cats I'd use full synthetic. 

rasbury

@Michael T 
the fellow that sold me the oil asked the same question and I do not have the cats- that being said, when I looked on Amsoil web site, they had to recommendations for that oil and my motor so I'm just not going to take any chances- if the guy won't take it back I'll give i away to someone else...not worth an argument over my motor, that's for sure!

Michael T

Hey Ras,  I like Amsoil,  they have some amazing products that we have discussed at length on this forum BUT I'm not comfortable using products not recommend by Mercury. I have always had great results with Mercury oil and filters so I'm not keen to experiment. 

rasbury

I did not even get that far- the amsoil site had no recommendation for that oil in my motor so I was done at that point! Mercury would have been next if they ok'd it....impulse buy I suppose...want to buy some oil? I just went to Marine Max and bought the right oil and the right filter...

Michael T

IMO,  best way to go Ras.  I don't gamble with my oil and filters and have veer had an oil related problem (that I was aware of)  in decades of boating.