A Guide to Changing Oil in Your Boat

Changing the oil on your boat’s outboard engine is just as important as changing the oil in your car. The same rules apply here as well – the more frequently you change your boat’s engine oil, the better it is for you. Oil is the life and blood of your boat’s engine, which is why you should ensure that it is topped up at all times. Neglecting the engine oil within your boat can cause significant damage to the engine and may even leave you with a stranded boat in the middle of nowhere. Engine oil change is even more important if your boat has not been used during the winters. Residual acids and the moisture left in your engine and crankcase during the winter season can destroy vital engine components and can even pit open your bearings. This is one reason why we recommend that you change your boat’s engine oil immediately after a long engine layup. Let us take you through the oil change process for a typical boat engine. Read through to ensure you’re on the same page.

As a rule of thumb, you should ensure that you change the engine oil in your boat after every 50 to 100 hours. The owner manual for your specific outboard engine will have the relevant details. The timings should be followed for both diesel and gasoline engines. If you have a new boat, we recommend that you change oil once after every 20 hours. This should be followed for the first 100 hours of your boat’s operation. Once your motor is old, it does not require as frequent oiling and lubrication as it requires when it is brand new.

The oil change procedure itself is fairly simple and does not require a lot of details. There are, however, a few things that you should keep in mind to achieve the best results. First off, you need to start by running the engine for a while. Once the engine has been on for a few minutes, you can shut it off and add the Mercury optimax oil. Have preparations in advance to collect the disposed of oil from the sump. Make sure you also oil the filter to help position it better in a prominent position. Once you have restarted your engine, you can allow it to circulate for over a minute. Do check for leaks immediately after adding oil to ensure proper results.