How to Find an Oil Leak

Outboard motors are manufactured through different methods, and thus each engine tends to be unique. However, there are a few central locations of all engines that are prone to oil leaks – here’s where to look. If you find oil in the exhaust manifolds, most likely the valve covers are the cause of the leak. If you find oil on top of the motor but not elsewhere, it’s probably a lower intake rear gasket leak. If the engine is leaking oil from the rear and over the transmission, the likely cause is a rear main seal leak (commonly attributed to overfilling the engine). If motor oil is leaking from the front of the engine, it’s probably the front main seal.

Based on where you find the oil leak, there are various steps necessary to successfully repair it. Consult your user’s manual and contact a technician about parts and repairs. It’s also a good idea to stock up on Mercury oil to replace all the leaked oil from the engine.

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Changing Waverunner Oil

Changing the oil in a Waverunner is a relatively simple process, and it should be done about once every 100 hours of use. You’ll need a few basic items: an oil extractor (from your local marina), an oil rag, and your Waverunner user’s manual. The first step is to locate your oil filter using your user’s manual. Next, with the oil extractor, pump out about 2.5 quarts of oil. Next remove the old filter. Take your new filter and lube the O-ring with fresh oil, then tighten it down. Next add your standard Waverunner oil; Yamaha 2W oil for example. Make sure you don’t put too much oil in your Waverunner, or you can cause serious damage.

Once you’ve refilled the tank, hook up the water and run the Waverunner for about a minute. Check the dipstick when you’re done and make sure the tank is filled only to about the halfway mark.

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When a Marine Engine is Overfilled

Most people know what happens when an engine doesn’t have enough oil (it breaks down!) but fewer people know the dangers of overfilling your engine. What happens when you fill your marine engine with too much oil is the pressure inside the engine begins to build due to the windage in the crankcase and the oil pump. This places great strain on rear main bearing seal. Even after just a couple uses, the seal breaks and the engine will start to leak marine engine oil. If the rear seal is not fixed, the front seal will also rupture, which then begins to gush oil.

This is a situation you want to avoid by all means, thus it’s important to get accurate measurements. This most often happens when you top off a warm engine because of an incorrect dipstick reading. It can also happen when you change the oil by yourself.

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Disposing of Oil Waste

When it comes to changing your boat’s motor oil, we all know how convenient it is to do it yourself. However, most avid boat owners also need to dispose of their motor oil waste now and then, and this can be more time consuming than the actual process of changing the oil. When your oil pan fills up, it’s time to head to the nearest hardware store or marina. In general, the same locations that sell oil will also dispose of used oil for free. The motor oil we consider waste can actually be refined back into regular oil.

In most cases, locations that dispose of oil don’t care what kind of oil it is or how it was used. Whether you’re disposing of the Mercury engine oil from your outboard motor, or the standard motor oil from your automobile, it all goes into the pot of oil waste and will later be refined. Ensure that your used oil is disposed of in the proper manner, as oil waste can contaminate water sources, vegetation, and cause all manner of harmful effects on the environment.

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Switching from Conventional to Synthetic

When switching from conventional oil to synthetic oil in your outboard motor, there is one central precaution of which to be aware: you can’t switch back. Synthetic oils, like the Evinrude XD100 oil, offer increased performance and are friendlier to the environment. However, synthetic oils also cost more than conventional mineral oil, and it’s important to note that the switch, if made, is permanent. The additives in synthetic oil replace all of those in conventional motor oil, but synthetic oil also contains different molecules. These molecules work to preserve the condition of your engine while synthetic oil is being used, but if mineral oil which doesn’t have these molecules is used after the engine has adapted to synthetic, the absence of the molecules can cause engine damage.

It’s important to make sure you can consistently use synthetic oil if you switch to it, otherwise, you risk permanent engine damage and ultimately, buying a new outboard motor.

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Removing Oil Stains in the Garage

Storing your boat in the garage is a great way to keep it sheltered from the elements and in top condition. But now and then your outboard motor might leak and leave those unpleasant oil stains on the garage floor. Cleaning outboard oil stains is often a simple process that can be done with household cleaners, but older stains tend to require more effort. The best time to clean up an outboard oil stain is as soon as you recognize it; if you’re changing the oil in your outboard motor and you notice a few drips, clean them up with a damp cloth as soon as possible. The earlier you make an effort to clean up stains, the more likely they’ll be successfully removed. For older stains, you can use a solution of water and vinegar to remove them. When a stain just won’t come out, you should wipe it away as much as possible, and then pressure wash the surface.

It’s important to be aware of runoff from oil stains, no matter how small the stain is, even a small amount of oil can contaminate an enormous quantity of water. When pressure washing, be careful to wipe up as much of the oil as possible so that just the faint outline is left.

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Don’t Treat Your Boat Like a Car!

Marine engines are quite different from automobile engines, and because of this, require special care. Marine engines and outboard motors are asked to perform like automobiles never could; for example, when a boat plows through the wake of another boat or a wave, the engine strains to keep its RPM output consistent. We would never do something similar to this to an automobile engine, because it would breakdown fast. It’s important to take care of your marine engine or outboard motor through changing the oil often, and ensuring that you are using the proper Yamaha oil with specific additives to reduce condensation in the fuel tank and clean the injectors.

It’s important that you avoid using automobile oil and that you treat your marine engine our outboard motor like it should be treated. Because we expect so much more out of our boat than we do our car, it deserves a lot more than just the standard 3000 mile oil change.

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Water Cooled and Air Cooled Engines

When it comes to two cycle engines, there are two distinct types and each type uses oil with some similar and some different additives. When comparing two cycle engines, an outboard motor is considered a water cooled engine, and is characterized by its constant and high speed. Fresh water is circulated throughout the engine to keep it cool, and heavy oil is necessary to prevent the pistons and cylinder walls from scuffing. With air cooled engines, like chainsaws, heavy base oils can cause engine deposits of ash and soot to form on the engine walls. These deposits can later cause serious problems including spark plug failure, loss of torque, and engine block damage.

When choosing two cycle oil, it’s important to know the correct gasoline/oil mixture, and also to use oil with additives intended to work with your two cycle engine. If necessary, a two cycle engine can use any two cycle oil for a short period of time without harmful side effects, but over time, the incorrect oil can cause damage to the engine.

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Outboard Motors for your Dinghy

For times when there isn’t a dock present, it’s nice to have a dinghy to avoid swimming or wading to shore. Rowing out to your boat in your dinghy can be exhausting, and there’s nothing worse than having to row to shore after day of boating. Whether for leaving shore or heading into shore, it’s great to have an outboard motor for your dinghy. Though you will want an outboard motor sized to fit an inflatable craft, maintenance for smaller outboard motors doesn’t differ from your standard boat model. Evinrude outboard motors are great for smaller craft as they’re easy to maintain; you just need to check the Evinrude outboard oil levels every so often, and change the oil filter and spark plugs.

When using your dinghy, ensure your outboard motor is secured to the craft, and that it is submerged correctly in the water. If your dinghy happens to deflate a little, the outboard motor can change levels in the water.

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Simple Marine Engine Oil Changes

One of the simplest methods to change the oil in a marine engine is through use of a marine oil pump. Marine oil pumps are made by several different manufacturers, though often the most used are Evinrude oil pumps. Changing the oil on your marine engine or outboard motor is necessary task, but with a marine oil pump it can be accomplished in about 15 minutes. When using an oil pump, the pump attaches to the drain hose of your boat via a small connecter. The oil will drain for about 10 minutes or sometimes longer, and turning on your engine while the oil is draining can speed up the process. If you do turn on your engine, make sure to have a water supply feeding the impeller, and disconnect the propeller before turning on the boat.

Once the oil is drained, simple refill the engine with your choice of motor oil, check to ensure the proper amount of oil is inside, and you’ll be ready to go the next time you take your boat out on the open water.

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Buying Outboard Motor Products in Bulk

When it comes to purchasing outboard motor products in bulk, there are a number of options to explore to find the best deal. Perhaps the most common outboard motor product that is purchased in bulk is oil. You can often find deals on bulk motor oil at local marinas, boat repair shops, and smaller retailers. It’s often possible to negotiate with owners of smaller retailers, but of course larger retailers have prices that are set by corporate and thus any bulk motor oil prices aren’t negotiable. Those smaller retailers are also great for purchasing filters, parts, lubricant, and grease in bulk.

If you don’t live in a location near water, chances are there are few retailers who sell parts in your location. Under these circumstances, shopping online is a good idea, but it’s also a good idea to browse online to compare prices. You might even find bulk outboard motor products with better prices than in stores.

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Daily Outboard Maintenance

Outboard motor owners should be aware of a few simple daily checks that will preserve the condition of your engine. First, it’s important to check the outboard motor oil levels in your engine before you intend to use it. Outboard motors can burn through oil much quicker than automobiles, so frequent checks are necessary. You should also ensure that you have adequate fuel for your trip, and more importantly, that your fuel tank vent is open. Check your propeller and ensure that nothing is tangled with it, even fishing line needs to be removed as this can cause serious problems later.

Lastly, make a smell check for potential fuel leaks and oil, and also if you tow your boat on a trailer, and run it in salt water, flush the cooling system with fresh water. Performing these simple checks will increase the longevity of your outboard motor and increase its overall performance too.

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