New 24’ sho. Changed my oil at 8 hrs during break in. Stopped making oil Changed it again at 20hrs. I want to change it every 50hrs. Today at 49 hrs I change it again. New filter and Yamaha 4 m. So 30hrs the oil sure looked dirty to me and Yamaha says every 100hrs. What do you guys think
You can't go by looks, motor oil can appear diry and still have plenty of life left in it. I would change it at 100 hours or once a year.
2015 Triton 19TRX, 225 Optimax
2006 Skeeter ZX190, 150 Yamaha SHO
1989 Ranger 373V, Mercury 2.5L 200hp
16' Tracker jon 25 hp Merc 2 cycle
every spring is what I would do
2022 z519 cup 225 merc 4s ser # 3B210484. 2--hds12 live units. 2 poles, atlas plate, ghost, hamby's, active target, merc digital gauges
2002 basscat pantera 3 (dad bought new) sold 8-2-22
2000 stratos 20 ss (bought new) 200 hp Rude ficht great boat/motor sold 11-21
pulled by a 2500HD Denali will all the BANKS upgrades
MAGA 45-47
ASE/GM Master tech before tools
I would (and do) read the Owner's manual and follow it.
No one here is going to warrant your motor if you follow what they say.
I always change mine every year right after it stops getting used 1-2 times a week. If you're concerned about your oil send it to Blackstone to get checked.
2023 Xpress H18 with 115 SHO pulled by a 2016 Ram Tradesman HEMI
Blue collar and blessed to have what I have!
If you want to change it sooner than recommended then go for it.
I agree with mikeky, change it as often as you like.
Does oil turn darker just from heat
No, if you are getting it that hot you have other issues! Oil turns dark from impurities (combustion residue). If oil is getting dirty faster than normal (Balckstone report) find out why and fix it. With the SHO I would guess excessive blowby, rings not seated. Same reason for making oil. So as was said change it as often as you want. Cheap clean oil is better than dirty expensive oil, as long as it meets spec you are good. CjOriginally Posted by 1ranger487vs
2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.
I wouldn’t say terrible,but dark. I check my oil level after every trip. Doesn’t make oil. I agree clean oil is better. Noticed oil in my truck gets darker pretty quick also but it’s not new
Doesn’t look to bad on dip stick, but when I put some in a clear container it was darker than I expected. Nothing separated
https://blog.amsoil.com/why-does-motor-oil-turn-black/
Heat cycles naturally darken motor oil.
Oil darkness is not an indication of the condition of the oil itself.
The detergents and dispersants in the oil are what causes it to darken as it is doing its job in cleaning the engine and carrying particulates to the oil filter.
Absent oil analysis, it’s best to follow the oil-change recommendation given in your vehicle owner’s manual or by the motor oil manufacturer.
Otherwise, changing the oil could amount to throwing away good oil.
Lightning 6
2007 TR-196DC
As stated above oil does darken from use and contaminates. Outboards are notoriously hard on oil. My recommendation if you're keeping your OB for longer than 5yrs is to change it twice as often as recommended. I would do the LU at the same time. If you DIY the service, it is not too expensive. If you have to pay a shop, it might be a different story depending on the cost.
That’s what I did on my 2s. Every 50hrs lower and now oil and filter. Makes me feel better
I changed my SHO at 20 hours, it looked kinda “eh”… I then changed everything at 100 hours and the oil looked brand new. The plugs looked great too. The lower unit oil looked like new both times it was changed.
The owners manual said “100 hours” and it looks like that is sufficient.
my new Mercury says similar….i haven’t made the 100 hours yet on it.
Stupid question probably but what does “make oil” mean?
"making oil" refers to a situation where the oil level in the crankcase increases, often due to fuel or water contaminating the oil. This can be caused by various issues like a leaking head gasket, a faulty fuel pump, or blow-by (gas leaking past the piston rings).
Love life....Love each other
In regards to this question and answer I will add that in a new motor if not broke in properly gas will seep around the ring thus increasing the oil level in the crank case. It's very important to run a new 4 stroke exactly how the manufacture wants during break-in in. Another thing to note is its not as simple as starting the motor and running it the recommended rpm's. You also need several heat up/cool down cycles to season the rings and cylinder wall. Once everything is properly broke in and seasoned there should be no oil seeping past the rings into the crankcase.
Reply With Quote