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Engine Oil (What's the best?)


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Quick question for the Crew. Just bought an 05 vlx last sept, used it a handful of times. I changed the oil on my own last fall, my dealer told me to use "Quicksilver 25W-40". I checked the manual as well as a couple of forums and everyone INCLUDING my Indmar manual recomends 15W-40. I live in Wisconsin, could that be the reason for the 25W-40 recomendation from my dealer? I'm currious, what engine oil does everyone seem to prefer and how often should I change my oil if I run her hard.....fully sacked up 90% of the time I'm on the water?

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In a cooler climate like yours I don't know why your dealer would recommend a higher viscosity oil like 25w-40 instead of the recommended 15w-40. unless your running in 100 degree weather or have an engine with looser tolerances like a newer hammer head or maybe lots of hours on your engine.

A good diesel rated oil like chevrons Delo 400 15w-40 (they also have a synthetic) or an equivalent like shells rotella or vavoline.... all make diesel/MARINE rated oils

Chevron Delo 400 Multigrade SAE 15W-40 meets:

• API Service Categories CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, CH-4,

CG-4, CF-41, CF, CE1, CD1, SL, SJ, SH1, SG1

• ACEA European Service Categories E7, E2

• JASO Asian Service Categories DH-1

• Global Service Categories DHD-1

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If you do a bit of research on this oil...it is one of the top rated and pretty much a bargain by today's standards.

Shell Rotella-T Full Synthetic (Blue Bottle) 5w-40. It is what I use in most everything I have now a dayz. Thumbup.gif

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Engine type is an Indmar 340 with 300 hours. I think I'm going to switch to a 15W-40. Thanks for your input.

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No one make a bad oil these days, ecpecially the major brands. The 5W-40 synthetics flow a bit better in a cold engine, but other than that offer no real advantage over conventional oil unless you are going to run your motor over 200 hours a season without an oil change. The gap has closed significantly between syn & conv. oils.

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I run Mobil 1 in all my stuff except my motobike, any synthetic of high quality is more than you need if you change it out every 50 hours. I do run 5-30w in the winter and 10-40w in the summer boat gets what is called for in the manual Thumbup.gif

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  • 2 years later...

Well, I dug up an oldie here. But, this is my second season with the boat and the first year that I will be winterizing myself. Of course, that includes an oil change. The boat is 1.5 hours away, as well as any manuals. I plan on picking up what I need before heading there this Saturday night, when I'll do the service work.

Question #1: What oil should I put in my 1994 Mercruiser 5.7L 265hp engine? I've searched the entire internet from front to back and arrive at somewhere between 25w-40, 20w-40, 15w-40, etc. The Mercruiser manual on-line recommends Mercruiser/Quicksilver 25w-40 NNMA FC-W, or even Mercruiser Full Synthetic 20w-40. Then there's this post. Help!

Question #2: What fluid do I put in the tranny? And I assume that it needs to be pumped out, correct?

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Here's a link to some reading on which oil and filter are best. It is a marine forum although the the oil weight recomendations are heavier the info is relevent. Keep in mind that these guys are running engines costing upwards of $60k. I would start at the last page and read back till you get tired of it or get what you want. http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-q/107808-marine-lubrication-27.html

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Here's a link to some reading on which oil and filter are best. It is a marine forum although the the oil weight recomendations are heavier the info is relevent. Keep in mind that these guys are running engines costing upwards of $60k. I would start at the last page and read back till you get tired of it or get what you want. http://www.offshoreo...ication-27.html

Thanks! But wow, that's 175 pages of yet more varying opinions.

But there are some trends in all of my tooling around. Depending on what the marina has, I'm going with any one of these:

1. Mercruiser/Quicksilver 25w-40

2. Mercruiser full synthetic 20w-40

3. Chevron Delo 400 multigrade 15w-40

4. Rotella 15w-40

Anyone know of a reason to stay away from any of those?

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Thanks! But wow, that's 175 pages of yet more varying opinions.

But there are some trends in all of my tooling around. Depending on what the marina has, I'm going with any one of these:

1. Mercruiser/Quicksilver 25w-40

2. Mercruiser full synthetic 20w-40

3. Chevron Delo 400 multigrade 15w-40

4. Rotella 15w-40

Anyone know of a reason to stay away from any of those?

From what I've gathered here, we don't see the full benefit to spend the extra money on synthetic and conventionals have bridged the gap in protection performance anyways.

I'm sure you checked it but the '95 manual calls for Pennzoil (Shell Rotella) 15W-40 and Dexron II or III for your tranny. Don't think you could go wrong with that.

Are you going to put the new teak on and post pics before you put her into hibernation :whistle:

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From what I've gathered here, we don't see the full benefit to spend the extra money on synthetic and conventionals have bridged the gap in protection performance anyways.

I'm sure you checked it but the '95 manual calls for Pennzoil (Shell Rotella) 15W-40 and Dexron II or III for your tranny. Don't think you could go wrong with that.

Are you going to put the new teak on and post pics before you put her into hibernation Whistling.gif

No, my manual is at the lake! Thank you!

And yes, the teak deck was installed last Friday, for our last hurrah guys weekend.Yahoo.gif Fits perfectly, and I showed my wife how to work the wedge thru the door, she was impressed. I took pics but we've been to busy this week with school starting, football, etc. Will post that soon.

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Any of these modern oils will work well. They put Mobil 1 in the Mercedes and Porsche at the dealer. Except the last time they put Shell Helix ? in the Porsche.

I changed my own oil in my 2002 Duramax diesel last night and used the Delo 400 15-40 available from Costco for about $32.49 for 3 one gallon jugs. That sure makes it convenient to use because the Duramax takes 10 quarts. Of all things the 3.8 Porsche engine takes about 9 quarts and the 3.5 Mercedes takes about 8 quarts. The germans like big oil capacity and recommend a once a year or 15,000 mile oil change interval due to that and the use of the more expensive synthetics.

If you don't have one already search around for a good oil filter wrench that has the 1" wide metal strap for a secure grip. The narrower strap type will crush the oil filter if it is put on too tight by your local Zippidy Doo Dah Lube shop.

To prevent any oil on the garage floor I lay down a plastic bag (lawn & leaf size 60 gallon) when I am draining the oil and removing the filter. Much easier to do that ahead of time than clean up the mess later.

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Any of these modern oils will work well. They put Mobil 1 in the Mercedes and Porsche at the dealer. Except the last time they put Shell Helix ? in the Porsche.

I changed my own oil in my 2002 Duramax diesel last night and used the Delo 400 15-40 available from Costco for about $32.49 for 3 one gallon jugs. That sure makes it convenient to use because the Duramax takes 10 quarts. Of all things the 3.8 Porsche engine takes about 9 quarts and the 3.5 Mercedes takes about 8 quarts. The germans like big oil capacity and recommend a once a year or 15,000 mile oil change interval due to that and the use of the more expensive synthetics.

If you don't have one already search around for a good oil filter wrench that has the 1" wide metal strap for a secure grip. The narrower strap type will crush the oil filter if it is put on too tight by your local Zippidy Doo Dah Lube shop.

To prevent any oil on the garage floor I lay down a plastic bag (lawn & leaf size 60 gallon) when I am draining the oil and removing the filter. Much easier to do that ahead of time than clean up the mess later.

Just be glad you don't own a ford diesel (14 quarts).

I use Mercruiser/Quicksilver 25w-40 and change it once a year. Use a good HQ filter and you should be fine. No reason to spend a fortune on oil and filter. After all it is just a chevy 350, and they are almost bulletproof.

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