Changing oil on a merc

[stunod]

Hi,<br />ok...another stupid question:<br /><br />How do I change the oil on a 470 merc?<br />On a car, I slip under the car...do I have to take the boat out of the water?<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Lou

 

[rjthiel]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

My brother has a 470 Monster and I know he finally gave up on changing oil as recommended by his dealer- actually drain the oil through the transom plug! It was a mess! He bought a through the dipstick pump from JC Whitney (the auto parts catalog) and has had no trouble changing oil since.

 

[alcan]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

Hi Stunod<br /> Changeing your engine oil is a fairly easy task. A whole lot easier than your car. First you don't have to crawl under the darn thing and get all greesey. You can buy an adapter that screws to your dip stick pipe so you can pump the oil out. You can buy pump kits as well,hand operated, electric.etc Here's what I do. I use a 3\8 drill motor and a centrifical pump with hoses. A small container 2gals. Warm up the engine, pump out the oil. Keep a couple of clean rags on hand. With a little care and fore-thought you won't spill a drop. And yes you can do this on the water. All the reason more not to spill. I know a lot of guys that tee into the engines system and let the engine oil pump evacuate the oil, then turn the motor off when it quits spewing oil. I personly don't feel comfortable with that method. Those guys all have way more money than I do.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

I have to jump in with a suggestion. I use the Topsider vacuum pump to change the oil in my old Chris Craft, and it works really slick. The oil doesn't need to be extremely hot (warm to the touch -- not so hot that you burn yourself), and in fact you don't want it too hot or you will melt the plastic tubing. The tube is inserted into either the dipstick tube or the drain tube made for that purpose (some engines). Oil is suctioned out into a two gallon attached metal can -- pump is hand-operated (looks like a bicycle pump). <br /><br />I don't own stock in the company -- just like to mention a product that works. It's about $40 at Boat U.S.

 

[alcan]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

Yes I agree with oldboat don't let the oil get so hot you can't handle it. Warm means warm. And those units are nice.

 

[stunod]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

Thanks For the help, my thoughts are, I want to use Berrymans B12 to clean out the system(sort of like an enema ) Unless I should follow the law..."if it aint broke, don't fix it"

 

[gto]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

I leave a antifreeze jug under my engine with the side cut out and a little sqeeze hand pump. not high tech but it works great. that jug was under my engine when I bougt it 9 years ago. I been using it ever since.

 

[nnosker]

Re: Changing oil on a merc

All I can say is that I am glad I have an outboard.