I am new to owning a boat and need a little help

[mattlehman90]

I have a Volvo penta 3.0 GS mwtr and the penta xs out drive. I need to know what spark plugs I need to use I got NGK 3623. The guy at west Marine told me to get them but unless I'm wrong NGK is for imports and mine is a GMC block. Also the gap on each one was way off the .045 the book told me to have. Aso I did my oil change today and the oil was vary dark and milky. Could that be from it not being changed for a few years and sitting? Then there is filling the oil back up. I got a drill pump to get it out but I do not have a fill cap. So I was told to put it back in the dip stick. That was a pain and a big mess is there a trick to it or something I can buy to help me? I know this is a lot of things to cover but anything would be helpful thanks.

 

[Don S]

Re: I am new to owning a boat and need a little help

Either the AC MR43LTS or NGK BPR6EFS will work. GM engines come from GM with AC plugs in them. .045 is the correct gap. There is nothing wrong with using the NGK plugs in GM engines.

Aso I did my oil change today and the oil was vary dark and milky. Could that be from it not being changed for a few years and sitting?

Yes.

So I was told to put it back in the dip stick.

What moron told you that. You have a fill cap on the valve cover.

 

[mattlehman90]

Re: I am new to owning a boat and need a little help

Well i found the fill cap! It has a hose on it so i was thinking that was for something different. But yes the guy i talked to must be A moron! He said that there is no drain plug(false) and you fill it like a Trans on a car(false). So im kinda stressing he also told me to not worry about getting synthetic oil that is recommended. So i just got straight 30 he said that as long as i dont run the boat all year and change it before winter i dont need synthetic. Im prying he at least knows one thing he talked about cuz the oil is in already. You said NGK BPR6EFS will work but all the ones i seen just had numbers so is the NGK 3623 that i have wrong? Thanks again don!

 

[Don S]

Re: I am new to owning a boat and need a little help

The NGK 3623 is just the stock number for the BPR6EFS plug.
Also, you DO NOT have to run synthetic oil. And don't talk to that guy again. I assume he was the salesman at WM?
This is from the owners manual for your engine. Volvo doesn't have it online anymore for some reason. But if you want to download a copy, click here.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: I am new to owning a boat and need a little help

New spark plugs are not gapped for every engine they may go into. The plugs you have may go into any one of bunch of different engines all with different gap specifications. That's why YOU have to gap them for your application.

 

[mattlehman90]

Re: I am new to owning a boat and need a little help

Thanks for the manual it has helped a lot! Well I have lost all hope in wm after reading I found out I need sae 75-90 gear lube, not the straight 90 quicksilver they said I needed. Am I good with the 90 or should I take it back and get 75-90? They also told me I had to get a gear oil pump that you don't need for the xs. The book said to just fill at the dip stick. The sad part is the store has a big selection and is two blocks from work but the only thing they have gotten right the first time was the plugs. Wrong oil filter,gear oil, pump, where to fill the oil and the amount of oil and gear lube needed. I am in Portland OR is there a place you can recommend that I can trust what they say to be true? Thanks again without all your help I would dead in the water with all this stuff.