Question regarding oil change.

[vetplus40]

I recently changed the oil and filter in a 5.0 Mercruiser sterndrive. I replaced the oil filter as well (which was installed with the most ridiculous amount of torque that I have ever encountered in changing an oil filter.) At any rate, the manual states the capacity to be 5 1/2 quarts with oil filter change. The motor is now showing full with only 4 1/2 quarts and after a brief engine run to let the filter saturate. The manual says to go by the dipstick indication and to check it with the boat in the water (which I have not yet done due to low lake levels). However, I did level the boat motor fairly close to level via the trailer jack. Any thoughts on the 1 quart discrepancy? As usual, thanks for any response.

 

[mwbrown25]

Id go by the dipstick like the manual states in the water. You may not have gotten all the old oil out or possibly check it again after its sat for a few hours all the oil needs to drain back into the pan.

 

[achris]

How did you remove the old oil, and how much did you get out?

 

[vetplus40]

I warmed the engine and drained the oil through the drain hose that can be routed out of the drain hole. I let it drain for well over an hour until no oil was draining out. As far as the other question goes, I am a bit unsure as to how much came out. The drain jug that I was using got knocked over. Sadly, I did not check the level before draining to see if it might have been overfilled by the previous owner. I will check it properly when the lake level rises, but the discrepancy is still a bit odd. I can see having some residual oil in the crankcase by using the syphoning method (as I had this issue often with my Waverunner) but I figured the drain hose would do a thorough job of draining. That said, I am sure that I have sufficient oil to launch and run at low rpm until the engine circulates the oil and check it again.

 

[ThomW]

Yeah. I'd bring an extra quart of oil with you out on the boat. Start her up and run her at low rpm's for a bit to warm up, then check the oil. Add more as needed.

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

FYI
I have had good results with 5 qts on 2 of those 5.0's that I owned // same for cars with small block for many years

Your results may vary but should come in close to that.

 

[Scott06]

I ran into the same on my 5.0 was thinking it was 5 or 5.5 quarts and I end up being over full. Four or 4.5 qts works . I do not think the remote drain hose doesn’t allow the pan to completely drain but that might be 1/4

 

[QBhoy]

Mmm. I can’t agree with the above totally. Mine takes 4 litres exactly including oil filter. That’s exactly one of the quicksilver oil tubs. Think you guys would say they are 4 quarts ? Just over maybe.
I’ve read both this and more depending where you look. But mine is defo 4 litres.

 

[QBhoy]

I’m thinking you have the MPI like me maybe ? The manual states 4.25l for 5.0 mpi and mcm
states over 5l for older carb and efi.

Thats the difference. Remember finding this strange the first year...especially coming from the 4.3 which took 5l easy.

 

[achris]

1 litre is 1.05 quarts (geez I wish you guy would go proper metric!)... Your gallons aren't gallons, and your tons are even tons...

I never measure how much comes out, or how much goes in. I empty the sump. How much comes out, comes out. I fill until the 'FULL' mark on the dipstick. The only thing I use the stated capacities for are when I need to know how much to buy... But, I buy in 20L tubs for most things, so even that's moot.

Just fill it up with oil until, after you've run it to fill the filter and let it sit for about 5 minutes for the oil to drain back to the sump, the oil level on the dipstick reads between 'ADD' and 'FULL'.... End of discussion, and we can close out this thread.

Chris........

 

[QBhoy]

1 litre is 1.05 quarts (geez I wish you guy would go proper metric!)... Your gallons aren't gallons, and your tons are even tons...

I never measure how much comes out, or how much goes in. I empty the sump. How much comes out, comes out. I fill until the 'FULL' mark on the dipstick. The only thing I use the stated capacities for are when I need to know how much to buy... But, I buy in 20L tubs for most things, so even that's moot.

Just fill it up with oil until, after you've run it to fill the filter and let it sit for about 5 minutes for the oil to drain back to the sump, the oil level on the dipstick reads between 'ADD' and 'FULL'.... End of discussion, and we can close out this thread.

Chris........

Spot on Chris. Just saying why he maybe finds what he has read different to reality. There are two different capacities depending on model.

Anyway. With the units of measurement. It annoys the life out of me. It’s worse than you think. We work in imperial mainly as in we use MPH, MPG...but at the fuel station...the fuel is measured in litres ?? Seriously !
madness haha.

 

[achris]

As I'm a bit older, using either system isn't a problem, until you get to the US, where the original imperial system has been messed with, yet they still use the same name, THAT is madness.

 

[QBhoy]

Haha. Think the original imperial system might have originated here to be fair. US made their own take on the gallon afterwards.

 

[QBhoy]

Don’t get me started on the charts here either haha. With their fathoms

 

[QBhoy]

Then there’s the jet ski I have. The setting are metric or imperial. So on metric it measures fuel consumption in litres per hour. All good. But then the speed is in kph. Doh ! I want MPH and litres. Haha.

 

[achris]

Nautical speed should be measured in knots.... Not MPH or KPH...

 

[Scott Danforth]

Nautical speed should be measured in knots.... Not MPH or KPH...

why not Furlongs per fortnight?

 

[achris]

why not Furlongs per fortnight?

Because Furlongs per fortnight is not an international recognised unit of speed, knots is. Ask any ship's captain (or airline pilot for that matter)

Chris.....

 

[vetplus40]

I’m thinking you have the MPI like me maybe ? The manual states 4.25l for 5.0 mpi and mcm
states over 5l for older carb and efi.

Thats the difference. Remember finding this strange the first year...especially coming from the 4.3 which took 5l easy.

Thanks for the thought. I will reread the manual to see if it lists options for motors. for future reference, I also need to see where the easy drain tube mounts to the pan to see if it drains thoroughly or leaves some residual oil behind.

 

[Bondo]

I also need to see where the easy drain tube mounts to the pan to see if it drains thoroughly or leaves some residual oil behind.

Ayuh,...... Every one I've seen, just screws into the drain plug hole,.....