Changing oil on a brand new outboard

[boater1234]

I have a brand new 20hp 4stroke efi suzuki,i'm very anal with maintenance.I know it says to change the oil and filter after 20hrs but that seems a bit long to me.This is just a question i have whether it's right or wrong it makes me feel better.

If i do an oil and filter change after a few hrs use will i hurt anything?I believe the metal shavings will wear off very soon,as in an hr or 2 and i can't see letting it sit in the motor and lower unit for 20hrs and then changing it.I want to get as much of the shavings out as possible in the beginning,I'm thinking to most the worst thing i may be doing is wasting money on oil and filters.

My goal is to change the oil and filter,plus lower unit oil 3 times before 20hrs,i will do it at say 2 hrs use,then at 5 to 8 hrs use,then at 12-15 hrs use then i will do a final change at 20hrs for the 4th oil change,then i will do it every 50-75hrs after.

I know it sounds a bit extreme to most but be honest please,am i going a bit overboard here?Does the metal shavings come out any other way besides changing the oil,if so then that will make me feel better and i may ease up on the oil changes a bit.I just want the oil in the engine and lower unit to be as clean as possible,thanks for any info.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

That is out of this world extreme given the materials and tolerances in use today. BHP goes as far as to say no break in is required and 300 hours before the first lower unit change.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

Many motors and lower units have magnets built internally and in drain plugs to attract and hold metal particles, so at least the ferrous/magnetic particles will not be circulated....no need to waste too much time/money/oil/filters on this....

 

[boater1234]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

I hear what your saying.I just paid alot of money for this outboard,the most money i have ever dished out which may not seem like much($3k)to some people because i know people spend 10's of thousands of dollars on outboards but this is an outboard i have never owned,it's so darn pretty i don't even want to use it,lol.

No i'm just a maintenance freak.After every use i wash it down with freshwater,clean the outboard with the muffs good,then i use the walmart super tech lubricant which i find to be the best for the money to lubricate the whole inside and outside of the motor to shine her up and clean any remaining salt in any groves in the powerhead,then i usually wax it once a week with turtle wax black,awesome stuff.I guess i like to overkill take care of my stuff.I look at it this way,if i want to sell it in say a yr or 5 it will look as new as the day i got it and will get more for it,thats if i ever decide to sell it.

appearance is alot in selling an outboard,at least i think so.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

Just a curious question,why can an etec go hard from breakin,no oil changes in the lower unit for 300hrs,but todays new 4strokes like i have can't do that?Isn't the same materials used on a 4stroke as on an etec besides the obvious,like no oil changes,etc...I'm talking the internals,gears,rings,pistons and everything else that needs to usually be broke in?

If yes then why must a 4stroke be broke in so long compared to notta of an etec?

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

My Yamaha F150 has an initial oil change at 20 hours, but not even a filter change. I did change the filter, however.

I think you're going to be just fine following Suzuki's maintenance instructions--no more, no less. Don't go into overkill mode. It does take a while to get any 4 stroke engine broken in properly.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

If you really want to do something nice for your new outboard, use a fuel stabilizer like Stabil or Seafoam all the time and install a fuel/water separator type cartridge filter to help remove water/debris/whatever from getting to your injectors....

 

[roscoe]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

Drain the oil and have a good look at it.


I have changed the oil on some expensive toys after only 2 hours of use.
The amount of fine metal dust in the oil was astonishing.
It sparkled like gold in the sunshine.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

If yes then why must a 4stroke be broke in so long compared to notta of an etec?

The systems of old needed break-in because of the variably of tolerances. Automated machining and investment casting have all but eliminated tolerances from the equation and thus the extensive "break-in" before use. The break-in of a new Yamaha F225 outboard can be achieved in a day. How long was the break-in period on a new car?

why can an etec go hard from breakin,no oil changes in the lower unit for 300hrs,but todays new 4strokes like i have can't do that?Why E-Tec and not your motor?

Marketing......... how much money do you think outboard manufacturers make off services, materials and fluids from lower unit oil changes? Why does Jiffy lube say to change the engine oil in your car every 3,000 miles yet the manufacturer says 7,500 miles?

My motor manufacturer says to change the lower unit oil every 100 hours....I put 100 hours a week on my motor in season. Does that mean that I need to change the oil once a week? No..... the industry uses the 100 hour figure because statically, the average motor gets used 100 hours a year. In reality, the 100 hour oil change interval = once a season. I put anywhere from 200-300 hours on my lower unit between oil changes. I had a clutch dog changed on it with over 2000 hours of use.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

Just a curious question,why can an etec go hard from breakin,no oil changes in the lower unit for 300hrs,but todays new 4strokes like i have can't do that?Isn't the same materials used on a 4stroke as on an etec besides the obvious,like no oil changes,etc...I'm talking the internals,gears,rings,pistons and everything else that needs to usually be broke in?

If yes then why must a 4stroke be broke in so long compared to notta of an etec?

It's fairly easy to tell why. Moving parts. The Etec 2 cylinder has 5 moving parts.
The 2 cylinder 4 stroke has About 32 moving parts. Also compare reciprocating weight.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

Listen i understand i should breakin the motor under the manual guide,the thing is does it actually need 10hrs?I can tell you i never have broke in any of the new 20 cars iv'e owned.I have had over 20 brand new off the lot cars and have never once did any special driving with it,i just drove it like normal.I never had one issue with any car i have owned to.Like i said a while back i have owned 5 brand new motors in my life and as soon as i got it out of the box i just warmed it up for 10-15min then went hard as in not worrying about going wot and just ignoring the manual,i never said it was proper or right but i have to tell you the motors had a ton of power and never once had an issue.I know the people who bought my used outboards when i sold them and they are still running like power houses.Maybe i was just the luckiest person in the world with 5 outboards with no breakin or breakin is just not needed as much anymore as the outboards of old.The new motors i owned were from the yr 2000 till now(2strokes to)This is my very first 4stroke on my boat.I'm a bit excited.

Also i believe,actually i know it was ran by them before i even got it,there is gas in the fuel filter when i opened the box and took the side panel off the motor to see how to get to the oil filter.I know most if not all 4stroke outboards are built the same or scaled off their car motors,i have read that from suzuki, and honda.I'm not saying the exact parts are from the cars but i have read the motors were built off the engines of their automobiles.

So what your saying is the etec should be broke in to an extent,i never change my oil in my truck till at least 5000-7500 to.I don't believe 3000 miles is much anymore for oil.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

It's fairly easy to tell why. Moving parts. The Etec 2 cylinder has 5 moving parts.
The 2 cylinder 4 stroke has About 32 moving parts. Also compare reciprocating weight.

Ok i get that,but the 2 strokes of say the early 2000's like the 25hp merc or 25hp yamaha had few moving parts as the etec does to but required a 10hr breakin.

The cars of today have a million moving parts as does a 4stroke outboard,like i said i have never done any breakin of any car and never had an issue.

I personally think,now it's just imo,the breakin is if anything does go wrong with the motor it can be caught early with the lower rpms before you open it up and possibly do any bad further damage to it.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

As I understand it the Etec has no required breakin period
and no service required for one year or 300 hours.I also I think there is a self contained winterize procedure.
I too have normally gone at least 6000 miles between oil changes with my cars. Changing oil and filter somewhere between 6000 and 7000.
A 4 stroke outboard is in a different world.Operating a outboard at lets say 3000 rpm is like driving a car up a never ending steep hill pulling a trailer
at 70 mph. You can imagine the strain on the outboard at 5500 rpm.

 

[boscoe99]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

It's fairly easy to tell why. Moving parts. The Etec 2 cylinder has 5 moving parts.
The 2 cylinder 4 stroke has About 32 moving parts. Also compare reciprocating weight.

Go and count all of the sealing rings and roller bearing balls and get back to us with the moving parts count please.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

You sure wont hurt the outboard by over changing fluids and "your schedule" , verses theirs so if it makes you feel better, I say go for it. When you do sell, who ever buys from you will be just as happy or happier than when he buys from one of us.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Changing oil on a brand new outboard

I don't really think an outboard even needs a long breakin.I just think the outboards rings need to be seated,all gears meshed good and all the moving parts need to be used and lubed for a bit with use and that should be all you need.I would think that takes less then a few hrs use to accomplish that.I personally think like i said before it's for security for the manufacture for just in case something goes wrong within the first hrs of use it won't just be hammered out of the box to cause more damage.I'm not saying i'm correct,i'm just saying imo.Most people don't follow the breakin to the letter or even close.I'm not saying it's good to just take it out of the box and whale away,i'm saying just drive it normal as we do in everyday use.If i want to get to my spot and i open it up for 15 min i don't think anything will happen to it.

I believe it was TG in an older thread i had who said if u don't follow the breakin it won't hurt the outboard a bit.He's got alot of knowledge on outboards.

I will just change the oil at say 5 or 10hrs,then at the 20hr change,then 50-75hrs after that.To me it's better to be a little more cautious then neglect.