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Author Topic:   Mercury FOURSTROKE Veradito Oil Change

ronwhaler posted 06-10-2010 05:19 PM ET (US)
[The author just completed] the first oil change of a Mercury 90-HP FOURSTROKE Veradito motor on a 2009 Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK--what a mess! I followed the [instructions for the oil change procedure in the] owner's book. The [Mercury 90-HP FOURSTROKE Veradito was tilted] full up and turned in the proper direction so drain plug faced down. Some oil found its way inside the plastic cover and came seeping out of the seam just above the cavitation plate. Did so for quite a while. Good thing I had no intentions of using the boat or else risk an EPA fine for polluting. Next, the oil filter. No amount of rags could be stuffed below the filter to absorb the oil that come out when removing it. Argh! Took a long time to clean that too. Have any of you performed this task and found a better way on [a Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK with Mercury 90-HP FOURSTROKE Veradito]? Thanks.
DavidBrent posted 06-10-2010 06:36 PM ET (US)
My first oil change ever was the one I did on my Mercury 40 HP last spring. I, too, followed the Mercury instructions. I went in with the expectation that it wouldn't go too smoothly. I changed the oil again last fall as part of winterizing.
As far as the changing the oil, I cover the ground, expecting that some of the oil will overshoot, or undershoot the collection container. I found that the more the flow of oil decreases, the more messy things get on the cover, as the oil travels the path of least resistance, and fills the seam. One thing I may try next time is to create a drip point using electrical tape (the bottom self-taped into a V) so the oil is guided off cover and into the container. Maybe someone has a much better suggestion for you, but that's the one I just cooked up.
I didn't run into problems w/ the filter. It was just a matter of unscrewing and quickly turning the filter upright so to not spill oil.
I imagine next time will go easier with this experience, and a little planing.
desertwater posted 06-10-2010 07:07 PM ET (US)
Your best bet to keep oil in its place while preforming an oil change is to use an old soda can. Cut the ends off, then cut the can in half the long way. Use one half directly under the oil filter to catch the oil that flows out of the filter as soon as you break the seal and direct it to a small catch can or oil receptacle. Take the outer half, cut about 1/3 off long ways and put it under the drain plug so when you break that loose it directs the oil away and down to your catch can. Make sure your oil is warm before you drain. By the way, let it drain for a while.
sapple posted 06-10-2010 07:15 PM ET (US)
I have a 2007 Montauk with the same engine. I did an oil change last fall at the end of the boating season. I had no problems with the change or the filter. In fact I was pleased at how easy it went.
I trimmed the engine all the way up, far enough to engage the the tilt lock. Then I turned the steering wheel all the way to the left. I collected the oil in a plastic dish washing tub. All the oil went into the tub with no mess. I stuffed rags around the bottom of the filter before removing it. Hardly any oil dripped out into the rags.
WT posted 06-10-2010 07:28 PM ET (US)
I have my oil changed by my dealer every 100 hours or once per year, which ever comes first.
I have a question. If you guys are changing your oil, are you doing it because of the 100 hours/annual oil change? Or are you guys changing more often?
If you guys are changing your oil during the 100 hours/annual are you doing all the other maintenance items too?
I was thinking of changing my oil more often at 50 hours.
Warren
tedious posted 06-11-2010 08:02 AM ET (US)
Ron, not being a Mercury person, this may not work for you, but I use an oil changer to suck the oil out of the dipstick tube. It's slow, but clean.
When changing the filter, I loosen it a tiny bit to where I can move it with my fingers, then slip a plastic bag over the whole thing and unscrew the rest of the way. Not perfect, but it contains the mess a bit.
Tim
Ridge Runner posted 06-11-2010 08:52 AM ET (US)
On my twin Yamaha 115's I also use a fluid extractor, http://www.moellermarine.com/aftermarket/maintenance/fluid_extractors/ . I also will break the seal and slip a plastic zip lock bag under the filter. My boat is on a lift and I change the oil while it's on the lift, I have not dripped any oil into the water way (thank goodness).
Nauti Tauk posted 06-11-2010 10:58 AM ET (US)
With engine hard over to drain the oil, either slightly loosen the oil filter or punch a hole in the top of it to allow vacume to release. Filter will drain along with the crankcase oil and there will be very little left in the filter itself when you remove it.
gnr posted 06-11-2010 12:35 PM ET (US)
A quart sized plastic milk/juice container modified appropriately with some scissors makes a wonderful little oil diverter/catcher for those tricky oil filter configurations.
ronwhaler posted 06-11-2010 05:21 PM ET (US)
Thanks to all for your replies and good ideas. I think I will try forming a chute for the drain plug and perform a vacuum release for the filter before removing it when I next do an oil change.
As far as my change intervals go, I will change oil and filter every spring before the season. I will probably never reach the suggested change interval here in the frozen north during one season. This is what I have done with my previous boats. My theory is that the cold winter ambient temperature and the warm sun could create condensation, so a spring change is what I do.
jimh posted 06-12-2010 05:54 PM ET (US)
If you use your Mercury FOURSTROKE a lot, and if you change the oil every 50-hours, I am sure you will get better at it.
sapple posted 06-12-2010 07:31 PM ET (US)
WT, to answer your question, My practice has been to do all maintenance at the end of the boating season. That includes oil change, lower unit fluid change, re-grease prop shaft, lube all lube points, check fluid levels, new plugs, inspect hoses, belts, filters, tightness of wiring and other fittings, etc. as well as trailer maintenance. For me this ends up being about every 130 hours, which I know is not optimal, but what I do is pretty comprehensive. The exceptions are that I flush the engine and lube trailer wheel hubs 2-3 times per season.
Portola posted 06-13-2010 12:39 AM ET (US)
When I lived in Massachusetts, I layed my motorcycle up for the winter. BMW recommended that the oil be changed BEFORE storage for the winter so that contaminants and acids in the used oil would not have all winter to work on the engine. This still makes sense to me, although I now live in California where winter is less crisply defined.
jimh posted 06-13-2010 08:21 AM ET (US)
Changing the oil at the end of the boating season is a good idea, but unfortunately the weather usually does not encourage working on the engine, and particularly so with something that might be messy.
bloller posted 06-13-2010 09:16 AM ET (US)
I have never had a problem. I just make sure to run the motor for a few minutes to heat the oil up so that it drains much easier. I then tilt the motor up and to hard port and drain the oil. I then tilt the motor to hard starboard while still tilted up. This gets any excess oil still trapped in the filter out and it then drains once I move motor back to hard port. The only problem I ever had was removing the original oil filter which was so tight that I had to purchase a oil filter socket to remove it. I know use the socket for all my oil changes. My motor is a 60HP Mercury Fourstroke.

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Author	Topic: Mercury FOURSTROKE Veradito Oil Change
ronwhaler	posted 06-10-2010 05:19 PM ET (US) [The author just completed] the first oil change of a Mercury 90-HP FOURSTROKE Veradito motor on a 2009 Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK--what a mess! I followed the [instructions for the oil change procedure in the] owner's book. The [Mercury 90-HP FOURSTROKE Veradito was tilted] full up and turned in the proper direction so drain plug faced down. Some oil found its way inside the plastic cover and came seeping out of the seam just above the cavitation plate. Did so for quite a while. Good thing I had no intentions of using the boat or else risk an EPA fine for polluting. Next, the oil filter. No amount of rags could be stuffed below the filter to absorb the oil that come out when removing it. Argh! Took a long time to clean that too. Have any of you performed this task and found a better way on [a Boston Whaler 170 MONTAUK with Mercury 90-HP FOURSTROKE Veradito]? Thanks.
DavidBrent	posted 06-10-2010 06:36 PM ET (US) My first oil change ever was the one I did on my Mercury 40 HP last spring. I, too, followed the Mercury instructions. I went in with the expectation that it wouldn't go too smoothly. I changed the oil again last fall as part of winterizing. As far as the changing the oil, I cover the ground, expecting that some of the oil will overshoot, or undershoot the collection container. I found that the more the flow of oil decreases, the more messy things get on the cover, as the oil travels the path of least resistance, and fills the seam. One thing I may try next time is to create a drip point using electrical tape (the bottom self-taped into a V) so the oil is guided off cover and into the container. Maybe someone has a much better suggestion for you, but that's the one I just cooked up. I didn't run into problems w/ the filter. It was just a matter of unscrewing and quickly turning the filter upright so to not spill oil. I imagine next time will go easier with this experience, and a little planing.
desertwater	posted 06-10-2010 07:07 PM ET (US) Your best bet to keep oil in its place while preforming an oil change is to use an old soda can. Cut the ends off, then cut the can in half the long way. Use one half directly under the oil filter to catch the oil that flows out of the filter as soon as you break the seal and direct it to a small catch can or oil receptacle. Take the outer half, cut about 1/3 off long ways and put it under the drain plug so when you break that loose it directs the oil away and down to your catch can. Make sure your oil is warm before you drain. By the way, let it drain for a while.
sapple	posted 06-10-2010 07:15 PM ET (US) I have a 2007 Montauk with the same engine. I did an oil change last fall at the end of the boating season. I had no problems with the change or the filter. In fact I was pleased at how easy it went. I trimmed the engine all the way up, far enough to engage the the tilt lock. Then I turned the steering wheel all the way to the left. I collected the oil in a plastic dish washing tub. All the oil went into the tub with no mess. I stuffed rags around the bottom of the filter before removing it. Hardly any oil dripped out into the rags.
WT	posted 06-10-2010 07:28 PM ET (US) I have my oil changed by my dealer every 100 hours or once per year, which ever comes first. I have a question. If you guys are changing your oil, are you doing it because of the 100 hours/annual oil change? Or are you guys changing more often? If you guys are changing your oil during the 100 hours/annual are you doing all the other maintenance items too? I was thinking of changing my oil more often at 50 hours. Warren
tedious	posted 06-11-2010 08:02 AM ET (US) Ron, not being a Mercury person, this may not work for you, but I use an oil changer to suck the oil out of the dipstick tube. It's slow, but clean. When changing the filter, I loosen it a tiny bit to where I can move it with my fingers, then slip a plastic bag over the whole thing and unscrew the rest of the way. Not perfect, but it contains the mess a bit. Tim
Ridge Runner	posted 06-11-2010 08:52 AM ET (US) On my twin Yamaha 115's I also use a fluid extractor, http://www.moellermarine.com/aftermarket/maintenance/fluid_extractors/ . I also will break the seal and slip a plastic zip lock bag under the filter. My boat is on a lift and I change the oil while it's on the lift, I have not dripped any oil into the water way (thank goodness).
Nauti Tauk	posted 06-11-2010 10:58 AM ET (US) With engine hard over to drain the oil, either slightly loosen the oil filter or punch a hole in the top of it to allow vacume to release. Filter will drain along with the crankcase oil and there will be very little left in the filter itself when you remove it.
gnr	posted 06-11-2010 12:35 PM ET (US) A quart sized plastic milk/juice container modified appropriately with some scissors makes a wonderful little oil diverter/catcher for those tricky oil filter configurations.
ronwhaler	posted 06-11-2010 05:21 PM ET (US) Thanks to all for your replies and good ideas. I think I will try forming a chute for the drain plug and perform a vacuum release for the filter before removing it when I next do an oil change. As far as my change intervals go, I will change oil and filter every spring before the season. I will probably never reach the suggested change interval here in the frozen north during one season. This is what I have done with my previous boats. My theory is that the cold winter ambient temperature and the warm sun could create condensation, so a spring change is what I do.
jimh	posted 06-12-2010 05:54 PM ET (US) If you use your Mercury FOURSTROKE a lot, and if you change the oil every 50-hours, I am sure you will get better at it.
sapple	posted 06-12-2010 07:31 PM ET (US) WT, to answer your question, My practice has been to do all maintenance at the end of the boating season. That includes oil change, lower unit fluid change, re-grease prop shaft, lube all lube points, check fluid levels, new plugs, inspect hoses, belts, filters, tightness of wiring and other fittings, etc. as well as trailer maintenance. For me this ends up being about every 130 hours, which I know is not optimal, but what I do is pretty comprehensive. The exceptions are that I flush the engine and lube trailer wheel hubs 2-3 times per season.
Portola	posted 06-13-2010 12:39 AM ET (US) When I lived in Massachusetts, I layed my motorcycle up for the winter. BMW recommended that the oil be changed BEFORE storage for the winter so that contaminants and acids in the used oil would not have all winter to work on the engine. This still makes sense to me, although I now live in California where winter is less crisply defined.
jimh	posted 06-13-2010 08:21 AM ET (US) Changing the oil at the end of the boating season is a good idea, but unfortunately the weather usually does not encourage working on the engine, and particularly so with something that might be messy.
bloller	posted 06-13-2010 09:16 AM ET (US) I have never had a problem. I just make sure to run the motor for a few minutes to heat the oil up so that it drains much easier. I then tilt the motor up and to hard port and drain the oil. I then tilt the motor to hard starboard while still tilted up. This gets any excess oil still trapped in the filter out and it then drains once I move motor back to hard port. The only problem I ever had was removing the original oil filter which was so tight that I had to purchase a oil filter socket to remove it. I know use the socket for all my oil changes. My motor is a 60HP Mercury Fourstroke.