Engine Oil Specifications

[musicman71]

Finally, after 7 years of paying an arm and a leg for yearly oil changes on my 2008 Speedster 150 (4-stroke Rotax), I decided to do it myself: got all the needed equipment, except the manual calls fro 10W40, but the only closest oil I could find at the nearest (10 miles) West Marine is Pennzoil Heavy-Duty Multigrade 4-Cycle engine oil, SAE 15W40. The 15W40 specification sound pretty close to the required 10W40, but I am still unsure if I should go ahead and safely use it (instead of 10W40). Any expert advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Doesn't the manual say 5W40 or 10W40? I would avoid going thicker unless the engine is flashing an oil light at idle and I wanted to get a few more hours out of it. Although, 15W40 is close enough it might not make a difference if you warm it up good and run in warm water.

Assuming you really don't want to spring for the BRP Seadoo oil there are plenty of other 10W40 oils out there, the Wal Mart Supertech brand is good oil, or Rotella T6 5W40 might be my choice.

Of course I always install an oil pressure gauge on my motors, I hate not knowing what's going on.

 

[pete63]

oil you use depends on if your boat has a super charger or not.
sc engine you must use a motor cycle oil (wet clutch oil). over here call it a 4 T oil.
no sc you can use what ever oil you like to use.

 

[musicman71]

The engine is regular (not supercharged), and manual calls for 10W40. I assumed that the oil has to be a marine grade oil, but was unable to find 10W40 Marine Grade, only 15W40. So, for my not-supercharged engine, 15W40 should be fine (assuming I am in Florida and use the boat mostly during hot summers, and the number 15 stands for Winter viscosity/flow)?
Thanks so much for your expertise!

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk 2

 

[rcguy]

I use Castrol 4T 10W40 $2.99 on sale at Auto Zone. Have been using it for years....great oil.

 

[Chakane]

rcguy, Is that in a supercharged engine or non sc??

 

[rcguy]

I have owned both engines. I owned a Sportster 2003 with a 155hp Rotax engine and now a Challenger 180 with a SC 215 Rotax...same Castrol 4T oil in both. I sold the Sportster with 175 hours on engine and the engine purred like a kitten. You take care of the engine and it will take care of you.

 

[Chakane]

Thanks RC. With the end of season coming up I'm getting new filters, plugs and oil together to change it and was considering what I was going to use. I have a 2004 Speedster twin SC 185 Rotax. How long you been running the Challenger on it?? Is there a particular one you use. I see there are a few versions of that oil type from fully synthetic to semi synthetic for turbo engines

 

[timeman]

Dealers in my area get an arm, leg, and your crotch ...over $300.00 for annual "tune up" which is oil / filter / plugs, and the obligatory "check list, battery, hose clamps etc. I do mine myself for a fraction with a seadoo kit like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sea-Doo-PWC..._Watercraft_Parts&hash=item43d2f5baa5&vxp=mtr

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

We charge an arm and a wiener, to cover our overhead.

 

[Chakane]

I see that kit includes 5w40 synthetic blend oil, which I understand is not good for any s/c motor.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

The oil needs to have the correct additive package, so the SC clutch washers will function properly. If OEM says it does, then it does. From there it's up to you, and changing the oil at least every fall or when it becomes fuel contaminated/damaged due to heat are the most important, IMO.

Marine engines are more subject to fuel dilution due to the heavier loads (especially puffer motors), it takes a lot of fuel to push that water (see MPG for proof), fuel contains sulfur and blow-by is greater under heavy loads, mix fuel sulfur with the moisture in bilge air and you have an sulfuric acid to eat your bearings while sitting in the cold sweating/condensating weather during the off season. I doubt using synthetic can compensate much if at all, for contamination loading.

So sniff the stick and see if it smells of fuel and when changed, if yes then definitely you waited too long or there's a problem. Bottom line, change your oil.

 

[timeman]

I called my dealer to see what oil they were using in their arm / leg / crotch service, it was the same as this kit which comes from BRP / Seadoo. Here's what the information in the kit says:

This kit is for ALL 4-stroke 4-TEC Sea-Doo engines. Per Sea Doo these kits can be used with all 4-Tec Sea Doo models which includes the supercharged and non supercharged models, Please make sure to unscrew the spark plugs threaded tops when used in Sea Doo 4Tec PWC engines.

 

[seamarski]

I'm not sure whether you have a supercharger or a non supercharger engine, but when I used to have speedster 150 non sc, I used rotella T6 full syntethic (i belive it's 5w40). You can get it cheap at walmart. As for the supercharger, you are not supposed to use full synthetic oil but a semi synthetic. So now I use castrol actevo semi sythetic oil. I usually put a level on top of the engine and I adjust the height on the trailer accordingly. On the water, the boat is leveled so you can get more accurate oil reading.