www.iFourWinns.com

Hello I need some advice when it comes to changing my oil on a H190. I only put 20 hours on the engine this year and was wondering if I really need to change the oil? I used SAE 30 synthetic 2 years ago with new filers. The previous year I was not able to use the boat so it sat for the year with all new oil n the engine and outdrive.

Basically wondering if I really need to change the oil and filter since I have only put 20 hours on the motor since my last change? I figure since I'm using synthetic oil it should be fine?

Thoughts??

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Dennis

2007 H190
4.3 liter
Seattle WA

IMO change it every year. You can go a year or two on drive lube if the boat isn't being used much, but if you've run the engine for more than an hour you're better off not having that oil sit in there. I'm a big synthetic fan too but synthetic doesn't mean it doesn't still get dirty, get water in it from condensation, form acid, etc.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

+1 on what mike said.
Lots of stuff can get into the oil. I would run it some to stir it up and change the oil AND filter.
You should drain the drive too, 20 hours with a small leak could put a lot of water in the oil and changing it will let ya know.
Plus if you are only using it 20 hours every 2 years, at least you can say that you changed the oil every season when you sell it this winter.

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1999 180 Horizon LS 4.3 L GL Volvo SX
1994 Powerstroke
2002 Jeep Wrangler
not@work.gon
Happiness is an Empty Boat Trailer!!!

Thanks for all the advice. One lasr question. Any difference between automotive synthetic and marine?

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Dennis

2007 H190
4.3 liter
Seattle WA

NONE, and yep on what they said!

Yes.
Marine variants have a significant amount more of an anti-oxidant additive.

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

Do you really believe that, even though the engines are just really automotive engines with the same lubrication requirements ? Can you provide any actual data to back that up ? If so, please do, I'd be very interested to see it. Marine oils are not available here in the UK apart from Volvo Penta and their specification numbers look uncannily like automotive ones. Things like antioxidant levels will be covered by those specs

Are you sure they don't also contain traces of that very expensive element, "Unobtainium" , or is it "marinemarkupthecostium" they contain, even though it's only on the bottle label ?

+ 1

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2009 F204 with 5.0 litre Volvo

As I work for one of Australia's largest Oil Blenders, yes, I am certain.
Like conventional automotive greases compared to marine designated greases, the anti-oxidant levels are much higher for marine.
'NMMA FC-W' is the international specification for Marine lubrication and all approved/ licenced products endure strict longevity testing against both wear & anti-corrosion.
What specifications are you referring to that are similar in both Auto & Marine? I assume you only looked at the API spec', which has nothing to do with Marine designation.

If you used half the amount of effort you used in sarcasm for research, we wouldn't be continuing this discussion!

p.s. Everyone knows that OEM branded products are marked up astronomically.

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

@ Graham and Deafwish:


............British Marine Oil...............................................Aussie Marine Oil..........................

Which is better?

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

This one...



They had that pic posted on their web site once upon a time so I grabbed a copy of it. The next day it was replaced with the unmarked jug we all know and love.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

LOL!!!
For the record, you're all up there because you're not all here!

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2011 Four Winns H180 SS.
Aussie built Mustang 2800.
SOLD - 1997 Four Winns Horizon RS

Please excuse my scepticism, it come as a result from working for one of the largest Chemical companies in the World for almost 30 years. In the Chemical Industry, sometimes the exact same products (raw material and semi/ fully formulated) are sold into a number of different application areas at staggeringly different prices. I expected the oil industry to have taken the opportunity to act in a similar opportunistic way !

In the owners manual for my 2004 engine, VP make no mention of the NMMA oil specs, as they had not been defined by then. They refer only to the recommended viscosity grades and API Service CF/ SH ( I know these are old and have been superceded as well); but basically, in 2004, the engine supplier was recommending oils meeting the Automotive specifications for the GM engines they were using . Were they wrong to do that ?

The British one; it's make a real mess if you took the lid off the Australian one !

Oh lord here we go again... Ive heard so much crazy junk about marine grade stuff it'll make your head spin. Aside from protected ignition parts and spark plugs that wont rust, now you're telling me Ive been using the wrong engine oil for the past 10 years?!?

Even the gear lube in the outdrives, Volvo Penta says regular automotive Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil is fine.

Ill continue to use my horrible automotive engine oil, and wait to see how long it takes the engine to rust from the inside out

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21