www.iFourWinns.com

Due to a myriad of weather and family commitments I only logged 25 hours on the engine this year. I’m thinking of letting my engine oil go for another year. So little time on it I can’t see changing it. Would you do that or am I crazy for thinking along those lines.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

I know what you mean abut a tough year. I'm sure the manual will tell you to change it. One concern is any contaminents or moisture in the engine over winter. On the other hand..... Depending on how much you use it next year, if you don't change it now you might consider an oil change during the season.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

I was also thinking the same thing. I might wait until early next year to do a change and skipping next fall if we don't put too many hours as an option too. I skipped a year about 2-3 years ago because we didn't use it hardly at all, no issues.

I then think for a hundred $$ or so in supplies(2 engines) and a couple hours of work its better to extend the life of these super expensive engines. I also try to use decent products. For the few dollars more its not worth taking a change on g-brand. These engines can cost in the 5 digits to replace.

BTW, we have a lot of machines, mostly small tractors and some heavy equipment, that go years and years without oil changes and they are still going. I think the old backhoe from the 80's hasn't had an oil change in a decade.

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--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

That's actually a good question and a lot of us have engines seasonally used were some years you hardly use them. So what do to? As far as 4 stroke engines, I have the boat, the Suzuki outboard (not really used the last few years) and:
Lawnmower
pressure washer
lawn vacuum
Generator

the lawnmower gets used all the time so it gets changed every year. The other machines get such few hrs that I do them about every 3 years. Oil still comes out clean but I use syn Mobil 1 in all of them.

the rest of my small engines (4) are all 2 strokes so they are always getting their oil changed lol.

For your boat, if you ran it a lot on plane so the engine gets nice and warm and burns off condensation and other contaminants, it might be OK to let it go till the end of next season. But if it got a lot of slow speed trolling, that kind of use tends to build up water and fuel dilution in the motor oil. If it were me (and my boat's use is the same in fact even less hrs) I'd change it.
As far as drive oil, I will pull the drain plug just to see if any water comes out first. If it does then the drive needs to be re-sealed and you don't want that sitting in it all winter, the moisture can corrode bearings and if its a lot of water, can crack a gear case. But if there is no sign of moisture and no real wear particles, you can go a couple seasons on drive oil. I did an oil analysis on the Merc/Quicksilver High Performance gear lube and it held up great in my Cobra.

Ultimately you might want to do an oil analysis at the end of next season. That can tell you if the oil you use is holding up well enough or needs to be changed at that point.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II