How to make sure there's enough oil in a 2004 SX230?

[MOA_Chaser]

OK, I know that you suck out the oil, measure it, and put back in exactly what you took out.

But last year, I did this, and eventually I got a low oil light. I went out on the water and put in enough oil to get onto the dipstick, and of course the light went off. We used it for the rest of the summer.

I just did the spring freshening of my boat; oil and plugs. I got 1 quart out of the port side, and less than a quart out of the starboard side. Just to be sure... on these boats, you can look down into the holding tank and you should see a round hole in the bottom that gives you like another inch, and a slanted vent hole to the left and right of the center hole, right? I was unable to get the oil tube down any further than the hole in the center.

That seems REALLY low. Maybe I just had enough to keep the light from coming on? Obviously my oil levels are not what they should be. Should I just take it out onto the water on a calm day, run it real good for several minutes, then check the oil level and add to each engine until it's between the lines on the dipstick? I wonder how the dealers know exactly how much to put in the engines...

 

[Seadeals]

Exactly. Putting back only what you take out can eventually lead to a low oil condition as the engine will burn some off between each oil change, which stacks up over the years. Also, it only takes someone replacing less than removed once to perpetuate the issue indefinitely. I warm it up running on the water and stop to check to assure it is well over the L but not too close to the H when warm, running and level in the water.

 

[Gym]

What are you using to suck the oil out with? You should be getting 1.5 to 1.75 quarts out from each engine. If you are using a fat tube to suck the oil out it may not be going down far enough or your boat may not be fairly level when you remove the oil.

After you replace what you take out you should run it, on the water at about 7k rpm till the engines are warmed up, then idle for a couple of minutes. Then shut down, check your oil level and fill to the F level on the dipstick.

When your engines are stone cold and your boat is fairly level on the trailer you should just barely see oil on the very bottom of the stick.

 

[Wisefam22]

@Gym Whst if you get more out like 2.75 qrts?

 

[Wisefam22]

I did take it to lake though and test it to check levels once I replaced. Brought some oil with me. Seemed to be good. I put back in what I took out. Always keep at least a quart on boat with funnel.

 

[Gym]

@Gym Whst if you get more out like 2.75 qrts?

I would think if you got 2.75 quarts out you may have been overfilled. If you check the air filter box and it's dry of oil then you're ok and you can replace the 2.75 quarts you removed.

 

[Wisefam22]

I'm good just checked them. Dry as a bone. Had boat for year and half now never had oil light come on. Just did change. It was changed right before we bought it

 

[MOA_Chaser]

What are you using to suck the oil out with? You should be getting 1.5 to 1.75 quarts out from each engine. If you are using a fat tube to suck the oil out it may not be going down far enough or your boat may not be fairly level when you remove the oil.

After you replace what you take out you should run it, on the water at about 7k rpm till the engines are warmed up, then idle for a couple of minutes. Then shut down, check your oil level and fill to the F level on the dipstick.

When your engines are stone cold and your boat is fairly level on the trailer you should just barely see oil on the very bottom of the stick.

I'm using the bigger West Marine oil pump; the tube is less than 1/4" in diameter.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

I keep thinking that I should do a full drain eventually and that would be the best way, but the difficulty level is pretty high. Has anyone installed remote oil change tubing to the engines? I'm thinking you could just hook it up to the pump, open the valve, and did a complete oil drain every time with little effort.

 

[zipper]

These pics are from the first oil change I did in 2017 on our 07 HO MR-1's. The second pic. is what I extracted from the dry sump on the first engine.



This was a complete oil change the @CrankyGypsy way, by draining the oil cooler and sucking up that oil I had this amount. https://jetboaters.net/threads/oil-change-on-mr-1-how-to-perform-a-complete-drain.3805/



Both engines gave me this much.



The mirror is needed to locate the drain plug on the oil cooler, its on the back side.



At refill, I add oil to the L mark, run the engine and while running add oil as needed to the sump to bring the level up to mid L-F. I never fill to the full mark, that is too much and you may find oil in the air filters and even a small amount in the the bilge if you overfill.

 

[buckbuck]

@zipper You add oil while the engines are running? Has this ever created a problem? I may steal your idea.

 

[zipper]

@zipper You add oil while the engines are running? Has this ever created a problem? I may steal your idea.

No, no issues while adding oil to the dry sump while the motor is running. No moving parts to sling oil out the opening. My understanding of a dry sump system is that they should be checked while running or immediently after shutting down. If You wait or don't run it before checking the oil will drain to the pan and give a false level reading.