Just crossed 100 hours have a few more weeks boating change oil now or wait till winterize?

[NewBoater]

As title states: Just crossed 100 hours and have a few more weeks boating,
change oil now or wait till winterize in a month or so?

 

[spatty99]

Assuming you are just doing one change (and you've already done the break in change), I would wait, since (from what I've read) even barely used oil builds aggressive internal chemicals. These days any difference is likely insignificant, but if you were anal, that would be the way to go.

 

[NewBoater]

10 hour one was done over a year ago. Yep this is the next one. Oil change and spark plugs. Thanks for reply. Any other opinions are appreciated

 

[GTBRMC]

Assuming you are not in southern Florida or similar with a boating season running until late December (or otherwise planning on adding dozens of additional hours this season), I would keep enjoying the boat and do the oil change right before you put her to sleep for the winter. Even a few hours of runtime will begin the process of shearing and breaking down the oil into some less than ideal state.

Fresh oil is preferred for the long winter's nap.

 

[Rainmakr]

Fresh oil is preferred for the long winter's nap.

Why not wait until the spring and do the fresh oil change/spark plug change? That way you have fresh oil in the motor for the boating season

 

[GTBRMC]

Why not wait until the spring and do the fresh oil change/spark plug change? That way you have fresh oil in the motor for the boating season

Quite a few boaters here do exactly that. My approach is based on the thought that fresh oil is best for an engine that is not run for months at a time. Oil that is used has, at least to some extent, broken down and/or oxidized and is more likely to have contaminants. Fresh motor oil sitting in an unused engine generally does not deteriorate much at all. So, better protection to engines sitting in winter + little to no performance downside the following summer = change the oil before winter. Quick reference on motor oil breakdown: https://www.amsoil.com/newsstand/motor-oil/articles/why-motor-oil-deteriorates/

Also, given the climate in Wisconsin, I fog my cylinders before winter. Fogging might foul one or more spark plug, so I change plugs in the spring.

So, my routine has always been fresh oil before winter, then fresh spark plugs in the spring (after first run to ensure all the fogging oil is burned off). Others have different approaches, and if it works for them, that is OK.

 

[itsdgm]

I'd wait until your season is done.

 

[NewBoater]

Thanks fellas

 

[Gym]

10 hour one was done over a year ago. Yep this is the next one. Oil change and spark plugs. Thanks for reply. Any other opinions are appreciated

You may want to consider changing the oil this fall when your boating is done. If you intend to fog the engines as suggested by the manufacturer you can burn the fogging oil off with the old plugs in the spring, THEN change the spark plugs.

 

[jdonalds]

I change the oil and filters every 25 engine hours; a habit I picked up when boating on the ocean with my PWC.

I always change the oil and filter in the spring before boating season. So at the end of the season if I have a few more than 25 hours I'll let it go until spring.