Synthetic or non-synthetic motor oil? Does it really matter?

[Ronnie]

I’m going on replace the motor oil in my 2021 Waverunners and am wondering if I should switch to synthetic motor oil now, while the engines still have low hours on them. I replace the oil at least once a year anyway, so longevity is not an issue.

 

[Babin Farms]

Might as well go full synthetic. Price should not be an issue even if you change oil a few times a season. Might spend $50 more annually for changes but most of us blow that much without even blinking. Doesn’t matter that their new, just butter for the engines internal parts

 

[GTBRMC]

For high reviving and hard working engines like Waverunners, I would probably go with synthetic. However, properly completed and timely oil changes with high quality filters are likely more important than syn vs non-syn, assuming both are proper API grade and rating used.

 

[2kwik4u]

I agree with @GTBRMC and @Babin Farms Proper changes, filters, and correct grade are for more important than the source of the oil. If you're changing once a season or 100hrs or less, then you're likely not "using up" the old oil anyway, so either is fine. The cost difference is usually negligible considering oil changes as a total percentage of the cost of boat ownership in general.

I run synthetic and change oil/filter/plugs once a season. I only put ~35hrs/season on the boat and doubt I need to change ANY of it based on actual usage.

 

[Sean R]

I use yamalube and I keep my receipts. Just in case I need warranty work, that way I can prove I use Yamaha recommended oil.

 

[Babin Farms]

Warranty work can not be denied as long as you use oil that meets the specifications set forth by the engine manufacturer. Brand does not matter, just keep the receipts and records of when it was serviced and with what oil and filters.

 

[biffdotorg]

Warranty work can not be denied as long as you use oil that meets the specifications set forth by the engine manufacturer. Brand does not matter, just keep the receipts and records of when it was serviced and with what oil and filters.

I was just going to say the same thing, but Ronnie, did your new Waverunner also fall under the new Yamaha Engine Warranty? They have now been offering this on sleds, and someone can correct me if wrong, that they are offering it on other products.

They will warrant the engine due to oil related failures for an obscene amount of time, but you have to use Yamalube products. Now that being said, they have offered semi and full synthetic oil change kits for the sleds. But I have not seen the same for waverunners and boats.

I see no value in deviating from the kits, quality or monetarily if Yamaha is going to put that sort of warranty on. Availability is a non issue for anyone that has a browser and credit card.

 

[Evil Sports]

This whole oil thing is a farce and don't get me started on that Amsoil stuff lol. Im on a German car forum and those people really make me laugh doing used oil analysis and then posting the results. Like yer actually gonna be able to do something about it after the fact....
Ronnie, the stock Yamaha oil or equivalent will be fine. Change it once a year and you wont have an issue thats oil related. Save that extra $$ for those Cali gas prices

 

[RobbieO]

I use yamalube and I keep my receipts. Just in case I need warranty work, that way I can prove I use Yamaha recommended oil.

I agree…and it will help with documentation when and if you sell your boat…

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Warranty work can not be denied as long as you use oil that meets the specifications set forth by the engine manufacturer. Brand does not matter, just keep the receipts and records of when it was serviced and with what oil and filters.

Magnusson / Moss act.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I’m going on replace the motor oil in my 2021 Waverunners and am wondering if I should switch to synthetic motor oil now, while the engines still have low hours on them. I replace the oil at least once a year anyway, so longevity is not an issue.

The main advantage of synthetic oils is their resistance to vaporization in high revving engines, and synthetics do not build up acids like straight Dino ? oils either. High quality synthetics also have superior lubrication qualities as evidenced by wear scar testing.

I’ve run only synthetics in my power sports equipment for many years. I initially ran Motul 5700 but now run Amsoil products in all of my vehicles / power sports equipment. Amsoil also makes very good oil filters, 20 microns absolute filtration, I also run their oil filters. Amsoil is the only oil company I know of that has independent lab testing done on all their products and publishes those results.

 

[2kwik4u]

Like yer actually gonna be able to do something about it after the fact....

You increase/decrease the interval on the next change, then test again. Lather/Rinse/Repeat to tune the change interval to suit your driving characteristics and load case. The premise being that you won't waste time/effort/money with oil changes that aren't needed, and will maintain suitable lubrication properties. It's significant overkill for a passenger vehicle, but if you have the time/money to mess with it, it's not without merit.

We do this a lot with industrial applications, however the change frequency can often be measured in weeks, and the quantity in barrels, so the financial case for optimization is much better.

 

[Evil Sports]

These cars are not even daily drivers for most so its a total waste. Industrial applications are probably more prudent.

 

[Evil Sports]

Engine failure due to oil changes is a thing of the past. Besides who actually keeps things that long anymore. Look at todays cars like a Toyota Camry, I had one for a sales car that went 300k on regular oil and 7k changes before we traded it. This whole oil thing is just giving people something to talk/worry about. Porsche does recommend mobile 1 full synthetic but says 1 year or 10k interval.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

You increase/decrease the interval on the next change, then test again. Lather/Rinse/Repeat to tune the change interval to suit your driving characteristics and load case. The premise being that you won't waste time/effort/money with oil changes that aren't needed, and will maintain suitable lubrication properties. It's significant overkill for a passenger vehicle, but if you have the time/money to mess with it, it's not without merit.

We do this a lot with industrial applications, however the change frequency can often be measured in weeks, and the quantity in barrels, so the financial case for optimization is much better.

Spot on!

With high bypass filtration oil change intervals are / can be extended out a long ways.

 

[2kwik4u]

These cars are not even daily drivers for most so its a total waste. Industrial applications are probably more prudent.

Oh, I agree. It's driven far more as a hobby than as a financial endeavor at the passenger car level.

Have a customer right now that actually has us putting temperature and moisture sensors on their gearbox (150hp electric motor through a 125:1 4-shaft reducer that drives a 6:1 final drive). They'll be taking readings every 5min and trending the data over time in an effort to predict downtime, and schedule it instead of have unexpected failures. We're charging them $5k/mo to monitor the sensors from remote and trend the data for them. These guys will most certainly be sending that oil out for analysis at the first scheduled change. They'll also be changing 58gal of it out for new full synthetic at a cost of ~$580 or so. We spec changes at 500 hours for this machine, so, about every 42days or so. Still......much different application.

 

[Bizywk]

Warranty work can not be denied as long as you use oil that meets the specifications set forth by the engine manufacturer. Brand does not matter, just keep the receipts and records of when it was serviced and with what oil and filters.

You're making sense and obviously synthetic is a much better option, but I still opt for factory spec Yamaha oil and filters anyway. Warranties seem to look for any excuse not to cover issues.

The engine hours and temperatures for an average season here in the Midwest won't come anywhere close to needing the extra safety and longevity of synthetic oil. Moisture is probably a much bigger concern than viscosity or thermal breakdown.

I use synthetic in all my vehicles, but the boat gets manufacturer's label.

 

[Babin Farms]

I run synthetic in everything around here. Got tired of keeping 10 different oil jugs around. From a 1950’s tractor to my daily drivers, synthetic lubes it all.

 

[biffdotorg]

I run synthetic in everything around here. Got tired of keeping 10 different oil jugs around. From a 1950’s tractor to my daily drivers, synthetic lubes it all.

That's probably the most realistic answer I have heard yet. And I bet all those guys asking "can I run this" is more about, this is what I have on my shelf for these other vehicles. Knowing very well, it probably won't matter.

I'm getting to that point to. Just for simplification, I keep a "kit" for each engine on standby, but have milk crates full of partial quarts labeled for each engine, that are leftovers from the kits. And if they add up to a kit that season, I just go buy a filter and use up the spares. With loads of 2.5 gallon fertilizer bottles to haul the used oil to the sled club groomer shack, as they burn waste oil.

For this reason, I have thought about standardizing on oil. But the oils seem to be seasonally weighted for good reason. So I'm not quite to that point.

General and Generator are year around. Sleds are obviously cold weather, while the boat and Exmark are warm weather. There may be a fair amount of overlap though.

PS: Babin, there is some turbulence in the force. Watch out for next week, I see some cold coming with precip. for our region anyway.

 

[Babin Farms]

Babin, there is some turbulence in the force. Watch out for next week, I see some cold coming with precip. for our region anyway.

There's a slight chance for precip most of next week for us but not counting on it. We're in extreme drought conditions right now and they call for rain all of the time. The temps that I've been seeing for us are still highs in the 70's. I would like to be on the water a few more weeks and then go straight to riding the sled. That's about the only part of living in this area I enjoy about winters anymore.