Oil specification question

[pullin]

My Indmar engine manual specifies an SJ/CG-4 or better API classification (in 15W-40).

The only oils I can find locally are mainly C (Commercial) rated (CJ-4). I have found a chevron oil that lists its API spec as follows: CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF/SM.

Since the S rating seems to follow the list, can I assume it has a proper S (Service) rating for use in the Indmar 5.7 (carb'd)? Or do I need to find an oil where the Service rating precedes the Commercial rating (like SM/CF)?

Any and all help on this is appreciated. I'm not real knowledgeable about oils and such.

[Engine Nut]

That oil meets or exceeds the specificationsfor your engine. Generally, any "brand name" 15W40 oil will meet or exceed the mininmum specifications. Follow the link to the API website that explains the rating system:

http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/upload/MOTOR_OIL_GUIDE_2010_120210.pdf




My Indmar engine manual specifies an SJ/CG-4 or better API classification (in 15W-40).

The only oils I can find locally are mainly C (Commercial) rated (CJ-4). I have found a chevron oil that lists its API spec as follows: CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS, CI-4, CH-4, CG-4, CF/SM.

Since the S rating seems to follow the list, can I assume it has a proper S (Service) rating for use in the Indmar 5.7 (carb'd)? Or do I need to find an oil where the Service rating precedes the Commercial rating (like SM/CF)?

Any and all help on this is appreciated. I'm not real knowledgeable about oils and such.

[rdlangston13]

That oil meets or exceeds the specificationsfor your engine. Generally, any "brand name" 15W40 oil will meet or exceed the mininmum specifications. Follow the link to the API website that explains the rating system:

http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/upload/MOTOR_OIL_GUIDE_2010_120210.pdf

so i am good with my 15w-40 full synthetic ams oil?

[sandm]

i'm using a full synth oil as well. ran all last year on it and seemed fine :)
using mobile one.

supposedly, oil change intervals are 50hrs on regular and 100 on synth. I average 100hrs a season, so hoping that with synth, only need to do one change a year.

I believe it is spec'ed that you should have some hours in the engine before switching to full synth..

[rdlangston13]

the owners manual says you can switch after 100 hrs but you should still change it every 50 with full syn. im shooting for 100 or once a year though cause 50 hours is nothing. its like 1500 miles on a car and i drive 5,000 miles between changes on full syn in my truck

ps, i normally use mobil 1 full syn but i could mot find it in 15w40

[Razzman]

the owners manual says you can switch after 100 hrs but you should still change it every 50 with full syn. im shooting for 100 or once a year though cause 50 hours is nothing. its like 1500 miles on a car and i drive 5,000 miles between changes on full syn in my truck

ps, i normally use mobil 1 full syn but i could mot find it in 15w40

Remember one thing though, the methods and ways your boat operates are far from how a car operates. Cars generally operate in the lower 1/3 of their rpm range while a boat operates a lot of the time in the upper rpm ranges. Without a multi geared transmission this puts more loads on everything and breaks the oil down much faster, hence the reason for the 50 hour recommendation.

Also notice that even though the oil manufacturers give recommendations for estimated auto change intervals you'll never see them make that type of claim for marine use, to many variables.

That being said, many people only change once a season regardless of hours. I only change once a season, but then I only average 40-50 hours a year.

[sandm]

both the big dealers here that represent both indmar and pcm have told me 100hrs on synth.

as an old buddy once told me... you do what you feel comfortable with :)

this came up as we were discussing engine break-in's and the 2 schools of thought:
-break it in like the manual says
-break it in like you are going to use it. let the rings land hard..

I believed in the manual approach until I saw a few documentaries on sportbikes being built in japan from both honda and kawi. they put those on a dyno just off the line and run them up to 15-16,000rpm's. kind of kills the break-in school of thought..

[Engine Nut]

Remember one thing though, the methods and ways your boat operates are far from how a car operates. Cars generally operate in the lower 1/3 of their rpm range while a boat operates a lot of the time in the upper rpm ranges. Without a multi geared transmission this puts more loads on everything and breaks the oil down much faster, hence the reason for the 50 hour recommendation.

Also notice that even though the oil manufacturers give recommendations for estimated auto change intervals you'll never see them make that type of claim for marine use, to many variables.

That being said, many people only change once a season regardless of hours. I only change once a season, but then I only average 40-50 hours a year.

The 50 hour recommendation is for conventional as well as synthetic oil. Marine engines run relatively cold compared to automotive engines. We use 160 degree thermostats while automotive engines run significantly warmer. Running the engines colder means that the oil temperature stays lower which reduces its ability to allow contaminants ... unburned fuel, water etc. to evaporate out of the oil. We also see marine/wakesports engines having lots of low rpm/idle operation time. It is not unusual to look at data from an ECM and to see an engine with 200 hours total with half of the time below 1000 rpm. All of that idle rpm operation is also hard on engine and the oil. Ther only way to get rid of the contaminants in the engine is to drain and replace the oil at regular 50 hour intervals. We recommend even shorter intervals (25 hours) for users that run their boats on small lakes where they are not able to run for extended periods in the higher oprearting RPM ranges.

[NCSUmoomba]

Sandm, and everyone else, don't forget, it is not the dealers that backup the warranty, it is the manufacturers!

[scoot_gt]

That oil meets or exceeds the specificationsfor your engine. Generally, any "brand name" 15W40 oil will meet or exceed the mininmum specifications. Follow the link to the API website that explains the rating system:

http://www.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/upload/MOTOR_OIL_GUIDE_2010_120210.pdf

EngineNut,

After reading your API guide, am I correctly assuming that anything labeled 15W40 "diesel oil" is ok as long as the S & C categories are ok?

[scoot_gt]

EngineNut,

After reading your API guide, am I correctly assuming that anything labeled 15W40 "diesel oil" is ok as long as the S & C categories are ok?

More specifically, Mobil Delvac 1300
http://www.mobil.us/USA-English-LCW/heavydutyengineoils_products_engine-oils_mobil-delvac-1300-super.aspx#

Anyone else care to chime in?

[FamilyMatters]

I Tried to Find one of the Diesel Oils with all the same specs, But my S's and J's did'nt seem to line up with the Indmar Recommendation. I found the Penzoil Marine 15W40 that Indmar recommends at West Marine. They even had there own Brand with the same Specs. The Penzoil was $19 a Gallon.

Thanks to All who posted help for Changing Oil and the Impeller it was a breeze!! Spent $40 on Oil, $35 on the Impeller $5.84 on the Fuel Filter, 5.75 on the Oil Filter, and in 40 Minutes saved $218.00 over what the dealer quoted, besides the gas to tow the 3 hr round trip!!!

THANKS
Darren

[bzubke1]

FWIW I called indmar when I did my first oil change myself and they said rotella 15w-40 was a good oil to use.

[zabooda]

Nothing but the cheapest oil for me.