Maintaining your Mercury® outboard engine's health is crucial for optimal performance. Regular oil and filter changes are essential maintenance tasks, recommended every 100 hours of operation or annually. This process is often integrated into the winterization routine or pre-off-season storage preparation, ensuring your outboard engine is in peak condition for the next season.
This guide simplifies the oil change process for Mercury outboard engines, providing a detailed, step-by-step approach applicable to most models. Your Mercury operation and maintenance manual details the oil change procedure and specific oil requirements for your model. If you're missing the manual, it's available for download from the Mercury website.
Selecting the Appropriate Oil and Filter
Select the right Oil and Oil Filter, please use our partsfinder which can be find on our home page to find the correct Oil Filter, use this to find the correct Oil for your engine.
Required Tools for Oil and Filter Change
The following tools are needed for changing your oil and filter:
- Wrench or ratchet and socket for the drain plug
- Oil filter wrench and funnel
- Clean rags and protective gloves
- Crankcase oil pump or oil drain funnel kit
- Oil catch pan
Basic Oil Change Steps
- Drain the Oil: Tilt the outboard to drain trapped oil, then remove the cowl and either use an oil pump or the drain plug to empty the oil into a catch pan.
- Replace the Oil Filter: Remove the old filter, clean the mount, lubricate the new filter gasket, and install the new filter.
- Add New Engine Oil: Fill with the correct amount of new oil, check the level, and adjust as necessary. Run the engine to check for leaks.
Tip: Check for unusualities: Always check the drained oil for water or fuel contamination, which can indicate more serious issues.
Need help selecting the right product? Feel free to reach out to us contact us