What type of oil

Dan I believe the reason they want a 20 min run is to burn of any water that is in the oil by bringing it up to operating temp. If you want to change the oil now... just simply note it on the slip and they will take that into consideration. The really nice thing about these guys is that you will get an actual person who looks at your sample and they provide a small summary along with the test results.
 
TheAcademy5 said:
Oils are comprised of a base oil(s) and an additive package. Synthetic base oils are superior to petroleum (dino) oil in virtually every measurement: 1) higher thermal (temperature) ability, 2) better cold starting flow (lower wear), 3) higher temperature/high shear ability e.g., the oil does not break down under severe loads, 4)l lower volatility (less burn-off) therefore, less oil consumption 5) less burn-off or oxidation means less deposits, e.g. varnish and sludge deposits.

"Real" synthetic oils, group IV (PAO) and/or group V (esters) base oils, cost 3 to 4 times that of a petroleum base oil. Expensive synthetic base oils also use more expensive additive packages. than groups I to III petroleum oils.


The Bottom line is that synthetic oils are vastly superior to dino oils. Any chemist or chemical engineer will tell you that. You simply can't hydrocrack and filter petroleum enough to eliminate the contaminants in the oil or produce a "slippery" uniform molecular structure..
Finally there are several excellent synthetic oils available, including: Redline, Amsoil, Motul and two or three others. (Mobil 1 is no longer a "real" synthetic, its a group III dino).
I would recommend any 100% synthetic 15w-40 or 20w-50 over any petroleum (mineral/dino) oil made on the planet.
By the way,although I don't know who is blending the Merc/Quicksilver synthetic BLEND oil, but I would bet that it is has no group IV or V synthetic base oils, but rather, is a group III hydroisomerized petroleum oil which can be "marketed" as a synthetic given a court ruling in 1999 (Mobil v. Castrol). While more expensive than most petroleum oils, I would certainly recommend 100% SYNTHETIC oil. That's what I use. Good luck with you lube decision, it is the life-blood of your engine.
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Excellent information here! What other brands could you recomend that might be available locally for synthetic oils? Seems all the big name brands have synthetics now, Castrol, Quaker State and others, even Penzoil. Will it tell on the container if it is a group III, IV or V?
 
Update to drain plugs on Horizon 8.1 S. The fitting opposite the dip stick insert port has to be a drain plug. I was upside down in there yesterday, and I think it is a plug. They paint them on so well that it was hard to tell.
 
hey guys-
i was wondering on my motor it says to use an SAE 30 oil.... i was wondering i am hearing you guys talking bout 15w-40's and such is there anything better suited for me than the SAE 30?? Thanks!
 
One other item regarding synthetic blend oil, is that it is simply a blend..... you do not know how much syn is in the blend. By stating the oil is a "synthetic blend" our minds automatically assume that it's 50/50. Nope, it could be only 5% synthetic, but that makes it a blend. I don't know what MerCruiser's ratio is, but in the automotive world synthetic blends are a marketing gimic to fool consumers into paying double for their dino oil while only getting a tidbit of synthetic mixed in with it.

I'm a hardcore synthetic guy pertaining to my autos and KNOW that any true syn like Amsoil would have to be vastly superior to any dino or blend in my marine engine no matter what brand (even MerCruiser). I have done extensive comparative oil analysis in my autos with longterm tests that conclusively proved that 15,000 mile old synthetic oil still tests superior to new dino oil. The fact that marine usage is harder on engines than autos are would make the synthetic advantage even greater since they have far superior lubrication/viscosity breakdown resistance/etc than dino oils.... in other words they are simply "tougher" than dino oils.

However as has been discussed before back on SRO I can understand that some of the advantages of synthetic usage are cancelled out when it pertains to our boats. Some of us here own boats worth more than many people's homes, and if a warranty issue comes up, the last thing needed is a question on whether the oil used might void the warranty. Also much of the advantage of synthetic lies in its longevity and if we only run our boat 100 hrs per year and then change the oil before the next 100 hr yr, that kinda makes using the synthetic a wasteful expense. And touting the superior efficiency using synthetic gives seems like a joke when you're driving something that gets 2 mpg.

My boat is a '93 so I don't have any warranty issues, and I'll go ahead and put Amsoil's marine synthetic oil in at the next change. However if I had a new SeaRay with a warranty I don't think it's worth the gamble and would use what is recommended ~ at least until the warranty expired. Using Jeremy's change shedule even a full dino oil won't have time to break down enough to worry about lubrication issues and will work just fine, as his lab reports have proven.
 
I will be switching my 8.1s over to synthetic at the next oil change. I push a 24,000 lb boat and the extra protection can't hurt. I think the most valuable feature of synthetic oils is their ability to adhere to engine parts for a longer period of time after shutdown. This has to help reduce wear on engine start up. I have always heard cold start is where most wear occurs anyway. I almost never go over 100 hours in a year so I think I will be fine changing the oil once each year with synthetic where I changed dino oils at 50 hours.
 
Does anyone know the difference (if any) between Mecury branded products (oil & filters) and Quicksilver? I was in a Bass Pro outlet store a couple of days ago and they had Quicksilver oil and filters marked way down....oil and fuel filters were $2.00...the filters had the same product numbers as the Mercury branded ones I currently have. I know Quicksilver is made by Mercury...but just wondered it there were any differences.
 
The key thing about good synthetics are that they handle heat much better, thus perform way better than most conventionals when pushing it to the limit.

Mine is a different case so I won't get long winded, but the Amsoil TRO (dealer cost over $7/qt) I use simply kicks HP convention oil's butt when it comes to holding viscosity under sever load (running WOT) and heat. Oil pressure is maintained vs. conventional that starts dropping like a rock after 20-30 seconds. They just can't stand up to the heat and load. Cold starts are another huge difference but I said I wasn't going to get long winded. :D

That said, Rotella T is also a good oil for marine engines if you don't want to pop for the 2 times higher Amsoil 15w40 HD Diesel Marine for example. Shell also has one of the best group III bases that rival group IV and V's in most applications.

However, you can never go wrong using Merc's 40w or 25w40; it's good stuff that does anything most people need.
 
If I find a good deal on synthetic and buy a few cases, will it keep for 5-7 years without any problems as long as the quart bottle is not opened? I found a stock of the old style Mobil 1 before they cheapened it.
 
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