First time oil changer! Help a brotha out!

Hey all....I need to swap out all the fluids and change the plugs in my Tige 21V....350MPI. I have the 12volt oil changer pump thingy and a catch pan, and just need a step by step.

Also....25-40W? What type and how much tranny and V drive fluids? Spark plug gap?

Thanks in advance!!

why are you changing the plugs?? In a boat due to the low temp's the plugs will last over 450 hrs. Anyone who tells you that they need to be replaced before that bacicly is trying to gross you (a dealer or a mechanic) or dosent know what the f**k they are taking about.

as far as the trany goes it takes 1.5 qts of mercon/dextron if its a Mercruser, and type F trans fluid if its a PCM. Use the pump to pump out the trans. otherwise your going to make a mess out of the hull.

The v-drive unit check with the owner’s manual, but if you don’t have one a syenthic gear lube such as a mobile one is a good way to go. It takes almost 2 its. Again use the pump to pump the fluid out of this too.

I run 5w 50 if I am using syenthic and 15/40 if I go with conventional oil. Pick a brand you like. If you look at the back of the bottle you will see a SAE rating. Just about all oils are at least SG these days. The further down the alphabet the better the oil. I was at West coast Correct Craft the other day they use Car quest oil for all of there boats, and they are a Premier Dealer service center. Their clients tell obviously don't have a problem with $$ so that isn’t the issue. So anyone that tells you need Marine oil again doesn’t know what the F**k they are talking about.

For you oil filter, take the new oil filter box, and tear off the box top and flaps. Put a couple of paper towels in it and use that to catch the excess oil and it will help you not get oil all over the boat as you carry it out. I don’t run the eng before I change my oil, that way you don’t have as much oil in the filter when you change it.

Their are a lot of different things besides changing your fluids involved when doing a service. So don’t forget the grease zerks,shaft packing, trailer bearings, brake fluid in the surge brakes, cleaning the air filter, checking the torque of the prop and strut, and skags.

Their are still things that are not listed here but this is a good start for you. Have fun...

I use a plastic grocery bag (you dont have them in CA) or a trash bag to take off the old oil filter and catch the excess fluids.

The motor will most likely only take 4.5 quarts. Use the type of oil the manual says. Use a plastic bag over the filter so you don't spill any.

For the v-drive mine takes 1 quart of SAE 30. They recommend you change it every like every 400 hours or something. Me I change it every year. I use Cheveron Delo.

For the tranny get 2, 2 liter bottles suck the old stuff out into one of the 2 liters. Then fill the empty 2 liter up to the same spot and then fill the tranny back up. By using 2 bottles you put in what you took out.

It helps if you can mind a 3rd hand to help. Line the boat with news paper in case you spill.

Then when you get to the lake check your fluids. Always carry extra fluid of everything you might need.

Phillip, agree with you on the sparkplugs. I pulled mine at just over 500 hrs. they looked like new, but I changed em' anyway cause I already had bought the new ones. and I like that two bottle method , put in what you take out, but check level w/ dipstick in case it's low when you remove.

I prefer to change the oil with the engine warm as the oil pumps a lot easier that way. Of course, I use a manual pump so if you have the 12 volt unit you may not care how much it has to work.

Some boats have a hose that is attached to the oil drain pan for changing the oil. If you have one of these then you remove the cap from the end of the hose and attach your pump. If you don't have such a drain hose then the usual approach is to suck it out the dipstick tube. Some people believe that you need to slide a tiny hose down the inside of the dipstick; you don't, fasten a larger hose over the dipstick tube

Like Leo said, I wrap a plastic bag over the oil filter before I remove it so any oil that spills out falls into the bag instead of the bottom of the boat. My current ski boat has the filter remote mounted in a vertical position so not much will leak out. I have had other boats where the filter was mounted horizontally and without the plastic bag you would get a LOT of oil spilled!

The plastic bag dosent work very well, it dosent keep shape and its gets sliperly when it gets oily. If you use the cardboard box with papertowles in it as I mentioned its eaiser to hold, & keeps its shape, asorbes the oil.You only have about a quarter of a quart of oil comming out of the filter so you dont need a whole lot of protection.