Couple maintenance questions

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Bubba

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So I haven't really done anything to my boat since i've had it maintenance wise. I'm just wondering what I REALLY might wanna do at least by next spring, if anything? Do I need to look into changing my LU oil? What about changing out my waterpump? I've heard some people say they change those out every year regardless. What about spark plugs? Do I need to worry with them if i'm not having any problems? Anything else you guys think of?

PS....This winter I will still be using my boat. Maybe not as often, but at least probably 2-3 times a month. I plan on getting some seafoam and running through it as well here pretty soon. I ran some through it not long after I first got it, haven't done it since then.
 
yes , change your lower unit oil every year
i change my water pump every other year...
i haven't plugs and was told by my dealer it wasn't needed for a few years it still runs fine.
my 99 Yamaha i changed them every year but it bogged down if i didn't
I think you have a 4 stroke you might need to change your engine oil and filter.
the seafoam shouldn't hurt i run ring free in my 225hpdi
 
L/U oil should be changed at least yearly, water pump impellar every 2 to 3 depending on number of hours of use and what kind of water it has seen.

I normally change plugs every 3 to 4 years, depending on useage.

Inspect the grease seals on the back of your trailer bearings and give them a shot of grease. I need to do that myself.
 
So i'm bringing this back up....Does anyone know of a good how-to write-up on changing my lower unit oil? Or a step-by-step process? It doesn't seem to hard, I just wanna make sure I don't overlook something. Also, Do you know if there are anything you might need to do differently on different makes(Merc vs. Yammi)?
 
They are all pretty much the same.

The best tidbit of advice is to go to Wal Mart or marine store and get yourself one of the pumps that attaches to the bottle of gear oil.

Lower the engine to vertical postion and put a catch pan under the lower unit.
Remove the bottom plug and then remove the upper plug.
Drain all of the oil and inspect for shavings (a small amount is normal) and water.
Connect the tube from the pump to the lower plug hole and begin refilling the lower unit.
When the oil starts to run out of the top hole, make sure that the air bubbles have stopped coming out and the level is maintained at the top hole.
Reinstall the top plug.
Remove the hose from the bottom and reinstall the bottom plug as quickly as possible.

You're done.

It's simple but that pump will help out a bunch. I've sqeezed quart bottles and tubes of oil for years until they started marketing those pumps. Squeezing nearly a quart of gear oil by hand through a hole that's less than 1/8" is no easy task.

You may need to change out the little fiber gaskets on your plugs if so equipped.
 
I've had my 18 Nissan for 10 years. I've changed the lower unit oil once, the plugs twice and still has the same impeller in it.
Still runs like the day I bought it.
Yearly maintenance is over-rated! :D
 
Until you develop a seal leak and all of your internals rust together and your l/u housing busts open from ice formation. :lol:
 
CarlF said:
Yearly maintenance is over-rated! :D

Sorry, but I disagree.
I would feel much better making a long run on a fresh impeller than one that is 10 years old. Not bashing you or anything, I don't know the water you fish or how often you fish. Just stating my opinion. :beer:

I would also agree on using the method for changing lower unit oil as Quackrstackr described.
 
CarlF wrote:
Yearly maintenance is over-rated!

Just a little humor!
Actually, I agree that lower unit oil & plugs should be changed yearly, especially if you run the hell out of motors almost 12 months out of the year like I do. The fact that my motor still runs and that I have had to do no repairs (except for a carb gasket) are more a testiment to the quality of the Nissan than my skills as a boat mechanic.

I think that impellers probably have a shorter life up north where they undergo freeze thaw cycles all winter. I've had 5 different outboards over the last 15 years (my offshore boat for 6 years, the nissan for 10 years, others for 3-4 years at a time), never had to change an impeller in any of them. My Nissan still wizzes water like the day I got it. And it has chewed lots of sand & mud when duck hunting. I do agree that it is about time to put in a new one as insurance.
I also dont have to worry about winterizing motors down here. LIke I noted, my motor runs almost 12 months out of the year. The longest is has ever sat without running is 2 months and that was pretty **** unusual. For you guys up north whose engines sit from Nov.-March, winterizing & stabilizing your fuel is very important.
 

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