What oil should I use for my 454
 

I have a 96 22 Scarab with the 454 in it. I will be running in 60 or 70 deg water. What engine oil do you guys recommend I use?

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

Also, how much oil will the engine hold?

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

Most stock 454's hold 5 qts.

If the engine has low hours switching to Mobil-1 15W-50 Gold-Cap may afford some benefits provided the seals are good. In an engine with high hours switching to a more "pour-able oil" with high detergency may cause the seals to leak.

Some mechanics would suggest you stick with a good conventional 30WT with the temps. you mentioned.

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

She has around 325 hours on her. Can you buy the oil filter at Wal Mart or will I have to go to a boat shop

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

325 hours is probably ok to make a switch over to Mobil-1 15W-50 Extended with 50 hour drains unless you race or run hard often.
If you don't want to go synthetic then many use 20W-50 Castrol GTX or Kendall or a respected brand of 30wt.

The A/C filter is a good one at a good price of about $ 5.00.
If you want one of the best oil filters than use a Mobil-1 for about $10.00. It offers both great flow and great filtration.

Here is a list of filters that should fit your application:

Oil Filter f/ most Mercruisers
FYI:The thread type on the filter is 13/16-16.
Fram: PH5, HP4, DG5, PH13 (no anti drainback) Pureolator: L34631
Purolator Pure One: PL34631
AC: PF1218, PF932
Motorcraft: FL-12A
NAPA: 1060, 1060gold
Wix: 51060
Wix Racing: 51060R, 51061R R= Racing
K&N: HP3002
Baldwin: B1428 (Top Rated)
Amsoil: SDF-24
Hastings: LF279
Fleetguard: LF3679
Mercruiser: 35-802885Q
Mobil 1: M1-302 or M1-111
Kendall: K31
Penzoil: PZ45
Quaker State: QS5
Shell: S63, SH38
Texaco: T38, T38B
Warner: PH1218
STP: S01218
Valvoline: V056

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

I run SAE40wt (straight 40 weight)
I am pretty sure mercruiser recommends this weight.
check your manual if you have one.

multi viscosity oil is not needed (or wanted i think) in a high load duty cycle ( boat motor). that sees a consistent temp range.

but i am no expert........

Ramb

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

Some say to go with 30wt in cooler areas

40Wt in warm temperature areas

50wt for very hot areas

Merc 25W-40 is a conventional blend of 25W and 40W straight weights


Synthetics outperform any and all conventional oils in their ability to handle much higher engine oil temperatures and piston shear. As synthetics are much less volatile they don't "boil off" and cause the oil to thicken and form sludge by at least 50% or more and that is a huge advantage.

Super Premium synthetics outperform conventional synthetics. Mobil Gold-Cap is a cut about most synthetics.

The debate continues. :D

Interestingly Briggs and Stratton is now saying in their product information booklets that a 5W-30 or 10W-30 synthetic oil may be used in place of 30wt conventional oil.

A 5W-30 synthetic such as Mobil-1 will perform as well or better than 30wt. We are suggesting most boating applications use a 15W-40 or 15W-50 Synthetic oil. They wayyy outperform a 30 or 40wt conventional. The test results on bob's site show a 30 or 40wt conventional oil pretty much spent at 3,000 miles where some synthetics go on to as high as 30,000 miles (Amsoil Series 2000) retaining it's lubrication potency.

Convinced yet? ;)

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

The Mercruiser oil from a marina is 25W-40, they don't sell straight weights.......

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=81715

there is a thread almost every week on types of oil used, Mobil 1 V-Twin is what I use and it's the undisputed champ of oils as far as the specs go. If you are going to spend the money on the oil buy the M-1 filter to go with is as well.

Re: What oil should I use for my 454
 

I went ahead and went with the 20W-50 Castrol GTX. I think I should stay away from synthetic for now. The oil filters that you gave me are to tall. The motor has the oil filter relocation kit and the taller filter does not clear the manifolds. The filter that is currently on it is a sierra 18-7824. Any ideas what to use now?