Im looking to change my tab and drive fluid out before summer, and i need to know what fluid to use as a replacement. Im assuming the tabs and the drive are running off the same pump. its a 98 24ft outlaw SE. all help and tips are greatly appreciated here!

I just used AMSOIL ATF.

the tabs and drive are two different systems, you should have a resavoir that is red and says boat leveler or something similar on it, that is your trim tab pump, which i believe you can use just plain tranny fluid in, correct me if i'm wrong here guys, and your drive fluid should have an overflow bottle on top of motor, remove prop drain plug should be behind it, remove top plug on drive and drain fluid, i always use merc high performance drive fluid, you will need a drive fluid pump to refill drive

I do believe he just meant he was changing the trim tab fluid and drive pump fluid. Not the gear oil in the drive itself, but I could be wrong. If that is the case, I use AMSOIL Severe Gear 75w-110

whoops, i think you may be right

There have been several threads on this over the past few years. Merc recommends regular motor oil, but plenty of people run ATF in them as well.

With the lighter ATF, you get faster movement. I have always preferred using motor oil, (I usually just use 15w-40 that I have lying around) because I think the pumps sound healthier on it, and I don't mind the slower movement. If you have high X-dim and don't need to raise the drive to trailer, you'll never care.

I don't use the red oils because of the staining of anything they touch. The dye stains anything. Regular motor oil works great.

I read that too. I switched to ATF on a set of 280 K-planes and can't say I noticed a difference.

No, I didnt mean the drive gear oil. I try to keep up with that one as regular as my engine oil changes. I was referring to the drive itself. thanks for the fast replies! as soon as the weather gets back above the cold as hell mark, this is my next maintenance issue.

I think I'll end up going with regular motor oil as well. If there is no noticible difference, as Dave M has said, no need in swapping to something else now in my opinion. Plus I have white interior, and would hate to get even one drop of red ATF on a seat! lol

Motor oil is not made for Hydraulic uses like an ATF is. The ATF can handle the heat much better from the pressure of moving parts up and down.