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Oil change for marine engines (not marine generator)

Read all the way through before starting on the job.

Read your Owners Manual and its Safety Precautions.

In general, you need to change your oil at seasons end or every 100 hours of use.

Visually inspect your engine and check the oil before starting.

Start the engine and allow it to warm up.  This will heat thus thinning the oil making for easier oil extraction.  Turn the engine off and allow it to cool down for a few moments. Caution should be used moving forward as the engine certainly has hot parts that can burn you. The old oil is actually siphoned up through the dip stick tube.  Most marine engines have a fitting made onto the dip stick tube it will resemble a garden hose end.  Some job specific oil extractor machines actually come with fittings to screw onto this connector.  Some simply have a small hose that actually slides down in the dip stick tube into the oil pan reservoir.  In either case you simply flip the switch or manually hand pump the old oil out into a ready container for proper disposal. Most part stores except used oil free of charge.  I use a plastic 5 gallon fuel jug so I can easily see when it's full. 

Now we need to remove the oil filter. Depending on your engine it may be side mounted on the engine block or vertically mounted in plain site.  Using the proper filter wrench remove the filter in a counter clockwise motion.  (Place rags around the filter base to catch leaking oil)   For side mounted filters an old throw away pie pan under it works well.  Once the filter is removed pour any remaining oil into the waste container.  This is very important!!!!   Check the old filter to make certain the rubber gasket is still on it and did not stay on the engine.  Double check this by wiping the filter base on the engine where the rubber gasket makes contact.  Take the new filter out of the box and compare it to the old filter making certain they are built the same way and are identical.

Now wrap the old filter in a plastic bag for proper disposal. (Remember the part store)

With the new filter in hand wipe some new oil on the seal on the bottom of the filter. Install the new filter clockwise and hand tighten. Using your filter wrench turn the filter clockwise ¾ of a turn tighter and that's all. 

Locate the oil filler cap and using a funnel start pouring in the new oil.  Check your owner's manual for oil capacity.  Most 4cyn. Engines hold 4 quarts, most 8cyn hold 5 quarts.

Start the engine and pay close attention to the oil pressure gauge. It should come up in a matter of seconds.  Once you verify oil pressure let the engine run for a minute or two.  Turn engine off and return to engine compartment and check the oil level.  Adjust as necessary.  Check all areas especially around filter base for leaks.  Once satisfied move on to the other engine and repeat this process.

Uncle Ricky say's it's as simple as that and you just saved a bunch of bucks.