Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

[Kasman]

I have a 1990 four winns 180 horizon with a 4.3 litre king cobra engine. My question is my owners manual does not tell me what kind and especially how much motor oil to use!! Can anyone help me?

 

[shimano]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

I have a 1990 3 litre,It takes sea 30 oil,5 litres,I imagine yours is the same oil,more than likely the same amount.

 

[JSMoore]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

Manual says 4 qts. without filter change, or 4 1/2 qts. with filter change. Recommended oil is plain old 30 weight. If you asked what people actually use, you'd get lots of different answers. Lots of folks stay with the recommended 30W, and do fine. Others run 10W30, 10W40, etc. and do equally well. So.... it's kind of up to you and what you feel comfortable with.
JSMoore

 

[Don S]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

Here are a few links to other oil threads to help assist you in choosing
your oil.
They all come down to the same thing, people posting something like
"I use ___(Fill in the blank)___ and it works great"

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=451752

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=445976

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=436377

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=300620

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=426361

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=423766

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=357663

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=319916

 

[sethjon]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

You need 40 wt oil. I use 10/40 myself and have never had a problem.

 

[Don S]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

You need 40 wt oil. I use 10/40 myself and have never had a problem.

"I use ___(Fill in the blank)___ and it works great"

See what I mean

 

[Bridar]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

There is no shortage of information on the net and in these forums on the differences of various types of motor oil. Multigrade vs straight grade, synthetic vs non-synthetic, pro's & con's of the different additives found in all those different oils. So many 'opinions' & 'bias' can make it hard to distinguish whats best for your engine.

My only advice is to educate yourself the best you can using credible information available to you. If you can find a (genuine) factory OMC service manual, it will recommend the proper oil, and it will be hard to go wrong using that. Keep in mind that there have been a few improvements in motor oil since OMC printed those service manuals.

SAE 30 is often recommended for engines running at higher operating temperatures, in environments above 32 F. Multigrade oil breaks down sooner at high temperatures that SAE 30 but SAE 30 oil is too thick to run in cold starting temperatures (below 32 F). That is why multigrade is used in automobiles, which often run in a wide range of environments, but rarely at WOT.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

I recently saw someone post a Mercruiser Bulletin superseding all previous manuals specifying a synthetic 20W-40 for all Mercruiser engines. Which is interesting because the older manuals advise against multi-viscosity oils. I see this is an OMC...but they're out of business. I've never used a synthetic, but may switch if it's equal in cost. I've always used straight SAE 30 as recommended by the tag on my motor, but noticed that it was almost $5/qt when I changed it earlier this month. Haven't looked at the price of the synthetic 20W-40 yet....mine takes 7 qts with a filter, but that's for a big block V8.

 

[Don S]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

You don't even have to look for a service bulletin, Mercruiser has it right on their site.
http://www.mercurymarine.com/servic...nd-maintenance/faqs/mercruiser/?category=fuel

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

Maybe that's what I saw posted....I knew I seed somthin.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

I recently saw someone post a Mercruiser Bulletin superseding all previous manuals specifying a synthetic 20W-40 for all Mercruiser engines. Which is interesting because the older manuals advise against multi-viscosity oils. I see this is an OMC...but they're out of business.

Threads like this just REFUSE to DIE!

The engines are the SAME.


Here's what Mercury says:

This crankcase oil recommendation supersedes all previously printed crankcase oil recommendations for MerCruiser gasoline engines. The reason for this change is to include the newer engine oils that are now available in the recommendation.

<emphasis mine>




If you do not want to use what a current OEM manufacturer suggests, use what I use in my signature below!


Cheers,


Rick

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

Threads like this just REFUSE to DIE!

The engines are the SAME.


Here's what Mercury says:


<emphasis mine>




If you do not want to use what a current OEM manufacturer suggests, use what I use in my signature below!


Cheers,


Rick

I understand they are the same base engine.....and nobody said they didn't want to use what was recommended.....I was simply pointing out that I had read something about the new synthetic recommendation....and Don reminded me where I saw it. That's all...wasn't trying to start a debate.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

I understand they are the same base engine.....and nobody said they didn't want to use what was recommended.....I was simply pointing out that I had read something about the new synthetic recommendation....and Don reminded me where I saw it. That's all...wasn't trying to start a debate.

Sorry about that!.....My statement wasn't necessarily intended for you. This is argued multiple times....all over this and other forums. A LOT of people keep going back to their 1960 owners manual and think they're "good".

I don't think Mercury has always said that their oil "current" recommendations supersede previous ones but they do now. It always seems to escape some people.....


Regards,


Rick

 

[Bridar]

Re: Omc 4.3 litre cobra engine oil

Like I said, those OMC manuals were printed a long time ago. I agree... with the improvements introduced with synthetic oil, many of the old "principles" are no longer a factor, and the price of synthetic oil has come down over the years. Last I checked, the SAE30 oil I used to use was $7 a bottle. Not a big difference in price anymore.