Change the lower unit gear oil after engine break in.

I have gear oil, engine oil, and an oil filter all set to go. The manual calls for doing that at 20 hours, break-in is 10 hours.

Is there a reason not to wait until 20 hours?

The manual also calls for changing the gear oil every sixth months which is not going to happen. The motor will sit 9 months of the year. I’m guessing changing it at the end of the season will be ok. That way I’m not leaving possibly water contaminated gear oil in it for 9 months. I guess I could drain it, leave it empty, and fill it at the beginning of the season.

The gear oil in my truck’s differentials go for years and thousands hours of use before needing changing. The outboard’s maintenance schedule seems excessive in comparision.

Where are the pics?

Son and I put a couple more hours on it today. With less chop and no rolling swells we hit 28mph at WOT. If that’s all lowering the motor so it rested on the top of the transom did, I’d call it a day. Unfortunately, the boat felt sluggish at all speeds, didn’t pop up on plane as quickly, and didn’t plane until 15mph. Before, it planed at 13mph. We also tried one trim hole on each side of the hole we were using and both dropped 2mph and RPM.

Speaking of RPM, the motor does have spark plug wires. I’m going to blame my 101 fever for mistaking the wiring harness and connectors of the fuel injectors for stick coils. Looked at it this morning and there’s obviously a fuel rail, so I looked at the other side of the motor and look at that, spark plug wires going from neat little individual coils right to the spark plugs! Tach works much better now.

I’m still amazed how quiet these 4-strokes are. Pull starting a 500cc motor is fun until about the third pull. You have to have a quick, sharp pull to get it going, except about every third pull has the engine compression working against you, so your quick, sharp pull rips the T-handle out of your hand and you add just little more damage to your 56 year rotator cuff.

28 MPH is pretty quick in a 14' aluminum boat and on plane at 15 MPH is respectable with two souls on board. Get some swivel seats in there and you've got a great little 2 man fishing boat that's plenty powered.

What's the worst thing you can do to a boat?
Not use it.
Get that puppy out!