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How Do You Change Oil In a Sea-Doo? [A Step-by-Step Guide]
Just like your car or motorbike, your Sea-Doo needs regular maintenance and oil changes, as every newer Sea-Doo is manufactured solely with four-stroke engines.
So unless you have a vintage 2-stroke model (pre-2006), it means you have to change the oil in your Sea-Doo periodically to avoid damage and malfunctions.
Although you can do this by yourself, the manufacturer recommends you get it done by an authorized Sea-Doo dealership. If you decide to do it yourself, always refer to your Sea-Doo’s operator guide and consult your dealer for the exact steps, as they may vary from one model to the next.
In this post, we’ve created a general step-by-step guide on how to change the oil in a Sea-Doo, but you can also learn how much oil you’ll need, and how often you should change the oil!
How Much Oil Does a Sea-Doo Take?
To change the oil properly, you probably want to know how much oil you’ll need.How Much Oil Does a Sea-Doo Take?
When it comes to the Sea-Doo’s oil capacity, the Sea-Doo models with 1,494cc and 1,630cc engines hold 5.1-5.3 quarts of oil (full oil capacity) but you can change only around 3.2 quarts. The entry-level Sea-Doos with 899cc engines, namely the Spark series and the GTI 90, have a total oil capacity of 3.6 quarts, while around 2.1 quarts are changeable. (One quart is equal to 0.95 liters.)
For your convenience, we’ve summarized the numbers in this chart:Sea-Doo Oil Capacity Chart
| Engine | Full Oil Capacity (qrt) | Oil Change (qrt) |
|---|---|---|
| 1630cc | 5.3 | 3.2 |
| 1494cc | 5.1 | 3.2 |
| 899cc | 3.6 | 2.1 |
But if you don’t want to replace the filter for some reason (not recommended), you can expect to change around the same amount of oil, as the difference is around 0.1 quarts.
If you’re not sure what kind of engine is in your Sea-Doo, check your manual, or you can find it easily in our Sea-Doo specs database here.
How to Change Oil in a Sea-Doo
To change the oil properly in a Sea-Doo, level the hull first, warm up the engine and wait for 5 minutes to let the engine oil drain back. Remove the dipstick and the oil fill cap, and pump out as much oil as you can with a suction pump. Then replace the oil filter and fill the engine up with the right amount of fresh oil.You can see the process in this informative tutorial video from 3feetDeep:
If you want to drill into the details, don’t hesitate to read more, as we’ll discuss the Sea-Doo oil change process step-by-step!Disclaimer: Although we tried to gather all of the necessary information, Sea-Doos are different from one model to the next. Because of this, before you start the oil change, make sure to refer to the owner’s manual for exact information!
1. Be Prepared
Get everything you’ll need for the oil change. Depending on the engine, you’ll need 3 or 4 quarts of oil, a new filter and the O-ring.
What kind of oil does a Sea-Doo 4 Tec take? Speaking of the type of oil, 4-Tec Sea-Doos use XPS 4-Stroke Synthetic Blend Oil (P/N 293 600 121), or if it’s not available, you also can use 10W40 or 5W40 oil, if it meets the requirements for API service classification SM, SL or SJ.
You’ll also need some tools like an E-10 Torx socket, a suction pump (known as a Sea-Doo oil extractor), funnel, and an oil reservoir or jug to store the drained oil.
You can find complete Sea-Doo Oil Change Kits on the market, which includes the right amount of oil, filter, O-ring, and sometimes even the suction pump.
A hand vacuum oil suction pump does a very good job here, no fancy electric pumps needed! They’re not only much more expensive, but prone to failure.
2. Warm Up the Engine
Make sure you warm up the engine on the hose or in the water before you change the oil. If the oil is warm, you can extract it much easier and can change more of it.
The best time to do the oil change is just after you arrive back from your ride.
You can also warm up the engine if it’s properly attached to the hose, but the manufacturer recommends not to run the engine longer than 2 minutes even if it’s cooled with running water.
This is because the driveshaft sealing is not cooled with the running water on a Sea-Doo, thus it can be damaged if you run it too long out of the water!
After the warm-up, wait for around 5 minutes, as the oil has to be drained back into the sump (bottom of the engine).
3. Leveling the Sea-Doo
The hull must be leveled to change the oil properly; make sure to tilt your trailer until it’s completely level.
4. How to Get Oil Out of a Sea-Doo?
You can get the oil out from a Sea-Doo easily with a suction pump. Remove the dipstick and the oil fill cap first and insert the hose of the pump into the dipstick tube and pump out the oil. Try to remove as much as you can; you can expect around 3 quarts in case of the bigger Sea-Doos, and 2 quarts on the Spark and GTI 90.
To position the suction pump hose properly in the dipstick tube, you may want to put tape on the hose at 18.5 inches from the end for 1.494cc-1.630cc engines (or 15 inches for the GTI 90 and Spark series).
Then you should insert the hose until you reach the mark.
5. Remove the Suction Pump Hose
If you can’t extract more oil, remove the pump hose and check the quantity.
If you notice that you couldn’t extract the required amount of oil, you’ll need to do some extra work, which should be done extra carefully!
6. Crank the engine
If you want to siphon more oil, you’ll have to crank the engine in a tricky way. But be careful, as you have to remove the suction pump hose from the dipstick tube before each time you crank the engine! Also, make sure not to run the engine if there’s no oil in it, as it may result in damage! The best practice is once you’ve removed the pump hose, fully depress the throttle lever and hold it while cranking the engine for 10 seconds.
In this way, you can avoid starting the engine but you can pump more oil back into the sump to remove it. After the cranking, insert the suction pump hose back and try to extract more oil.
7. Repeat the process
You may have to repeat steps [4-6] for 2-3 times to remove the necessary amount of oil (around 3.2 quarts from 1,494cc and 1,630cc, and around 2 quarts from 899cc engines).
Here are the most important factors to keep in mind during the process:
- Never start or even crank the engine if the suction pump hose is in the dipstick tube as it can damage the engine!
- Again, never run the engine if there’s no oil in it, as it may result in serious damage!
8. Replace The Filter
Do you need to replace the filter when changing oil on a Sea-Doo?
Yes, the Sea-Doo’s oil filter must be replaced every time you change the engine oil, even if it’s a hassle. Oil filters are prone to be clogged as they are designed to remove physical contaminants from the circulating oil. Moreover, the oil filter can break down over time, so ultimately, it may not only improperly filter the engine oil, but could also add extra contaminants to it!
Because of this, it’s highly recommended to replace the filter if you have your oil changed.
How to replace a Sea-Doo oil filter?
To replace a Sea-Doo oil filter, place a rag around the housing first to wipe up the spills. Then remove the bolts from the top of the can and remove the cap carefully. Remove the used oil filter and extract the used oil from the housing. Finally, replace the O-rings, lubricate them with a little new oil, and replace the new filter on the housing.
On some models, for removing the cap, it’s recommended to use a plastic tool, as metal tools like screwdrivers may damage the housing or the cap.
The safest way is to use a Sea-Doo Oil Filter Removal Tool, which is specially designed for removing Sea-Doo’s oil filters.
On other models, you can remove the cap easily with a socket set with an extension.
Don’t forget to replace the O-rings as well before you replace the filter. After installing the new filter in your Sea-Doo, make sure it sits in the same position in the housing as the old one was.
Finally, reinstall and secure the cap; the bolts should be tightened by 80 inch/lbs.
9. Fill Up the Sea-Doo with Fresh Oil
If you had the right amount of oil in your engine before the oil change, then you just have to check how much oil you’ve extracted from the engine.
You can find scales on many pumps, but if your pump doesn’t feature one, just pour the used oil into a transparent jug to check the quantity.
Add the same amount of fresh oil to the engine slowly; you can do this easily by placing a funnel into the oil fill.
If you can’t check the quantity of the old oil or the oil wasn’t at the right level before the extraction, you’ll have to add the oil carefully and check the oil level a couple of times with the dipstick until you reach the correct level.
The correct oil level means it should be exactly between the MAX and MIN marks on the dipstick, which means never fill the oil to the top mark! Be very careful and never overfill the oil in a Sea-Doo, as too much oil may result in less power or may even damage the engine!
Finally, reinstall the oil fill cap as well as the dipstick. You should tighten the cap properly and securely as a loosened cap may end in leaks.
10. Check The Engine
Once everything is done, hook the Sea-Doo on the hose and run the engine no longer than 2 minutes at idle speed.
If you can’t start the engine, it could be a clue that you’ve overfilled the oil. Check the level again with the dipstick. If your engine still doesn’t start, try to extract a little oil and try again. To avoid these issues, the best practice is to fill up the engine with exactly the same amount of oil that you take out. (Just make sure that the oil level is correct before the oil change.)
After you’ve stopped the engine, you have to check the engine and the bilge carefully for oil leaks.
You also have to check the oil level again, but make sure you wait at least 5 minutes after shutting down the engine.
Refill the oil if it’s under the correct level, but if you notice there’s too much oil in the engine, you can extract it with the suction pump.
After adjusting the oil level, you’re almost done, but it’s wise to check the hoses and connections in the engine compartment before you replace the seat.
11. Disposing
Last, but not least, you should dispose of the filter and the used oil as per your location’s environmental regulations.
How Often Should You Change Oil In a Sea-Doo?
You probably want to know how often you should change the oil on a Sea-Doo, as well as what the best time for this is, the fall or the spring? Let’s see these questions one-by-one.How Often Should You Change Oil in a Sea-Doo?
You should change the oil in your Sea-Doo once a year or after every 100 engine hours, whichever comes first. Don’t forget that you need to change the oil filter every oil change. If you’ve just purchased a new craft, keep in mind that brand-new Sea-Doos require the first oil change after 50 hours or 6 months.
When Should You Change the Oil in Your Sea-Doo?
It’s highly recommended to do the oil change on your Sea-Doo at the end of the season, as oil is prone to get contaminated, which can damage your engine during the winter months. The best practice is to do it as part of winterization, so your Sea-Doo will be ready to go for the next spring.
Are you wondering how oil can damage a Sea-Doo and how the oil can be contaminated?
One of the main concerns is the water in the oil (yes, really)! Although water and oil don’t mix, over time, the oil is prone to absorb moisture. If your Sea-Doo is stored for the winter without an oil change, the moisture starts to separate from the oil, which simply means water appears inside the engine!
Beyond the moisture, there are many physical contaminants in the oil, which can also separate over the winter. If these small parts join together, they can clog up many parts in the engine.
Moreover, as the oil is exposed to oxygen, it will break down during the season, even if you don’t ride your Sea-Doo at all.
Because of these risks, every Sea-Doo needs an oil change before the winter.
Make a habit to do the oil change as part of the winterization process, and store your Sea-Doo with fresh oil for the winter months!
Sea-Doo Oil Refill
Beyond the yearly oil change, you have to check the oil level in your Sea-Doo regularly and refill it if it’s necessary.Don’t forget this important maintenance, as running the engine with an improper oil level may result in damage in the engine, or even an explosion.
After refilling the Sea-Doo with oil, warm up the engine and check the oil level again.
Conclusion
A Sea-Doo’s oil change is not rocket science, but needs some skill and special tools.If you’re not experienced in servicing engines, it’s highly recommended to get the oil change done by a Sea-Doo dealership or reputable service shop. If you decide to change the oil in your Sea-Doo by yourself, always refer to the owner’s manual and ask for professional advice if needed.
Keep in mind that doing the oil change wrong can do more harm than good!
The key points you have to pay extra attention to:
- Always change the oil as part of the winterization process
- Always use the recommended type of Sea-Doo oil
- Remove the used oil with a manual siphon pump (or electric)
- Always replace the filter
- Never crank and run the engine if the siphon pump hose is in the dipstick tube
- Never run the engine without oil
- Don’t overfill the oil
- The oil level must be exactly between the two marks on the dipstick
- Check the engine oil level regularly