What Type of Oil Does a WaveRunner Use? [Chart]

If the season is over and you have to change the oil in your WaveRunner, it’s imperative that you use the right type of oil.

This is because using an inappropriate oil may result in more wear, decreased power, and even damage!

If you are looking for the best WaveRunner oils, this post is for you, as we at JetDrift have compiled a list of the recommended types of oil for all Yamaha models!

Table of Contents

Which Types of Oil Does a WaveRunner Take?

Yamaha WaveRunners use 4-stroke marine engine oils (except for the Superjet and the vintage 2-stroke models). Yamaha recommends using YamaLube 4W oils, but alternatively you can use other types of oil if they meet the manufacturer’s recommendations. The most commonly used WaveRunner oil is the 10W-30 (API: SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ), which works in all Yamaha WaveRunners.

Although the 10W-30 oil should be used exclusively in FX and GP WaveRunners, in the less-powerful EX and VX lines you can use other types of oil.

According to the manufacturer, 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40, 20W-50 (API: SG, SH, SJ, SL) oils are recommended for the EX and VX series.

Since it can be a little confusing, we’ve listed the different types of oils in this WaveRunner oil chart:4-stroke WaveRunner Oil Chart

Model Line	Recommended Oil (SAE)	API
GP, FX	10W-30	SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ
EX, VX	10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40, 20W-50	SG, SH, SJ, SL

Yamaha recommends its own oil brand, the YamaLube for obvious reasons. But if YamaLube is not available or you prefer other brands, you can use other types of oil if they meet with the required recommendations.

If you have a former 4-stroke WaveRunner model like FZS, FZR, VXR or other models, always refer to the owner’s manual to find out the type of oil required.

But as a rule of thumb, the 10W-30 oils (API: SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ) are recommended any 4-stroke WaveRunner, so you can’t go wrong with this oil!

Two-Stroke WaveRunner Oils

Don’t forget about the 2-stroke WaveRunner, as the Yamaha’s stand up PWC, the SuperJet is still powered with a 701cc, 2-stroke engine.

Moreover, we can see many vintage 2-stroke sit down WaveRunners running on the water, like the legendary WaveBlaster.Are you wondering what the recommended 2-stoke WaveRunner oils are?

The recommended 2-stroke WaveRunner oils are the YamaLube 2-W as well as the YamaLube TC-W3 engine oils. If YamaLube is not available, you can use any other type of 2-stroke engine oil that meets the TC-W3 standard and is NMMA-certified. Always check the oil’s certification carefully before you use it!

Also, don’t forget that if you have a Superjet, you have to mix the gasoline and the engine oil before you put in in a tank.

Superjets don’t have oil pumps, so premixing the fuel is the only way to properly lubricate the engine! Would you like to know the right premix ratio and how to mix the fuel properly for a WaveRunner?

Don’t hesitate to read more!

Conclusion

As you’ve learned, the best oil for a 4-stoke WaveRunners is the 10W-30 (API: SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ), which can be used in any 4-stoke WaveRunner model.

You can also use 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40, 20W-50 (API: SG, SH, SJ, SL) oils in EX, and VX WaveRunners.

Speaking of brands, Yamaha recommends using YamaLube if it’s available. If not, or you just want to simply go another direction before you purchase the oil, make sure it meets the manufacturer’s requirements.

Also, keep in mind that when you change the oil in your WaveRunner, you must replace the filter as well!

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