[DuAnne]

Hello I am a new member as stated and I am trying to winterize my 1996 Mariah Shaba. We have enjoyed the boat most of the summer and now its time to put her away for winter. She is 180 with a 3.0 4 cylinder with an Alpha One out drive. Now here come the questions what oil weight and brand should I use in the engine and is there a preferred size and make filter? What type of lube should I use in the out drive? I have copied the winterizing instructions from Merc and they seem very easy to follow however the brands, types,and capacity of each unit would be very helpful. Thank You in advance. DuAnne

[DFZ272]

First a question. Do you have any idea what oil the previous owner used in the engine and stern-drive unit? The reason I ask is because if u simply want to top off oil levels this is very important. Some synthetic oils are not compatible with petroleum based oils. On the stern drive unit I use Mercury high performance gear lube. Trim the unit down before starting the process and let the oil settle. Remove the bottom drain plug and the top fill level plug in the lower unit and drain it completely. Capacity I have never paid much attention because these units are filled from the lower drain plug with a hand pump(available at most boat supply stores). You attach the pump to the drain port and pump in oil until it starts coming out of the upper fill level plug, then replace both plugs. Engine oil to me is a personal preference. The engine oil filter should have a number on it that can be cross referenced at most boat or auto supply stores. If u get one from an auto parts store Wix is a decent filter, mainly just buy a premium filter. Hopes this helps
Happy Boating
Dan