Maintenance: What's In It For You?

Maintenance: What's In It For You?

Boating is an activity that fuels pride of ownership, and for many owners a strong do-it-yourself attitude. Knowing you’ve covered the basics of maintenance gives you confidence that your boat is in tip-top shape every time you leave the dock.

Maintenance: What's In It For You?

Regular Maintenance

Maintenance and reliability go hand in hand. Regular maintenance is insurance against problems that can reduce your enjoyment of time spent on the water. A small investment in regular maintenance can help you avoid major repairs, reducing the long-term cost of boat ownership. Maintenance preserves your boat’s value. When you are ready to trade in or sell your boat, a record of regular maintenance will give a dealer or the next owner confidence – and you a premium price.

Stay On Schedule

Operation and Maintenance Manual

The operation and maintenance manual, often called the owner’s manual, for your Mercury outboard or MerCruiser sterndrive is your best basic guide for maintenance. It contains a maintenance schedule and instructions on how to complete essential maintenance tasks. A free digital copy of many Mercury manuals is available for download. If the electronic version of the manual is not available for your engine, contact Mercury Support at 920-929-5110 to request one.

Engine Labels

Many late-model Mercury engines have color-coded maintenance points that make it easy to locate items like the oil dipstick and oil fill. On some models, a maintenance decal located on the engine lists service intervals and maintenance specifications and may include a scannable QR code that links to maintenance how-to videos using a smartphone.

VesselView Mobile

VesselView Mobile® wirelessly connects your Mercury engine to a mobile device to help you monitor its performance in real time. In addition to tracking engine running hours and providing information about your engine’s performance, VesselView Mobile can notify you with important alerts and maintenance reminders. VesselView Mobile tells you in clear language what is going on with your engine and when maintenance or other service is required. When you select your Preferred Dealer within the app, you can share your data with your Mercury Authorized Dealer, who can then review those alerts and help you keep your engine in top condition.

Dealer or DIY?

Mercury Authorized Dealer

Many boat owners trust the Mercury-trained technicians at their local Mercury Authorized Dealer to handle routine maintenance and service. A Mercury dealer has the parts, tools and technicians with the factory training and skills to handle any in-season service or repair, winterization or offseason storage prep. If you’re a confident do-it-yourselfer, there are many basic engine and drive maintenance tasks that can be handled with a basic set of hand tools, a few special service tools, and the guidance of your owner’s manual or a service manual. This is especially true of outboards and sterndrives that can be readily serviced while the boat is on a trailer.

Keep it Genuine

Whether you choose dealer or DIY service, insist on genuine Mercury Precision Parts® for maintenance and repairs. Mercury Precision Parts are factory-engineered exact replacements for the original parts installed in your Mercury or MerCruiser engine or drive when it was manufactured, which means you can expect the same quality and fit as the original component being replaced. You can find the right parts for your Mercury or MerCruiser engine using the online Mercury Parts Catalog. Search by engine serial number to see detailed engine diagrams and part numbers, then contact your local Mercury Authorized Dealer to place your order.

Are Auto Parts OK For Marine Use?

Occasionally a boater is faced with an option to use non-marine components such as oils, lubricants, filters or electrical components, including batteries. In some cases these products are cheaper or more readily available at the local auto parts store, but their use on your boat or marine engine can cause long-term problems. Most automotive products are not designed to be used in a marine environment, which can lead to short life expectancy and unexpected breakdowns. Duty cycles and operating conditions on the water are very different than on land and in most cases much harsher, especially since marine engines frequently operate under high loads and higher rpm for longer periods of time than auto engines. The highly corrosive environment found on the water, especially if you operate in saltwater or brackish water, can also cause non-marine parts to fail quickly. Saving a few bucks up front on cheaper car parts may be tempting, but the future service bill could be costly.

Mercury Maintenance Kits

Mercury Outboard, MerCruiser Engine and MerCruiser Drive Maintenance Kits are ideal for do-it-yourself owners who want to save time, money and hassle. Mercury Maintenance Kits are available for most Mercury engines in 100- and 300-hour service intervals and include all of the Mercury Precision Parts you’ll need for that level of engine service. Rather than spending hours looking up parts and making multiple trips to purchase what you need, simply pick up the applicable Maintenance Kit from your local Mercury Marine dealer and get started.

A Basic Boat Owner's Tool Set

Most of these tools are available from a Mercury Authorized Dealer.

Propellor Wrench

or large socket and breaker bar

Floating Prop Block

or block of wood

Oil Extraction Pump

Gear Lube Pump

Oil Filter Wrench

Catch Basin

Grease Gun

Other Shop Supplies

(rags, cleaners, etc,)

Next Topics

Battery Basics

Properly maintaining your batteries helps ensure your engine starts up easily and your other electronic accessories are properly powered when you’re ready to head out for fun and adventure on the water.

Fuel Basics

Using the correct fuel in your Mercury Marine® engine and properly maintaining your fuel system can help ensure many seasons of reliable service. For more guidance on fuel requirements for your engine, see the fuel section of your Mercury® operation and maintenance manual.

Preventing Corrosion

Your engine lives and works in the water, where it’s constantly exposed to elements that can cause corrosion.

Trust Your Local Mercury Experts

For all your service and maintenance needs, a local Mercury Authorized Dealer is the best source for genuine Mercury parts, expert advice and factory-trained technicians.

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