Not Rod Bolt, but my experience is there can be more than a quart of difference. if not checked correctly, someone may add oil thinking it is low, then it would be over full, also we do not fill the oil all the way to the top of the crosshatch on the dip stick..

So is your SOP to do the above, fill it, warm it up 5 minutes, tilt for 5 minutes, level the engine and then check/adjust?

Thanks for your input BTW...

why ask my opinion?
you have the procedure in black and white.

yes it can make a HUGE difference.

I typically try to refill so the level is half way up the checkered marks.

that diagram also shows why occasionally 4 strokes will puff oil at start up.

I've had different mechanics NEVER MENTION this tech tip (literally for years) and have stressed filling the engine to to the VERY TOP of the cross hatch area. (I've never had any smoke on start up and never tilted for 5 minutes but will start now)

Short of this tech tip, it goes against the manuals and everything almost all the mechainics have stated...


I'd suspect MOST regular boaters and regulars here, that do their own maintainance, are likely NOT aware of this..

its common sense.
coup[led with I have had more engines apart than most any three mechanics you will chat with.
I am 52 now and have been doing this for a living since I was 15.
got my first chiltons manual when I was 8.
did my first connecting rod in a briggs and Stratton when I was 8.

that cylinder is a simple tube.
when the motor is tilted full down the plug end is much lower than the crankcase end.

any and all oil in the main webbing and cyl will be gravity fed in whichever direction that tube is pointed.

oil is rather slippery and if you idle in with the motor all the way down, place it on the lift then the next day you will most likely see a puff of smoke at restart.
its simply that slippery oil and gravity.

Scott, by this do you mean that Yamaha manuals tell you to add oil until the level is at the top of the dip stick? Show me please an example of where this is stated by Yamaha. I have never seen that comment.

The modus operandi of a lot of folks is to over fill an oil pan, over tighten fasteners, adjust an oil pump control rod to the rich side, add a bit extra two stroke oil to gasoline, take out thermostats so a motor runs cooler, and lots of other such nonsense.

The internet has made things worse since so much rubbish can be distributed so quickly to so many of those that are unknowing.

I done seed it on da you tubes.

It must be true then.

I changed the oil in my 2002 F115 yesterday. I put exactly 4 quarts in it. Checked it and ran it and checked a few more times. It was almost half way up the cross hatching on the dipstick. I called it good and will leave it there. I'll try the tilt and check level today and see if there is a difference.

Being that I just came off a stuck open thermostat and excessive fluid level in the crankcase. I feel better leaving a little on the lower side of the safe zone.

No, the manual(s) call for the level to be anywhere in-between the hash marks. A "Yamaha mechainic" (I don't know his grade of experiance) told me to keep the level towards the top of the hash marks...

Very admittedly, I have no where the marine experiance most regular posters here do but have also been wrenching on engines since I was 12, first motorcycle at 15, transmissions, over head cams, etc from then until now (I'm 55).

I've rigged from scratch, Evinrudes on my boats, this F150 is MY FIRST Yamaha outboard (owned mostly Yamaha motorcycles for all my life), AND my first four stroke outboard engine.

With that said, often I'm wrong (and corrected ), looking at parts fisches trying to figure out how Yamaha may have designed something, it is. In some area's, very different from the older Evinrudes. Yes, and engine is an engine, however,ie, trim and tilt electronics for instance, (speaking on the older Evinrudes) is completly different than the F150. A carb is a carb, with some differences, issues are usually the same, clogged main/idle jets from varnish/ crappy gas, etc. Cleaned many a Evinrude carb and many MC carbs also syncing multiple carb bikes using specific vacuum gauges (Carb Tune).

My experiance, compared to say Rodbolts 30+'s years of working full time on them is not even comparable, (wouldn't even try to compare, but engines in general, I do have some grease under my fingernails)...

My old 2004 Honda 1800, ****wing motorcycle had a flat, opposed 6 cyclinder engine, that didn't have special instructions on checking the oil (same design but exasperated with 6 cylinders, ALL closer to the oil level line). Never any blue smoke on start up, even when parked on the side stand (similar to trimming a Yamaha outboard so oil flows towards the piston rings/clyinders.

Somewhat similar, certain BMW motorcycle engines, one style, has a flat four, with all four cylinders sideways. All cylinders, when parked on the left sidestand, put the pistons even lower/upside down (piss poor engineering IMO). Its NORMAL for blue smoke on start up all the time.


With that all said, I changed the oil / filter today on my F150. As in the last 6 years I've serviced it, it took exactly 5.5 quarts for the oil level to center on the hash marks. Checked with the tilt method (to the letter), the level was within 1/4 of the hash mark spacing using either method. (I re-checked without tilting).

common sense.
aint so common much no more.

same with my rifles.

I really don't care if its Yamaha.Tohatsu, BRP simply don't matter. trons is trons and mechaniacal thangs only worek one way.

at the end of the day,,,, suck, sqeeze,bang ,blow.

Great thread guys. I would like to add that the F150 oil pan is non-linear. Oil added when the level is low on the stick will move the indicated level up less
then the same amount added higher up....

Rodbolt was that a mark walberg quote ? From the shooter ? Nice!!!

whats a mark Walberg?

dunno about a shooter.
this saturday I will try my first cowboy action shoot and I have a military shoot.

got my 24/30 venezuealan 7mmx57 just about dead on at the 100 yd.

just gotta figure out what to shoot at the 50yd.
the 6.5 gustav,36 MLE French, a 91/30 or one of the 8x56 styers.
I could try with the .303 enfield or the K98 or one of the yugo M48's.

but to get back to the oil level.
simply keep it about 1/2 way up the marks and all will be well.
I do have a friend that I have watched him carefully add oil 2 Oz at a time to get it to the full mark.
its worth the chuckles not to say anything.