How to change the oil on your Sea‑Doo personal watercraft?

Sea-Doo PWC oil change process

STEP 1:

Park your PWC on a level surface. Firmly chock the trailer tires. Use the trailer jack to level the PWC if needed.

STEP 2:

Remove the seat and engine access cover of your PWC. This allows you to check for any signs of coolant or oil leaks that may need attention.

STEP 3:

Warm up the engine following the exhaust flushing instructions found in your operator’s guide. Remember, never run your engine without supplying water to the exhaust system and never run it for more than 2 minutes at a time. Repeat the engine warm-up process twice, letting the drive shaft cool down for 5 minutes between each cycle.

Run the engine for 10 seconds at 4,000 RPM and shut it off at this RPM by pulling the tether cord. This will move oil from the PTO housing to the oil tank to allow maximum oil draining.

STEP 4:

Extract the old engine oil. Rather than draining the oil like you would from a car, use the fluid extractor to pump the oil out of your Sea-Doo PWC and into a drain pan.

Remove the dipstick and oil fill cap. Place one end of the fluid extractor hose into the dipstick opening. For a Rotax 900 ACE engine, insert the extraction tube 400 mm or 15.75 in. For a Rotax 1630 ACE engine, insert the tube 475 mm or a little more than 18.5 in. Place the other end of the fluid extractor hose into your drain pan and pump the old oil out.

STEP 5:

Remove the oil filter cover and old oil filter with the E-8 external torx driver. On most models, there’s just one bolt — but the Sea-Doo Spark PWC comes with three bolts to remove. Be careful not to drop them into the hull. Set the bolt(s) aside and remove the old O-ring(s).

NOTE: 900 ACE engines will have just one O-ring. The 1630 ACE engines will have two O-rings you’ll need to replace.

Carefully remove the old oil filter. You’ll want a rag to catch any drips. Wipe the filter cover clean and inspect the oil filter housing for any debris and clean if needed.

STEP 6:

 Install the new oil filter and replace the O-ring(s). Lightly oil the new oil filter ring and O-ring(s) with fresh oil so they can seal tightly. Reinstall the oil filter cover and torque bolts to 9 N·m ± 1 N·m (80 lbf·in ± 9 lbf·in).

STEP 7:

Fill with fresh oil and replace the oil fill cap (or dipstick if you have a Rotax 900 ACE engine). The XPS Oil Change Kit comes with the required amount of oil for your Sea-Doo PWC.  If you’re not using an oil change kit, refer to the operator’s guide for the proper quantities.

STEP 8:

Verify the proper oil level. Using the same engine warm-up procedure, bring engine RPM to 4,000–4,500 RPM for 15 seconds. Stop the engine abruptly by pressing the start/stop button or removing the tether cord. Wait at least 30 seconds for the oil to settle in the engine and check the oil levels. Adjust as required.

STEP 9:

Reinstall the engine access cover and seat (if required). Now you’re ready to ride.

STEP 10:

Dispose of your old oil and filter properly. If you’re not sure where to do this, contact your local municipality for proper oil disposal locations and procedures.