Python 502 Engine Oil

Hello CCF,

Checking to see what type and brand of oil people prefer in their Python 502's! On the oil cap it says 5/30. Ive heard many stories on what to use. We were told to use 20/50 racing by Correct Craft. Seems to do well with that, but could the engine run more efficiently with the 5/30 Valvoline Max Life?

Thanks-Pauly

I'm no expert by any means but I do drive one at work.I'll check tommorow but I think that 5/30 thing on the cap was put there by GM.I also think that weight is used for gas milage. I also can go thru 1qt in as little as 250 miles and all 3 in our department are the same.

I do remember them telling us that the cap was just put on by GM. Silver Spray offered the advice to use the 20/50 Valvoline Racing oil. We are curious if the 5/30 would run more efficient or could be a future problem. A good mechanic, felt that the engine might start better and have a little better top end.

Keeping in mind that there was NO manual for the python engine offered by my dealer. Not sure if anyone has ever seen or gotten their hands on one!

Your right, the 502 is great discussion. I am finally looking at adding some more air flow to the engine, which should produce a more efficient running engine.

Kind of looking at ideas with the high gas prices. The 502's require the expensive stuff!

Would you say that the 20/50 Valvoline Racing is ok to stick with or make a change. I have never had any issues. I have never heard of Royal purple. Where is it sold? Is there an advantage to carb vs. fuel injection.

Thanks for all the discussion!

skierox wrote: Would you say that the 20/50 Valvoline Racing is ok to stick with or make a change. I have never had any issues. I have never heard of Royal purple. Where is it sold? Is there an advantage to carb vs. fuel injection. Thanks for all the discussion!

Yea that should work well, if you have not any issues keep using what ya know. I get Royal Purple at O'rileys the stuff is not cheap. finding the 15w-40 can be a challange. I currently run the Royal purple in my 2011 6 liter. Having looked into manufacturers recomendations about oil products (Indmar and PCM) they really dont care what oil product you use just as long as it has all the correct additives and is the recomended weight for the application. Indmar has Penzoil stickers all over their products but if I owned one I would not use the Penzoil products.
Royal Purple has a pretty informative web site www.royalpurple.com.

So where is the info about merc not covering warranties when rp is used? Last I checked, rp met all the oil specs that were needed.   Call me skeptical, but I have yet to see or hear about any bad words about rp, other than that it is pricey. Also, I see a lot of python failures for the small amount of python equipped boats. If they use that much oil, it's no wonder they fail a lot.

Gary S wrote: Well I checked at work and mine says 5-30 too,so that must be a GM thing.I have run it so low on oil you could not see it on the dip stick,since we don't normally check our own oil,and it sometimes for no reason goes thru more oil than usual.

Back during the Ski Fly day's Scott Ellis had a python equipped SN for nearly 4 years the motor ran like a clock, he went out every day and toped off the oil and did a complete oil change every 30-50 hours, dont remember what oil he used but the motor ran with out any problems until he turned back in to CC and got his new boat. When the Python came back it had over 1200 hours on it. I think the boat is running somewhere in Canada now.

The biggest reason I run the RP in my performance stuff is from the great feed back from other users, car and boat racers alike. I have found seat of the pants performance gains by using the product. I have reported back to the engineers at Nautiques about how fast and how well my 200 runs as it will clock out over 50mph. Do I attribute it to the RP? in my mind it did!

Jody-Is the 15-40 Royal Purple you used the Diesel formulated oil? Or is there another 15w-40 they make?

mrhemi wrote: You realize this is an 11 year old thread?