100-Hour Outboard Service: What It Includes

100-Hour Service:
What It Includes.

Most outboard problems we get called for started as a skipped service. The 100-hour service is the manufacturer's list of wear parts, done before they fail. Here is exactly what is in it, how we price it, and why we do it at your dock.

What's In It

Engine oil and oil filter. Four-stroke outboards work hard and hot; the oil is the first thing to go. Fuel filters and the water separator, because ethanol fuel and Florida humidity put water in the fuel.

Spark plugs, the thermostat, and the water pump impeller kit. The impeller is the one part that strands more boats than any other, and it is a small part when it is changed on time. The accessory belt on engines that have one.

Lower unit gear oil and seals, and every anode. Anodes are the sacrificial metal that corrodes instead of your engine. Once they are half gone, they are done. We use manufacturer parts for Yamaha, Mercury and Suzuki.

The Checklist

Engine oil and filter — drained hot, filled to spec

Fuel filter and water separator — the inline filter and the separator element, with a look at what came out

Spark plugs — correct heat range and gap; the old plugs read for engine condition

Water pump impeller and thermostat — the two parts that decide whether the engine cools

Gear oil and gearcase seals — oil read for water and metal, seals checked, fresh oil

Anodes and a full look-over — anodes, belt, hoses, fuel lines, battery terminals, and a computer read of hours and fault codes

You get the old parts if you want them, and a straight rundown of anything else we saw that is going to need attention before it strands you.

How It's Priced

One price per engine, quoted before we come. The parts kit is different for every engine model, so we ask for the engine's serial number first, price the exact manufacturer parts for it, and text you the quote. Twin and triple engines are quoted per engine. Parts, labor and sales tax show as separate lines on the invoice.

What The Visit Looks Like, And What It Costs

You send us the year, make, engine model and hours. We confirm the parts for your exact engine, quote it, and set a day. The service is done at your dock, lift or driveway, usually in one visit, and we book the next one before we leave so it never gets skipped.

Regular hours (6am–4pm): a $200 diagnostic visit. We come to the boat, find the actual cause, and quote parts and labor before any work starts. After hours, Sundays and holidays: a $295 call-out. Parts, labor and sales tax always show as separate lines on the invoice, so you can see exactly what you paid for.

Straight Answers

Do I need a 100-hour service if I only ran the boat 40 hours this year?
Yes. Time matters as much as hours in this climate. Oil breaks down, gear oil takes on moisture, and impellers take a set from sitting. Once a year is the minimum.

Can you do the service at my dock or lift?
That is how we do all of them. Boat in the water on a lift, at a slip, or on a trailer in the driveway. We bring the tools, the oil, and the disposal.

Why do you need the engine serial number?
Manufacturers change filters, impellers and plugs between production runs of the same horsepower. The serial number is how we make sure the kit that shows up is the right one.