Synthetic oils were first used in WWII by both Germany and the United States. It wasn’t until the 1960s however until Chevron released the first synthetic for commercial use. The quality of synthetics has continually improved, with new esters and methods constantly being utilized. Today, synthetic oils are the gold standard of the industry.

Maintenance for outboard motors is more straightforward. Replace the spark plugs and check the wiring for any damage. Lubricate all of the moveable engine components and make certain the gear lube is adequate. When you are finished working on the engine, ensure that the fuel shutoff valve and hoses are intact. Now that you have inspected your boat and done some basic maintenance, you’re ready to hit the water.

Cleanup crews have already begun a concerted effort to minimize the damage, but experts predict that it will take 20 years for the Reef to repair all of the damage. After crashing aground, tides carried the boat along the reef, increasing the extent of the damage. The incident is currently under investigation by Australian authorities, but the ship’s owner is adamant that there was no illegal activity and that the incident was the result of a careless mistake.

As the throttle opens, the needle is pulled up. This allows an increased flow of fuel and oil. If need be, you can make minor adjustments using the clip that is on the needle; raising the clip will make the mixture leaner, and vice-versa. Tomorrow we will go over the final circuit of the carburetor, the pilot jet and pilot screw.

We’ve been at it for three years now, and I love every minute of it. I handle the business side of things, like accounting and ordering bulk motor oil and other supplies, while my wife focuses on the customers and day-to-day operations. Admittedly, it is hard work, but I don’t mind since I get to relax on a boat of jet ski whenever I like.

While there aren’t universal rules about adding bulk outboard motor oil to the boat engine, it’s up to you to consult your owner’s manual for guidelines. When boating season begins, it’s best to take your winterized boat to a professional mechanic. After that, you should be able to handle post-trip routine maintenance. It’s important to always flush out the engine – whether you’re boating in salt water or fresh.

The only tools necessary for this task are a garden hose and a set of rabbit ears, or seals that slip into the lower unit of the engine. Take this opportunity to check the stream of water as it flows out of the pump. If it’s hot, there could be some debris jammed inside. This will end up taxing the engine too much, so it’s best to shut things down and root around inside the tubing for the source of blockage. After that, disconnect the fuel line and burn all the fuel in the carburetor.

When we left off yesterday, we were right in the middle of a visual inspection of the outboard motor – the sort of examination that should be performed every time you undertake the annual tune-up process. Now that we’ve established that no fluids have obviously leaked from the motor to the ground, it’s time to take a close look at the propeller. Small cracks or nicks in the tip of the blades can decrease efficiency, as can misaligned or bent blades.

Again, I’d ask you to defer to your owner’s manual at this point. Seek out the seasonal tune-up recommendations and find out whether or not you should be changing lubricant in the motor’s lower unit. If recommended, remove the top and bottom fill plugs and watch carefully as the lubricant drains into a spare waste container. Just as you replaced your old motor oil with bulk oil, substitute in new lubricant.

The lubricant applicator’s nozzle should fit nicely in the bottom fill hole; squirt it into the gear case. Then, just as it starts to overflow and ooze out of the top fill hole, return the top plug to its accustomed place. Do the same with the bottom plug and wipe away any extraneous lubricant with a cloth. We’ll continue with necessary lubrication in tomorrow’s edition.

As evidenced by the newer offerings from Mercury, Evinrude and Yamaha, motor companies found innovative ways to boost efficiency. While most of these attempts were successful, others were ill-advised. This was especially true of the additives that were suddenly being used to supplement marine and auto fuels. An additive called MTBE was thought to bolster octane rating and to burn more of the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the exhaust.

Unfortunately, MTBE also turned out to be a serious contaminant that mixes easily with water and seeps into groundwater leaving pollution in its wake. The latest replacement additive for MTBE, ethanol, isn’t much better when considered in high concentrations. Its environmental impact is beneficial, but the substance mixes with water to create a sludge that can crack and clog outboard fuel systems. It just goes to show that motor companies and researchers have yet to find the perfect fuel additive blend. For now it’s best to stick with low-ethanol fuel and bulk outboard motor oil.

Our logical tendency as consumers is to seek out the best deal, and to some that might mean the lowest price. Unfortunately, the cheapest goods don’t always equate to the best value. There’s a lot of truth in the old saying that “you get what you pay for.” Still, it’s possible to find a lot of value on the used market. You’ll just need to be discerning when making your selection.

When making your purchase, try to look beyond the price-tag and the immediate costs. All outboards require basic maintenance, and in the case of a high-quality model, that maintenance should be enough to make the engine last for years at a time. Before latching onto a bargain-basement-priced off-brand outboard, ask yourself if it’s really worth it in the long run.

That standard might seemed especially ambitious at the time – outboard engine hydrocarbon emissions were to be reduced by 75 percent from 1996 levels in just 10 years – but it was necessary to move forward. The phase-in started in 1998, and traditional carbureted 2-stroke engines were immediately targeted for a revamp. In the past, 2-strokes accounted for more than 12 times as much pollution as their 4-stroke counterparts.

Today, most of us would be hard-pressed to remember the days when 2-strokes lagged behind in terms of fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness. Direct fuel injection represented a tremendous boon by cutting down the ozone-forming exhaust coughed up by engines as much as 95 percent. The increased fuel efficiency of today’s outboards has allowed boaters to save serious cash on bulk oil. It’s important to note, however, that these regulations apply only to newer boats. The clean technology developed by manufacturers with the help of the EPA cannot be retrofitted to an old boat.