Outboard Motor Oil

If it is a new motor, and it is attached to a new Evinrude boat (or a new-to-you boat), congratulations! You may have a question or two about the best care and feeding for this fine machine.  For instance, if you are dealing with a two-stroke Evinrude motor, you may be wondering what kind of oil to use. Their suggestions are XD30, XD50 and XD100 oil for two-stroke motors that are 1993 and newer.   When it comes to the grade of Evinrude outboard oil to use, 87 octane is the current minimum, but 89 octane is actually preferred.  Use of higher-octane fuels have not proven to provide any additional benefit, and may actually exacerbate hard starting conditions in hot weather.

If you are wondering about the proper ratio of fuel to oil for optimal performance in your Evinrude motor, a breakdown given on the company website is as follows: 1958 and prior used 20 parts fuel to 1 part oil; 1959-1963 used 24 parts fuel to 1 part oil; 1964 and newer use 50 parts fuel to 1 part oil.  High performance racing usage requires a ratio of 25 parts fuel to 1 part oil.  Finally, when it comes to gearcase oil type and capacity, refer to your owner’s manual for specifications. 

The creation of the first practical outboard motor is often credited to Norwegian-American inventor Ole Evinrude in 1909.

Historically, a majority of outboards have been two-stroke powerheads fitted with a carburetor due to the designs inherent simplicity, reliability, low cost and light weight.

In the 1990s, U.S. and European exhaust emissions regulations led to the proliferation of four-stroke outboards. Though fewer in number, four-stroke outboards have always been with us.

Outboard motors benefit from the ability to draw coolant from the water, obviating the need for radiators and cooling fans, thereby simplifying the design and lowering component weight.  The motors also have several brands (i.e. Yamalube, Mercury and the creator’s namesake, Evinrude) of oil to choose from, giving the consumer a seemingly infinite amount of options based on their needs.

If this is your first season as a boat owner, you may be overwhelmed by the numerous brands and products out there to outfit your boat with.  You’ll also no doubt be familiar with how to do basic maintenance on your boat.  When it comes to engine oil, you’ll find that you have several choices, yet I would recommend Evinrude.

Evinrude oil will allow your boat to run well and will not cause any type of engine problems.  It’s easily one of the top brands out there. Check it out for yourself and see how it fares this season.

As the specter of high oil prices looms throughout the summer, you can still find discounted boat oil online.  Though many brands have slightly increased their prices, the internet has been a great resource of low priced oil.  Name brands such as Yamalube and Evinrude can still be purchased at a low price, especially when compared to other retailers. 

Do some research and you’ll no doubt find a great deal.

According to an informal poll on Yahoo, Evinrude motors are among the best motors in terms of reliability, fuel efficiency and horsepower.  As is such, you may consider trying out one of their motors for the summer season, perhaps even using Evinrude oil to make sure that you get the full-on experience.

One of the users reported: “[Evinrude] runs stronger, cleaner, and more efficient than any other 4-stroke.”  While most of the comments bad mouthed other brands, Evinrude was among one of the brands that had consistently positive reviews.

• NO SCHEDULED DEALER MAINTENANCE FOR 3 YEARS.
• ZERO BREAK-IN PERIOD
• NO COSTLY OIL CHANGES
• USES UP TO 30-75% LESS OIL THAN COMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGIES

EASY TO OWN AND OPERATE Evinrude E-TEC outboards require no scheduled dealer maintenance - that’s right, zero - for the first three years or 300 hours of normal recreational use. Not even gearcase lube.

Evinrude E-TEC uses up to 75% less than typical 2-stroke carbureted engines and up to 50% less outboard motor oil than competitive direct injection engines (when run with Evinrude/Johnson XD 100 oil with optional dealer programming of the Engine Management Module, versus normal TCW3 oil). And you’ll use 30% less oil compared to a 4-stroke with a typical maintenance schedule under normal operating conditions.That’s just the start. The Evinrude E-TEC engines use an exclusive low friction design. There are no belts, no chains, no powerhead gears, no cams, and no mechanized oil pumps.* Reprinted from Evinrude website fact sheet!

I wouldn’t dare try this with Evinrude Oil!

“Duane Johnson may have developed the world’s cleanest motor oil. He is so sure of the safety of his product that he submits it to an unusual test: he eats it. “When I go to meetings and have an engine running on this stuff, I’ll pull the dipstick out and lick it.” Petroleum-based motor oils cause a significant amount of the pollution a car releases, says Johnson, an agronomist at Colorado State University. His motor oil, made from canola and other vegetable oils, not only produces no air pollution of its own but cuts overall engine emissions by up to 30 percent.

Johnson’s motor oil is easy to make. He heats canola seeds and then crushes them to release the oil. He then mixes in small amounts of other oils, including sunflower, soybean, and castor oil to get the right consistency. “This is tabletop technology,” he says. “We use a paint mixer to mix it and it’s ready to go.” ”

–From Discover Magazine 08-01-1998

 XD100 Synthetic formula for use in Evinrude E-Tec outboard engines, direct injection or oil injected outboard engines. XD100 provides unsurpassed protection against friction and wear while maximum detergency helps eliminate combustion deposits. Evinrude Oil XD100 burns clean and is smokeless, ashless, and odorless.

- Promotes maximum engine life
- Ashless and odorless
- Smokeless

Evinrude XD100 is a premium synthetic fomulation that delivers ultimate performance while providing the opportunity to reduce oil consumption on most Evinrude E-TEC models with dealer programming.