Evinrude XD100 | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 6

No Cruise Ships For Me

I’ll let you in on a secret: I love boating, but I loathe cruise ships. Don’t get me wrong, I have been on many a gorgeous cruise ship with fantastic décor, food, and entertainment – not to mention exotic destinations. What I dislike is the seasickness that accompanies such trips.

I’ve spent my whole life on the water in kayaks, canoes, motor boats, and sailboats. That’s why I was so startled the first time I went on a cruise ship and experienced sea sickness. Even though there are drugs and patches that take the edge off, I much prefer to steer my own smaller boat. I get more satisfaction and zero sickness in my own craft. I also take pride in knowing that I’ve maintained my boat with Evinrude XD100 oil.

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Putting in a Bulkhead

In addition to putting in a dock, my grandparents also decided to put in a bulkhead. A bulkhead is essentially a retaining wall that helps prevent erosion caused by wave action. Getting a permit to build a bulkhead can be tricky because there are some drawbacks to the environment in terms of redistribution of sand and eel grass. The township did grant a permit, but my grandparents had to sacrifice more of their land than they originally wanted to.

Our friendly neighbor recommended an experienced contractor who had put in our neighbor’s bulkhead years before. The man and his crew did an excellent job; the bulkhead has weathered many storms without damage. Our neighbor has been very helpful; first with the Evinrude XD 100 oil recommendation and then with the bulkhead contractor contact information.

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Building a Dock

, NJ has been my family’s summer vacation destination for decades. My grandparents went there so much that they ended up buying a beach home. As the family grew, they sold the first beach house and bought a larger home so all the children and grandchildren could stay together under one roof. The second home happened to be a bay front property, which made it easier to take boats out.

To accommodate the boats, a dock needed to be built. Technically, the water and small island in front of the home belonged to our neighbor, so we had to get permission to build the dock on the neighbor’s property. Fortunately, the neighbor did not mind, so long as he could occasionally use the dock for his own boat. The neighbor even recommended Evinrude outboard oil to us to make sure our boats always ran smoothly.

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Being a Cranky, Old Dad

I can always tell when my kids want something because they’ll offer to help on the boat – a task they’re usually loathe to do. This time around it was my daughter offering to help me change out the Evinrude oil on the boat. I knew what was coming, but I agreed to let her lend a hand.

Sure enough, when we were half-way done she tried to casually ask me if she could host a Halloween boat party with some of her friends. Now, I’m not anti-Halloween, but a bunch of teenagers out on a boat at night is a bad idea in general, but with the potential for Halloween mischief could make it a downright dangerous idea. She was disappointed when I firmly told her “no,” but was somewhat appeased when I told her she could have a small get together at our house on Halloween – with her mother and I supervising, of course.

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The Environment and Evinrude

At the turn of the 21st century the Outboard Motor Corporation was not doing too well. As a result, the company was taken over by BRP. As part of the rebuilding effort, there was a re-focusing on making Evinrude motors more environmentally friendly, in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the .

The company did so well, in fact, that in 2005 the EPA awarded them the Clean Air Excellence Award for the advancements in Evinrude E-Tec technology. Evinrude has continued on the path of excellence. To maintain your Evinrude motor, be sure to use Evinrude XD100 oil.

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1999 115 Evinrude Boat Specifications

In the early 1990s, Evinrude introduced the 115 horsepower engine. The Ficht-Ram model, introduced in 1999, featured an outboard design. The new design had better fuel efficiency, and therefore increased performance, when compared to other four-stroke engines.

The Ficht-Ram model uses 87 octane gasoline and is lubricated with Evinrude XD 100 oil. The recommended ration between the two is 60:1 or 300:1 depending on desired performance level. Once a year, the engine needs to be serviced to ensure continued high quality performance.

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Troubleshooting Johnson Outboard Engine

Wear and tear occurs with any piece of seaworthy equipment, even equipment made by Johnson. Troubleshooting a Johnson outboard engine is fairly simple. Start by checking the fuel tank for low fuel, broken or damaged lines, and test the rubber fuel primer bulb for hardness.

If that all checks out, then take a look at the motor’s spark plugs for corrosion or buildup. Replace any dirty or damaged parts. Run a compression pressure check; any reading below 60 PSI means that you should hire a mechanic because you have larger problems. Of course, replacing the oil with Evinrude Johnson 2 stroke outboard oil is an excellent means of keeping your engine in working order.

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Troubleshooting an Evinrude E-Tec Motor

The Evinrude E-Tec outboard motor enjoys popularity because of its low maintenance. The fact that it can run for 300 hours without inspections or adjustments doesn’t hurt its reputation either. Still, even the best outboard motors can run into problems, so it’s important to know how to trouble shoot.

If a problem does arise, look first for blown fuses. A spare 10 amp fuse is provided by the manufacturer so you shouldn’t have to spend a lot to replace a blown fuse. Next, check the water intake screens and also check for kinked fuel hoses. Finally, check for debris in the Evinrude E-Tec. Gunk won’t allow the propeller to turn properly.

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Reduce Outboard Smoke

At some point, every outboard motor smokes. To reduce the amount of smoke and the frequency in which it appears there are a few steps responsible boat owners can take. The first step is to add fresh fuel to the fuel tank.

The next step, and perhaps the most effective, is to change the motor’s oil. Replace old mineral oil with synthetic oil, like the Evinrude 2 cycle oil XD100. Synthetic oil runs cleaner, thus immediately reducing smoke. De-carbonizing the outboard motor also reduces the carbon build-up that causes smoking and poor performance.

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Paella, Part 1

Two years ago I had the good fortune to spend a few days in Barcelona, Spain. While visiting I of course had to try some world famous fish paella. Authentic paella is cooked in a special, large paella pan over an open fire. It is still possible to recreate the flavors in a smaller pan on your stovetop at home.

To complete this recipe you will need: 2 tablespoons olive oil, ¾ pound medium shrimp (peeled and de-veined), 12 ounces chicken sausage (sliced into half inch rounds), 1 finely chopped onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 ½ cups long grain rice, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 cans chicken broth, coarse salt, ground pepper, and 1 cup peas. If you can get your hands on fresh shrimp, that is ideal. In fact, if you want to add freshly caught shrimp to the recipe that works, too. Just make sure you use Evinrude XD 100 oil in your motorboat.

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Troubleshooting a Two-Stroke Outboard Engine, Part 1

In order to trouble-shoot your outboard engine, you need to have a good understanding of how it works. Typically fuel and air mixture cause problems, as does electrical issues. Here are some tips for trouble-shooting a two-stroke outboard motor:

First, check that the boat battery is connected. To confirm, turn the ignition key to “on” before revving the engine and see that the electrical system is online. Put the boat in neutral and then shift to a different gear position. Shift back to neutral to make sure the engine is fully engaged. Next, open the ignition switch and check the status of the wiring; none should be loose. If there are loose wires, strip them, add a new connector, and reconnect the wiring to the switch. Come back tomorrow, with some Evinrude Johnson 2 stroke outboard oil in hand, as we continue detailing how to troubleshoot your outboard motor.

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Troubleshooting an Evinrude E-TEC Motor

Bombadier’s Evinrude E-TEC outboard motor engines are well-regarded for being low maintenance while achieving a 300 hour run time. Like all engines, low maintenance or not, E-TECs do run across problems, including the starter not operating, engine not starting, and idling. With a few troubleshooting steps, these problems can be corrected.

If the engine won’t start, shift the handle to neutral. Check the battery to see if it’s charged and also check for blown fuses (located under the engine and electronics cover). If the starter cranks, but the engine fails to start, check that the water intake screens are below the water line. You’ll also want to check for tangled fuel hoses or an empty fuel tank. For idling, clear debris from the propeller and fix bent blades or shaft.

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