Best Oil for Snowmobiles

If you’re lucky enough to own a snowmobile, chances are you’d like to know a little about the ideal oil to maintain performance and reduce emissions. The standard 2 stroke oil used in other engines won’t work as well for a snowmobile. It’s important to use 2 stroke oil that is suited for snowmobiles. For example, Yamalube 2R oil is intended for high performance racing. This oil contains the additives necessary to lubricate the engine under high stress conditions, and in addition, it produces less exhaust making cleaning the exhaust valves a breeze.

There are several different opinions on which oil works best in snowmobiles (like all kinds of engines), and often it’s a good idea to ask around about what different people have found works best. It’s a good idea to ask fellow snowmobilers what to use in your snowmobile as results often depend on the model.

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Two Stroke Engine Exhaust

The earliest two stroke engines were renowned for their raw power but also for their high exhaust emissions. Evinrude/Johnson, one of the leading manufacturers of outboard motors, replaced their inefficient fuel injection technology with the new E-TEC direct fuel injection technology in the late 1990s. This new technology was the first outboard motor technology to win a Clean Air Excellence Award from the American EPA. Now Evinrude/Johnson’s two stroke engines all utilize direct fuel injection technology for cleaner emissions.

In addition, using evinrude XD50 oil or Evinrude XD100 oil in your two stroke engine will decrease its exhaust emissions. Hybrid-synthetic and synthetic oil provides several advantages over conventional mineral oil, thus using either of the oils in the Evinrude XD synthetic series will help you do your part for the environment!

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Manufacturer Recommended Motor Oil

When you purchase an outboard motor, motorcycle, waverunner, or any of a number of small vehicles and appliances that use motor oil, often the manufacturer will recommend the use of their branded motor oil. In some cases, the manufacturer might even tell the customer that the engine will wear down if a specific motor oil brand isn’t used. In most cases, this is not true. While the manufacturer’s branded motor oil can contain special additives that will help the engine run at its best, most motor oils intended for the same purpose will achieve the same effect. For example, a Yamaha dealer might recommend their Yamaha 2M oil for use in a Yamaha outboard motor, but an outboard motor oil from Evinrude or Mercury will work just as well.

Knowing that you can use other motor oils can save you a lot of money in the long run. Don’t just buy at the dealership either, shopping around at local marinas or online you can find better deals on motor oil.

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History of the Two-Stroke Engine

The two-stroke cycle engine was invented more than a century ago, but is still used today in outboard motors, dirt bikes, and chainsaws. The two-stroke engine is renowned for its simple design and high power to weight ratio. But because these engines mix fuel and 2 cycle oil for lubrication, their emissions are more than normal. To power larger devices, two-stroke engines have been replaced by four-stroke engines which are more complex designs that have cleaner emissions because fuel and oil are not mixed.

The two-stroke engine is most often attributed to Dugald Cleark who invented it in 1880. However, it was other engineers that perfected the engine by creating the charging pump and the piston controlled inlet port. Two-stroke engines were used in automobiles until the 1960s, which were then replaced by the four-stroke design.

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How to Find an Oil Leak

Outboard motors are manufactured through different methods, and thus each engine tends to be unique. However, there are a few central locations of all engines that are prone to oil leaks – here’s where to look. If you find oil in the exhaust manifolds, most likely the valve covers are the cause of the leak. If you find oil on top of the motor but not elsewhere, it’s probably a lower intake rear gasket leak. If the engine is leaking oil from the rear and over the transmission, the likely cause is a rear main seal leak (commonly attributed to overfilling the engine). If motor oil is leaking from the front of the engine, it’s probably the front main seal.

Based on where you find the oil leak, there are various steps necessary to successfully repair it. Consult your user’s manual and contact a technician about parts and repairs. It’s also a good idea to stock up on Mercury oil to replace all the leaked oil from the engine.

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Changing Waverunner Oil

Changing the oil in a Waverunner is a relatively simple process, and it should be done about once every 100 hours of use. You’ll need a few basic items: an oil extractor (from your local marina), an oil rag, and your Waverunner user’s manual. The first step is to locate your oil filter using your user’s manual. Next, with the oil extractor, pump out about 2.5 quarts of oil. Next remove the old filter. Take your new filter and lube the O-ring with fresh oil, then tighten it down. Next add your standard Waverunner oil; Yamaha 2W oil for example. Make sure you don’t put too much oil in your Waverunner, or you can cause serious damage.

Once you’ve refilled the tank, hook up the water and run the Waverunner for about a minute. Check the dipstick when you’re done and make sure the tank is filled only to about the halfway mark.

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When a Marine Engine is Overfilled

Most people know what happens when an engine doesn’t have enough oil (it breaks down!) but fewer people know the dangers of overfilling your engine. What happens when you fill your marine engine with too much oil is the pressure inside the engine begins to build due to the windage in the crankcase and the oil pump. This places great strain on rear main bearing seal. Even after just a couple uses, the seal breaks and the engine will start to leak marine engine oil. If the rear seal is not fixed, the front seal will also rupture, which then begins to gush oil.

This is a situation you want to avoid by all means, thus it’s important to get accurate measurements. This most often happens when you top off a warm engine because of an incorrect dipstick reading. It can also happen when you change the oil by yourself.

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Disposing of Oil Waste

When it comes to changing your boat’s motor oil, we all know how convenient it is to do it yourself. However, most avid boat owners also need to dispose of their motor oil waste now and then, and this can be more time consuming than the actual process of changing the oil. When your oil pan fills up, it’s time to head to the nearest hardware store or marina. In general, the same locations that sell oil will also dispose of used oil for free. The motor oil we consider waste can actually be refined back into regular oil.

In most cases, locations that dispose of oil don’t care what kind of oil it is or how it was used. Whether you’re disposing of the Mercury engine oil from your outboard motor, or the standard motor oil from your automobile, it all goes into the pot of oil waste and will later be refined. Ensure that your used oil is disposed of in the proper manner, as oil waste can contaminate water sources, vegetation, and cause all manner of harmful effects on the environment.

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Switching from Conventional to Synthetic

When switching from conventional oil to synthetic oil in your outboard motor, there is one central precaution of which to be aware: you can’t switch back. Synthetic oils, like the Evinrude XD100 oil, offer increased performance and are friendlier to the environment. However, synthetic oils also cost more than conventional mineral oil, and it’s important to note that the switch, if made, is permanent. The additives in synthetic oil replace all of those in conventional motor oil, but synthetic oil also contains different molecules. These molecules work to preserve the condition of your engine while synthetic oil is being used, but if mineral oil which doesn’t have these molecules is used after the engine has adapted to synthetic, the absence of the molecules can cause engine damage.

It’s important to make sure you can consistently use synthetic oil if you switch to it, otherwise, you risk permanent engine damage and ultimately, buying a new outboard motor.

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Removing Oil Stains in the Garage

Storing your boat in the garage is a great way to keep it sheltered from the elements and in top condition. But now and then your outboard motor might leak and leave those unpleasant oil stains on the garage floor. Cleaning outboard oil stains is often a simple process that can be done with household cleaners, but older stains tend to require more effort. The best time to clean up an outboard oil stain is as soon as you recognize it; if you’re changing the oil in your outboard motor and you notice a few drips, clean them up with a damp cloth as soon as possible. The earlier you make an effort to clean up stains, the more likely they’ll be successfully removed. For older stains, you can use a solution of water and vinegar to remove them. When a stain just won’t come out, you should wipe it away as much as possible, and then pressure wash the surface.

It’s important to be aware of runoff from oil stains, no matter how small the stain is, even a small amount of oil can contaminate an enormous quantity of water. When pressure washing, be careful to wipe up as much of the oil as possible so that just the faint outline is left.

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Don’t Treat Your Boat Like a Car!

Marine engines are quite different from automobile engines, and because of this, require special care. Marine engines and outboard motors are asked to perform like automobiles never could; for example, when a boat plows through the wake of another boat or a wave, the engine strains to keep its RPM output consistent. We would never do something similar to this to an automobile engine, because it would breakdown fast. It’s important to take care of your marine engine or outboard motor through changing the oil often, and ensuring that you are using the proper Yamaha oil with specific additives to reduce condensation in the fuel tank and clean the injectors.

It’s important that you avoid using automobile oil and that you treat your marine engine our outboard motor like it should be treated. Because we expect so much more out of our boat than we do our car, it deserves a lot more than just the standard 3000 mile oil change.

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Water Cooled and Air Cooled Engines

When it comes to two cycle engines, there are two distinct types and each type uses oil with some similar and some different additives. When comparing two cycle engines, an outboard motor is considered a water cooled engine, and is characterized by its constant and high speed. Fresh water is circulated throughout the engine to keep it cool, and heavy oil is necessary to prevent the pistons and cylinder walls from scuffing. With air cooled engines, like chainsaws, heavy base oils can cause engine deposits of ash and soot to form on the engine walls. These deposits can later cause serious problems including spark plug failure, loss of torque, and engine block damage.

When choosing two cycle oil, it’s important to know the correct gasoline/oil mixture, and also to use oil with additives intended to work with your two cycle engine. If necessary, a two cycle engine can use any two cycle oil for a short period of time without harmful side effects, but over time, the incorrect oil can cause damage to the engine.

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