Boating | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 12

Cod with Escarole and Lemon

Simply thinking about cod makes my mouth begin to water. This tried and true recipe is sure to delight even the pickiest of eaters. All you need are 2 lemons, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium red onion thinly sliced, 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves, 2 pounds of coarsely chopped escarole, salt and pepper, and, of course, 4 boneless skinless cod fillets. Begin by slicing one lemon into 8 thin slices, and squeeze out the juice from the leftover lemon into a bowl and set aside. Next, add the olive oil into a heavy-duty pot and heat over medium-high. Add the onions and garlic and brown both (approximately 6 minutes).

Add in the escarole and ½ cup water to the pot. Place cod on top of the liquid and season with salt and pepper, then add two lemon slices to each fillet. Cover and cook the cod for 12 to 14 minutes. Remove the fish and serve with escarole covered in the leftover lemon juice. The cod should flake perfectly and look quite beautiful with the lemon slices as garnish. You’ll be glad you stocked up on the bulk outboard motor oil that allowed your cod fishing trip in the first place.

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Steamed Whole Fish

This recipe works with a variety of fish, including red snapper, black bass, striped bass, and flounder. You will need 2 ½ to 3 pounds of cleaned, scaled fish, 2 large lemongrass stalks, 1.4 cup cilantro leaves, 1 piece peeled fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons of lime zest, 2 sliced garlic cloves, 4 scallions, and 2 tablespoons of Asian fish sauce. You will also need a wire rack, a large roasting pan and cover, and foil.

Place the wire rack in the bottom of the roasting pan and add one inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Put the pan on the stove (it will cover two burners) and bring the water to a boil. Lay out the fish on a large piece of foil. Take the cilantro, half of the lemongrass, and a third of the ginger and place it inside the fish cavity. Scatter the remaining ingredients on top and then place the fish with the foil into the pan. Steam the fish on medium high for 10 minutes per inch of thickness (so if the fish is two inches thick, steam for 20 minutes). Once the fish is cooked place it on a platter and serve it to your guests. Obviously, to catch such a beauty in the first place, you needed to use 2 stroke oil in your fishing boat.

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Welcome to Fish Week

Much has been written about techniques used to catch fish, but this week, which I’ve dubbed “fish week,” will focus on how to prepare your catch into a delicious meal. Let’s kick the week off with one of my favorite dishes: poached salmon. This simple recipe requires 1 to 1.5 pounds of salmon fillets, white wine, water, one small yellow onion, fresh or dried dill, parsley, black pepper, and a skillet.

Slice the small yellow onion into thin rings and place in the skillet along with a few sprigs of parsley and a sprinkling of dill. Cover the onion and seasonings with a half cup of water and a half cup of wine. Bring the liquid to a light simmer on medium heat. Once the liquid is bubbling nicely, place the fillets in, skin side down, cover the skillet and allow the fillets to cook for five minutes. Take the fillets out and sprinkle with black pepper, and now your dish is ready to serve! Of course, to catch beautiful salmon in the first place, you’ll want to make sure you’re using the proper 2 cycle oil on your fishing boat.

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Changing Oil in Honda Outboard Motors

Four-stroke outboard motors by Honda rank highly for reliability. In this post we’ll go over how to change the oil in a four-stroke Honda outboard motor. Start by taking the cowling off the motor; in some models there is a latch on the front and two on the back of the motor. Once the cowling is off look for the removal panel on the right side. Remove the panel to reveal the oil drain bolt.

At this point you’ll want to have a bucket and funnel handy to drain out the old oil. Replace the drain screw bolt and panel, then find and remove, and replace the oil filter. Add new synthetic oil outboard motor ready, typically about eight quarts. Put everything back in place and then check the new oil levels with the dipstick.

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Mixing Fuel for a Mercury Outboard Motor

Older two-stroke Mercury outboard motors require hand mixing of oil and gas. Newer models like the OptiMax motors have an oil injection system that keeps the ratio of gas to oil correct. If you are using an older model two-stroke outboard motor, here is some advice for mixing fuel:

As a general rule of thumb, add three ounces of Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil for each gallon of gas. Pour the gas and oil into a singular container. Close the gas container tightly and then shake the container vigorously to ensure that the oil and gasoline mix thoroughly. Once you are confident that the solution is properly mix, add it to your boat’s fuel tank.

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Troubleshooting a Two-Stroke Outboard Engine, Part 2

Yesterday, we left off with checking and fixing ignition wiring. Once you’re confident that there are no lingering wiring problems, turn the engine on and listen for the engine turning over, and failing that, clicking. Turn off the engine and locate the starter mechanism or solenoid if there isn’t an engine starter.

Tap the starter or solenoid with a screwdriver handle, and then try the ignition again. Next, pull the spark plug cap off and use a socket wrench to pull out the spark plug. If the spark plug is covered in gunk, replace the old spark plug, and add in new synthetic 2 stroke outboard oil. Finally check the fuel tank, vent, and fuel line for leaks.

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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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Preventing Oil Leaks

Outboard motors power watercrafts ranging from small pontoons to large fishing boats. Regardless of size, using the best outboard motor oil is a priority. What do you do then if your motor begins to leak? This can be detrimental to the motor’s performance and to the environment.

To prevent an oil leak, examine the fuel lines for cracks or breaks prior to heading out on the water. Also look over the oil tank for any cracks or holes. In both cases, replacing damaged parts is a must. Finally, check the engine block for corrosion and have trouble spots fixed by a professional.

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NMMA Certification

The National Marine Manufacturers Association tests and certifies the products of manufacturers. The goal of the rigorous certification process is to set a high standard for quality and safety. Currently, the NMMA certifies a variety of TC-W3 oils, FC-W oils, and FC-W (CAT) oils.

In the mission statement on their website, NMMA states, “To help boaters recognize lubricants that will give the engine life designed-in by marine engine manufacturers, the National Marine Manufacturers Association has developed a program for the certification of these premium quality lubricants.” NMMA certification is two-fold. First the oil additive packages are certified and then there is a registration of oil brands that use certified oils. Amalie Oil is one such brand that is certified under their XCEL Outboard and 2-Cycle Oil.

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Yamaha Outboard Maintenance Tips

When it comes to keeping your watercraft in working order, there is a long maintenance check list. Today we’ll focus on two parts of that list: power trim and tilt fluid, and lubricants. Be sure to regularly inspect the lower unit to highlight issues. To prevent such issues from arising, keep the prop shaft well lubricated and top up levels of trim fluids. Yamaha products, like Performance Power, are preferable.

As far as lubricants, Yamalube 2-m oil or 4-m oil is recommended for two-stroke and fours-stroke engines, respectively. It is imperative that all replaced or repaired components be bedded correctly, and then sealed and protected with lubricant. Lubricating parts also aids in motion and can extend the life of an engine.

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Outboard Engines vs. Air-Cooled Engines, Part 2

In our continuation of yesterday’s post, we will examine the differences between the oil specifications for two-stroke outboard engines versus two-stroke air-cooled engines. Outboard engines, because they are water-cooled, require oil with a high percentage of heavy oil to prevent piston scuffing. Oils with detergents should not be used as they may form ash deposits that can clog plugs. To compensate for lack of detergents, more dispersants and rust oxidation inhibitors to control deposits and rust are needed. Responsible owners of two-stroke outboard engines should give Mercury outboard oil a try.

Air-cooled two-stroke engines require much lower levels of heavy oils; in fact, too much heavy oil can cause piston rings to stick together. High detergent oil is preferable because air-cooled two-stroke engines operate at higher temperatures. The detergent keeps temperatures in check while the vibration of the engines keeps deposits from building up.

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