Uncategorized | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 2

Winterizing Your Boat: Part Four

In an early post in this series I said to drain all of the fuel from the tank. This is a necessary procedure, but there are two schools of thought when it comes to what to do after this process. Some manufacturers say to disconnect the fuel hose and run the engine until all of the fuel is gone and leave the boat in that condition for storage. Others say to refill the tank with fuel and add a fuel treatment product to prevent condensation from building in the tank.

If you take the latter route, you will obviously want to make sure you add the proper ratio of outboard motor oil as well. The best way to determine which method to employ is simply to consult your owner’s manual. During the process of preparing the fuel tank, however, you will always want to change the fuel filters and the water separators.

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Environmentally Safe Boating: Part Four

Fueling your boat is obviously one of the riskiest practices when it comes to petroleum spills in the water. Not only will spilling gasoline harm the wildlife and ecosystem, the corrosive nature of the fuel can cause serious damage to the hull of your boat as well. Although gas stations built on piers are easily accessible for boaters, the ramifications of a spill are exponentially worse than if you were refueling on dry land. So whenever possible, throw your boat on the trailer and make the trip down the street to your standard station.

Whenever you fill your boat, be sure to leave about 10 percent of the tank unfilled to allow for expansion and help prevent spills. There are multiple ways to determine when the tank is almost to capacity, including sounding sticks, listening to the filter pipe and, of course, taking note of the tank’s volume. Another one of the main ways boaters contaminate a body of water is by discharging outboard motor oil through the bilge pump; however, this should be an issue if you keep your engine well maintained. But just to be safe, it’s a good idea to place some oil absorbent materials in the bilge boom and underneath the engine.

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TC-W3 Certification: How the Oil is Tested

Three different engines are used by the NMMA to test the oils and determine if they meet TC-W3 certification standards. First, the outboard motor oil is tested on a BRP 40 hp engine and a Johnson 70 hp. They also run two consecutive tests using a Mercury 15 hp motor and two separate lubricity tests. This variety of testing ensures that the oil’s performance is uniform in all two-stroke engines. 

During the tests, the engines run for 100 hours each. Every ten hours during the test, the testers stop the engines and the oil is inspected. The testing process remains constant regardless of the manufacturer and chemical makeup of the oil. Many boat manufacturers specify TC-W3 certified oils for their engines, so receiving TC-W3 certification can be a boon for an oil manufacturer.

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How to Change Boat Motor Oil: Part Four

Manufacturers will have different recommendations as to when to change your oil filter; however, it is advisable to invest in a new filter every time you change your oil. If your oil filter mounts vertically, it should be fairly simple to replace. For oil filters that are bewilderingly mounted horizontally or upside down, you will need to have a bag ready to contain the outboard motor oil that will inevitably spill during the removal process.

The vast majority of oil filers spin-on, which means that you will need a strap wrench to remove them. Before putting the new oil filter into place, coat the gasket with oil. Screw the filter in by hand, ensuring that the gasket makes full contact, and then tighten it another three-quarter turn. For older boats, there is typically a center bolt that must be removed before you can access the cartridge oil filter.

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Jetting Your Carburetor: Part Four

Now that we’ve covered the two primary circuits of the carburetor, the final components to review are the pilot jet and the pilot screw. These mechanisms control the flow of fuel and outboard motor oil in a two-stroke engine when the throttle is in the idle position up to one-eighth open. Much akin to the main jet, the pilot jet is essentially a screw that is equipped with a calibrated hole.

Like the other two circuits, a high number on the pilot jet indicates a larger opening and a richer mixture of fuel. The pilot screw works like the one on the main jet; tightening the screw makes the mixture leaner, and vice-versa. By adjusting the three circuits that we have covered over this week, you will be able to fine-tune the richness of your fuel to air ratio and customize how your engine runs.

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Buying a Boat? Here’s a Simple How-To Guide

boat

1. Consider warranties. Investigate the warranties for every boat you are considering. Warranties are valuable, and should be an influencer in your decision. Some warranties are transferable, which may become a selling point if you decide to sell your boat. Find out what the warranty includes (engine, hull, components, accessories, service, etc.) and find out about the service that you will receive if something fails. A good way to do this is to ask for references. If you are considering buying a pre-owned boat, be sure to get a marine survey – hire this person yourself to ensure that the survey is done with your interests in mind.

2. Keep a log. At the boat show and as you visit local dealerships, document everything: Take pictures of the dashboard, the galley, the head. Take notes, or record your reactions on a recording device. Involve your family with the decision and listen to their likes and dislikes about each boat. No two boats are exactly the same – but there exists a perfect boat for you and yours. Use your short list of features and brands to quantify your observations… Make a chart, and use it to rank your top choices.

3. When are you ready? Reminder: There is no correct amount of time that it should take to shop for a boat. For some, one afternoon is all that they need. It takes others several years. The right time for you to buy a boat is when you are ready. Boat shows often offer “show specials” to entice you to purchase at the show. Ask the dealer if he/she would honor that price in a few weeks after doing some more shopping… Chances are the answer will be yes.

4. The Test Drive. Did you realize that you can test drive a boat? The way a boat handles, and the way it feels on the water is a very important consideration. Bring the family along for your test drives, and try to test the boat in the types of conditions where you will be using it.

5. The cost of ownership. For most, the cost of owning a boat is nothing compared to the benefits derived from owning and using your own boat. Nonetheless, be sure you understand that the cost of owning a boat includes more than just the fiberglass. You’ll have to spend money on maintenance essentials like outboard motor oil as well.

6. Learning to use your new boat. Boating is not difficult, but driving a boat, like anything else, is a skill. If you have not already, sign up for boaters education courses where you can learn the rules of the road. For on-the-water training, some dealers provide captains to train you on how to use your boats. Others leave it up to you to learn. Most marinas and dealerships have a network of captains or experienced boaters that you can hire to show you the ropes on your own boat. Most likely the only parts that will require practice will be docking, launching and retrieving your boat. The best tip here is just to take it slow and practice.

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What is a Sterndrive?

mercury oilA sterndrive, or stern drive, is a form of boat propulsion also known as inboard/outboard or I/O. The upper unit engine is located inboard, just forward of the boat stern, producing power by way of a shaft that goes through the stern to the lower drive unit (also known as the outdrive) located outside the hull, which resembles the bottom half of an outboard. The lower drive unit carries the boat propeller and contains gearing for the engine system. This unit controls the steering of the boat, as with an outboard motor. No rudder is necessary. The sterndrive engine itself is usually the same as those used in true inboard systems. The most popular sterndrive engines have historically been Chevrolet and Ford V-8 car engines that have been adapted for marine use. The most popular brand of sterndrive is Mercruiser by Mercury Marine, who also manufactures outboard motors and Mercury oil. Advantages of the sterndrive versus the outboard include higher available engine horsepower, a clean stern with no cutouts for outboard motor installation and no protruding powerhead, making for easier egress and ingress for pleasure boat passengers and more convenient fishing. Advantages of the sterndrive system versus outboards include simpler engineering for boat builders and space savings with engines mounted all the way aft, allowing more occupancy space for the boat’s passengers. Performance with sterndrives is better than inboards, due to the inherent loss of force with inboard propellers due to the angle of the prop shaft.

The main disadvantages of sterndrives versus inboards is that their components–namely oil lines, hoses, and rubber bellows, some of which are in the water–are more vulnerable to corrosion and damage from being exposed to the elements. Maintenance on sterndrives is more complex than outboard maintenance in several ways. Sterndrive oil changes may necessitate complicated pumping mechanisms, and engine repairs are often difficult to perform due to tight engine compartment spaces. In some sterndrive boats, the entire engine must be removed to perform even simple repairs, whereas with an outboard motor, only removal of the cover is necessary. With both inboards and sterndrives there are fire and explosion hazards from fuel vapors within the engine compartment. It is recommended that these boats run a blower for several minutes prior to starting the engine, while idling, or moving below cruising speed. The blower circulates the fresh outside air inside the engine compartment and vice versa. Sterndrives have become sought after for use in pleasure boating due to their practical advantages and attractive costs, and there are many current boat product lines that include models for which sterndrive power is the only option for available propulsion.

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Oil Prices are Dropping but Don’t Start Your Engines Just Yet

bulk oilAs reported today by the Associated Press, oil prices have dropped below $117 a barrel on the strength of the American dollar. According to the article, “The U.S. Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday that crude stockpiles grew 2.4 million barrels last week”

While stockpiles of bulk oil increased, we should still be a bit weary of the market. This is a positive sign, but it’s not a bad idea to conserve what we already may have and not take our boats out on the waters based on today’s news. If you were planning on rationing out your trips throughout the spring and summer seasons, I’d recommend keeping to your plans and carefully watching how oil prices change in the coming months. Additionally, this may be the right time to start buying oil in case of an unforeseen price jump.

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