Motor Oil | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 3

Winterizing a Boat Part I

This past weekend I took the family out to the lake for the last time this summer. The kids are back in school and my wife and I have work, so their just won’t be as much time or good weather to take the boat out. This upcoming weekend I plan on winterizing the boat.

The first thing I’ll do is thoroughly wash and clean the entire boat. I’ll make sure to leave the storage bins open so they don’t collect moisture and mold over during the off-season. Once the boat is completely cleansed, I’ll make a list of repairs that need to be taken care of before the boat is taken out again next season. Tomorrow I’ll address what to do with outboard motor oil.

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Winterizing a 9.9 Evinrude Outboard Motor, Part II

Yesterday we went over the first few steps in winterizing an Evinrude 9.9 outboard motor. We left off with flushing out the motor with cool water. After the motor has been flushed, allow the water to drain from the cooling system as the outboard sits upright.

Next, drain the lower unit and refill the unit with gear lubricant. Also use this time to inspect the propeller shaft for any cracks in the seal. Change the motor oil; Evinrude outboard oil is preferred, especially for four-stroke engines. Finally, disconnect the spark plugs, spray fogging oil into the ports, and bump the starter to evenly distribute the spray. Finally, disconnect the portable fuel tanks, the battery, and remove the propeller. Store everything neatly in a dry, secure location and your 9.9 Evinrude outboard motor should weather the winter perfectly.

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Maintaining a Fleet

Do you own a fleet of small fishing boats? Or perhaps a fleet of boats for day cruises? Then you need to be smart with your money to keep your business afloat in these difficult financial times.

One of the ways you can save money is by purchasing bulk motor oil. Buying in bulk is far cheaper than purchasing oil as you go along. Also, you don’t have to sacrifice quality for a lower cost; you can still by your preferred brand of motor oil.

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Getting the Best Mileage, Part I

Let’s face it: boating is an expensive hobby and rising fuel costs don’t help. Here are a few tips to keep more cash in your pocket by getting the best mileage. Before you start any new routines, take an accurate gauge of how much fuel you use, specifically gallons per hour. Some boats come with a gauge that will tell you this amount, but if not you can keep track by calculating miles traveled divided by fuel used (this number may not be as accurate, but it gives you a starting point).

Next you will want to inspect all of your plugs. If they’re full of gunk, clean them. If they’re cracked or leaking, replace them. This will save you money in the long run. You also don’t want to skimp on engine oil; go for the best outboard motor oil you can find at a discount, as engine problems tend to be the most expensive boat repairs you can be plagued with.

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Mixing 2 Cycle Oil

Many boat owners, particularly new boat owners, have questions about how to properly mix 2 cycle oil with gasoline. It is important to get the right ratio of gasoline to oil as too much oil can cause a fire, but too little oil won’t provide adequate engine lubrication. Start by dispensing the gasoline you will be adding to the tank into an approved container. Note down the quantity in the container.

Next, determine the ounces of fuel in your tank by multiplying the number of gallons by 64. Take the number of ounces and divide by 50, as the ratio for gasoline to oil is 50:1. The final number of that equation will be the number of ounces of 2 cycle oil you will need to add to the gasoline. Add the oil into the gasoline container, mix, and then add to your boat’s fuel tank.

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Compare/Contrast: Two Cycle Oil and Motor Oil

Not all motor oil is created alike. In fact, different motor oil is required for different engines. Today we will look at the difference between two cycle oil and motor oil.

Two cycle oil, like the Yamalube 2 cycle oil you might currently use, is needed, not surprisingly, for two stroke engines. These particular engines do not have a lubrication system so two cycle oil is mixed with gasoline to lubricate the engine while the fuel is used. Motor oil is used in four stroke engines and is typically kept in a separate reservoir from the gasoline. For lubrication, an oil pump transfers the oil to the engine.

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Family Style Pasta and Salmon

This pasta and salmon dish is perfect for serving family-style, and only takes 30 minutes to prepare. You will need: 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, ¼ cup minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, salt and pepper, 1 pound salmon fillet, 1 pound of corkscrew pasta, 10 ounces of spinach, ½ cup sour cream, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Start by heating your broiler. While that is going on, crush the fennel seeds, place them in a bowl, and then mix in the parsley, brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Take the spice mixture and press it into the flesh side of the salmon.

Take the coated salmon and broil it, skin side down, for 8 minutes. When it’s been cooked through, flake the fish with a fork. Mix together the sour cream, ½ teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and a little bit of pasta water (because you have been cooking your pasta this whole time, right?). Bring all the components together on a plate: pasta on the bottom, then the salmon, and then the sour cream mixture drizzled on top. Whenever I take the boat out to go salmon fishing, I make sure the engine is properly lubricated with Evinrude oil.

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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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Jetting Your Carburetor: Part One

Changing your outboard motor oil and doing other routine maintenance is important, but if you want to get the most out of your vehicle, you are going to have to do more than just routine maintenance. One of the most important components of your engine, with regards to the smoothness and efficiency of your ride, is the carburetor. The carb controls the ratio of fuel and air mixture that your engine uses. Finding the proper balance of these two variables will give your machine optimal power and reduce its emissions. The next few days we will be going over how to jet the carburetor on your ATV.

Before we begin, it is important to understand that there are three main carb circuits, each of which controls a range of throttle positions. The main jet is used when the throttle is three-quarters to fully open. When the throttle is open one-eighth to three-quarters, the needle jet is used, and for the final positions, the pilot jet and screw come into play. Tomorrow we will go into more detail with these carb circuits and begin discussing how to jet the carb.

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How to Choose Your Outboard Motor Oil: Other Factors

In addition to viscosity, flash point and pour point, there are a few other specifications that will help you decide whether Evinrude XD100, Yamalube or some other oil is right for you. When oil reacts with sulfuric acid and burned, there is always some amount of solid residue.  The amount of this solid material that is leftover is referred to as the percentage of sulfated ash.

In oils, zinc is used to prevent damage that would be incurred when two metal parts come in contact with one another. The amount of zinc that is used is reported as the percentage of zinc, which is typically about 0.1%. While these specs will give you a good idea of how the oil will perform, you should also consider the base stock and additives that the manufacturer uses in production.

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Outboard Motor Oil Basics

In this blog, we often explore some of the more advanced aspects on engine maintenance and may overlook the primary purpose of this site: outboard motor oil. Most of us know that the oil’s primary objective is to act as a lubricant for the various components of the engine. This lubrication is necessary due to the amount of heat and corrosion imparted on the various parts during the engine cycle.

Any two things that move against one another cause friction, and in the case of an engine, there is constant friction between the many moving parts. The oil works to facilitate the movements and reduce the amount to friction between the parts. In addition to acting as a lubricant, the oil also removes deposits and promotes energy savings.

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