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Author Topic:   OB engine oil choice

GeneNJ posted 03-10-2003 08:29 PM ET (US)
Any reason to choose one outboard motor oil over any other? Will be using it in a new 40hp mercury on a 13' sport.
lhg posted 03-10-2003 08:34 PM ET (US)
There have been lengthy discussions on this subject to be searched out.
ShrimpBurrito posted 03-11-2003 01:14 AM ET (US)
Is it a 4-stroke or 2-stroke?
Either way, that engine would consume or hold so little oil, that it probably wouldn't cost very much to get whatever the manual recommend -- even Mercury brand.
ShrimpBurrito posted 03-11-2003 01:15 AM ET (US)
By the way, you can find a search engine for the site here:
http://continuouswave.com/htdig/
jimh posted 03-12-2003 09:00 AM ET (US)
I assume you are talking about TCW-III oils that are mixed with the gasoline for use in a 2-stroke engine.
Opinions on this topic range from using the Walmart brand at $5/gallon to using exotic synthetics with engine maker brand names on them at $5/pint.
The oil in a 2-stroke engine is only used once, then it is expelled in the exhaust. It is not like a crankcase oil sump where the oil is used over and over to provide lubrication.
The claimed benefits of certain oils over the rest include cleaner burning and less carbon build up.
If it is a new engine and still under warranty, I might use the Mercury brand oil in the engine until the warranty expires. In this way there won't be any disputes about warranty coverage, etc., With just a single 40-HP engine you won't be using that much oil, and the added costs will be minimal.
jimh posted 03-12-2003 09:06 AM ET (US)
Searching on the arguments "TCW-III" and "oil", I found this excellent discussion among the first few responses:
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000804.html
GeneNJ posted 03-12-2003 08:11 PM ET (US)
Thanks, I'll go with the Merc non-synthetic oil during the warranty period.
John W posted 03-13-2003 01:51 PM ET (US)
The link above covers most of the pro's & con's made about oil brands. I'm in the camp that says use the OEM oils. But whether you believe OEM oils are worth it or not, the comments in the link about "I've used cheapo oil for 96 hours with no problem" prove absolutely, completely nothing. IF there is a difference between cheap TCW-3 and the OEM oils, it will be that the OEM oils allow for less wear over the (long) life of the motor. 1000 hours is not a lot of hours for an outboard, assuming it's well cared for & hasn't been run above 80% rpms for most of those hours. The fact that someone hasn't had a failure in a given amount of hours using a particular oil doesn't really prove anything, unless it's 4000 hours or something.
I have read that TCW-3 spec's allow for a certain amount of piston scuffing. The OEM oils allow no piston suffing. Will the amount of wear allowed by cheap oil meeting TCW-3 specs make a difference in the life of your outboard? I don't know, but for me it's cheap insurance.
It has been pointed out that the motor manufacturers and dealers scare boaters into buying their expensive oil. This is true. But if Penzoil & the like want to take market share in the outboard oil market with their branded products, and their oil is really identical to the OEM oils in terms of long term wear, carbon build up etc, why don't they do a set of tests to prove that? They could show their test results on the jug, and charge closer to the OEM price, and still win many converts from expensve OEM oils. The fact that they don't claim to be as good as OEM oils, but rather that they simply meet TCW-3 standards, reinforces the fact (to me) that these oils are not likely to be the same.
jimh posted 03-13-2003 06:06 PM ET (US)
Yamaha distributed a bulletin to their dealers that reports drastic improvement in cyclinder wear with their oil versus a non-specified competitive brand.
See http://continuouswave.com/whaler/techoiltcw3.pdf
Also note that the article concludes by saying that the warranty coverage is not affected by choice of oil, as long as it is TCW-III rated.
GeneNJ posted 03-13-2003 09:01 PM ET (US)
JohnW
JIMH
I like your thinking on the long term and in this regard the warranty can be honored, as the wear will occur over a longer time, well after the warranty has expired.

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Author	Topic: OB engine oil choice
GeneNJ	posted 03-10-2003 08:29 PM ET (US) Any reason to choose one outboard motor oil over any other? Will be using it in a new 40hp mercury on a 13' sport.
lhg	posted 03-10-2003 08:34 PM ET (US) There have been lengthy discussions on this subject to be searched out.
ShrimpBurrito	posted 03-11-2003 01:14 AM ET (US) Is it a 4-stroke or 2-stroke? Either way, that engine would consume or hold so little oil, that it probably wouldn't cost very much to get whatever the manual recommend -- even Mercury brand.
ShrimpBurrito	posted 03-11-2003 01:15 AM ET (US) By the way, you can find a search engine for the site here: http://continuouswave.com/htdig/
jimh	posted 03-12-2003 09:00 AM ET (US) I assume you are talking about TCW-III oils that are mixed with the gasoline for use in a 2-stroke engine. Opinions on this topic range from using the Walmart brand at $5/gallon to using exotic synthetics with engine maker brand names on them at $5/pint. The oil in a 2-stroke engine is only used once, then it is expelled in the exhaust. It is not like a crankcase oil sump where the oil is used over and over to provide lubrication. The claimed benefits of certain oils over the rest include cleaner burning and less carbon build up. If it is a new engine and still under warranty, I might use the Mercury brand oil in the engine until the warranty expires. In this way there won't be any disputes about warranty coverage, etc., With just a single 40-HP engine you won't be using that much oil, and the added costs will be minimal.
jimh	posted 03-12-2003 09:06 AM ET (US) Searching on the arguments "TCW-III" and "oil", I found this excellent discussion among the first few responses: http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000804.html
GeneNJ	posted 03-12-2003 08:11 PM ET (US) Thanks, I'll go with the Merc non-synthetic oil during the warranty period.
John W	posted 03-13-2003 01:51 PM ET (US) The link above covers most of the pro's & con's made about oil brands. I'm in the camp that says use the OEM oils. But whether you believe OEM oils are worth it or not, the comments in the link about "I've used cheapo oil for 96 hours with no problem" prove absolutely, completely nothing. IF there is a difference between cheap TCW-3 and the OEM oils, it will be that the OEM oils allow for less wear over the (long) life of the motor. 1000 hours is not a lot of hours for an outboard, assuming it's well cared for & hasn't been run above 80% rpms for most of those hours. The fact that someone hasn't had a failure in a given amount of hours using a particular oil doesn't really prove anything, unless it's 4000 hours or something. I have read that TCW-3 spec's allow for a certain amount of piston scuffing. The OEM oils allow no piston suffing. Will the amount of wear allowed by cheap oil meeting TCW-3 specs make a difference in the life of your outboard? I don't know, but for me it's cheap insurance. It has been pointed out that the motor manufacturers and dealers scare boaters into buying their expensive oil. This is true. But if Penzoil & the like want to take market share in the outboard oil market with their branded products, and their oil is really identical to the OEM oils in terms of long term wear, carbon build up etc, why don't they do a set of tests to prove that? They could show their test results on the jug, and charge closer to the OEM price, and still win many converts from expensve OEM oils. The fact that they don't claim to be as good as OEM oils, but rather that they simply meet TCW-3 standards, reinforces the fact (to me) that these oils are not likely to be the same.
jimh	posted 03-13-2003 06:06 PM ET (US) Yamaha distributed a bulletin to their dealers that reports drastic improvement in cyclinder wear with their oil versus a non-specified competitive brand. See http://continuouswave.com/whaler/techoiltcw3.pdf Also note that the article concludes by saying that the warranty coverage is not affected by choice of oil, as long as it is TCW-III rated.
GeneNJ	posted 03-13-2003 09:01 PM ET (US) JohnW JIMH I like your thinking on the long term and in this regard the warranty can be honored, as the wear will occur over a longer time, well after the warranty has expired.