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Author Topic:   Best Oil

JeepRob posted 09-20-2004 08:37 PM ET (US)
I have a new 150 Sport that I took delivery of this spring and have been using Mercury Precision 2 cycle oil in my Mercury 60 hp 2 stroke engine.
What is the difference between Mercury and Quicksilver products?
Is the recommended Mercury 2 stoke oil the very best choice for my motor?
Dick posted 09-20-2004 09:10 PM ET (US)
There is no difference between Mercury and Quicksilver oil except for the packaging. Only Mercury dealers can buy Mercury oil any type of dealer, ie: Costo, can buy Quicksilver.
Dick
bigjohn1 posted 09-21-2004 09:17 AM ET (US)
Rob...you're going to get a variety of opinions on oil so that's just how it goes. If it gives you peace of mind and price is not a real concern, continue to use the Merc or Quicksilver oil. If you use your boat alot, you can save a bundle by switching to any of the numerous "other" name brand oils commonly available - especially when you buy it by the case from one of the discount stores. I fell into that trap with my first boat and only used Mercury oil at about $7 per quart - It ran just fine. I switched Penzoil with my second boat ($1.50 per quart) and guess what, it also ran fine....just as good as the first boat. I would watch out and not constantly change oil brands to save money though. Just find a name brand two stroke oil that is rated TCW-III and stick with it. Two brands that come to mind are Penzoil and Quaker State..neither is better than the other, I'm just using these as examples.
Big John
bkovak posted 09-21-2004 07:43 PM ET (US)
I agree with the comments so far on oil use but would add one other point. DO NOT mix together different brands of oil in your tank or reservoir. Choose a specific brand and stick with it. If you do change brands do so from an empty tank. Also, you probably paid quite a bit for that new Merc outboard. Take care of it and don't try to save a few bucks by buying the cheap oil. This is not the place where you want to skimp on something. Use a name brand oil. Brian
jimh posted 09-21-2004 08:35 PM ET (US)
There have been many discussions in the past on this topic. I don't really think anything has changed in the forumulation of oils that would make those past discussions obsolete, so I encourage you to seek them out and read the many opinions given on this topic.
One thing that has changed is that the newest engines, for example the Evinrude E-TEC™, can be programmed to adjust their computer controller to modify the rate of oiling based on the type of oil used. In those cases you probably ought to give strong consideration to using only the recommended grades and brands.
But if you have a classic two-stroke engine in which the oil is either pre-mixed or blended with the fuel in the engine, it is probably safe to say that an oil rated for TCW-III use is able to satisfy your engine's needs.
jimh posted 09-22-2004 09:13 AM ET (US)
The recommendation to NOT MIX different brands of two-stroke oil is counter to the underlying reason for the TCW-III specification. In the past there was a problem in mixing different oils, but one of the reasons for the TCW-III specification was to insure that oils could be mixed.
That is not to say that avoiding mixing oils might still be a good idea.
Outrage22Cuddy posted 09-22-2004 12:30 PM ET (US)
I don't claim to be an expert on 2-stroke oil, but I have asked several experts to the local boat shows. Half tell me there's no difference & the other half say my motor will not last if I use the cheap TCW-3 oil. My twin Yamaha 130 motors are 1991 models and run great & I have always used the cheapest brands of oil & switch brands often. I'm not saying this could't cause problems for other motors, but it has been fine for me. As far as I'm concerned, the sooner they blow, the sooner I can justify paying for a 4-stroke.
lakeman posted 09-22-2004 01:16 PM ET (US)
You will use so little oil, just buy the best. I have a 135 opti and run the Merc opti oil. I will switch to 100% synthetic when I run out. That maybe next year some time, it uses so little oil.
jimh posted 09-22-2004 08:31 PM ET (US)
There have been many discussions in the past on this topic. I don't really think anything has changed in the forumulation of oils that would make those past discussions obsolete, so I encourage you to seek them out and read the many opinions given on this topic.

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Author	Topic: Best Oil
JeepRob	posted 09-20-2004 08:37 PM ET (US) I have a new 150 Sport that I took delivery of this spring and have been using Mercury Precision 2 cycle oil in my Mercury 60 hp 2 stroke engine. What is the difference between Mercury and Quicksilver products? Is the recommended Mercury 2 stoke oil the very best choice for my motor?
Dick	posted 09-20-2004 09:10 PM ET (US) There is no difference between Mercury and Quicksilver oil except for the packaging. Only Mercury dealers can buy Mercury oil any type of dealer, ie: Costo, can buy Quicksilver. Dick
bigjohn1	posted 09-21-2004 09:17 AM ET (US) Rob...you're going to get a variety of opinions on oil so that's just how it goes. If it gives you peace of mind and price is not a real concern, continue to use the Merc or Quicksilver oil. If you use your boat alot, you can save a bundle by switching to any of the numerous "other" name brand oils commonly available - especially when you buy it by the case from one of the discount stores. I fell into that trap with my first boat and only used Mercury oil at about $7 per quart - It ran just fine. I switched Penzoil with my second boat ($1.50 per quart) and guess what, it also ran fine....just as good as the first boat. I would watch out and not constantly change oil brands to save money though. Just find a name brand two stroke oil that is rated TCW-III and stick with it. Two brands that come to mind are Penzoil and Quaker State..neither is better than the other, I'm just using these as examples. Big John
bkovak	posted 09-21-2004 07:43 PM ET (US) I agree with the comments so far on oil use but would add one other point. DO NOT mix together different brands of oil in your tank or reservoir. Choose a specific brand and stick with it. If you do change brands do so from an empty tank. Also, you probably paid quite a bit for that new Merc outboard. Take care of it and don't try to save a few bucks by buying the cheap oil. This is not the place where you want to skimp on something. Use a name brand oil. Brian
jimh	posted 09-21-2004 08:35 PM ET (US) There have been many discussions in the past on this topic. I don't really think anything has changed in the forumulation of oils that would make those past discussions obsolete, so I encourage you to seek them out and read the many opinions given on this topic. One thing that has changed is that the newest engines, for example the Evinrude E-TEC™, can be programmed to adjust their computer controller to modify the rate of oiling based on the type of oil used. In those cases you probably ought to give strong consideration to using only the recommended grades and brands. But if you have a classic two-stroke engine in which the oil is either pre-mixed or blended with the fuel in the engine, it is probably safe to say that an oil rated for TCW-III use is able to satisfy your engine's needs.
jimh	posted 09-22-2004 09:13 AM ET (US) The recommendation to NOT MIX different brands of two-stroke oil is counter to the underlying reason for the TCW-III specification. In the past there was a problem in mixing different oils, but one of the reasons for the TCW-III specification was to insure that oils could be mixed. That is not to say that avoiding mixing oils might still be a good idea.
Outrage22Cuddy	posted 09-22-2004 12:30 PM ET (US) I don't claim to be an expert on 2-stroke oil, but I have asked several experts to the local boat shows. Half tell me there's no difference & the other half say my motor will not last if I use the cheap TCW-3 oil. My twin Yamaha 130 motors are 1991 models and run great & I have always used the cheapest brands of oil & switch brands often. I'm not saying this could't cause problems for other motors, but it has been fine for me. As far as I'm concerned, the sooner they blow, the sooner I can justify paying for a 4-stroke.
lakeman	posted 09-22-2004 01:16 PM ET (US) You will use so little oil, just buy the best. I have a 135 opti and run the Merc opti oil. I will switch to 100% synthetic when I run out. That maybe next year some time, it uses so little oil.
jimh	posted 09-22-2004 08:31 PM ET (US) There have been many discussions in the past on this topic. I don't really think anything has changed in the forumulation of oils that would make those past discussions obsolete, so I encourage you to seek them out and read the many opinions given on this topic.