outboard oil question

[bow slayer]

can I use regular oil in my 4 stroke or does it have to be FCW 4 stroke outboard oil.....I have always used the Evinrude 4 stroke blend but I was wondering can I use Quakerstate full synthetic or a blend in the motor? I keep getting different answers.

[captpierre]

Stick to a marine oil.

Follow the manufacturers recommendation

It costs more but hopefully will spare you grief in the long run.

That's what I tell myself every time i get hosed at the Yammy dealer. ?

[bow slayer]

well I just called 2 zukis dealers and they both said to use a high quality 10w40 motor oil and have found that to be popular answer on line as well

[BITEME]

I hate to say it but I ran royal purple for 4 years on my Johnny 4 stroke 50 best thing I ever did for that motor guy that has it now has run for 3 more years with and it still purrs like a kitten if it wasn't peeing you wouldn't even know it was running at idle and get a Fram equivelant filter you won't regret it

Cheers

Peter

[NANUK]

You can use any good quality motor oil as long as it meets the API & SAE grade specified by your outboard manuffecturer,

I have been using Mobil-1 full synthetic in my Yamahas for over 12 years with excellent results.

[aplumma]

The marine oils are loaded with corrosion resisting additives as well as a different shear additives(ability to cling to parts between running). They are blended differently and since we drive our cars every few days usually it is different than how often we drive the boats. the correct oil bears the FC-W trademark. The amount of rusting on bearings and piston walls increases the longer they sit without using a fw-c oil.

 

 

Art

[ecmilley]

Actually better to read bottles of oil to see what there for or email the oil company's.

Not like brp yammy or merc make there own oil l

If anyone has a Marine specific formula it's am soil.

Sierra makes marine oil as well.

Or just stick to 2 stroke for a entirely different argument

[Bernie]

A boat engine has a hard life, its like driving your car uphill all the time. How often do you run your car full or nearly full throttle for possibly a couple hours at a time? Lots of stress on internal components.

Use proper oil. Years ago I talked to engineers at OMC in Peterborough about oils. At the time Castrol was producing the oil. (This was 2 stroke though) I asked what was different if anything and was told what Art mentioned earlier about different additives/properties.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Bernie

[captpierre]

A boat engine has a hard life, its like driving your car uphill all the time. How often do you run your car full or nearly full throttle for possibly a couple hours at a time? Lots of stress on internal components.

Use proper oil. Years ago I talked to engineers at OMC in Peterborough about oils. At the time Castrol was producing the oil. (This was 2 stroke though) I asked what was different if anything and was told what Art mentioned earlier about different additives/properties.

Yeah. The car runs between 1500-2000 rpm

Outboard 3-4000 rpm.

Hardly ever do more than that.

Too costly on fuel.

[Sinker]

I dont cheap out on oil. Its the cheapest part of boating and probably one of the more important. I have been running yamalube in mine for a long time. It costs a fortune, but my engine is 23 years old and still runs like a top.

 

S.

[fish_fishburn]

I had a 96 200 EFI Merc and used Amsoil since day 1 sold it last year and that motor never saw a mechanics wrench except for maintenance. 19 years old and never ever let me down and I tourney fished for 15 years of that. I blame it all on the oil. Pay now or pay lots later.

[aplumma]

Ask any mechanic and he will tell you lubricates are cheaper than metal. Marine is a brutal environment for metals and to save a few bucks using an oil that is not designed for marine use is going to cost you a lot more in the long run. As a few others have bragged my twin 318's from 1989 are still humming along without any documented oil related issues on marine oil.

 

Art

[NANUK]

SAE 10W-30 is what is specified in my Yamaha manual, no specific brand or make is mentioned to be a must. sure, Yamaha dealer / mechanic would love me to use Yamalube, but I can get a much superior oil for the same or a few $$ more, so price is not an issue when it comes to maintaining my equipment,

as I mentioned above, I have been using Mobil-1 full synthetic for the last 12 years in both motors with excellent results,

My 9.9 kicker doesn't have an oil filter, just a mesh screen, That screen used to come out full of gunk when I used Yamalube, not metal particles, just some gooey gunk, with the synthetic its always clean,

I even use full synthetic in all my vehicles and small engines like lawnmower, snow blower and the generator, never an engine related issue. overkill ? maybe, but I like the way they run with synthetic oil.

 

I was concerned about the FC-W rating on marine oils, so I had a good discussion with a certified marine mechanic, he also teaches at a local high school, he told me to stick with Mobil-1, said its an excellent oil.

The FC-W rating might have some value in salt water environment for extra corrosion protection, but up here I don't find it necessary.

Now if it was a 2 stroke engine, I would stick to the manufacturer's specific brand of 2 stroke oil, a totally different animal all together.

[aplumma]

Here is a link of 4 stroke oils that have blended an oil that passes the FC W certification.

 

https://www.nmma.org/assets/cabinets/Cabinet456/2015%20FC-W%20List.pdf

 

 

Art

[bow slayer]

thanks for the list....