Marine Oil v Motorcycle Oil

Fully synthetic marine oil is biodegradable, so the only choice really, but also has added chemicals to inhibit corrosion, octane boosters to protect against poor quality fuel (Prevent pinging) and will mix at lower temperatures.

How much is a new engine, or major repair going to cost caused by incorrect oil on a high performance engine?

Feeling lucky punk? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I know Seagulls etc run on any old crap, but a serious engine will simply work better, last longer and kill less fish if run on the right stuff.

Buy it in bulk to save money. I can get Putoline TT Aqua Bio at trade if it helps... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
well, the numbers seem extraordinary, but then I dont know whether hydrocarbon pullution is the whole story. Something seems very odd about running an small outboard for an hour, and running a family car for two years. Doesnt seem to make sense to me.
Similarly, 20,000 tonnes of hydrocarbon pollutions sounds huge, but then if we are talking about the whole north sea and atmosphere, is it? Or is it miniscule?
 
According to one article I read, this research has been pretty much discredited (worst-case-scenario old technology v best-case-scenario new technology). Modern two-strokes are lean-burn direct-injection jobbies that are almost as fuel-efficient, and produce lower emissions, than the equivalent four-stroke. Aprilia recently produced a two-stroke scooter that was cleaner than any four-stroke and which barely used any more fuel.

A four-stroke requires 20 percent more energy, and 35 percent more raw material, to manufacture than the equivalent two-stroke. Added to that, when you take into account the oil a four-stroke uses (which isn't included in its carbon footprint for some bizarre reason) the green credentials of the four-stroke aren't quite so impressive.
 
I can understand the pollution argument in a lake or river but in the ocean I'm not buying it! The amount of pollution coming from an outboard in the vastness of the ocean wouldn't kill a single fish. Just look at what the factories and power stations are pumping into the sea. Then add that to the big ships, sewers, etc and we're supposed to believe that outboard engines would come to even 0.01% of that?

On the damage to engines side of it, the post about a strimmer manual stating NOT to use marine oil is the first evidence I've seen so far that there is anything in it that makes a difference.
 
Well thats fairly obvious isn't it?

A strimmer engine is a tiny unit running very hot with air cooling usually compromised by fins full of grass clippings, while an outboard has unlimited amounts of cooling water, and is usually a car sized engine.

I can just imagine you trying to feed your pet Goat with Dogfood....Sheesh.... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
No need to be flippant 'No Regrets'. Yes obviously I do know the difference between a strimmer and an outboard. It's the difference between normal oil and marine oil I'm after.
 
After much much googling I've come up with this. Marine oil is TC-W3 certified which means it's been tested for 100 hours non-stop in a marine engine. A non-marine oil (like motorcycle oil) has not been tested in a marine engine although might well be just as good as marine oil but without the TC-W3 certificate, you take a chance and if it's wrong can damage your outboard. However, there are some non-marine 2T oils (such as some motorcycle oils) that have TC-W3 on the bottle and are therefore TC-W3 certifield and these oils are likely to be also sold in a different bottle as boat oil and at a marked up price. So if it says TC-W3 on the bottle it's ok for your boat and if it doesn't....well you don't know as it's not been tested.
I have enough marine oil to last me the rest of the year but I was intrigued to know what it was all about /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
OK, as a two stroke Motorcycle engineer, I may appea rflippant, but I have suffered nearly two decades of listening to 'Raiders of the lost Ark' ignoring simple instructions in a weird quest to prove some pointless point.


There are basically three types of Two stroke oil:

Mineral...This is run-of-the-mill (Usually SAE30) oil and leaves deposits galore. No modern engine should use this crap.

Semi Synthetic...This is the same thing but with added chemicals which aid combustion and hence clean up the carbon deposits. I avoid this, as it's still Mineral oil.

Fully synthetic...Is made from Esters, a bit like WD40, and burns cleaner, as it's not Mineral oil. Good quality synthetic lubricants usually have octane boosters to keep the piston crown in good shape, and leave vitually no deposits (Which grind away at your engine) so boost engine life several times over!


The Sunoco oil which is 'suitable for anything' is in fact utter crap I wouldn't run a rented chinese Generator on.


Now, is that unflippant enough for you?

Come and see some wrecked engines if you wish /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Small world. I'm the mechanic at Kawasaki Motorcycles in Ashton-Under-Lyne. Your post was still flippant though. Chill out a bit.

I'm already familiar with the differences between synthetic and unsynthetic. It was the difference between marine and non marine that I was searching for (and found).
 
The Marine version floats, perhaps? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif


[awaits bollocking for more flippancy] /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
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