Outboard Engine 2 Cycle Oil

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Scubafill

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I am responsible for the dive club RIB which has a 200hp Mercury outboard. Since new we have used Quicksilver 2 cycle oil in the fuel injection system. I understand that the specification is TC-W3.

I currently pay about £25.25p for 4 liters.

Are there any cheaper alternative oils? I can only find equivilent oils in the USA.

If we use a cheaper manufacturers oil, is there a down side.

Thanks

Phil
 
If it is the premium plus version you aren't too far off about the right price.
We've used all sorts of cheaper oils and come back to Quicksilver. I guess you get what you pay for.
 
I dont have any scientific info but I have always used quicksilver in big mercs. One of my engines was an in-line 6 that I had for 20 years from 1980, always ran on quicksilver, and it was perfect when I sold it. So I dont know for sure but using a cheap oil could be false economy. But the branded shell/BP outboard oils - assuming the same rating - are probably perfectly ok
 
As an Oil Lab - I\'m interested as well ...

C'mon - spill the beans then .... what made you change back to QS 2T ??

I am going to admit something here that I shouldn't - being a lab owner etc. - I use whatever 2T I find on the shelf .... !! But I do not recc'd following my example - as Warranty may be void if a non-marine 2T is used ....

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Re: As an Oil Lab - I\'m interested as well ...

All the main oil companies market TC-W3 - I wonder if QS is really anything different? Maybe it comes from one of them?

John
 
Re: As an Oil Lab - I\'m interested as well ...

Yes indeed that's correct. QS just buy it in from an oil supplier, special order becuase the purple QS dye is added. In the 80s QS bought it from Valvolene, but could be anyone these days

The official TCW3 ratings etc relate to lubrication and combustion. It's possble that QS add some wonderful anticorrosion stuff that protects the engine during non-running periods, but i dont know......
 
Was in a local Mercury dealer here today (I am in New Zealand) - just thought I would let you know that QS TC-W3 is the equivalent of approx 16 pounds here for 1 USgal (approx 3.8 Litres).

So quite alot cheaper here than the price you are paying for some reason - perhaps because is packed in USA for here? I would assume that it is cheaper still in USA.

John
 
Re: As an Oil Lab - I\'m interested as well ...

[ QUOTE ]
I use whatever 2T I find on the shelf .... !! But I do not recc'd following my example - as Warranty may be void if a non-marine 2T is used ....

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ] Not a good idea Nigel. Lubrication properties may be the same, but as you should know 2T oils for high speed air cooled m/cycle engines are designed to burn at much higher temprature.

used in a water cooled marine engine they will not burn properly risking fouled plugs, and 'ash' - a condition where whiskers of hard material form particularly round the plug electrodes, which bridge the spark gap with instant results!

Also, I am told that TCW3 has better anti corrosion additives.
 
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