Poll on ratio of fuel to oil you use in your 100/1 2 stroke outboard.

[jhughes]

After the recent post about what ratio of fuel to oil mix to use I thought I would run a poll.
This is for owners of outboards where the manufacturer recommends a 100/1 mix.
Pick the ratio closest to the one you use, you can give your reasons in a post.

 

[Jonny_H]

Well, I only use the outboard infrequently (this season haven't even used 5 litres!) and its quite hard to judge 2 stroke oil into a jerry can on a pitching boat - I aim for 100:1 - but if in doubt drop a little extra in as it runs happily on 50:1 too according to the manual (Yamaha Malta).

 

[MarkG]

I normally empty the remains of the fuel into the cars tank, that means I can accurately measure the oil using a syringe and then to top up with fresh fuel.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I notice that a friend bought a Mariner 3.5 a year and a half ago, and his instructions were to run on 100:1. I bought the identical outboard this year, and the instructions were 25:1 for 1st 10 hours, then 50:1

I am led to beleive that the reason for this is that the manufacturers were trying to keep their engines as unpoluting as possible, but once they had been banned from sales in UK Europe etc, they decided to revert back to a safe level of lube. So I would think that anyone using 100:1 should think twice. - NOTE: I am most certainly NOT and expert on this!

 

[MASH]

Re: Poll on ratio of fuel to oil you use in your 100/1 2 stroke outboa

My 2HP Yamahahaha is recommended for 50:1 first 10 hrs, 100:1 thereafter and does not like 50:1 on less than 2/3 throttle as the plug oils...

 

[JerryHawkins]

I used to use old fuel in the car until it dawned on me that this was probably destyroying my lambda sensors - went through 3. Stopped using old outboard fuel and haven't had to replace one since. Also likely to contaminate the catalytic converter, so car may fail MOT. All this can easily give you a bill for several hundred pounds.

I now mix my old outboard fuel with fuel for the lawnmower!

Cheers,

Jerry

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Poll on ratio of fuel to oil you use in your 100/1 2 stroke outboa

[ QUOTE ]
My 2HP Yamahahaha is recommended for 50:1 first 10 hrs, 100:1 thereafter and does not like 50:1 on less than 2/3 throttle as the plug oils...

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't get any problems with oiling. I probably only run it at 1/4 to 1/2 revs as I have an old Avon which would bend double if I opened the thr /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gifottle wide!

 

[Sans Bateau]

[ QUOTE ]
now mix my old outboard fuel with fuel for the lawnmower!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes that's the way to get rid of it!

I understand that the latest oils are far more efficient than they used to be so older engines (like my Johnson 3.3) are safe on 100:1 so long as its the latest spec oil.

I also remember being told that contractors with chain saws and other machinery, rarely measure out the oil, its about 'that much' into the can, they use so much they dont have time to mess around measuring.

 

[vyv_cox]

I used to work with a man who raced motorcycles and subsequently left the company to buy a motorbike shop. The company we worked for was the research arm of one of the biggest multinational oil companies, so he had a good bit of inside knowledge. He advised me that if a two-stroke smokes there is too much oil in the fuel. Even then, more than 20 years ago, he was using very low oil:fuel ratios. 2-stroke oils are now very much better, so his advice probably applies even more.

 

[Aja]

Never measured it.... two gloops of 2-stroke into 5 litres works for me - or rather for my Suzuki 2.2

Donald

 

[Sans Bateau]

that advise a many years ago would have saved a lot of oiled up plugs on BSA Bantams and Lambrettas!

 

[VicS]

I cannot comment on other makes but OMC (Johnson and Evinrude) went from 50:1 to 100:1 for a period from around 1985, IIRC, but then reverted back to 50:1 advising that all those engines sold as 100:1 should be run on 50:1 and the 100:1 labels removed.

It is worth bearing in mind that some OMC engines (other makes as well?) were made with a variable rate oiling system (VRO) rather than a fixed premixed system. Those run with an oilier mix at high speed than at low speed (I did know the ratios but I have forgotten them now) Therefore if an engine is to be used at high speeds it is better to tend towards the oilier mix than a less oily one. Conversely if an engine is to be used lightly at low speeds a less oily mix may be acceptable.
If an engine is tending to oil its plugs then it is worth checking and adjusting the carburetter fuel air mix if that is possible. However anyone who had a VP51 (5hp, air cooled Volvo Penta) will know that some engines foul their plugs come what may.

 

[nigelhudson]

The dealer from whom I bought my Suzuki 2.3 told me that the manufacturer recommends 50:1 whilst running in and 100:1 thereafter. He went on to say that, if I wanted to maximise the life of the motor, I should keep it on 50:1.

 

[ThreeSummers]

[ QUOTE ]
The dealer from whom I bought my Suzuki 2.3 told me that the manufacturer recommends 50:1 whilst running in and 100:1 thereafter. He went on to say that, if I wanted to maximise the life of the motor, I should keep it on 50:1.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto when I bought a Mariner 15hp stroker...

 

[Avocet]

My Suzuki 2hp says 50:1 running-in and 100:1 thereafter UNLESS it is being used "commercially", in which case 50:1. For this reason I assume that running more oil can never be harmful for the engine - only the environment / owner's pocket. On the other hand, the more oil one puts in, I think the "weaker" the engine runs. So I compromise at 75:1 and it seems happy enough.

 

[billcowan]

all irrelevant, your jap outboard will never wear out, it will die of rust

50:1 is good, easily measured if you buy proper 2 stroke oil in a calibrated plastic bottle. available in garden shops for chainsaws. It is also coloured pink so you can tell if what is in that can is mix or plain.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
proper 2 stroke oil in a calibrated plastic bottle. available in garden shops for chainsaws.

[/ QUOTE ] That's for air cooled engines (at least I haven't seen a water cooled chain saw yet) nearly all outboards are water cooled and should therefore use an oil to a TC-W specification. Comes in calibrated bottles just the same but if you are only mixing a couple of litres for a small outboard at 100:1, thats only 20cc of oil. Very difficult to measure accurately from the bottle. I have a plastic conical measure 100cc capacity IIRC (maybe 200) That's perfect for measuring small volumes of oil.

 

[yoda]

Do what the manufacturer says!

Yoda