Two Stroke Oil

dartmoor

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Just wondering...TCW3 is what is recommended for two stroke outboards. I have always used one like Quicksilver or the likes. But for an air cooled 2 stroke, which runs much hotter, is this the best two stroke oil to be using? Or would a synthetic two stroke motor cycle oil be better given that this is designed for an air cooled engine?
 
I reckon you might be right. Someone here said the air-cooled Honda was a strimmer engine with a prop on the end, so the oil sold for garden machinery would probably be the right stuff.

Pete
 
I reckon you might be right. Someone here said the air-cooled Honda was a strimmer engine with a prop on the end, so the oil sold for garden machinery would probably be the right stuff.

Pete
Ah, but the Honda is a four stroke. My outboard is a two stroke air cooled one.
 
As far as I'm aware, the marine 2 stroke oil is environmentally friendly compared to the stuff for motorbikes. The temperature is a bit irrelevant as the oil lubricates the crank and small end before it gets to the combustion chamber.

You should really use marine 2 stroke oil as the exhaust fumes are released into the water.
 
If it says two stroke oil on the pack then that's all you need to know, I can't think of any two stroke engine that isn't air cooled. In different countries I've bought different brands of two stroke oil and it's made no difference.
 
If it says two stroke oil on the pack then that's all you need to know, I can't think of any two stroke engine that isn't air cooled. In different countries I've bought different brands of two stroke oil and it's made no difference.

I had an yamaha RD350LC motorbike back in the 1980s. That was a water cooled 2 stroke. :)
 
If it says two stroke oil on the pack then that's all you need to know, I can't think of any two stroke engine that isn't air cooled. In different countries I've bought different brands of two stroke oil and it's made no difference.

My Yamaha Malta is water cooled - and Ive been adding 2-stroke oil to it! Well it does tell me to in the manual'so I must assume it is a water-cooled two-stroke..
 
Just wondering...TCW3 is what is recommended for two stroke outboards. I have always used one like Quicksilver or the likes. But for an air cooled 2 stroke, which runs much hotter, is this the best two stroke oil to be using? Or would a synthetic two stroke motor cycle oil be better given that this is designed for an air cooled engine?

Use the oil specified by the manufacturer........ see what the owners manual says
 
Use the oil specified by the manufacturer........ see what the owners manual says

True. but I have Tomos. And the others mentioned are also 1970's engine. So oil products are more diverse since then, when I suspect any old SAE 30 was used
 
No, we used proper 2t oil even in the 60s. The difference between m/cycle oil and o/b is the combustion and operating temp of the engine. Most water and air cooled outboards are fairly low revving and run fairly cool. Bike engines can rev up to three times the speed and run much hotter. Their oils are designed to work at higher extremes. Using the wrong oil either way can result in incorrect burning and ashing fouling the plug, which stops the engine, sometimes quite quickly. It may also not provide the right level of lubrication. 2 strokes always run on the edge of oil starvation. As Vic says - use the makers specified oils.

Unless you have an old 10:1 Seagull of course! :-(
 
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