Oil mix question

[TheMFA]

I just bought a 17' Sunbird BR with a 115 Eveinrude SPL. When I asked the owner about the fuel mix, he said 16:1. After I got home I didn't think that 16:1 was correct so I researched and found that it was 50:1. So I mix myfuel accordingly.

Last Saturday i take the boat on the bay, everything is fine then 3/4 on our trip the check engine warning comes on. It does this several times. I power it down and slowly make it to where we were heading. We sit out there for a bit then head back and the light never comes on again.

Does this sound like a fluke in regards to electrical issues or is there anyway I messed up the engine?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Oil mix question

What is the model number of that engine?

 

[TheMFA]

Re: Oil mix question

E115tslecm

 

[TheMFA]

Re: Oil mix question

*bump*

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Oil mix question

1998 115hp Evinrude. The fuel/oil mixture is 50/1...... One pint of TCW-III 50/1 oil to 6 gallons of gasoline. A octane rating of 87 will be fine.

 

[TheMFA]

Re: Oil mix question

1998 115hp Evinrude. The fuel/oil mixture is 50/1...... One pint of TCW-III 50/1 oil to 6 gallons of gasoline. A octane rating of 87 will be fine.

Thanks a lot Joe. I more than likely misunderstood. Still not sure why the check engine alarm came on. I plan on taking it out tomorrow. If it happens again I will probably take it to a mechanic.

 

[DJ]

Re: Oil mix question

Thanks a lot Joe. I more than likely misunderstood. Still not sure why the check engine alarm came on. I plan on taking it out tomorrow. If it happens again I will probably take it to a mechanic.

It may be overheating. When was the last time the water pump was serviced?

 

[TheMFA]

Re: Oil mix question

It may be overheating. When was the last time the water pump was serviced?

I'm not sure.

Like I said it ran fine the day before and then right great after we left our destination. I also had no problems when I flushed the engine that evening and I think I ran it a good 20 to 30 minutes. I will check the water pump though to see if that is an issue.

 

[Okee Jimmy]

Re: Oil mix question

The check engine light is not applicable to your motor. this is a light on your system check gauge, or tach that is used on V-6 and V-8 models to indicate high fuel system vacuum. On other models the light is still there, and it will illuminate when the ignition switch is cycled, but otherwise, has no sensor (vacuum switch) to activate it. I would suspect either a short in the wiring harness, or a bad system check gauge, or tach.

The system check gauges, and tachometers have internal circuitry that sometimes goes wacky, and can falsely indicate a failure. I just replaced a system check gauge a couple of weeks ago on a 40 hp that illuminated the chk eng light. After running for about 5 or 10 minutes the gauge would illuminate, and the horn would sound. I removed the connector from the back of the gauge, and checked the connector for short to ground (tan/orange to black) and found none. Replacing the system check gauge resolved the problem. P.S. if you choose to disconnect the system check gauge or tach, the warning horn will not sound, indicating an overheat ect. If testing indicates the gauge, or tach is defective, they will need to be replaced, or a horn driver installed for proper warning horn activation.

(Footnote, the low oil, and no oil indicators are not supported on non oil-injected motors.)


Hope this helps, Jimmy

 

[Okee Jimmy]

Re: Oil mix question

I think when the person you purchased the boat from said the fuel to oil ratio was 16:1, he probably meant 16oz oil to 1 tank (6 gals.) of gas. If this motor was run on a 16:1 fuel/oil ratio, it would smoke excessively, and foul plugs. Just a thought...

 

[TheMFA]

Re: Oil mix question

Thanks for the info. We took her out today and she did well until I decided to idle her and then cruise at low RPMs. After that I put her WOT and she only hit 3K rpms. When I put the engine to idle it would shut off. And the damned engine light came on again. Any ideas?