reelfishin
Captain
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2007
- Messages
- 3,050
Re: Looks like I'm done using Merc 2-stroke oil
I'm with Rick on this one, most newer motors just don't look right on a classic boat.
There's also the weight factor, I thought about going with a new 4 stroke on my 14' aluminum boat but the weight was such an issue I'd have to step down to a motor several HP sizes less than my current 25 year old 2 stroke. I'd still be the same overall weight with less power, for over $5k. The weight and the cost combined made me stick with my older motor, which has never given me any trouble. I had figured on putting a new motor on my good boat and hanging the old motor on another boat I bought.
Most of my motors are over 30 years old, some over 40 and then some. Any motor that's kept in tune and in good shape will give good service. I've got a few buddies that won't run nothing but a new four stroke, but their also making big payments while all of mine are paid for. I can't justify spending thousands of dollars when I can buy a few hundred dollar motor that gets me there just the same. I've not had to buy oil in years, I've been buying and selling boats and parts as a hobby for years and I've accumulated many gallons of 2 stoke oil from all the boats I've stripped. I doubt I'll have to buy any oil anytime soon, if ever. For example, I just scrapped a trihull which I bought for $50 for it's 1988 Merc 50 HP, that boat had 4 new gallons of oil under the seats, and the guy gave me two 6 gallon gas cans that he had filled with bulk oil at the marina too. It will take me years to burn through just that much oil, let alone all the other oil I've gotten the same way.
I answered an ad for a SS prop on Craigslist this spring, the guy had converted from a Johnson 2stroke to a Yammy 4 stroke, he had the SS prop listed for $50 with good used SS spare. When I got there, he had all the controls, cables, lower unit, 3 props, (2 new), and two cases of Evinrude 2 stroke oil in gallons. He was asking $50 for the new prop listed, I asked how much for everything, he said $140, I said $75, we agreed on $90 for it all.
So look for those guys that just dumped a 2 stroke if your looking for cheap oil. Not only did I get two new SS props for my 70 HP Johnson, I got a long term supply of oil, a spare prop, a spare lower unit, a spare set of controls, and a ton of other small parts.
So the more people that convert to four strokes, the more cheap used parts and left over oil I'll get on CL and at the flea markets!
Looking at it that way, I'll deal with what little smoke my 2 strokes make and deal with pumping the primer bulb. It just means more money for gas, bait and beer.
When they make a 4 stroke that looks like my 1959 Mercury Mark 59A that matches the looks of my 1960 Cutter runabout I might think about it ( but I doubt it ).
Rick
I'm with Rick on this one, most newer motors just don't look right on a classic boat.
There's also the weight factor, I thought about going with a new 4 stroke on my 14' aluminum boat but the weight was such an issue I'd have to step down to a motor several HP sizes less than my current 25 year old 2 stroke. I'd still be the same overall weight with less power, for over $5k. The weight and the cost combined made me stick with my older motor, which has never given me any trouble. I had figured on putting a new motor on my good boat and hanging the old motor on another boat I bought.
Most of my motors are over 30 years old, some over 40 and then some. Any motor that's kept in tune and in good shape will give good service. I've got a few buddies that won't run nothing but a new four stroke, but their also making big payments while all of mine are paid for. I can't justify spending thousands of dollars when I can buy a few hundred dollar motor that gets me there just the same. I've not had to buy oil in years, I've been buying and selling boats and parts as a hobby for years and I've accumulated many gallons of 2 stoke oil from all the boats I've stripped. I doubt I'll have to buy any oil anytime soon, if ever. For example, I just scrapped a trihull which I bought for $50 for it's 1988 Merc 50 HP, that boat had 4 new gallons of oil under the seats, and the guy gave me two 6 gallon gas cans that he had filled with bulk oil at the marina too. It will take me years to burn through just that much oil, let alone all the other oil I've gotten the same way.
I answered an ad for a SS prop on Craigslist this spring, the guy had converted from a Johnson 2stroke to a Yammy 4 stroke, he had the SS prop listed for $50 with good used SS spare. When I got there, he had all the controls, cables, lower unit, 3 props, (2 new), and two cases of Evinrude 2 stroke oil in gallons. He was asking $50 for the new prop listed, I asked how much for everything, he said $140, I said $75, we agreed on $90 for it all.
So look for those guys that just dumped a 2 stroke if your looking for cheap oil. Not only did I get two new SS props for my 70 HP Johnson, I got a long term supply of oil, a spare prop, a spare lower unit, a spare set of controls, and a ton of other small parts.
So the more people that convert to four strokes, the more cheap used parts and left over oil I'll get on CL and at the flea markets!
Looking at it that way, I'll deal with what little smoke my 2 strokes make and deal with pumping the primer bulb. It just means more money for gas, bait and beer.
