Mercury outboards are junk?

[alanfox55]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

I don't think Mercury's are junk ether. I own a 1997 30hp and I love it...never had a bit of problems with it. The thread has generated a lot of interesting and entertaining replies though especially about the possible problems with the oil injection. Personally I've never had a problem with any oil injection two stroke motor I've owned and I've owed a few going all the way back to 1970. I do have a friend though who owed a Suzuki outboard that destroyed itself when the oil injection failed so obviously it does happen. I only brought up the possibility of using a 100:1 premix along with the oil injection because #1. My service manual says to use a 50:1 premix with the oil injection during break in to = 25:1 total mix. I reasoned because of this running a 100:1 premix all the time would put you in the 30's:1 ballpark and serve to protect your motor from sudden oil injection failure. #2. I've heard from and read a number of mechanics who run all their motors anywhere from 32:1 to 40:1 because they say they have a lot of parts they've seen fail because of lack of oil to these parts running 50:1.#3 running 100:1 along with the oil injection would put you in that same range. My non-mathematical mind figures a total mix of 37:1 and I can't see any reason why doing so would be a bad thing other than a small increase in the cost of two stroke oil. But I don't know for sure because I've never tried it hence I threw it out there for other opinions on the matter. I think it's a good Idea though and will start doing it starting this boating season. I will be sure to check in for a full report on my findings.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Sounds like ya gotta good plan ta me..................

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

a 100::1 gas/oil mix will work fine at low RPM, if the injection system fails. If you are running 100::1 at WOT, the engine may suffer damage. So your plan to run 100::1 does not solve a oil injection failure, unless you always restrict your speed to 1/2 throttle or less.

My plan is to have a gallon of 2 cycle oil on board, and watch the no oil alarm on my Johnnyrude. If she sounds, dump the oil into the fuel tank and do the twist for a few minutes to mix it.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

a 100::1 gas/oil mix will work fine at low RPM, if the injection system fails. If you are running 100::1 at WOT, the engine may suffer damage. So your plan to run 100::1 does not solve a oil injection failure, unless you always restrict your speed to 1/2 throttle or less.

My plan is to have a gallon of 2 cycle oil on board, and watch the no oil alarm on my Johnnyrude. If she sounds, dump the oil into the fuel tank and do the twist for a few minutes to mix it.

Second that and carrying a few gal remote fuel can to run with pre-mix in until the twist in the tank is good, figure i can search and destroy AND mix all at the same time....Yup, risking the shrapnel I reckon but, I'm able to install new hardware this spring so, I'm good for 20 more years ray: I could also go down in a plane wreck as well but, I'll probably keep flying too, I'm crazy in the head like that .........BUT!!, on the brighter side, I am adding a few simple sensors in the oil path monitoring pressures/flow that are "above and beyond" the shaft sensor and spicing this(the composite of three separate areas) new "out of range" signal into the warning horn system..........works on paper anyway!!

 

[canoemang]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

I like my fussy Mercs, keeps my mind active…..

Yup.. love all 3 of my inline 115's... they run hard n scream like nothing else!!!!

 

[wired247]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Second that and carrying a few gal remote fuel can to run with pre-mix in until the twist in the tank is good, figure i can search and destroy AND mix all at the same time....Yup, risking the shrapnel I reckon but, I'm able to install new hardware this spring so, I'm good for 20 more years ray: I could also go down in a plane wreck as well but, I'll probably keep flying too, I'm crazy in the head like that .........BUT!!, on the brighter side, I am adding a few simple sensors in the oil path monitoring pressures/flow that are "above and beyond" the shaft sensor and spicing this(the composite of three separate areas) new "out of range" signal into the warning horn system..........works on paper anyway!!

You could just do what I did. Keep 3 gallons of oil and gas mix in the old oil tank and use it as a reserve tank for when the main gas tank runs dry. Pump it over to the main tank with an old fuel pump bulb as needed. Theres this one spot I like to go that is 20 miles away and my tank holds 40 miles worth of gas. Not enough margin of error for my tastes.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

You could just do what I did. Keep 3 gallons of oil and gas mix in the old oil tank and use it as a reserve tank for when the main gas tank runs dry. Pump it over to the main tank with an old fuel pump bulb as needed. Theres this one spot I like to go that is 20 miles away and my tank holds 40 miles worth of gas. Not enough margin of error for my tastes.

No doubt good idea, you have a lot of river there and few gas stations that I could see on the banks. I'm sorta jealous I don't get to fish those waters of yours, dam damns in the way, hate trailing that far. But side note, I do point a few down stream and try send them your way when I release. Head some big'uns back up those ladders every once in a while eh? Our "land locked" Chinook keep going over the wall up here.

 

[wired247]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Dont feel too bad. I still have about 20-30 lbs of Chinook salmon in the freezer. Kids are sick of it already. One of my boys was actually gagging eating it the other day.

I always get a kick out those bass fishermen down south bragging up their bass tournaments. Thats not fishing. Fishing is where you catch something you'd actually want to eat and then take it home at the end of the day and not keep it in a live well so you can throw it back in the freakin lake at the end of the day. Might as well be a bowling game.

 

[canoemang]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Fishing is a sport.. whether you eat them or not.

Way to make a blanket statement and ostracize yourself as usual...

 

[alanfox55]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

A couple of things. 1. I will be running Amsoil full syn 100:1 outboard oil formulated to run at 100:1 so I don't think I will be hurting my motor at all if my injector was to fail. 2. I do not have a oil warning system on my motor so depending on that would not work for me. 3. I am not much of a mechanic so installing an oil warning system is not something I would want to do so running a premix of 100:1 is a simple solution for me. One other thing. Airlines have many redundant systems to insure that they don't crash and this is what this is...a redundant back up safety system.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Dont feel too bad. I still have about 20-30 lbs of Chinook salmon in the freezer. Kids are sick of it already. One of my boys was actually gagging eating it the other day.

I always get a kick out those bass fishermen down south bragging up their bass tournaments. Thats not fishing. Fishing is where you catch something you'd actually want to eat and then take it home at the end of the day and not keep it in a live well so you can throw it back in the freakin lake at the end of the day. Might as well be a bowling game.

I for one LOVE to eat black bass and would rather have them than any other. I also catch 'em and love to throw them back because it means I'm getting close to the limit!
I heard fishermen up north wouldn't consider eating a bass........ ??? We don't eat jackfish and consider them trash fish (pickerel) whereas I hear you guys like them...
Anyway, the oil thing is boring. Run it on premix or risk the plastic gear on the Merc---all up to you. Dirty carbs are even riskier, but few people clean them until it's too late it seems.
JBJ

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

I thought they were junk too. I was an OMC man from the get go. But, they are GONE. I still have heart for the little OMC fishing engines. They were rock solid. Merc. never competed there.

Then, we ran a 75 HP (oil injected) Merc. well over 2000 hours with NO issues whatsoever. I was a believer in Black.

We've had nothing but since. All Four Strokes. They have been FLAWLESS!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Alan, So you think advising people to run their motors at an oil ratio (Merc never recommended 100::1) that is not recommended, with an oil that is not recommended (Amsoil was not TCW-III approved, last I heard), is proper?

Not sure I understand that logic.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Alan, So you think advising people to run their motors at an oil ratio (Merc never recommended 100::1) that is not recommended, with an oil that is not recommended (Amsoil was not TCW-III approved, last I heard), is proper?

Not sure I understand that logic.

^+1.

We run nothing but Merc oil and use nothing but Merc Certified Service.

But, I'm sure that there is an oil salesman, out there, that knows better.
There are too many "self proclaimed" Engineers on this board. Yup, they know better.

I have NEVER had an issue by following OEM recommendations. EVER.

 

[racerone]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Fact is that many folks really do not understand " lubrication " in a 2 stroke engine.----Do not know the precision internal parts of a 2 stroke.----Yet they believe the neighbor or words on a bottle of oil.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

I think he's sayin' 100 ta 1 in in tha tank in addition to his oiler. Something all tha mathematicians say will end up at 30 something ta 1. As long as its tha same as he uses in tha oiler. His choice of oil is just that...........I run Klotz or Redline, "sometimes Castor Bean" Turn most of my stuff way north of 9 grand, some close ta 11. Have yet ta have a failure due ta oil........But on plain ole fishin' stuff tha Merc oil is as good as it gets................jmo

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Duke, Alan says to run 100:1 gas oil mix, in case the oiler fails. I do not see the benefit of that, because if the oiler fails, the engine will be underprotected by an unapproved oil. Makes no sense to me.
JMHO...

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Duke, Alan says to run 100:1 gas oil mix, in case the oiler fails. I do not see the benefit of that, because if the oiler fails, the engine will be underprotected by an unapproved oil. Makes no sense to me.
JMHO...

I agree. I wouldn't run it in a cheap WalMart model airplane motor but that's my choice. I also wouldn't run a FULL syn. oil in a steel sleeve motor. It would work IF it has a (workin') rotation sensor/oiler alarm and buzzer that he could hear at 6 grand so it could be brought down ta a lot lower rpm in time ta save tha motor. But at 6 grand and he doesn't here an alarm tha Amsoil had better live up to its claims. It just might be toast without him ever knowing it...............jmo

 

[sam am I]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Okay so a thought here and pardon me if I didn't search the entire board for any and all topics relating to this but, since it appears we're on the path and if we're talking about running 2 cycle oils OTHER then merc's and compnay's OEM RECOMMENDED tcw2/3's products and not running them as per OEM RECOMMENDED at the pre-set mix ratio's AND If your going to run OTHER pre-mix flavors and OTHER ratio's in your tank/engine with the thought of "what if" and "something might break" and "I'll be safe no matter what", or "I might forgot", "I run too slow", or "xxxxxxx", then why not run those one size fits all mixing oils?

You know, the "universal mixes" and just be done with the whole what if gig? Mix up a tank of gas/snake oil and fill up the oiler tank with it and POOF, you're safe no matter what!!! You could forget to add mix to the tank one day and if your pump is still working, you're safe!! You could loose the pump and be turning at the speed of mud or elevendy'thousand RPM's and be safe!! They both can be mixing at some/any ratio at some/any RPM, and you're safe!!It's win win with magic oil, isn't it?

Hehehe, just love stirring the pot, someone has to do it.

 

[Dukedog]

Re: Mercury outboards are junk?

Hehehe, just love stirring the pot, someone has to do it.

That's basically what all oil threads are good for............