Oil for old Evinrude Outboards

[biglurr54]

I have two 1989-90 Evinrude outboards. one 120hp and one 30hp. I disabled the VRO oil mixing and premix all my gas 50:1. In the past i have run XD30 and XD50 purchased from my Evinrude dealer. I noticed the Walmart has Evinrude oil now but its not labeled the same. I dont mind paying a premium on the oil to ensure that th motors last a long time but getting to the Evinrude dealer is difficult as my local one shut down and the next closest one is an hour an a half away. Is the Evinrude Mass market oil just as good for my old motors?

 

[dingbat]

Is the Evinrude Mass market oil just as good for my old motors?

Depends on what Evinrude oil it is.

My motor hates XD 30. Loves XD 50 and Pennzoil Premium Plus. Most local auto parts stores carry the Pennzoil.

For what it’s worth look for on-line oil distributors. Buying case lots on-line is a lot cheaper than any of the local suppliers

 

[TrueNorthist]

Anecdotally speaking, for many years I had great results running the Castrol super outboard from Wallymart. Decent quality, reasonable price/4 litre jug. At 50:1 premix your using significantly more oil than the VRO would supply. Unlikely you'll get more wear than is expected. I also deleted the VRO on my 70 years ago.

I bought a 205 litre drum of 2 cycle oil from the local PetroCan cardlock this season. No opinion on it yet but I'm paying about half per litre. Cheaper than store/generic stuff and petrocan is high quality. Cases of 4 x 4 litre jugs of pennzoil etc online will likely be ~25% possibly less than cheapest Walmart tc-w3 if you shop around. Yes, I go through a lot of it.

 

[biglurr54]

Anecdotally speaking, for many years I had great results running the Castrol super outboard from Wallymart. Decent quality, reasonable price/4 litre jug. At 50:1 premix your using significantly more oil than the VRO would supply. Unlikely you'll get more wear than is expected. I also deleted the VRO on my 70 years ago.

I bought a 205 litre drum of 2 cycle oil from the local PetroCan cardlock this season. No opinion on it yet but I'm paying about half per litre. Cheaper than store/generic stuff and petrocan is high quality. Cases of 4 x 4 litre jugs of pennzoil etc online will likely be ~25% possibly less than cheapest Walmart tc-w3 if you shop around. Yes, I go through a lot of it.

Are you mixing 50:1? My motor is always running rough at low idle and i believe it is fouled plugs. I decarbon the engine half way through the season every year and that helps. I wonder if its the overload of oil is building up carbon or fouling the plugs which makes it run rough.

 

[TrueNorthist]

Indeed, my 70 exhibits similar behaviour mixing at 50:1 at times, but giving the plugs a quick wash in lacquer thinner smartens things up nicely. I should note I run BUZHW-2 (NGK) gap-less plugs, which not only provides a very crisp spark by allowing the coil a few milliseconds more time to build a charge, but they also foul much more slowly and are very easy to clean. Premium (94 oct) alcohol free fuel also helps immensely, as does ensuring absolutely zero fuel system leaks, clean carbs and correct linkage settings.

My engine indicates 19º btdc, but I've found 21º, combined with high octane fuel and gap-less plugs, works very well for this engine. Your results will likely vary, so...

Exercise great caution when tuning beyond recommended specs.

 

[TrueNorthist]

I forgot to mention something else that may be pertinent: I completely deleted the entire diaphragm driven fuel pump assy, and built a low pressure (3-5 psi) electric fuel pump setup, key run powered by a standard relay and including a pressure relief valve line running back to the tank. (that never actually relieves itself but helps me sleep at night) If anything I get tons more room for monkeying around and very consistent pressure/flow with a clear, audible indication of fuel delivery.

Been running it ~7 years now with no issues whatsoever. I carry a spare pump in case this one quits, but it's the Energizer bunny. This motor has ~6000 hrs on it, likely more, without piston/cylinder overhaul. Aftermarket reeds and block too.

85 Johnson formerly VRO 70. Did 25+ years on the foam, now retired to lake duty, and loving it.