Re: Why can't i run my new 15hp 2stroke merc on 100:1 after it's broke in?
I whole heartedly agree with you charlie,it's def a lack of people taking care of their motors.On the other hand i def take care of mine like new.Change the plugs once a yr,change the lower unit oil once a yr and the impeller once a yr ,also grease the fittings and your motor will be bulletproof.I also flush my motor everytime whether in salt or freshwater and i also put a anti corrosion lube on it after every time i use it and it looks like factory condition.I use some stuff called sentry fuel treatments also that is just unreal stuff as far as if you get water in your system,i think imo it's the best fuel treatment around and can be found in fl.I also run non ethanol gas as i go to the marina and get it.I do run 50:1 in all my motors,i was just trying to understand why 100:1 can't be ran without hurting it.I will just stick to a 50:1 in all my motors no matter what.I do everything i possiblely can to make sure my motors run right for a long time.
I have never heard that before.That you can't run full synthetic oil in a small outboard that is fully false whoever said that.I have ran full synthetic oil in every small outboard i have ever owned up to 25hp.Plus that is also false about the optimax as they make non synthetic oil for them also.You can run reg walmart super tech in your optimax if you want as there is a ton of people who do so and have no problems.The optimax is no different then the etec and they both can be ran on reg tcw3 oil,would i do that probally not because that is just me.If you read the label on reg walmart tcw3 oil it states on there it can be used for direct injected motors or premix.If i owned a bigger motor again like my 70hp yamaha 2 stroke i would use full synthetic oil in it.When i buy my new 25hp outboard here soon whether it's a new 25hp 2stroke merc or the 25hp etec i will run my own oil and not theirs but it will be full synthetic oil no matter what.Everyone has their opinions on this and to be frank no one is really wrong as you can run whatever oil you choose as it will all work at the right ratio.
Synthetics will not hurt any motor anytime.I ran full synthetics in a brand new 9.8 tohatsu 2stroke for 9yrs and it works just as good as the day i bought it.The compression on both cylinders is perfect.If you were to ask anyone this question they would tell you the same.Very few people i know don't even run the reg tcw3 oil anymore not to say it's bad as i have used walmart super tech oil for many yrs as others have and have never had a problem.I choose to run full synthetic oil for a bunch of reasons,one is it's biodegradable,2 it produces way less smoke,3 it has darn near 0 carbon buildup so you don't have to decarb,4 it protects way better then dino oil.Whether one guy is right or not i will take my chances on always using synthetics in everything i own all the way down to a weed wacker.Until i see one failure due to synthetic oil then it will never change my mind.I have never in my life heard of anyone using small outboards that has had a problem with full synthetic tcw3 oil.Like i said give it a few more yrs and there will be nothing but synthetics in the boat industry.
So your limited experience running small hp engines is the total sum of knowledge available to you. Too bad, because experience is a very expensive teacher.
For instance, many engines that require a period of ring seating never reach their peak potential because a high film strength oil (synthetic) is used before the rings are seated. They run. They don't blow up. They just never get there first.
I run full synth in my XR4 for all the reasons you cite. I run PennZoil, which is as good as Amzoil for the application, and about half the price.
AmZoil makes some wild claims, like you can run it at 100:1 in an engine designed for 50:1 and save money. Engine rebuilders love that one. The fact is that the oil ratio needed is a function of engine design and application. My 1940's Graham Paige 5 HP rototiller engine, if I ran Amzoil in it, would require 16:1, just like it did with when the oil available was straight 30 dino oil. The plugs would last longer, though.
My reasonably high performance chain saws gets Jaso FC or better oil. It isn't cheap, but oil related failures just don't happen. That's the oil the manufacturer requires.
