2 Stroke Oil | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 7

Lake St. Clair

It should come as no surprise that Michigan is a renowned fishing destination. After all, the state borders the great Lakes. Nestled between Lake Erie and Lake Huron is Lake St. Clair. In my opinion, Lake St. Clair is one of Michigan’s best kept secrets.

St. Clair boasts a fishery stock full of muskie, walleye, perch, crappie, and smallmouth bass. What is most incredible about the lake is that it’s only 11 feet deep on average. Muskies in this lake are frequently over 15 pounds – a rarity – and have been known to weigh over 30 pounds and measure 50 inches in length. If that doesn’t make you want to take your outboard motor with Yamalube 2W oil on an adventure to Lake St. Clair, then I don’t know what will.

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Yamaha PW80

Yamaha is well known for making quality motorcycle and outboard engines. The Yamaha PW80 is a prime example. Typically used in trail midsize trail motorcycles, the PW80 is suitable for tackling bumps and jumps with ease. New riders prefer the PW80 because it is lightweight and easy to handle.

To go into more engine detail, the PW80 runs on unleaded fuel and is a single-cylinder two-stroke. The engine is air-cooled and requires Yamaha 2S oil (or the equivalent). The transmission is a manual three speed operated by foot. All in all, it’s a solid engine that I would recommend to others, particularly motorcycling newcomers.

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Yamaha Two-Stroke Engine Oil

Normally, I’m wary of manufacturers’ claims. After all, they’ve got a product to sell regardless of the quality. That being said, over the years I’ve found Yamaha’s claims to be largely accurate (although they wax more poetic in their descriptions than I would).

For example, Yamaha 2M oil is described by the company as “meet[ing] or exceed[ing] the industry standard when it comes to guarding against power robbing ring stick and carbon build up.” Having used other oils intended for two-stroke engines I have found this to be true. I would also agree with their statement that Yamaha 2M oil provides “superior anti-wear and anti-corrosion protection.” Though Yamaha has proven there is some truth in advertising, I still recommend finding out for yourself.

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Types of Control Mounts

Depending on the boat and engine, controls can be installed using different mount types. The main kinds of mounts are: side, panel or flush, console, binnacle, or top-mount. Typically, side mounts are used in conjunction with mechanical controls on outboard engines. The control box is installed on the boat’s inner wall.

Panel or flush mounts can be used with mechanical and digital controls. The boxes are hidden behind a wall with the handle flush to the wall. Console, binnacle, and top-mount installations likewise can be used for both mechanical and digital controls. Components are usually hidden under decorative housing with the handle attached. You can browse some housing options the next type you pick up synthetic 2 stroke outboard oil.

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Mercury Premium Oil

As those of you who regularly read my blog can tell, I’m a bit of an oil connoisseur. In my many decades of boating I’ve tested a number of products and have come up with a short list of those that really work. At the top of my list is Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil.

I like the Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil for a variety of reasons. First off, the formula exceeds TC-W3 standards. Secondly, I’ve found that its promise of reducing rust and corrosion of internal components is accurate. Finally, using Mercury 2 stroke premium oil provides warranty protection for a number of Mercury manufactured engines.

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Heavy Duty Inflatable Boat

Mercury’s heavy duty inflatable boat series is another “toy” I’d like to check out, but personally have no real use for. Though it can be used for pleasure, the heavy duty inflatable boat is intended to be used by professionals. it can hold up to eight people and plenty of cargo (for which there are straps).

In addition to the cargo straps, the heavy duty inflatable boat comes with aluminum and fiber reinforce polymer floorboards, external carry handles, and an inflatable keel. Grab ropes and bold red fabric improve safety, too. As with other Mercury inflatable boats, the heavy duty models are compatible with engines that take Mercury 2 stroke oil.

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New Johnson Propeller

I’m in the market for a new propeller for my Johnson outboard motorboat. Johnson as an independent brand has not existed for many years; they are currently owned by Evinrude. Though Evinrude stopped producing new Johnson models, the company still carries parts for Johnson motorboats.

I’ve got my eye on an aluminum three blade, standard rotation propeller. The one I’m looking at is die cast with aluminum alloy for greater strength. It has also has baked on corrosion resistant paint. I’ll have to do a bit more research before I make my purchase, but I think that between the propeller and some Evinrude Johnson 2 stroke outboard oil my outboard should be up and running in no time.

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Top Five Fishing Cities: Seattle


Seattle is also a no-brainer addition to the list. I lived just outside Seattle for a number of years and can verify that locals are spoiled with an abundance of delicious fresh salt and freshwater fish. I used to take out my 2 stroke oil engine motorboat on Puget Sound and catch halibut, flounder, cod, and salmon.

Lake Union is teeming with smallmouths, crappies, and perch. Lake Washington has over 100 species of fish, including sockeye salmon. If you’re willing to travel a bit further, steelheads can be caught on the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skagit, and Sauk Rivers. A great fishing daytrip to the Yakima River can yield rainbow trout.

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Pre-Thanksgiving Activities

I hope all you readers had a great Thanksgiving! It’s a tradition in many families to play football before the big meal. It’s a time of family bonding, but more importantly (according to my wife) it keeps the kids and men-folk out of the kitchen while the women finish preparing the meal.

Since we’re a boating family, we usually forgo football and head for the water. This year we took out two outboard motors. The teenagers earned the right to drive the boats by demonstrating to us “old timers” that they knew how to prep the boat by checking the Yamaha 2S oil levels and whatnot.

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Beneficial Properties of Synthetic Oil

There are boaters who believe that using synthetic oil instead of regular oil is akin to using margarine instead of butter. It may look the same, but does it really do the trick? As a former doubter, I can attest to the beneficial properties of synthetic oil.

Several years ago I made the switch to synthetic 2 stroke outboard oil. I learned that many synthetic oils are made with ash-less components to prevent fouling. The anti-gel properties also proved better than the regular oil I was using. Plus, the synthetic oil came dyed blue which made detecting the oil in fuel a lot easier.

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Whacky Weather Brings Early Winter Fun

As you may have heard, right around Halloween the northeastern United States got smacked with several feet of snow. My cousins live up north and they were out of power for more than a week. Schools were closed, public transportation shut-down – things were simply at a stand still.

Lucky for my cousins, they had already started getting their snowmobiles ready for the winter season. When the snow stopped falling, they checked the snowmobile oil levels, revved up their engines, and went out for several days of fun. They weren’t alone either; a bunch of other young people had the same idea, too!

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Cleaning Mercury Marine Carburetor, Part III

In continuing from yesterday… Now that the carburetor is completely clean it’s time to reinstall all the parts that were removed. Start with the jets, then the fuel bowls and carburetor, and then tighten the screws. Check to make sure everything is secure and that none of the parts got dinged during cleaning.

Your carburetor should now function perfectly. Hopefully, while working on the carburetor you took a few minutes to check out other parts of your boat. Checking the level of Mercury 2 stroke premium outboard motor oil, for instance, is an important part of boat upkeep.

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