Mercury Marine’s Latest Offer

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September is a bittersweet month for many boaters; when the cool winds begin to blow, we know it won’t be long before it’s time to take those small vessels out of the water and into storage for winterization. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in an area where there’s open water all year long, these same thoughts are probably running through your head. Mercury Marine, manufacturers of the two-cycle OptiMax engines, has timed its latest promotion with the end of the boating season in mind.

With its “Trade Up America” event, Mercury is offering sizable rebates – ranging from $300 to $1,000 – when boat owners upgrade to a fuel-efficient OptiMax outboard. According to one Mercury representative, the event has been timed to coincide with the start of the winterizing process, when boat owners are starting to think ahead about next year. The offer is valid through Halloween.

It wasn’t long ago that outboard motor manufacturers came under fire from the Environmental Protection Agency, inspiring them to up their fuel-efficiency standards. These days, Mercury engine oil is specially formulated to meet rigorous lubricity and viscosity guidelines. The net effect is that engines like the OptiMax can run with tremendous power and efficiency, all without taking a serious toll on the environment.

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Never Mess with a Biker’s Oil

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My father’s motorcycle club is called the Black Bandits. A group of burly old men in their fifties, they wear – or should I say squeeze into – leather pants, jean jackets and colorful bandanas. They ride around our small town every Sunday, revving their engines, racing through the streets and howling like coyotes. All of this is actually embarrassing to admit, but it’s also something I need to vent about.

During the workweek they tune their bikes at Dale’s Greasy Garage down on Oleander Street. And as they work they are notorious for pulling pranks on each other. One day Curly Sue replaced Dad’s Mercury engine oil with olive oil, and that’s when all the drama unfolded. In retaliation, he filled Sue’s tailpipe with Cheetos and maple syrup. The chaos of it all went back and forth for weeks until one day Dad said, “Let’s make call it truce, only if you agree never to mess with my oil again, it’s just plain wrong!” And the rest is history.

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The Many Functions of Oil

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Last Christmas my family and I voyaged to the exciting land of Zimbabwe. It was our goal to focus on the true spirit of the season – loving and caring – instead of becoming caught up in presents and Santa Clause like the rest of the population. We figured it was about time to spend time with some people who were less fortunate than us, and strive to make a difference in their lives. Looking back now, it was them who inspired us.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the leader of the tribe, Mocco Umbaba. He showed us to our sleeping quarters, which were tents made out of burlap canvas and oil barrels. As it turns out, Zimbabwe can get rather windy from time to time and the weight of the oil containers keeps the cloth tents from collapsing. I was completely blown away by the simplicity and functionality of their solution. After returning to the United States, I purchased several gallons of Yamaha 2w oil – I knew its heavy-duty composition was right for the job – and began testing ways I could use my purchase for something other than its intended function.

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Exploring the Used Outboard Market

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While some boat owners are beginning to think about winterizing their crafts, others are plotting well ahead for next spring. If your outboard engine has recently gone kaput, you might be tempted to look for a brand new motor. In fact, it may be a better plan to scan the market for used engines from such quality names as Yamaha, Evinrude and Mercury. These motors have proven dependable over the years, but of course they should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Magazines like Consumer Reports are especially helpful guides to evaluating an engine’s dependability, and you might also get some insight from online product reviews. Age and use are perhaps the two most important factors to consider, but they should not be confused. The age of the engine is only relevant insofar as you’ll need to know the proper formulation of oil to use. Most quality motors manufactured in the 1990s or later will use a TC-W3 formulation of two cycle outboard oil.

For obvious reasons, an engine will decrease in value as its use increases. Pay special attention to the number of hours run rather than miles. Although a well-worn motor might work out fine for a while, it will no doubt require frequent maintenance and there’s little guarantee it will run without incident.

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Ethanol Presents Unique Boating Quandary

ethanol-main

You might remember ethanol from chemistry class. The colorless fluid, derived from corn, is occasionally used for flammability demonstrations in American schools. Lately the substance has come under fire in a figurative sense as well, having the sparked the rage of some boating enthusiasts. Ethanol-based fuels, marketed as E10 or E15 depending on its actual blend, have been known to do serious damage to fuel tanks and lines.

But corn lobbyists, who are appealing to the Environmental Protection Agency about the dangers of standard outboard oil, would like to turn the ethanol debate into an environmental litmus test. Although their claims that ethanol reduces dependency on fossil fuels – however slightly – is true, this viewpoint fails to take the consequences into account. As a solvent, ethanol dissolves rubber and absorbs water, gumming up a boat’s fuel system.

While E10 is not necessarily detrimental to car fuel tanks, which are filled and emptied at a rapid clip, the same is not true for boat tanks. A boat might sit for weeks or even months at a time without use, and any dormant ethanol inside will eat away slowly at the fuel system. For the time being, most boaters agree that traditional marine engine oil still works best, especially since it has been reformulated for better efficiency and eco-friendliness.

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Summertime Fun on a Boat

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One of my favorite summertime activities is piling all of my friends and family on my neighbor’s beautiful Sea Ray boat. The Sun Devil II, as he calls it due to his stint at Arizona State University, is a sleeper boat clad with a mini kitchen and bathroom. Up top it sits about eight people comfortably, and 10 or more party style. It’s a great luxury to live next to the water, especially when you’re a boat lover like me. It seems that every holiday we’re gathered on the Sun Devil II once again, taking on a new adventure.

Of all my favorable memories on my neighbor’s boat, there was one unfortunate day of misfortune. It was an extremely hot and humid day, ideal conditions for boating. We had all jumped into the boat early in the day; we wanted to claim the best spot on the water. And after an hour of searching, we had found it. We casted our anchor and unpacked our lunch, relaxing in the summer sun. The trouble began when we went to start the boat up again. It made a horrible churning noise and began spouting black smoke. It turns out we had left one important thing back on shore, a sufficient amount of boat motor oil.

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Two-Stroke Engine Care with Yamalube

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Yamaha’s signature brand of oil is designed for the most grueling conditions both in and out of the water. Yamalube two-stroke engine oil is used in outboard motors, dirt bikes, lawnmowers, snowmobiles and several smaller gas powered appliances. Unlike other two-stroke engine oils, Yamalube oil is so potent that it can help to repair and prevent engine damage.

While all Yamalube oil is formulated for performance, the additive packages in different oil formulations are designed for specific stress loads. Each blend of Yamalube oil must accommodate the needs of the engine. For example, Yamalube two-stroke outboard oil needs to be able to lubricate the engine for hours of operation at full throttle and low throttle, while Yamalube two-stroke oil for dirt bikes needs to be able to stand up to frequent and intense acceleration.

For owners who want their two-stroke engine to operate at its best, Yamalube is the oil of choice. Those looking for a little extra kick would be wise to invest in Yamaha fuel additives, like the Yamaha Ring Free additive, which helps prevent ring stick and wear, while also cleaning carbon and varnish deposits from the engine.

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A Little Time and Effort

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For the most part, automotive maintenance is incredibly simple. The majority of drivers are hardly car experts; they only need to know a few basic precautionary measures. As long as they get the oil changed every 3,000 miles and follow any serious imperatives broached by their mechanic, things work out fine. But a car engine should never be confused with an outboard, which requires more maintenance by its very nature.

In fact, avid boaters should perform a series of simple steps at the end of every trip. First of all, the engine should be flushed. Salt water can be especially corrosive to the motor’s interior parts, but freshwater can wreak havoc as well. Just restart the engine and watch as the water pump recycles the fluid. Take this opportunity to evaluate the water pump for level of flow.

Next, disconnect the fuel line from the engine and allow any excess fuel to be burned. This will ensure that the entire fuel system is cleaned out and ready to go for your next excursion. Top off the engine with plenty of Yamaha 2m oil in order to guarantee that your outboard is in fine working order. These steps might seem like a hassle at first, but they’ll become routine before long. If a few extra minutes of maintenance work can add months or years to the life of your outboard, isn’t it worth the time and effort?

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What Is Lubricity?

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Yesterday’s discussion of TC-W3 brought a few terms to the fore that might have been unfamiliar to novice boaters. Seeing as how it’s so important to understand every facet of your outboard motor in order to get the most out of it, it’s time to define some terms. Some people have a tendency to confuse lubricity with viscosity when in fact they are two entirely different principles.

When considered in a bulk outboard motor oil context, viscosity refers to the thickness of the fluid. Oil must be viscous enough to stand up to the intense heat created during the combustion process; otherwise it will fail to coat the hot engine adequately. On the other hand, if the oil is too viscous it can create blockages in the fuel system and make the boat ineffective for cold starts.

Lubricity is a bit tougher to define, but it’s equally important in terms of maximizing outboard motor performance. To put it in a rudimentary way, lubricity measures an oil’s capacity to lubricate against wear and tear. In the course of its normal operation, an engine generates plenty of friction. This combination of intense heat and pressure can be detrimental to a motor that isn’t properly lubricated.

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TC-W3: What Does It Test?

nmma

Today we conclude our two-part series on the TC-W3 oil certification program, which is headed up by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. As discussed previously, the goals of creating a new two-cycle marine oil standard were two-fold: to reduce the number of pollutants released into the environment and to make engines more sustainable by reducing the mixture ratio to fuel.

Any two-stroke oil on the market today that bears the TC-W3 stamp of approval either meets or exceeds rigorous lubrication requirements that are set by the NMMA. The NMMA performs a series of tests such as fluidity, viscosity and lubricity. In addition, the association looks for carbon buildup on the pistons, which can be a sign that the oil isn’t doing its job.

If you’re in the market for a fresh bottle of outboard motor oil, you could do worse than making your ultimate decision based on TC-W3 certification. The leading two-cycle motor oil brands such as Mercury, Evinrude and Yamaha, all feature specific offerings that make the grade. The blend of additives present in Mercury oil is especially highly touted boat enthusiasts across the country.

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TC-W3: Setting the Standard

Yamalube oilIf you’ve been shopping around for outboard oil lately, you’ve probably noticed a small indicator on the label, proclaiming that the oil meets “TC-W3” standards. But what does this designation really mean? As one might expect, TC stands for two-cycle. The W is merely standing in for water-cooled. And the 3 simply means that it’s the third formulation of oil for two-cycle, water-cooled engines.

Now that you’ve learned to crack this cryptic motor oil code, it’s time to look in depth at how the TC-W3 standard is determined and which outboard oils make the grade. Two-stroke marine engines are characterized by the way they blend oil and fuel, thus providing lubrication for the engine even as it’s functioning. For many years, people mistakenly believed that this oil-fuel mixture would become archaic due to its environmental impact.

Luckily, the big-time competitors in the two-cycle market – Yamaha, Evinrude and Mercury – took the issue to heart and worked to create an oil formulation that would reduce mixture ratio to fuel and keep an engine running strong. That new formulation is known as TC-W3, and today’s Yamaha oil easily makes the grade. Bear in mind that the old motor oil lying around in your garage or shed might not be appropriate for outboards made after 1992. Consult the outboard manual for more information on the topic of oil compatibility.

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E-TEC Engine: Let’s Get Specific

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Yesterday we talked generally about the Evinrude E-TEC engine and its environmental benefits over the 2-stroke outboards that came before. Today we’ll focus our attention on the inner workings of the E-TEC injector. As most boaters know, air is the enemy of lubrication. Well aware that a well-lubricated engine runs longer and smoother, the makers of the E-TEC designed the engine to recirculate fuel through the injector while also keeping air out.

Obviously, machines that feature fewer moving parts pose a smaller threat of breaking down. Compared to other models, the E-TEC has one-fourth the number of total parts. The oil reservoir marked another crucial improvement. The automatic oiling system feeds a 1.8 liter tan, which stores enough oil to last 40 hours of routine recreational use. It’s imperative, however, that the E-TEC is fed a steady diet of Evinrude oil or some other quality TC-W3. Even though these engines boast a large fuel tank and a recirculation system, that’s no excuse to skimp on all-important lubrication.

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