bulk oil | Outboard Motor Oil - Part 7

Yamaha SX190

I thought the Yamaha AR190 was top of the line until I took a look at the SX190. Although it is a 19-footer like the AR190, the SX190 is even more spacious in its lay-out. The bow has plenty of seating, cup holders, speakers, and an anchor storage locker. Additional storage can be found in the wet storage compartment on the swim platform.

Even more storage can be found in the oversized in-floor locker. The in-floor locker is ideal for storing towables and water sport gear. In my case, I’d probably use it to store fishing gear. I assume since it’s manufactured by Yamaha, I could use my supply of yamalube to keep the engine running properly.

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Water Skiing

It’s been a long time since I last water skied. As a little kid I would love to go out knee-boarding (it’s similar to wakeboarding, only you kneel on the board instead of standing up) and water skiing on the river near our home. Fishing became more interesting to me in my adult years.

My daughter has now expressed interest in learning how to water ski, so I suppose it’s time to dig out my old skis and give her a few lessons. I’ll need to pick up a new tow rope and clips because I don’t trust that my old ones are safe. Next time I purchase some Evinrude oil I’ll select a new tow rope.

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Easy Oil Spill Solutions

If you’re like me and you take care of all your own boat maintenance, every once in a while you’ll have a spill. Cleaning up an oil spill is much simpler than most people think. In fact, you probably have most of the items you need right in your own home.

Baking soda, for instance, is a natural cleaning agent that soaks up oil. It also absorbs odors extremely well. Baby powder is effective, too. For larger spills, like a leaky bulk oil container, use cat litter. The litter comes in bigger bags so you can spread it more easily over a wide area.

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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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Top Five Fishing Cities: The Twin Cities

Of course Minneapolis and St. Paul made the cut! They are located in the ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes’ aka Minnesota. I have frequented the Twin Cities because they have some of the best freshwater fishing in the nation.

The mighty Mississippi river flows through the cities and offers up a delectable offering of bass, walleyes, muskies, and catfish. You may want to check local regulations, but I’ve had no problems taking out my outboard motorboat filled with 2 cycle oil. Lakes litter the area, so ask locals for some tips. I personally favor White Bear Lake and North Arbor Lake in Hennepin County.

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The Two-Stroke Engine Cycle: Part Three

After reading the two previous blog posts, you’ve probably realized that the piston is the star of the show in the two-stroke engine. It serves three main purposes during the engine cycle. First, it acts as the combustion chamber, pressurizing the mixture of air, gas and Yamaha oil and capturing the power created by the subsequent ignition of that fuel. In addition, the piston also serves as the crankcase when it facilitates the flow of air and fuel into the system via the reed valve.

While all of this is occurring, the piston is also taking the place of the valves as it covers the intake and exhaust ports in the cylinder walls. The multifaceted nature of the piston is what allows for the two-stroke engine’s lightweight and powerful construction. Remember that the piston is under constant tension and doesn’t have a direct source of lubrication, so be sure to be diligent when you’re mixing your gas and oil.

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Pre-Season Snow Mobile Maintenance: Part Four

Since the machine has been idle for some time, the carburetor should be cleaned as well. You can find specialty carburetor cleaning products that are expressly designed for this purpose. While you’re fiddling around in there, be mindful of the inlet needle, as it tends to get stuck in either the open or closed position. Either way, it will spell trouble for your vehicle.

Inspect the throttle to ensure nothing it’s unobstructed and moves easily. The final thing to do is mix some bulk motor oil with the gasoline and fill up the tank. Once again, you’ll want to refer to your owner’s manual to see the manufacturer’s oil specifications. This will also provide you with the proper ratio to use when combining the oil and gasoline.

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Why Buy in Bulk?

If you spend the better part of the summer months out on your boat, it makes sense to invest in some bulk outboard motor oil. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Bulk oil, isn’t that for marinas?” True, but recreational boaters can save significant money by purchasing their oil in bulk too. As long as the oil stays in the container with the cap on, it stays good for an incredible amount of time.

Even if you don’t think you can use the oil by yourself, it makes sense to gather a few of your boating buddies and invest in some bulk oil together. You’ll save hundreds of dollars over the next few boating seasons. And since you can buy bulk oil in gallon bottles, you won’t have to worry about the batch going bad for decades.

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Motor Oil: Understanding the Label

Virtually every oil on the market today is multi-grade oil, meaning it contains additives to maintain viscosity as the engine heats up. As opposed to single-grade oil, such as Evinrude XD 100, you can use premium multi-grade oil in a variety of climates. Most people are familiar with the _W-__ labeling on motor oil, and this actually will tell you the oil’s viscosity as different temperatures.

The number before the ‘W’ indicates the cold viscosity rating, while the second number is the hot. For example, 10W-40 would be the equivalent to 10-rated oil in the cold and a no more than a 40 when the temp outside heats up. This rating is also used to grade the oil: 0W-30, 0W-40 and 5W-40 are fully synthetic; 5-W-30, 10W-40 and 15W-40 are semi-synthetic; 10W-40 and 15W-40 are mineral.

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Winterizing Your Boat: Part Four

In an early post in this series I said to drain all of the fuel from the tank. This is a necessary procedure, but there are two schools of thought when it comes to what to do after this process. Some manufacturers say to disconnect the fuel hose and run the engine until all of the fuel is gone and leave the boat in that condition for storage. Others say to refill the tank with fuel and add a fuel treatment product to prevent condensation from building in the tank.

If you take the latter route, you will obviously want to make sure you add the proper ratio of outboard motor oil as well. The best way to determine which method to employ is simply to consult your owner’s manual. During the process of preparing the fuel tank, however, you will always want to change the fuel filters and the water separators.

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Boat Ownership: Part Four

Every boat—at least the ones manufactured after 1972—comes with a distinct Hull Identification Number (HIN) which is etched onto the transom. The HIN, which is a series of 12 letters and numbers, gives your boat a unique identity that can be used in the event of theft or a manufacturer recall. Many states require a registration number, which is not the same the State Registration number.

The HIN format changed in 1984, so we’ll cover the most up-to-date criteria. The first three characters specify the manufacturer; the next five are the hull serial number; followed by the date of certification; and the final two numbers are the model year. It’s important to keep your HIN in a safe location so you have it in the event of an emergency. You should always have emergency products and information like life jackets and extra outboard motor oil.

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The Anatomy of the Two-Stroke Engine: Part One

Four-stroke engines are ubiquitous in automobile manufacturing and while you may consider the two-stroke engine an antiquated instrument, it still has myriad uses. From yard tools and dirt bikes to RC toys and outboard motors, the two-stroke engine is still utilized in many smaller vehicles and implements. Before we start to overview the inner workings of the two-stroke engine, let’s highlight a few of its main advantages over its four-stroke counterpart:

~Simple construction: the absence of valves lowers the unit’s weight and minimizes the opportunity for breakdowns.

~More power: since two-stroke engines for every revolution, as opposed to every other revolution, they can generate more power than a four-stroke engine.

~Work in any direction: if you try to operate a four-stroke engine upside-down or sideways, you may encounter problems with oil flow. The gasoline and outboard motor oil are combined in a two-stroke engine, eliminating this problem.

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