Tips to Choose the Right Outboard Motor Oil and Fuel

If you want to keep having water adventures in your boat, you need to keep your boat’s engine in good working condition. For that, you need to use the right type of outboard motor oil and fuel to increase its lifespan and improve its performance. Does your boat have a two-stroke or four-stroke outboard engine? Your choice of oil and fuel depends on the type of outboard engine your boat has, as each system functions differently. You can combine oil with fuel in a two-stroke outboard engine to lubricate it. The oil burns with the fuel and goes out of the exhaust system. The oil lubricates a four-stroke outboard engine, and the oil is continuously pumped from the sump and returned to it. The latest outboard motor oil engine models are environmentally friendly with long lifespans and decreased emissions.

These state-of-the-art technologies place a lot of pressure on the engine’s lubricants, hence making it critical to select the right oil and fuel for your boat’s engine. You shouldn’t use car motor oil in a four-stroke boat engine. The main concern boat owners have corrosion due to their watercraft being in the water constantly, and a normal car motor oil can’t handle the water. If used, it will corrode your boat’s engine. Four-stroke engines also perform faster than automobile engines and spend a lot of time operating at high speed. Boat engines can stay in good condition for a long duration during the time your boat is not in use. You’ll need to use an outboard motor oil that comes recommended by the manufacturer of the engine.

You can also buy oil with the logo of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). The association tests and certifies oils to make sure they meet the needs of the outboard engine. To determine the correct outboard motor oil, use the following list — TC-W3 oils for two-stroke engines, FC-W for four-stroke engines, and FC-W catalyst compatible for four-stroke engines with an exhaust after-treatment substance. Next, you need to use the right fuel. Sticking to using E10 or 10-percent ethanol is recommended because E15 or 15 percent ethanol can damage your boat’s engine, and it also exceeds the standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For retailers choosing to sell E15, they need to put warning labels at their fuel pump. For this reason, pay attention to the type of fuel you’re adding to your boat. It’s good to inform you, so you can make your boat’s engine last several years.