Correct Fuel Mixture Help Please ??

gixermark · 29 June 2011, 08:19

Hi All
Been out of boating a few years, just recently picked up a nice 3.4m Zodiac rib with steering etc and a small but lively 30hp, 2 stroke Mariner.

Problem I have is I can't remember the mixture settings the seller advised so hoping someone can help with the following please :

Have a 25 ltr QuickSilver fuel tank ( gauge at one end ) and a new bottle of 2 stroke QuickSilver premium 2-cycle outboard oil. I also have a smallish mixture pot with 1% & 2 -20 then 2% & 1-10 in litres on one side, then 20-200 grams on the other.

If I fill the tank with 25 litres of petrol, how much oil do I need to add? May seem silly but my last engine was 4 stroke & previous to that, a Yamaha 2 stroke but all the instructions included! I don't have any manual's etc with this engine ............

Hope some kind sea - dweller can advise me as if this weather holds, gonna try the boat out on Oxwich Bay ( S.Wales ) this coming Sunday !!!!!

Thanks in advance

Mark

MrLiam · 29 June 2011, 08:22

Hmm sounds confusing im glad my 2 stroke is oil injected so I don't have to mix

The weather seems good this weekend about 20 degrees with only 6mph wind max i'll hopefully be on the water saturday and sunday.

uncle al · 29 June 2011, 08:23

half ltr of oil to five galls of petrol,you will be on about 50.1 please dont run on 100.1 mix

9D280 · 29 June 2011, 08:44

I guess from your comments you have a 25L tank? As Uncle Al says, that is a nice handy way to tremember the mix, however as pumps don't work in gallons any more, and it's always better to add the oil first (mixes better as you pump the fuel in and stops you filling the tank & finding no space for the half litre of oil you'll then need to add!) I did some maths. These are the "oil shots" for the three most common sizes of portable tank:

For an EMPTY tank:
22L tank - 430 ml oil
25L tank - 490 ml oil
30L tank - 585 ml oil

Now, before the rest of you start pulling the maths to pieces, remember you will never actually fully drain a tank, so the lacking couple of ML or so in the rounding errors will be in the dregs of your last fill.

Handy tip: If you have a 22 or 25L tank, you can put a mark on a 500ml fizzy drink bottle (using tap water from your kitchen jug), then it's a simple case of top up it to the line & you can also carry a spare in the boat for a random "no brainer" refuelling at any pump without the hassle of measuring etc.

gixermark · 29 June 2011, 08:51

Thanks all

Blimey, didn't realise it needed so much oil for a 25ltr fuel can !!! At £10.99 for a litre of outboard oil, it is expensive stuff ! Can ANY 2 stroke oil be used or should I stick with the proper outboard, very expensive stuff ?

So, basically it is about 500ml of oil for a full top up of a 25ltr QuickSilver fuel can ....... Correct ?????? Seems an awful lot but................ !!!!!

9D280 · 29 June 2011, 09:00

Having lit the discussion touchpaper, stand well back!

The reason you need so much is that in a 2- stroke you have no sump with a bath of oil to keep things moving. Think of it this way, at the price of the petrol you are displacing, it's not as bad as it could be!

There are three trains of thought on here regarding oil:

1) As long as it says TCW3 on the label, it'll be fine.
2) Has to be branded, for a multitude of reasons that I won't re-iterate here.
3) Buy it in bulk & I'ts nice & cheap.

Personally I like Yamlube, and can get it in voluminous quantities from the local chandlers. I have also used Quicksilver & a "no name" stuff when Yamlube wasn't to hand. I felt the others are a bit "gloopier" and the Yamlube seems to burn cleaner, although that might be down to what I was using the boat for at the time I was using the other oils.

Do a search for "bulk oil" - you'll find all the other discussions.

gixermark · 29 June 2011, 09:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

Having lit the discussion touchpaper, stand well back!

The reason you need so much is that in a 2- stroke you have no sump with a bath of oil to keep things moving. Think of it this way, at the price of the petrol you are displacing, it's not as bad as it could be!

There are three trains of thought on here regarding oil:

1) As long as it says TCW3 on the label, it'll be fine.
2) Has to be branded, for a multitude of reasons that I won't re-iterate here.
3) Buy it in bulk & I'ts nice & cheap.

Personally I like Yamlube, and can get it in voluminous quantities from the local chandlers. I have also used Quicksilver & a "no name" stuff when Yamlube wasn't to hand. I felt the others are a bit "gloopier" and the Yamlube seems to burn cleaner, although that might be down to what I was using the boat for at the time I was using the other oils.

Do a search for "bulk oil" - you'll find all the other discussions.

Thanks for the info, was just reading about the importance of proper oil !
Will have a nose around the net re Yamlube, problem I have is we are very 'land-locked' in Hereford so no Chandlers near!

Searider · 29 June 2011, 13:41

Back to the original post - you want to be putting in 2% oil.

Using your origanal mixture pot that's two and a half pots to a 25 litre tank.

I've got one of those pots and use it for mixing up a gallon at a time.

gixermark · 29 June 2011, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Searider

Back to the original post - you want to be putting in 2% oil.

Using your origanal mixture pot that's two and a half pots to a 25 litre tank.

I've got one of those pots and use it for mixing up a gallon at a time.

Hi Searider

Thanks for the reply.

Can you be a wee bit more specific on how much I should be using with the measure re the 2% side of the mixture pot. Haven't got it in front of me but believe it goes 2,4,6,8 etc ....... what measurment do I use per gallon / Litre ?

Thanks

Mark

gixermark · 29 June 2011, 21:54

Just re read your post Searider, understand what your saying now thanks .... was busy earlier when having a quick read!
25ltr = 2 1/2 fills of my measuring jug.
Cheers
Mark

Poly · 29 June 2011, 22:16

Gixer,

Any OUTBOARD 2-stroke oil (TCW-3 Grade) will be fine. Do not use Scooter/Lawnmower 2 stroke oil - it is designed to run at different temperatures. Depending how much you will use in a season it can work out cheaper to buy in bulk.

jwalker · 30 June 2011, 12:56

It's easy. Take whatever fuel you put into your tank in litres, add three zeros to turn it into mls. eg. 25lts =25,000ml. Now at 100:1 take off 2 zeros - 250mls of oil required. If you want 50:1, double it ie. 500ml.
So, to shorten this at 50:1, take the fuel you put into your tank in litres, double it and add one zero. eg. 15litres of fuel requires 300mls of oil. 12.5lts of fuel requires 250mls of oil. Gotit?

Use any TCW3 oil and it'll be fine. I've got a 100lts of quicksilver for sale very cheap.

9D280 · 30 June 2011, 16:00

How cheap?

I could live with a bit of gloop if the price is right!

gixermark · 30 June 2011, 21:17

Thanks for the replies everyone, got the idea now re correct mixture.

jwalker · 01 July 2011, 09:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

How cheap?

I could live with a bit of gloop if the price is right!

Oops, sorry a correction, it's OMC oil (Johnson). Anyway, 50kwid for a 20ltr drum. PM me if you're interested. Cheers.