TCW3 oils

[HavToNo]

I have a 1984 70hp Evinrude and was wondering if all TCW3 oils are the same. I've been using EVINRUDE/JOHNSON XD-30. Are the cheaper ones as good or should I keep using the good stuff.

 

[awe1979]

Re: TCW3 oils

You can never go wrong with johnson oil. I dont like the cheap stuff. Buts that just me. This is the only oil these motors get so I dont mind paying for a name brand.

 

[F_R]

Re: TCW3 oils

No, they are not all the same. There is no magic formula for TC-W3. The National Marine Manufacturers Association is the certifying organization. All that is required to be certified is that the oil pass a series of their tests. It doesn't matter what the oil is made of, or how it is made, just so it passes the performance tests. You can read up on it at www.nmma.org

 

[Texasmark]

Re: TCW3 oils

Dunno what the big deal is over TCW3 oil is. I have a service manual for '97 up and it says that for my 90 hp engine 2 or 3 is ok. Dunno the difference but that's what it says.

So oil is like beer. Go to the store and the counter is lined with this gadget and that gadget...beer, bread, cooking oil, or engine oil.

Looks to me like a money maker for the mfgrs of the product.

Mark

 

[muskyjim]

Re: TCW3 oils

For my 1979 70hp Johnson, I have been using Johnson marine 2cycle oil. I'm no tree hugger, but, I really don't like to see an oil slick behind my boat or anyone else's. Someone suggested that if I switch to a synthetic marine blend 2 cycle oil, the oil slick behind my boat would be bio- degradeable. Is this correct?
I've looked in some of the familar places I usually would find my marine supplies and have not seen any synthetics. Any other suggestions?

 

[F_R]

Re: TCW3 oils

Pennzoil makes 100% synthetic TC-W3 outboard oil. I get mine at Wal-Mart. It smokes a whole lot less and they say it is Bio-Degradable. I did a little experiment where I flicked a couple of drops of conventional fuel/oil on the water and the slick spread clear across the river. Doing the same thing with fuel containing 100% synthetic and the slick spread out about 6 ft and disappeared. That plus the lack of smoke and I'm sold on it.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: TCW3 oils

Here's the Pennzoil oil:

pennzoil.com/products/marine/100pcSynth2cycle.html

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: TCW3 oils

Even the Pennzoil semi-synthetic is much better when it comes to smoke. I also buy it at Walmart...

 

[samo_ott]

Re: TCW3 oils

Is the semi biodegradable? I guess only partly huh?

 

[kynolan2183]

Re: TCW3 oils

I only use the penz synth. because i have had great idle and top end with it.
I also have a 1984 70 hp evinrude and i was forced one time to use something else and it ran like crap. This is my third older evinrude and they seem to all have run great on the blue gold from the bright yellow bottle.
I also like it because I have a clear inline filter and I can check it and easily see junk in the filter. The quick silver stuff just makes the gas darker and harder to see junk in the filter.

kyle

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: TCW3 oils

You can't get TCW-2 anymore. But TCW-3 is just TCW-2 with more anti-carboning agents anyhow. Regardless, anything you get now is better than was available then. Even the cheap stuff.

TCW-3 is a minimum requirement kinda thing. More expensive oils "tend" to have more and better additives.

 

[S2100]

Re: TCW3 oils

Will the synthetic oil also keep the engine from building carbon as well?Johnson/Evinrude recommend Carbon Guard in every tank or Engine Tuner every 50 hours to alleviate carbon buildup.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: TCW3 oils

Actually the source of carbon isn't so much the oil as the gas. Gas with alcohol will produce more carbon than straight gas. So that is another reason to stay away from alcohol-blended gas. TCW-3 should effectively replace the need to add Carbon Guard. It's kinda why they made the upgrade from TCW-2. The biggest advantages to synthetics is their flowability at low temperatures (which isn't much of an issue with boats), and generally less smoke.

 

[iwombat]

Re: TCW3 oils

Castrol makes a full synthetic too.

 

[HavToNo]

Re: TCW3 oils

Thanks for all the info guys. I think I'll try the Pennzoil synthetic. We have a new Wall Mart just down the street. My motor is in good shape for 23 yrs old (140-145 compression on all three cylinders) and I'd like to keep it this way.

 

[S2100]

Re: TCW3 oils

Actually the source of carbon isn't so much the oil as the gas. Gas with alcohol will produce more carbon than straight gas. So that is another reason to stay away from alcohol-blended gas. TCW-3 should effectively replace the need to add Carbon Guard. It's kinda why they made the upgrade from TCW-2. The biggest advantages to synthetics is their flowability at low temperatures (which isn't much of an issue with boats), and generally less smoke.

Thanks Willy,

 

[Johnson110]

Re: TCW3 oils

How much does the pennzoil go for at walmart? I get Mercury premium plus bulk 1 gallon for abot $13.00!

 

[Marc III]

Re: TCW3 oils

The Pennzoil synthetic blend is $12 and some change at my local SC Wal-Mart. I've decided to try it in my oil-injected Yammy. I premix my Johnson with the cheap stuff.

 

[Marc III]

Re: TCW3 oils

Are these oil threads popular because they're of common interest or does everybody expect them to flame up as they've been known to do in the past?

 

[ziemann]

Re: TCW3 oils

Very often you see the oil threads started by folks that are new to the forums. They don't bother to research using the search button...

With that being said, I have never understood why oil sparks such heated debate..... And it's not just here on iboats that you see so many oil threads.