What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Cool_Hand_Lew · Dec 2, 2003

I have a 1995 Four Winns Fling with an OMC 115 V4 jet drive. I don' trust the oil injection and I have removed the oil tank. What ratio sould I mix the oil? Can extra oil harm anything besides the spark plug? The previous owner was mixing the oil with the gas at 16 to 1.

Bob in Calif. · Dec 2, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

50:1 is the correct mixture for your engine. 16 ounces of oil to each 6 gallons of gasoline is the proper brew. The 16:1 will impede your engine performance and could lead to problems, such as not reaching and running in the normal operating range, which will shorten your engine life. ...Bob in Calif... ps: Welcome aboard

LubeDude · Dec 3, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

there is no doubt in my mind that you should be using a quality synthetic oil for this aplication! Being a jet you are pushing it to the limits all the time! Ive seen how you guys like to jump wakes and the like, sometimes the jets are out of the water and causing over revs a lot!! Synthetics will just protect you engine better! Im an Amsoil fan and would suggest the S2000 at 50:1, But there are several synthetics on the market!! If warranty is an issue (Probably not with the injection removed and being second hand) This oil is not TCW rated! Will do a fine job for you though! LubeDude

navigator336 · Dec 3, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

If the engine has been run at 16:1 for awhile, I'd run some OMC "Engine Tuner" through it. What happens with any 2 stroke is carbon builds up in the cylinder and on the piston. Eventually, the rings will bind in the grooves and not move as the engine temp changes. This will effect performance and engine longevity. Follow the directions on the can. If you can't find OMC's stuff, Mercury sells a similar product.

DeanL · Dec 3, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Get with LubeDude and try the Amsoil. I tried it and my plugs have never been so clean. Less smoke too! Dean

LubeDude · Dec 3, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Thanks Dean, usually all I ever get is critisism! LubeDude

Doug Durako · Dec 4, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Cool Hand---you sure the former owner was not running with 16 ounces of oil per one tank of gas? Did he have the auto-oiler hooked up? I ran a Yamaha two-stroke for 5 years with separate oil setup and never had any issues---maybe Yammies have a better setup.

Cool_Hand_Lew · Dec 5, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

ddboater, the previous owner had the oil injection tank in the boat but he had it disconnected. A friend of mine and I put some of the gas the previous owner mixed in a glass jar and it looked really strong. The previous owner told me several times extra oil is good and will make the engine last longer and that he always mixed it at a ratio of 16 parts of gas to one part oil. I have heard the only reasons the gas to oil ratio was changed to 50 : 1 was to reduce air pollution and to keep 2 cycles from being banned by the EPA. I do recall that in the 1970's most all ratios for all type of 2 strokes were about twice as much oil as they are now.

LubeDude · Dec 5, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

I dont know who the guy you bought the boat from was listening to, or who it is you are listening to, but it sounds like the same guy and he is full of B.S.!!! The mix ratio for your 115 powerhead is 50:1!! Be it Regular or synthetic! More oil isnt better, and it wasnt polution controls that changed the mix ratios!! It is a clearence issue and better oils!! LubeDude

Cool_Hand_Lew · Dec 6, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Some people think 50:1 is a little lean. dharrin1 wrote: "In Rochester there is an outboard repair man -Bill Mayer-who has worked in this profession since the forties.He is in his late seventies now.The thing he told me about fuel mix is that he never saw a fried engine without a waterpump problem until people started changing their mix from 1:32 to 1:50.Those are my two bits of opinion. 2002-03-22"

LubeDude · Dec 8, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

"HES IN HIS LATE SEVENTIES NOW" Things change, old ideas die hard! Like I said, use a Good synthetic oil at 50:1 and have fun and dont worry!!

LubeDude

rickdb1boat · Dec 8, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

If the manufactuer recommends 50:1, then that's what you run. They know what ratio to run for optimum performance and engine life, as they did design the engine. Sure, before 1965 or so, they recommended either 16:1 or 24:1 because the bearing were different in those engines. Maybe that's where that 70 year old Mech. gets his thinking. 50:1!

Lark40 · Dec 8, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Johnson and Evinrude went to 50:1 with the 1964 model year. I think Mercury was already there.

Doug Durako · Dec 11, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Cool Hand---I was just surprised that you Four Winns would even run with a 16:1 mix. Sounds like it would smoke almost as much as my mother- in-law used to.

Cool_Hand_Lew · Dec 12, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

It did smoke some at 16:1 but not anymore than my 2 stroke dirt bike. Since boat engines cost so much more than pickup engines, I think I will get some full synthetic 2 stroke oil of some kind like at Wal-Mart (or where ever it is cheapest) and run my boat engine at 25:1 or 32:1. I still don't trust an oil injector pump and I plan to mix the gas and oil 5 gallons at a time in a gas can. I just don't believe in the magic engines they swtiched to in 1965 that only need half the lubrication they did the year before.

akriverrat · Dec 13, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

my 1985 40hp yamaha was 100:1 after breakin. last year they ran pre-mix instead of oil injection on non electric start tiller steer. was real hard for me to mix that lean.

Cool_Hand_Lew · Dec 13, 2003

Re: What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Akriverrat, it seems to me that Yamaha doesn't want their engines to last too long before you have to buy a new one. There is no damned way I would ever mix two-stroke oil at 100:1.

What Oil to Gas Ratio Should I Run?

Cadet

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Admiral

Petty Officer 1st Class

Cadet

Admiral

Chief Petty Officer

Cadet

Admiral

Cadet

Admiral

Supreme Mariner

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Chief Petty Officer

Cadet

Chief Petty Officer

Cadet