Outboard motor oil

[phamf]

The manual says 10w30. Is is safe to use regular oil for cars on our 4 stroke outboards? Any thoughts?

[fishkisser]

Its not quite the same but will work if its all you have at the time ...
Outboard oil is a little more forgiving in the heat department ...

[baitsauce]

I use Valvoline 30wt. I never have been a fan of multi-weight motor oil. All 10w30 is is 10 weight oil with thickeners added. My opinion when the 30 weight warms up in a running engine it lubricates a little better than 10 weight at the same temp.

Besides 30wt has been around for a long, long time.

For what it's worth, those are my thoughts.

[phamf]

Thanks for the input. I have a fairly new engine so I'm thinking about using synthetic or semi-synthetic oil. That will compromise between regular automotive oil and marine oil.

[fishkisser]

Heres some info for you ...
http://www.royalpurple.com/motor-oil-m.html
http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/ame.aspx

[baitsauce]

Thanks for the input. I have a fairly new engine so I'm thinking about using synthetic or semi-synthetic oil. That will compromise between regular automotive oil and marine oil.

For what it's worth I think you'd be wasting your money on synthetic oil. I change my oil and filter just before putting my boat away for the winter. I check it in the spring (it should still be full) and I'm good to go.

You simply wouldn't put enough hours nor run your motor hard enough for you to realize any benifit from synthetic. Most of the NASCAR boys don't bother to run syntetic either because far as they are concerned the best engine blows up 200 yards after the finish line. It's a long winded way of saying the oil simply not being in the engine long enough to realize any positives to using a long life motor oil that synthetic oil supposidly provides.

Another thing. I think it's probably more imortant to change oil in a boat motor more often than in a car (engine hour-wise) because by it's very nature operating in a marine (that is wet) environment.

Hope that helps.........:twocents:

[fishkisser]

Well Baitsauce ... I beg to differ on your opinion on synthetics in racing applications ... Heres some more info on synthetic oils ...


http://www.realtruck.com/product/29610/royal_purple_synthetic_extreme_performance_racing_ motor_oil_rp-05051_20w50_xpr_racing_51.html
http://www.oilsandlube.com/
http://www.circletrack.com/techarticles/ctrp_0601_motor_oil_tech_terminology/index.html
http://www.performancemotoroil.com/

There are thousands of affirmations on the benefit of synthetics lubricants for all types of motors and applications ...:twocents:
Barney :wave:

[phamf]

Outboard motors do operatate at a higher rpm than most cars. More rpm = more heat and friction. Usually high temperatures can cause oil to lose its viscosity and bonding characteristics. I can understand why outboard motor oil does cost more than conventional oil, but I'm just trying to figure out why the OEM outboard oil costs as much as some synthetic automobile oils.

[ICHTHYDEMON]

The manual says 10w30. Is is safe to use regular oil for cars on our 4 stroke outboards? Any thoughts?

I use Chevron 10w-30 in my Yamahas.

Doesn't say ANYTHING in the manual about using a special marine oil.

All it requires is an SAE and API certified 10w-30 or 10w-40.

The North River dealer in Tacoma uses NAPA (re-branded Valvoline)

[ICHTHYDEMON]

You simply wouldn't put enough hours nor run your motor hard enough for you to realize any benifit from synthetic. Most of the NASCAR boys don't bother to run syntetic either because far as they are concerned the best engine blows up 200 yards after the finish line.

I'll bet you every NASCAR team runs synthetic. Its not always about the life of the oil. With the restrictions NASCAR puts on what the teams can do with their engines,its a constant search for HP. Synthetic is proven to free up HP,and no matter how little the gain with synthetic is, its an advantage on Sunday.

[fishingls]

Yamaha specs oil meeting the following service requirements. Any quality oil that meets these specs will work.

API service requirements SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ, SL

Check your manual for additional information.