@T-Mikes Vintage Outboards Restoration I can tell❤️ I bought an outboard for $10 off a guy who needed gas money so now I'm learning everything I can about it. I looked through many channels and yours was absolutely the most clear, concise, and comprehensive!
Yes on your approach to 2 cycle oil and ratios. The only thing I would add is the newer OMC motors spec. 100/1 oil ratio for their motors. If you run onto one of these motors DON’T run 100/1, use 50/1. The 100/1 thing came about because the outboard industry was getting a lot of pressure about emissions from the federal government. Run TC3 at 50/1 . The plugs will NOT foul out and your motor will last much longer.
Yes Thank You for letting us newer 100/1 Owners Know. I was Lucky to read on the www that it was BETTER to mix my oil at 50/1. This is Very Good Advice!!!
I don't really understand this theory...when me and alot of other 2 stroke dirt bike guys are running 90:1 ratios and going longer then ever before thought of between rebuilds woth good modern synthetic outboards....and that's on both liquid and air cooled bikes being ran hard in all sorts of dirty muddy and hot conditions ...so why would a newer outboard not be able to do the same
I really enjoy learning from your videos T-Mike. Thx for making them and putting them out there. I’m old enough to be vintage myself and it’s interesting to learn about the motors I remember from when I was a kid. I’ve been thinking about restoring a vintage motor myself and I stumbled into your channel. Thanks again!
My old 1938 Bendix Eclipse 1 1/4 hp single air cooled outboard calls for 8:1 !!! I'm certain though these days, that it could be less oil than that, but I'm not really game to try it for fear of doing damage to the engine. Yep, it smokes like a ripper at 8:1 .
Thank you for helping me remember the old tricks that I've learned yrs ago and forgotten and alot of these older motors I learned how to fix and rebuild in grade 8 and 9 in the small engine courses that I did many years and got away from so thank you
I always run my old stuff 50 to 1 but really run more than that . I use 3 oz to a gallon and always have for 50 years . Good to know stuff . Great video .
I love the Johnson RDE-18 30hp 1956 I have the owners manual it’s 32 To 1 smokes a bit at low speed but great motors I have two with two parts motor great video thanks
Hi T Mike I think you should advise people to be careful if they suspect older motor had been dual line converted to single. As I have changed over to of my dads 57 to single when we could not find a new fuel tank. Great videos that you do been helpful for me. Thanks
@@davidnancyjakway8230 so if the engine was previously dual line it still needs to be treated as a dual line (25:1)? I was kinda wondering that. I plan to switch mine to a single line
Thanks T-Mike for your informative videos. Wish I had found you sooner! Working on restoring my Johnson QD-17 10HP holiday bronze for my 1955 model Lone Star Commander! Was told (incorrectly) to run 32:1 in that engine, wrong! I'll be running 24:1 now!
I use TCW3 oil in my vehicles at 1 oz per 5 gallons of gasoline. Been doing it for years. Emissions comes with great numbers at inspection time. Cleans and lubes while driving. Give a few tank fills with this ratio you won’t be disappointed. You won’t know the vehicle is running at idle
I remember talking shop with my friend and parts vendor for my 1969 Chrysler 20 Hp Model 2003 Franz Buddenberg from Franz’s Marine Service about which oil to use! He stated that a manufacturer’s oils are the best than generics because of the additive package! So, I switched from Shell Nautilus -as I was fond of the name as one of our best employees at the printing shop was called Nautilus- to Evinrude/XPS XD-30 and then to Evinrude XD-50 as the latter was no longer available in Costa Rica where I live!
True, My 1974 9.9 Johnson requires 50/1 and it's a one line non pressurized tank. About newer Models... Please note that some Johnson and Evinrude Owners Manuals mention 100:1 mixture ratio after the motor is completely broken in, but most experts suggest against doing that. Stick with 50:1 for the 1964 and newer motors.
The tube that you explained was for getting rid of the unburnt oil is actually there to lube the top crank bearing. that oil is scavenged and pumped to the top by CC pulse that pushes it upward through that tube.....
These videos are great! Thanks so much. I might start talking creole if I keep watching.... But a question for you please : my boat is on a river that is totally minimum wake so I always drive at low RPM - am I safe to use a lower oil ratio to reduce smoke? Thanks
Mike i had a 1956 evinrude 30 hp back in the early 80’s and i wrote a letter to OMC about using 50:1 ratio with the modern tcw3 oil and they wrote back and confirmed that I could in fact run 50:1 ratio. Keep in mind that back in the 50’s they used non detergent 30 weight oil in the fuel. Hope this helps !!
That would only apply to a motor with needle bearings at the wrist pins and center main which yours probably has. Smaller motors from that era may have bronze bushings. Lots of ruined parts from using the wrong mix. Everyone understands the logic of old oils vs twc3 but guessing it is ok leads to worn out parts. Twc3 is not why it is ok on this case.
If you don't have a handy device to measure oil, just remember this formula... [(Gallons of mixed fuel) x (128 oz per gallon)] / (Sum of Oil Ratio) = Ounces of oil. For instance... 2 gallons mixed at 50:1 -> (2 x 128)/51 = 5.02 ounces of oil. 6 gallons mixed at 24:1 -> (6 x 128)/25 = 30.72 ounces of oil.
Thank you for the video. I have an old 1968 Johnson 9.5 MQ-14E and running 50:1. I was afraid I may have been using too much oill in the mix. Appreciate your explanations in the oil, mix oil ratios and the reasons behind it. Answered a lot of questions I had.
Hey Mike I recently bought what I would say is one of the nicest 1957 FD-11K motors one could find. It doesn’t have a scratch on it and shows zero signs that it was even ever ran. It’s that nice. Anyway I can’t find any info on what the “K” at the end of the model number signifies. Do you have any idea 💡 💡💡💡 ? Any help would be greatly appreciated !! Thanks for all your hard work educating us on these great pieces of history !! I want to do the fuel bypass on mine. I’m also going to remove all of the original ignition parts and put them away so I have them as spares. ✌️✌️✌️
Have a frazer rototiller 1946. Build just after wwll. Frazer spec fuel ratio 16:1 8 ounces 40w motor oil/1gallon of gas. Now they want you to use Aeroshell 80 piston aviation 40w oil. These small engine shops tell me I can't use motor oil and ratio is wrong. Too much oil. I try to buy the best 2 stroke oil. I just don't believe it has the same lubrication as 16:1. As the motor oil 16:1 mixture. So I've always used just a little less gas. Just under a gallon. Great video 👍
Another great video Mike....so one of my outboards is a really old evinrude with the tank built in, with a little door on the back that lifts up to expose the gas fill hole.... I am thinking 24 to 1 ratio ? ??
T-Mike I like your rule of thumb because it errs on the side of caution. You might want to mention that OMC switched from 24:1 to 50:1 starting with the 1964 model year.
Great information! I have a 1975-76 Evinrude 25 hp motor that’s been sitting up for a few years. I want to get it running this Spring. Please give me some start up tips and can I test it in a water barrel? Thank you 😎
Hey T-Mike, Thank you for posting. I have a question I hope you can shed some light on. I picked up an air cooled 1967 Yamaha P-125A (G), The original service manual recommends a 20:1 ratio mix / 15:1 for running in, However the original fuel tank single line feed states a mix ratio of 40:1. I'm confused as to use the 20:1 or 40:1? Also as it is air cooled should I be using the red or blue oil?.
What about the vintage Eska outboards (air cooled Tecumseh motors)…they have a water cooled exhaust and I’m told to use 2 cycle oil for air cooled engines. Totally understand why. However, some of the much older models (manufacturer spec) says to use 30 weight motor oil in the motors at 16:1. On those engines, is it safe to use regular two cycle oil, or should I continue to use the SAE 30 non-detergent oil?
Thankyou for your video's very helpful. I have a 1969 Evinrude 4 hp light twin that I am restoring the manual says to use a 50-1 mix, some of the info I have been reading is saying that motor is still using bronze bushings in the motor and that i should be using a richer oil mix 24-1 or I will burn it up. It is a single line motor just trying to be careful what mix would you think is the best. Thankyou
I was hoping you'd touch on the 100/1 vs 50/1 topic. Didn't hear anything about it. I know people debate what the "owners manual" says when it comes to this topic. I have a 8hp Evinrude 1988 and it says 100/1 right on the engine.
Great layout with information, years of ball bearings from brass to SS this is very informative! Curious did ball bearings change to needle bearing? Changing oil ratio…
I have a very good question. What if my old tank is not full, I want to top it off from the gas from a different gas jug, not mixed yet because I don’t store my gas oil mixed. Ok, 6 gallon tank, I have a little under a half tank left, I’m going to top my tank off, I know it will take more than 3 gallons and less than 4. Would it be ok to guess anywhere between the 3 and 4 gallon marks on the measuring bottle? If I’m a little less on my guessing will it hurt my engine being off by maybe an oz? I know what over mixing will do, keeps the skeeters away.
Hi Mike, I am learning a lot from your videos thank you. One question I am converting my 1959 Evinrude 10 hp with a fuel pump. The question is now if it’s a single line I still want to run 24:1 Fuel mix correct?
I just picked up a 1955 Evinrude 3 hp motor. The fuel tank is integral to the top of the motor with t copper fuel line from the fuel petcocok to the carb. Is that a single line tank? Thanks!!
Very informative T-Mike. Thank you. Got to ask . I took 4 years of small engine in high school. Was you a shop teacher. If not you should have been. Thanks again.
i have a 1962 viking 5 hp its supposed to run 24:1 but ive run it at 30 or 32 :1 past 2 years of the 6 ive owned it and its still a smoker at idle but I dont full speed it very often or for very long if i do I run it richer but lately i been usinh it for a 5 to 10 minute trip in no wake zone so Im thinking of running it as lean as 40:1 mix my best year I used 25 litre tank in a season that usaully would last 2 seasons I end up dumping old fuel in the 4 stroke lawn mower to burn lol this year i put 500 ml oil to 16 litres of shell v power 32:1 mix and used boat 4 times maybe 1 hour total this season so far so might of burned at most one third of that fuel lol but at basicly idle to mid range speed id say could be as low as one fifth motor probably just starting to warm up by time i shut it down
I have a 93 Mercruiser 75 hp that the steady alarm goes on and off. I noticed the engine doesn't smoke all the time. Mostly when idle is when i notice it smoke. Recently was checking the oil tank level and it's used half an oil tank in about 10 trips to the lake fishing. Is there anything else that would make the alarm fluctuate? I installed a temp gauge that's working great And shows the engine is running at a low temp consistantly
What would be the mixture ratio for the older motors withe the gas tank as part of the motor. I have a 1953 Johnson 3 horse with approximately 3 hours total use
I am converting my 1956 Fastwin 15 to a single line system. It uses the 24:1 ratio. Do you think I should stay with that or now use 50:1 after the conversion?
T-Mike thank you for this!! I always wondered the reason for why 24:1 vs 50:1!! Very interesting on crank ball bearing material. Curious in theory if a guy was to change crank bearings from brass to SS could a person change his mix? I have read that the top cylinder in these vintage motors lack lubrication if one doesn’t make 24:1… your thoughts? Thank you great video the rpm topic helps smoking understanding:) a lot of information in a short video… keep it coming
T-Mike, I have a1963 Evinrude 10HP Sportwin. The owners manual calls for 24:1 mix ratio. I have tried different oil brands, all TCW-3 rated. After I finish using it, I store the motor in the shed on a stand. I have to put a drip pan underneath because it drips black goop. Looks like burnt oil but smells like gear oil. What is wrong? The gear case does take on water over time. I replace the gear oil after about 8-10 times out. Also I am replacing the lower unit seals. But I cannot get the bottom half of the gear case off. It has silicon sealer holding it together. Any ideas on separating the halves without breaking the skeg. Thanks!
Today's two cycle marine oil is quite different from the general purpose oil available back in the day. That tends to make the owners manual misleading. I would use 40:1 (vs 24:1) on vintage engines. 50:1 may be ok for ones with stainless bearings, but not recommended for the rings, better to be conservative.
Hey there TMike, Love what you do to help . Quick question .. Just bought 57 johnson 10 horse. Could I use the quicksilver 2 stroke "synthetic " oil? I see you're not using the "synthetic" What are your thoughts. Rich
wow that was excellent tutorial. thanks. I just purchased a old sears 5hp motor. and was wondering about the mixture. it just has the gravity fed top fuel tank and only 1 line going to the carb. so after watching I assume the ratio is 50 to 1. I was going to start richer and see if it smokes alot and fouls the plug but You seem to really know your stuff. thank you once again . can you let me know if I'm clear on this?
I have a 1949 Hiawatha 3hp and the label on the motor states to mix SAE 30 oil in the gasoline. However, I read that back then they didn’t have 2-cycle oil. What should I use and in what ratio??
@@michaeljsimon I read that SAE 30 oil in 1949 was likely non-detergent, but newer SAE 30 today is detergent. Does that matter? Can I use modern day SAE 30 or 2-cycle and in what ratio?
I recently acquired a 1961 Evinrude Seahorse 5.5 hp. As kid, I rode and worked 2 stroke motorcycles. Why isn't there a filter on the carb? Mine has this thin gauze looking stuff in between two thin baffles. I've seen similar engines and they have what looks like little small mufflers running along the sides and it is one unit. Does my little unit have the wrong filter assembly? And why do you adjust the carb without a filter? I would never adjust my motorcycle engine without the filter. If you adjust it without the filter, then when you do put on the filter, the air mixture is now off. You are now restricting the airflow. The carb should be adjusted with the correct filter assembly on the engine, otherwise the adjustment will be wrong. These engines don't run without air filters, do they?! Thanks for your videos. I have watched at least dozen so far as this is my first ever boat and outboard engine. I've rebuilt the carb checked all the things you said to check. I ordered new gas line and in-line gas filters as the old gas line was from 2003! I should be giving it a start today and adjusting the carb as you described. Thanks for the videos!!
T-Mike, I find your videos informative and interesting. I recently purchased a restored 1950 Mercury 7.5 with built in gas tank that I haven't run yet. Any idea on the oil to fuel ratio on those oldies ?
Hi T Mike I have a 1970 sears (Eska) 5hp1 cylinder with top tank but also has a built in hook up for an external tank. Ven plate says model# is a 1701 B Mint condition all the way around 👌 Inherited recently and trying to get it running again Just replaced the water pump impeller Should this be a 24:1 ratio as well Unsure as to what you meant by single line or dual line 🤔
Best I can find doing my research is it's the 1970 Eska 1701 B Explorer model The motor says Otasko on it, but to my understanding, it's the same as the Eska
this video can be misleading, other than a very very few Mercury outboard motors (which don't apply) almost all other outboard brands always used single hose lines for remote tanks, so the information presented only applies to motors built by OMC (mainly Johnson and Evinrude, but Gale and Viking and a few others). Secondly 100:1 oils are not a no-no IF they are made by reliable brands. the reasons are a few: these have higher 'film strength' (the ability to cling to metal and stay put) (think like this, rub your hands together, they warm up - that's like using NO oil, now rub them together hard while wet, takes more effort to get warm, that's like adding oil - now smear butter on them and rub them together - you have to rub both long and hard to warm them up! why? - butter has a higher film strength than water, so it STAYS in PLACE much longer!) that's how synthetics work. once those gaps between bearings and races or rings and grooves or cylinder walls are filled, synthetics keep them filled. what else? well, they mix and STAY mixed in the fuel - which the 24:1 oils of the day (mostly 30 or 40 weight car oils) didn't do, so with synthetics you get in the motor what you put in the jerry. what else? modern oils, especially synthetics have better additives to fight carbon and corrosion (ever wonder why they are more expensive?) than conventional TCW-3 oils. they also have lower temperature pour points as well as handle the higher temperatures in the combustion chamber, finally, TCW-3 oils (especially synthetics) penetrate better so they can get down the relatively long gaps between sleeves and bearings on older brass bearinged motors and as mentioned above, then stay there! none of those benefits and more were available back when the motors were built, no wonder they speced so much oil! ONE thing synthetics can NOT do? - they can't remove ethanol from your fuel! if you're running an older motor - avoid - the use of fuel containing ethanol, especially avoid letting an ethanol fuel sit in the jerry or fuel system!
@@nicholas5623 I explain in the video that older gas had low octane levels so you used premium - now octane levels are high enough to use regular plus no lead in regular now - all this is in the video.
old 5.5 and 7.5 dual line tank users,( omc) ,need 16 to 1 mix! That's 8oz of tcw3 oil per gallon gas!The original tanks that came with them, had the mix instructions printed on them These 4 gallon tanks were original to those motors (4gallon).1 quart to a full tank. 6 gallon ,dual line tanks ,used for 10 hp ,15 18 25 30 35 and40, use 24to 1 mix(5,3 oz tcw 3 oil. per gallon gas. Any thing else will cause undue wear or piston scoring.
actually the husband of Judi, gregg, is it possible to exchange powerheads on a 65 to a 70 Evinrude which are only a year or so different and one is mechanical shift and other is electric shift?
So I've been running 50:1 for over 30 years in my vintage two line motors. Never had an issue? What your forgetting is the two stroke oils today are far superior to the oil's back on the day. Heck they use to use 30 weight motor oil mixed in the gas back in the day. As a test I ran Schaffer oil in a 5 hp sleeve bearing gale motor from the early 50's at 100:1 I ran five tanks of gas through that motor using Schaffer's two stroke oil. No issues? So whats this about 24:1??? Btw I sold that motor later on down the road. 3 years later I got the motor back still running strong
Hey Mike my 1958 vintage 50 horse Johnson is a single line fuel hose I must use a 24 to 1 fuel mix ratio or my engine would seize the rule is 1964 in Noor is 51
@@michaeljsimon Could there also be a loss of speed with a thicker oil ratio? I have a 1963 Evinrude 5.5. I believe that is the last year of 24:1 before switching to 50:1. This outboard has a fuel pump and I just tested it with 24:1. Seems a little slow topping out at 7mph in a small 14’ duck boat after I rebuilt it.
@@dominicschneider1049 There will be no perceptible change in performance. T-Mike’s advise should be followed....never reduce the ratio of gas/oil in your outboard. It’s s very damaging over time.
I have a 1958 Elgin 7.5 from what I learned it was a pint of 30 wt oil to a gallon of gas or 24:1 shell burn 2 cyl oil also the tank on top is oil and the line in fuel. Not sure she looks great the boat to match is a 1961 Texas star. Ol river boat. V front flat bottom ? W oar holes ? 11.6 Found a trailer for boat matches perfect 1 7/8 hitch I’d sell it all for 1 k boat has a tittle
Your definition of oil ratios is not correct for an across the board recommendation. Further breakdown is needed. Your smaller 5.5 and 7.5 Johnson and Evinrude require/need 16:1, and those are dual line from the factory. Running even 24:1 in those can result in thrown rods. Also, there are quite a number of vintage motors that have been adapted to fuel pumps and use a single fuel line. Could be asking for trouble again to run 50:1 in those cases. Especially if for the smaller plain bearing motors. It would be nice if oil ratios were as simple as number of lines from the tank, but it's not. That practice could be sending a very wrong message and potentially using this practice, damage sometimes motor.
Well, not quite true. The older engines such as the 50s model 5.5s and 7.5hps absolutely require a 16:1 fuel/oil mix. These engines have no roller bearings, and rely on bronze bearings/bushings on the rods. Using 24:1 on these engines will absolutely accelerate wear to these rod bearings. We have all seen these poor engines with holes in the block where the connecting rods punched out. Please don't rely on all the hype about today's TCW3 oils being so much better than the oils used back in the day. Sure, today's oils are better, but not that much better. Oil and spark plugs are cheap, don't risk ruining the powerhead. It is amazing how little these engines smoke when in proper tune, even at 16:1. The older duel line engines that have roller rod bearings can use 24:1, which is the original specification. Some of the single line engines of the 60s specify 24:1 as well, I would stick with that recommendation.
Just wanted to say I appreciate your sharing all your hard earned wisdom with us newbies!
I love what I do.
@T-Mikes Vintage Outboards Restoration I can tell❤️ I bought an outboard for $10 off a guy who needed gas money so now I'm learning everything I can about it. I looked through many channels and yours was absolutely the most clear, concise, and comprehensive!
Yes on your approach to 2 cycle oil and ratios. The only thing I would add is the newer OMC motors spec. 100/1 oil ratio for their motors. If you run onto one of these motors DON’T run 100/1, use 50/1. The 100/1 thing came about because the outboard industry was getting a lot of pressure about emissions from the federal government. Run TC3 at 50/1 . The plugs will NOT foul out and your motor will last much longer.
Yes Thank You for letting us newer 100/1 Owners Know.
I was Lucky to read on the www that it was BETTER to mix my oil at 50/1. This is Very Good Advice!!!
I don't really understand this theory...when me and alot of other 2 stroke dirt bike guys are running 90:1 ratios and going longer then ever before thought of between rebuilds woth good modern synthetic outboards....and that's on both liquid and air cooled bikes being ran hard in all sorts of dirty muddy and hot conditions ...so why would a newer outboard not be able to do the same
I really enjoy learning from your videos T-Mike. Thx for making them and putting them out there. I’m old enough to be vintage myself and it’s interesting to learn about the motors I remember from when I was a kid. I’ve been thinking about restoring a vintage motor myself and I stumbled into your channel. Thanks again!
My old 1938 Bendix Eclipse 1 1/4 hp single air cooled outboard calls for 8:1 !!! I'm certain though these days, that it could be less oil than that, but I'm not really game to try it for fear of doing damage to the engine. Yep, it smokes like a ripper at 8:1 .
Thank you for helping me remember the old tricks that I've learned yrs ago and forgotten and alot of these older motors I learned how to fix and rebuild in grade 8 and 9 in the small engine courses that I did many years and got away from so thank you
I always run my old stuff 50 to 1 but really run more than that . I use 3 oz to a gallon and always have for 50 years . Good to know stuff . Great video .
FYI, 3 ounces of oil in 1 gallon of mixed gas is actually 43:1.
@@justinzago1536 , Looks like I've been running 43 to 1 then ,lol
@@flench1901 Always better to run an oil rich mixture rather than an oil lean one.
Thanks T-mike lots of blogs out there your info clears them up !
I love the Johnson RDE-18 30hp 1956 I have the owners manual it’s 32 To 1 smokes a bit at low speed but great motors I have two with two parts motor great video thanks
Hi T Mike I think you should advise people to be careful if they suspect older motor had been dual line converted to single. As I have changed over to of my dads 57 to single when we could not find a new fuel tank. Great videos that you do been helpful for me. Thanks
Agree, did the same here. Dual line tanks are crazy expensive when you can even find them here.
@@davidnancyjakway8230 so if the engine was previously dual line it still needs to be treated as a dual line (25:1)? I was kinda wondering that. I plan to switch mine to a single line
@joshwhitfield9315 Yes, oil mix stays the same
Very very well presented and informative,I rebuild vintage outboards in the uk ,it’s a passion not a job
Thanks T-Mike for your informative videos. Wish I had found you sooner! Working on restoring my Johnson QD-17 10HP holiday bronze for my 1955 model Lone Star Commander! Was told (incorrectly) to run 32:1 in that engine, wrong! I'll be running 24:1 now!
I use TCW3 oil in my vehicles at 1 oz per 5 gallons of gasoline. Been doing it for years. Emissions comes with great numbers at inspection time. Cleans and lubes while driving. Give a few tank fills with this ratio you won’t be disappointed. You won’t know the vehicle is running at idle
I remember talking shop with my friend and parts vendor for my 1969 Chrysler 20 Hp Model 2003 Franz Buddenberg from Franz’s Marine Service about which oil to use! He stated that a manufacturer’s oils are the best than generics because of the additive package! So, I switched from Shell Nautilus -as I was fond of the name as one of our best employees at the printing shop was called Nautilus- to Evinrude/XPS XD-30 and then to Evinrude XD-50 as the latter was no longer available in Costa Rica where I live!
Simple and to the point. Nice job my friend 👍
True, My 1974 9.9 Johnson requires 50/1 and it's a one line non pressurized tank.
About newer Models...
Please note that some Johnson and Evinrude Owners Manuals mention 100:1 mixture ratio after the motor is completely broken in, but most experts suggest against doing that. Stick with 50:1 for the 1964 and newer motors.
The tube that you explained was for getting rid of the unburnt oil is actually there to lube the top crank bearing.
that oil is scavenged and pumped to the top by CC pulse that pushes it upward through that tube.....
I was thinking the exact same thing, but wasn't going to comment.
These videos are great! Thanks so much. I might start talking creole if I keep watching....
But a question for you please : my boat is on a river that is totally minimum wake so I always drive at low RPM - am I safe to use a lower oil ratio to reduce smoke?
Thanks
@@joshwhitfield9315 I would stay with manufacturer recommendations
Mike i had a 1956 evinrude 30 hp back in the early 80’s and i wrote a letter to OMC about using 50:1 ratio with the modern tcw3 oil and they wrote back and confirmed that I could in fact run 50:1 ratio. Keep in mind that back in the 50’s they used non detergent 30 weight oil in the fuel. Hope this helps !!
That would only apply to a motor with needle bearings at the wrist pins and center main which yours probably has. Smaller motors from that era may have bronze bushings. Lots of ruined parts from using the wrong mix. Everyone understands the logic of old oils vs twc3 but guessing it is ok leads to worn out parts. Twc3 is not why it is ok on this case.
If you don't have a handy device to measure oil, just remember this formula... [(Gallons of mixed fuel) x (128 oz per gallon)] / (Sum of Oil Ratio) = Ounces of oil. For instance... 2 gallons mixed at 50:1 -> (2 x 128)/51 = 5.02 ounces of oil. 6 gallons mixed at 24:1 -> (6 x 128)/25 = 30.72 ounces of oil.
Thank you for the video. I have an old 1968 Johnson 9.5 MQ-14E and running 50:1. I was afraid I may have been using too much oill in the mix. Appreciate your explanations in the oil, mix oil ratios and the reasons behind it. Answered a lot of questions I had.
I’ve always run my old Vintage outboards at 16-1. The Bronze Bushings require the Heavy oil.
Hey Mike I recently bought what I would say is one of the nicest 1957 FD-11K motors one could find. It doesn’t have a scratch on it and shows zero signs that it was even ever ran. It’s that nice. Anyway I can’t find any info on what the “K” at the end of the model number signifies. Do you have any idea 💡 💡💡💡 ? Any help would be greatly appreciated !! Thanks for all your hard work educating us on these great pieces of history !! I want to do the fuel bypass on mine. I’m also going to remove all of the original ignition parts and put them away so I have them as spares. ✌️✌️✌️
Have a frazer rototiller 1946. Build just after wwll. Frazer spec fuel ratio 16:1
8 ounces 40w motor oil/1gallon of gas.
Now they want you to use Aeroshell 80 piston aviation 40w oil.
These small engine shops tell me I can't use motor oil and ratio is wrong. Too much oil.
I try to buy the best 2 stroke oil. I just don't believe it has the same lubrication as 16:1.
As the motor oil 16:1 mixture.
So I've always used just a little less gas. Just under a gallon.
Great video 👍
Glad to see you’re doing ok after the hurricane.
Older outboards used 16:1 SAE 30 oil. For break-in they recommended doubling or tripling this ratio. Had to be lots of smoke with that.
Another great video Mike....so one of my outboards is a really old evinrude with the tank built in, with a little door on the back that lifts up to expose the gas fill hole.... I am thinking 24 to 1 ratio ? ??
@@chrisoconnell5727 hard to say. Need the model number.
Thanks for some good advice. 👍so there is a difference in the red oil and the blue oil.👏🍻
Yes red oil is not for marine use - blue oil is.
Thanks great information ! Why Quicksilver vs Johnson 2cyc Oil ?
Just my choice. All good.
Great summary Mike!
T-Mike I like your rule of thumb because it errs on the side of caution. You might want to mention that OMC switched from 24:1 to 50:1 starting with the 1964 model year.
You’re awesome! I’m have a JH19A and wasn’t sure. Thx you!
Awesome videos sir. Thanks for all your knowledge!
Great information! I have a 1975-76 Evinrude 25 hp motor that’s been sitting up for a few years. I want to get it running this Spring. Please give me some start up tips and can I test it in a water barrel? Thank you 😎
th-cam.com/video/ZDnPq0MEcQ8/w-d-xo.html
Hey T-Mike, Thank you for posting. I have a question I hope you can shed some light on. I picked up an air cooled 1967 Yamaha P-125A (G), The original service manual recommends a 20:1 ratio mix / 15:1 for running in, However the original fuel tank single line feed states a mix ratio of 40:1. I'm confused as to use the 20:1 or 40:1? Also as it is air cooled should I be using the red or blue oil?.
What about the vintage Eska outboards (air cooled Tecumseh motors)…they have a water cooled exhaust and I’m told to use 2 cycle oil for air cooled engines. Totally understand why. However, some of the much older models (manufacturer spec) says to use 30 weight motor oil in the motors at 16:1. On those engines, is it safe to use regular two cycle oil, or should I continue to use the SAE 30 non-detergent oil?
Can’t help on those motors. Sorry.
Thankyou for your video's very helpful. I have a 1969 Evinrude 4 hp light twin that I am restoring the manual says to use a 50-1 mix, some of the info I have been reading is saying that motor is still using bronze bushings in the motor and that i should be using a richer oil mix 24-1 or I will burn it up. It is a single line motor just trying to be careful what mix would you think is the best. Thankyou
I was hoping you'd touch on the 100/1 vs 50/1 topic. Didn't hear anything about it. I know people debate what the "owners manual" says when it comes to this topic. I have a 8hp Evinrude 1988 and it says 100/1 right on the engine.
Great layout with information, years of ball bearings from brass to SS this is very informative!
Curious did ball bearings change to needle bearing? Changing oil ratio…
@@curtisballer688 is it advisable to change ball bearings to SS?
I have a very good question. What if my old tank is not full, I want to top it off from the gas from a different gas jug, not mixed yet because I don’t store my gas oil mixed. Ok, 6 gallon tank, I have a little under a half tank left, I’m going to top my tank off, I know it will take more than 3 gallons and less than 4. Would it be ok to guess anywhere between the 3 and 4 gallon marks on the measuring bottle? If I’m a little less on my guessing will it hurt my engine being off by maybe an oz? I know what over mixing will do, keeps the skeeters away.
@@DownsouthMan yes. Just estimate. Better more oil than less oil.
Awesome, thanks for the information!! Such a great resource to our outboard community!
Thanks for your knowledge on outboards. Could you do a video on props? I would like to make my 1955 aquasonic 7.5 Evinrude go a little faster
th-cam.com/play/PLmMizJOF01-D4B1sEv7w7XVThvJdrNKdV.html
Hi Mike, I am learning a lot from your videos thank you. One question I am converting my 1959 Evinrude 10 hp with a fuel pump. The question is now if it’s a single line I still want to run 24:1 Fuel mix correct?
Yes
The only thing i didn't see in your video. Is it OK to use synthetic quicksilver oil in the older 2 stroke ? 1972 25hp Evinrude
@@robbiepresley9144 can’t help with that one sorry
Super tech 2 cycle oil for me years of running it and no problems
If it’s NMMA approved oil it’s good oil
I just picked up a 1955 Evinrude 3 hp motor. The fuel tank is integral to the top of the motor with t copper fuel line from the fuel petcocok to the carb. Is that a single line tank? Thanks!!
@@jimschaefer8798 it is a gravity fed fuel system. No fuel pump required.
Very informative T-Mike. Thank you. Got to ask . I took 4 years of small engine in high school. Was you a shop teacher. If not you should have been. Thanks again.
i have a 1962 viking 5 hp its supposed to run 24:1 but ive run it at 30 or 32 :1 past 2 years of the 6 ive owned it and its still a smoker at idle but I dont full speed it very often or for very long if i do I run it richer but lately i been usinh it for a 5 to 10 minute trip in no wake zone so Im thinking of running it as lean as 40:1 mix my best year I used 25 litre tank in a season that usaully would last 2 seasons I end up dumping old fuel in the 4 stroke lawn mower to burn lol this year i put 500 ml oil to 16 litres of shell v power 32:1 mix and used boat 4 times maybe 1 hour total this season so far so might of burned at most one third of that fuel lol but at basicly idle to mid range speed id say could be as low as one fifth motor probably just starting to warm up by time i shut it down
Hey T Mike did you forget about me. Selling you my motor, and buying one of your motors
One must remember some of the old motors had fuel pumps added to them there fore eliminating the dual line tank .
very helpful and easy to understand vid. thanks
I have a 93 Mercruiser 75 hp that the steady alarm goes on and off. I noticed the engine doesn't smoke all the time. Mostly when idle is when i notice it smoke. Recently was checking the oil tank level and it's used half an oil tank in about 10 trips to the lake fishing. Is there anything else that would make the alarm fluctuate? I installed a temp gauge that's working great And shows the engine is running at a low temp consistantly
What would be the mixture ratio for the older motors withe the gas tank as part of the motor. I have a 1953 Johnson 3 horse with approximately 3 hours total use
@@chuckkrell1169 you should check owners manual. I use 24:1
I am converting my 1956 Fastwin 15 to a single line system. It uses the 24:1 ratio. Do you think I should stay with that or now use 50:1 after the conversion?
Stick with 24:1
T-Mike thank you for this!! I always wondered the reason for why 24:1 vs 50:1!! Very interesting on crank ball bearing material.
Curious in theory if a guy was to change crank bearings from brass to SS could a person change his mix?
I have read that the top cylinder in these vintage motors lack lubrication if one doesn’t make 24:1… your thoughts?
Thank you great video the rpm topic helps smoking understanding:) a lot of information in a short video… keep it coming
Unknown of brass bearing or stainless ?mix 50:1 was sugested for security of bearring?
T-Mike,
I have a1963 Evinrude 10HP Sportwin. The owners manual calls for 24:1 mix ratio. I have tried different oil brands, all TCW-3 rated. After I finish using it, I store the motor in the shed on a stand. I have to put a drip pan underneath because it drips black goop. Looks like burnt oil but smells like gear oil. What is wrong?
The gear case does take on water over time. I replace the gear oil after about 8-10 times out.
Also I am replacing the lower unit seals. But I cannot get the bottom half of the gear case off. It has silicon sealer holding it together. Any ideas on separating the halves without breaking the skeg.
Thanks!
Nothing wrong with normal.
OK. Thanks! What about separating the gear case, any ideas on getting it apart without breaking something?
Thanks!
Another great vid. Got a question gor ya. What do you think a 1936 johnson K80 would use for mix ??
Today's two cycle marine oil is quite different from the general purpose oil available back in the day. That tends to make the owners manual misleading. I would use 40:1 (vs 24:1) on vintage engines. 50:1 may be ok for ones with stainless bearings, but not recommended for the rings, better to be conservative.
Hi Mike, I just picked uo a 1957 Gale Buccaneer 5hp. It has the built in tank on top of the motor. What Fuel/oil ratio should I use in it? Thanks, Bob
24:1
@@michaeljsimon Thanks You, I got it running this afternon
Where can I get the aluminum rain to do to Kohl's with
Hey there TMike,
Love what you do to help .
Quick question ..
Just bought 57 johnson 10 horse.
Could I use the quicksilver 2 stroke "synthetic " oil?
I see you're not using the "synthetic"
What are your thoughts.
Rich
Never tried synthetics - why pay more when these motors run for decades on basic marine oil.
I have a Ted Williams 9hp two stroke haven't figured out yet the year Ianm still trying to figure it out
Do you know IAM trying to find a carburetor kit
some old motors were 16 to 1 fouls the plugs every time used to carry extra plugs
wow that was excellent tutorial. thanks. I just purchased a old sears 5hp motor. and was wondering about the mixture. it just has the gravity fed top fuel tank and only 1 line going to the carb. so after watching I assume the ratio is 50 to 1. I was going to start richer and see if it smokes alot and fouls the plug but You seem to really know your stuff. thank you once again . can you let me know if I'm clear on this?
What year is your motor?
What year is your motor
@@michaeljsimon I'm not sure I'm guessing 1971 or older it ha a metal gas cap
I have a 1949 Hiawatha 3hp and the label on the motor states to mix SAE 30 oil in the gasoline. However, I read that back then they didn’t have 2-cycle oil. What should I use and in what ratio??
Use manufacturer recommended oil
@@michaeljsimon I read that SAE 30 oil in 1949 was likely non-detergent, but newer SAE 30 today is detergent. Does that matter? Can I use modern day SAE 30 or 2-cycle and in what ratio?
I recently acquired a 1961 Evinrude Seahorse 5.5 hp. As kid, I rode and worked 2 stroke motorcycles. Why isn't there a filter on the carb? Mine has this thin gauze looking stuff in between two thin baffles. I've seen similar engines and they have what looks like little small mufflers running along the sides and it is one unit. Does my little unit have the wrong filter assembly? And why do you adjust the carb without a filter? I would never adjust my motorcycle engine without the filter. If you adjust it without the filter, then when you do put on the filter, the air mixture is now off. You are now restricting the airflow. The carb should be adjusted with the correct filter assembly on the engine, otherwise the adjustment will be wrong. These engines don't run without air filters, do they?! Thanks for your videos. I have watched at least dozen so far as this is my first ever boat and outboard engine. I've rebuilt the carb checked all the things you said to check. I ordered new gas line and in-line gas filters as the old gas line was from 2003! I should be giving it a start today and adjusting the carb as you described. Thanks for the videos!!
That is very helpful tmike thanks
T-Mike, I find your videos informative and interesting. I recently purchased a restored 1950 Mercury 7.5 with built in gas tank that I haven't run yet. Any idea on the oil to fuel ratio on those oldies ?
I got a 1956 Mercury Mark 25 I’m working on. Right on the lid it says 32 to 1, not sure if that would help with the 7.5
Hi T Mike I have a 1970 sears (Eska) 5hp1 cylinder with top tank but also has a built in hook up for an external tank.
Ven plate says model# is a 1701 B
Mint condition all the way around 👌
Inherited recently and trying to get it running again
Just replaced the water pump impeller
Should this be a 24:1 ratio as well
Unsure as to what you meant by single line or dual line 🤔
Best I can find doing my research is it's the 1970 Eska 1701 B Explorer model
The motor says Otasko on it, but to my understanding, it's the same as the Eska
Not very familiar with that motor - you should find an owners manual for specs on oil mix ratio
this video can be misleading, other than a very very few Mercury outboard motors (which don't apply) almost all other outboard brands always used single hose lines for remote tanks, so the information presented only applies to motors built by OMC (mainly Johnson and Evinrude, but Gale and Viking and a few others). Secondly 100:1 oils are not a no-no IF they are made by reliable brands. the reasons are a few: these have higher 'film strength' (the ability to cling to metal and stay put) (think like this, rub your hands together, they warm up - that's like using NO oil, now rub them together hard while wet, takes more effort to get warm, that's like adding oil - now smear butter on them and rub them together - you have to rub both long and hard to warm them up! why? - butter has a higher film strength than water, so it STAYS in PLACE much longer!) that's how synthetics work. once those gaps between bearings and races or rings and grooves or cylinder walls are filled, synthetics keep them filled. what else? well, they mix and STAY mixed in the fuel - which the 24:1 oils of the day (mostly 30 or 40 weight car oils) didn't do, so with synthetics you get in the motor what you put in the jerry. what else? modern oils, especially synthetics have better additives to fight carbon and corrosion (ever wonder why they are more expensive?) than conventional TCW-3 oils. they also have lower temperature pour points as well as handle the higher temperatures in the combustion chamber, finally, TCW-3 oils (especially synthetics) penetrate better so they can get down the relatively long gaps between sleeves and bearings on older brass bearinged motors and as mentioned above, then stay there! none of those benefits and more were available back when the motors were built, no wonder they speced so much oil! ONE thing synthetics can NOT do? - they can't remove ethanol from your fuel! if you're running an older motor - avoid - the use of fuel containing ethanol, especially avoid letting an ethanol fuel sit in the jerry or fuel system!
Hey man which octane fuel should I use with my vintage outboard (I've 56 5.5 and 59 18)
th-cam.com/play/PLmMizJOF01-C38AtIQCxq174Ul5TM2lON.html&si=QACG5sHP3GJ6F72H
In the 1950s they did not have two stroke oil so they used 30 weight
motor oil
What about older (1958, 18 hp) models converted to single fuel line?
If it was 2 line and converted- still use 24:1 ratio
@@michaeljsimon Thank you, Mike.
Hay man. You got any videos on stuff you should have in the boat with you while operating a vintage outboard? If not could you hit us with one?
I got a newer Johnson 9.9 2 stroke, my question is do I run regular fuel or premium.
Regular
@@michaeljsimon I will now run regular, why though? I've heard it both ways
@@nicholas5623 I explain in the video that older gas had low octane levels so you used premium - now octane levels are high enough to use regular plus no lead in regular now - all this is in the video.
Sorry thought you were watching this video
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I have a 1972 40 hp johnson outboard motor Model 40E72E what is the right oil ratio? Thanks.
th-cam.com/video/0rtNTVwQMX8/w-d-xo.html
So if I have 2 gallons of gas, how much oil do I put in there?
5.2 ounces of TCW-3 oil per US. gallon of fuel.
I divide the ratio (50) into 128 ounces (one gallon) to get the ounces per gallon. So 50:1= 2.56 ounces per gallon.
old 5.5 and 7.5 dual line tank users,( omc) ,need 16 to 1 mix! That's 8oz of tcw3 oil per gallon gas!The original tanks that came with them, had the mix instructions printed on them These 4 gallon tanks were original to those motors (4gallon).1 quart to a full tank. 6 gallon ,dual line tanks ,used for 10 hp ,15 18 25 30 35 and40, use 24to 1 mix(5,3 oz tcw 3 oil. per gallon gas. Any thing else will cause undue wear or piston scoring.
actually the husband of Judi, gregg, is it possible to exchange powerheads on a 65 to a 70 Evinrude which are only a year or so different and one is mechanical shift and other is electric shift?
Sorry. Can’t help.
Ok thnx, like your approach on your videos
So I've been running 50:1 for over 30 years in my vintage two line motors. Never had an issue? What your forgetting is the two stroke oils today are far superior to the oil's back on the day. Heck they use to use 30 weight motor oil mixed in the gas back in the day. As a test I ran Schaffer oil in a 5 hp sleeve bearing gale motor from the early 50's at 100:1 I ran five tanks of gas through that motor using Schaffer's two stroke oil. No issues? So whats this about 24:1??? Btw I sold that motor later on down the road. 3 years later I got the motor back still running strong
Thank so much, you are awesome😁😁😁
What would you run in a 1946 Johnson 2.5 as there are no hoses?
24:1
16 to 1, nothing else will do! 8oz oil per gal. gas.
Always mix on the rich side. Plugs are cheaper than pistons.
What r you talking about duel line or single line hose
Pressurized tank-------dual line. Modern tank non pressurized= single line
What about built in tanks....like the old outboards that had tanks built in and didn't require a auxiliary tank
24:1
Hey Mike my 1958 vintage 50 horse Johnson is a single line fuel hose I must use a 24 to 1 fuel mix ratio or my engine would seize the rule is 1964 in Noor is 51
Great info. If you are just trolling at lower rpms can you add less oil so it’s not smoking as much? Have you experimented with synthetic oils?
I don’t recommend lowering the oil ratio - only con is plugs foul - easier to clean plugs than do a ring job. Never tried synthetic oil. Thx
@@michaeljsimon Could there also be a loss of speed with a thicker oil ratio? I have a 1963 Evinrude 5.5. I believe that is the last year of 24:1 before switching to 50:1. This outboard has a fuel pump and I just tested it with 24:1. Seems a little slow topping out at 7mph in a small 14’ duck boat after I rebuilt it.
@@dominicschneider1049 There will be no perceptible change in performance. T-Mike’s advise should be followed....never reduce the ratio of gas/oil in your outboard. It’s s very damaging over time.
My 1940 2.5hp Twin Sport uses 16:1 ~ Just sayin' the word "Vintage " is a broad spectrum.
I have a 1958 Elgin 7.5 from what I learned it was a pint of 30 wt oil to a gallon of gas or 24:1 shell burn 2 cyl oil also the tank on top is oil and the line in fuel. Not sure she looks great the boat to match is a 1961 Texas star. Ol river boat. V front flat bottom ? W oar holes ? 11.6 Found a trailer for boat matches perfect 1 7/8 hitch I’d sell it all for 1 k boat has a tittle
👍👍🙏🙏
they are mid 70'S motors,
Your definition of oil ratios is not correct for an across the board recommendation. Further breakdown is needed. Your smaller 5.5 and 7.5 Johnson and Evinrude require/need 16:1, and those are dual line from the factory. Running even 24:1 in those can result in thrown rods. Also, there are quite a number of vintage motors that have been adapted to fuel pumps and use a single fuel line. Could be asking for trouble again to run 50:1 in those cases. Especially if for the smaller plain bearing motors. It would be nice if oil ratios were as simple as number of lines from the tank, but it's not. That practice could be sending a very wrong message and potentially using this practice, damage sometimes motor.
Well, not quite true. The older engines such as the 50s model 5.5s and 7.5hps absolutely require a 16:1 fuel/oil mix. These engines have no roller bearings, and rely on bronze bearings/bushings on the rods. Using 24:1 on these engines will absolutely accelerate wear to these rod bearings. We have all seen these poor engines with holes in the block where the connecting rods punched out. Please don't rely on all the hype about today's TCW3 oils being so much better than the oils used back in the day. Sure, today's oils are better, but not that much better. Oil and spark plugs are cheap, don't risk ruining the powerhead. It is amazing how little these engines smoke when in proper tune, even at 16:1. The older duel line engines that have roller rod bearings can use 24:1, which is the original specification. Some of the single line engines of the 60s specify 24:1 as well, I would stick with that recommendation.
wrong
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