YAMALUBE VS WEST MARINE TC-W3 OIL

[njterrier]

I am sure this has come up before, but I am curious how the two mentioned 2-s oils stack against each other.
I have a 1998 yamaha 2-s 115 , which runs great by the way, and I still have a full oil tank worth of "yamalube"...Would it be a bad move to buy the West marine 2-s oil which is TC-W3 rated?, or am I looking for trouble?, I can buy it for 12.99/gallon this weekend.

THX Scott

 

[Megabyte]

If it is a TCW3 rated oil, it's OK for use.
Most of those oils are a blend of dino and synthetic, which is exactly what Yamalube is.

My motor is a 1997 OX66 and is way out of warranty, so I use Penzoil full synthetic.

If you used Penzoil semi-syn, you would be using the same blend as Yamalube.
In my case, I went the next step up to full synthethic at about twice the price of semi-syn. With the age of my motor, I felt that was a good call. Others might not think so, but that is how I chose to go.

 

[MaxOut]

Pennzoil is always a good choice in my opinion. I would be willing to bet Yamaha has there hands full designing/manufacturing their engines and probably private label their oils from someone like Pennzoil or Mobile. That’s one of the reasons Yamaha oils cost more as they have to buy them from someone else. Stay with the top name brands and make sure they meet or exceed the OEM requirements and you will be fine. I use Yamaha 4-stroke oil while under warranty but will switch to something cheaper when warranty is over. :wink: Generally speaking I like to stick with OEM stuff but only when it makes sense. I am not familiar with the West marine branded oils so do some research as to who manufactures it for them. If it is a reputable company you trust than go for it. I would be willing to bet it will say in small print on the bottle.

 

[skipperhub]

Now I can't think of the name but I use the fuel additive reccomended by Yamaha at $32 a quart!
I asked a mechanic one day if Marvel Mystery Oil or some of the other additives were not the same thing. He didn't think so and enforced the value of the Yamaha additive.
I have a 150 gal tank and even at every third fill up it gets expensive.
Any thoughts?

Skipper Hub

 

[DaleH]

In my experience, propping the motor right from the get-go and decarbing every 50-100 is the best way to ensure long OB life and more important than your brand of oil choice, as long as it meets NMMA TC-W3 rating.

That said, key points to keep in mind:

* The TC-W3 rating is a Minimum Standard, meaning the oil or brand YOU buy could be better. Minimum standards means only 'That's good enough ...'

* The TC-W3 rating is a 'performance test', but it conducted on only a 15hp outboard! The demand, stress, loading, duty cycle, and carbonization of a 2-cylinder OB is HARDLY indicative of the demands a V4 or V6 motor puts on an engine.

* Only 2 or 3 players really make the 'oil' and most of it is made by the same place, where the base is made to TC-W3 specs and the rest are SPECIALLY FORMULATED to OEM specifications

* The TC-W3 test allows up to 15% piston scuffing :shock: and does NOT require any minimum amount of detergents to help break-down or eliminate carbon build up. Now for example, the old OMC specs for their brand of oil required 0% piston scuffing and min 10% additive of detergents.

* The PowerTech 2-stroke oil sold by Wal*Mart is the SAME formulation as sold by one of the big outboard companies under their same label.

Summary:
Use what YOU feel comfortable with. In my older V6s I run the cheap $8/gallon Wally*World oil when I know I'm going out on a long run, say a tuna trip where I'll put 100 +/- miles on the boat and use a gallon or more of oil. Otherwise my standard 'go to' oil is the Pennzoil semi-synthetic that Wal*Mart sells for $12/gallon, as it is less smokey.

Personally I think the West Marine oil is over-priced (but buy it at thatprice!) and I know guys who do bulk buys of Yummalube that get the Yummie oil (which is a Very Goodf TC-W3 oil too) for close to that price ...

Just my opine.

 

[Megabyte]

Your mechanic is probably referring to Ringfree. The recommended maintenance dose is 1 ounce of Ringfree per each 10 gallons of fuel. 15 ounces for your 150 gallon tank. Cheap insurance.

Another similar product would be StarTron. Both Ringfree and StarTron work to keep carbon build-up off your rings. A carbon fouled set of rings is the easiest way to score a cylinder and lunch a motor.

I use both products in my fuel every time I fill up.

 

[DaleH]

Another similar product would be StarTron. Both Ringfree and StarTron work to keep carbon build-up off your rings.

If/when you use Star*Tron by Star*Brite company ... buy the diesel formula and use half as much and you'll cut your $$ by two. The diesel formula is TWICE the concentration of the gas formula, and somewhere here on CP we have that in writing from an engineer from Star*Brite.

A carbon fouled set of rings is the easiest way to score a cylinder and lunch a motor.

I agree, but to combat this, I prefer to use the decarb every 50-hour method. But the lesson is, do one or the other ... for long engine life. Now if I had a motor with an O2 sensor or injectors, I'd be doing it via every fill ala Megabyte's response.

 

[CaptainJim]

I run exclusively west marine TCW3 oil. I have since I bought the boat 5 seasons ago. I have around 600 hours on my HPDI now, and it is still flawless, runs and looks like new.

West marine DOES make a direct injection premium oil now (for hpdis, opitis, etecs etc) but it's the same price as yamalube, so if i was going to switch I'd just buy yamalube probably. I just use the regular west marine oil.

I love my yammie, but since the yamalube and the west marine burn at the same rate (where an etec using the etec brand 2 stroke oil burns at 1/2 the rate of regular tcw3), why not save a few dollars (and conveniance, since west marine is way easier to get to than any of the yamaha dealers near me) when i use the boat as much as I do?

That being said, I have seen NO problems with the west marine oil. My motor never smokes anyway, so I can't tell the difference between yamalube or west marine. West marine oil is frequently on sale by the case, which is nice, or I pick it up on my port supply card.


I treat EVERY tank with yamalube ring free (1 oz per 10 gallons), and EVERY tank with star tron enzyme (1oz per 16 gallons). My motor NEVER bogs down, smokes, or any problems whatsoever.

The only problem I had with fuel was last year the ethanol fuel sucked all the dirt and crud out of my tanks and into the recor, which is fine, it's what it's for right?