Can I use different brand oil?

[prlim2000]

I have a Merc. Optimax 2 stroke 115hp ob. They recomend to use the Mercury synth. blend TC-W3 or Mercury DFI brand oil. Can I get away using the Penzoil synth. blend TC-W3 brand oil? Or other brands out there with the same type of oil? Mercury brand is like $30/gal and others are almost 1/2 of the price cheapr like Penzoil.

thanks!

[Way2slow]

You can but I wouldn't.  Warrenty claims can always come back and bite you.  DFI motors are very sensitive to oil viscosity and even though they are all TC-W3 there can be slight variations in viscosity, especially at different temps.  I run Penzoil Synthetic in everything I have except my Evinrude DFI, I run the recommended Evinrude Ficht oil in it.

[Cajun1977]

why spend  good money on a great motor  to only use  cheap and unrecommended oil in it   the proper oil is an insurance for some peace and mind   it may cost 30 bucks  but its not like you have to go buy oil every week   dont be cheap use the recommended oil

[prlim2000]

Thanks...guys!  I was just wondering if the Mercury peeps are just saying this so I buy their product.

[CP Bass]

It really depends on how much money it will save you.  If it will only save $100.00 a year then what's the point.  Might as well use what is recomended.

I only use Amsoil in everything I own.  4 wheeler, snowmobile, chainsaw, trimmer, truck and boat.  A little pricy but in my mind it's a great insurance policy!!

Drew.

[senile1]

I use inexpensive oils that are TC-W3 rated.  Everything I read says that you're wasting your money buying the expensive oils and that your motor will be fine with the cheaper oils as long as they are rated TC-W3.

Having said that, I have an older boat.  If I had a new boat and the manufacturer recommends a certain oil I would use it unless I was sure the less expensive oil wouldn't void my warranty.  

[prlim2000]

Senile1 can you tell me where you read this so I can read up on it. Also, if it voids the warranty, would people actually say they had used a different brand tho, if something ever to go wrong with the motor?

Drew, I live by a lake so my kids take it out 3x a week to go tubing/skiing and I take it to the Chain'O Lakes (alot to cover) atleast evry Sat....so I use about a gal or little more a week.

Thanks!

[senile1]

Senile1 can you tell me where you read this so I can read up on it. Also, if it voids the warranty, would people actually say they had used a different brand tho, if something ever to go wrong with the motor?

Drew, I live by a lake so my kids take it out 3x a week to go tubing/skiing and I take it to the Chain'O Lakes (alot to cover) atleast evry Sat....so I use about a gal or little more a week.

Thanks!

I've just read it in a few boating books and heard it from some mechanics that I consider honest.  I'm not saying these other guys are wrong.  I'm not a boat motor expert by any stretch of the imagination.  My motor is a 1989 Johnson 70 horse that I had rebuilt 3 years ago.  I have a great mechanic and he said the motor would be fine with any TC-W3 oil, but this is an older motor and this might not be true for your motor.  Newer motors are more finely tuned and more complicated than my old motor and there may be something to the manufacturer's recommendation.  Try googling this subject to see what you can find.  I'll do the same and if I find anything I'll post it here.  

[senile1]

Go to Google groups, choose the rec.boats group, and then search for outboard oil recommendations.  There is alot of disagreement on this, but it appears that the brand name oil retailers always recommend their own oil over cheaper oils.  Also, I found this comment regarding warranties that states the Magnusson Moss Warranty Act prohibits manufacturer's from requiring a specific brand of oil to be used in order to maintain your warranty.  I googled this federal act and this appears to be true.  As long as your oil is TCW III your warranty should be good.  You might want to research this yourself to make sure you feel comfortable with it.  

[prlim2000]

hmmmm....interesting....I'll research more.

Thanks Senile...if you or any find anything new please post it...I appreciate it.

[Way2slow]

I think I commented that yes you can but I wouldn't.  It's your motor, and yes it will burn anything on the market that meets TC-W3 specs, That stuff you can buy for $3 a gallon to $50 a gallon.  You'll hear about using nothing but Amzoil, or nothing but Klotz or nothing but the cheapest stuff on the shelf and their motors work great.   Now go to any dealer of any brand motor and  talk to their techs.  If they've been building motors very long, there's not a one of them out there gonna recommend an off brand oil.  Not because they want to sell theirs, because they see what the inside of motors look like when they've run that cheap oil.   All oils are not created equal, just because they meet TC-W3 specs don't mean crap as to how well it burns inside your motor and how well it prevents carbon, gumming, and wear.    That $20 and $30 a gallon is not all markup over the cheaper oils (yea some because Merc, Yamaha, BRP are going to make their markup) but with that manufactors oil, you know your getting the additivies they recommend for that motor to live a long happy life with the proper maintenance along the way.   And as I also stated, DFI motors are very sinsitive to oils because the oil is not mixed with the gas in the same way non DFI motors are.  Two totally different concepts are used between DFI and other motors.  I'm not one to try and tell anyone how they should treat their equipment, only how I would treat mine and I've been inside a bunch of outboard motors.

[Cajun1977]

I think I commented that yes you can but I wouldn't. It's your motor, and yes it will burn anything on the market that meets TC-W3 specs, That stuff you can buy for $3 a gallon to $50 a gallon. You'll hear about using nothing but Amzoil, or nothing but Klotz or nothing but the cheapest stuff on the shelf and their motors work great. Now go to any dealer of any brand motor and talk to their techs. If they've been building motors very long, there's not a one of them out there gonna recommend an off brand oil. Not because they want to sell theirs, because they see what the inside of motors look like when they've run that cheap oil. All oils are not created equal, just because they meet TC-W3 specs don't mean crap as to how well it burns inside your motor and how well it prevents carbon, gumming, and wear. That $20 and $30 a gallon is not all markup over the cheaper oils (yea some because Merc, Yamaha, BRP are going to make their markup) but with that manufactors oil, you know your getting the additivies they recommend for that motor to live a long happy life with the proper maintenance along the way. And as I also stated, DFI motors are very sinsitive to oils because the oil is not mixed with the gas in the same way non DFI motors are. Two totally different concepts are used between DFI and other motors. I'm not one to try and tell anyone how they should treat their equipment, only how I would treat mine and I've been inside a bunch of outboard motors.

exactly      plain and simple  youve got  im assuming a newer motor     use whats recommended     who would know better than the merc techs call a dealership  talk to a tech    the optis are not your old  carbed motors they are very efficient  and  should be run on what is recommended        sent you instant message

[shortbasser]

As everyone has said I wouldn't burn the cheap stuff either.  I am running an '05 Yamaha VMAX HPDI.  Nothing but Yamalube goes in the tank and I add the recommended Ring Free every time.  My tech told me he would know if I was using anything else because the plugs are going to show some fouling.

That said.  Call your dealer and inquire about buying oil in bulk.  Most dealers buy their oil in 50 gal. drums and will sell it over the counter if you provide the container.  It is cheaper than the pre-packaged stuff.  Been doing that for years.  

Shortbasser

[prlim2000]

Okay...makes sense.

Something I was reading: http://www.nmma.org/certification/programs/oils/ in the 2nd to the last paragraph

The chemical make up of the TC-W3® oils vary due to the various additive packages involved with each oil brand.