Oil level

[Rick Howard]

Here is a green question.  I've never owned an injected 2 stroke.  I've been mixing my own for years.  New boats injecte. The oil fill has no dip stick.  The reservoir is not clear enough for me to see the line.  No gauge at the console that I'm aware of... how do I check the oil?  I said it was a green question but I'm turning red trying to figure this out... lol

[fishnkamp]

How about a little info please. What year, make and model outboard.  For instance, on my 2000 Merc 2 stroke 75 hp outboard there is a cover that you remove from the outer engine cowling. Then there is a cap with a dipstick to check the level. You can also remove the cowling and the reservoir is marked and easy to see.

[Rick Howard]

08 Ranger 198vx, 08 200 Evinrude etec 

[TOXIC]

On most injected 2 strokes you will have 2 oil tanks.  One in your bilge that stores up to a couple gallons and one mounted on your motor.  The oil pump moves oil from the bilge bulk tank to the smaller tank on your motor as needed.  When your bilge bulk tank gets too low normally that's when you will get your low oil alarm or light.  That lets you know you only have the oil in your smaller engine mounted tank remaining and you need to add oil soon.  You only fill the bilge tank and some boats have remote oil fill thru hull fittings and others you have to remove the bilge bulk oil tank cap and fill there.  It's difficult and even with my thru hull fill, I have to be careful not to overfill or spill.  On my bilge bulk tank there are fill marks to tell when it is at the proper level.  Whether you have the remote fill or have to dive into the bilge to fill, a funnel is your friend.  Just check it often while filling.   

[Way2slow]

I suspect if you shine a flashlight on the side of the tank, you can see the level, if not, shine it in the fill hole, that should make it so you can see the oil level. 

If not, you can always use something for a dip stick to stick in the fill hole and measure it. 

I just look in the fill hole and see where it looks like the level is. When it looks to be below 1/2 full, I fill it up again.

[TOXIC]

I need to correct something else I said....The oil sensor on my Merc and on my Yamaha are both in the small engine mounted tank, not in the bilge bulk tank.  So, the low oil alarm will sound after the bilge tank runs dry and the level in the engine mounted tank starts to drop.  There is also special procedures to refill the small tank.  It's not just unscrew the cap and add oil.  You fill the bulk tank  and with your motor running, take the cap off the small tank and let the pump fill the tank to the very top.  I even let it overflow just a tad and them put the cap back on.  The only reason I am so keyed in on this is because I had a motor that kept throwing a tone and even with my bulk tank full, the small tank would drop about an inch and set off the warning.  Found out that my small tank (saddle tank) on the motor had a hairline crack and even though it wasn't leaking it would allow the system to depressurize and the level would drop.