Motor head question.
 

This 1 is for all you motor heads out there. I have a gallon jug of 2 cycle oil that I bought 4 years ago. The foil seal is still on the oil. Should I use that oil or chunk it? One of my buddies suggested using it at a 2 to 1 ratio with new oil.

Re: Motor head question.
 

As long as the oils says TCW 3 on it it is fine! I always use 50:1 no matter what.

I got some oil from a garage and it had been there for years!!! It was Exxon but it had TCW 3 so i used it, No problem's

Re: Motor head question.
 

Thats what I figured but I had to ask. I was raised to believe that there is only 1 dumb question and that is the one that you don't ask. Thanks MJ

Re: Motor head question.
 

Pre-mixing you'll be fine, I've used 2 stroke oil that was 10 years old before without problem. Oil injected is a whole nother demon entirely though.

Re: Motor head question.
 

this came up in a Mercury class I was in several years ago, hey said the biggest problem is if the oil got below freezing, supposably the oil will gel if it gets too cold, and it won't return to its normal condition even after it warms up, seems there were a rash of power head failures after an early cold snap, all the pickups were stopped up with oil gel

Re: Motor head question.
 

Its been oil for a million years, whats a few more sitting in a jug?

Re: Motor head question.
 

When it gets to the point of having a "born on date" like beer, then maybe some concern.

Re: Motor head question.
 

So Spare, your saying that the oil left in my reserve over the winter is no good :-/ ??? ( My engine is oil enjected)
I have had the boat out a hand full of times with out any major problems ( 1 rock, but thats a diffrent story :P :-[ ) but I do top of the oil each trip. should I drain the tank/reserve?

Re: Motor head question.
 

not an easy answer, but the official view from the outboard manufactures is to drain the oil resevoir and clean the pickup screen each spring, I don't know anyone that does that, although its not a bad idea. It doesn't even get close to freezing around here,( i guess I just jinxed us for this winter) so I haven't seen the results personally. They were just warning us that the oil wil congeel and turn to gel if it gets below freezing. Try an experiment, put some in a jar and throw it in the freezer, see what happens, got me curious myself

Re: Motor head question.
 

Thanks! A science project for my daughters *;D
I can hear it now, (the wife) Hunny, the choclate/caramal syrup in the freezer doesn't taste right :D