oil

[vino1972]

I am a new pontoon owner. I have been putting 2 cycle oil in my 90 hp 2 stroke mercury and thought this was right. I have been noticing that it seems like everytime I take it out I have to add some oil to it. I have been tubing and cruising in it. I talked to someone today and they thought my motor is not a 2 cycle becasue I don't mix the gas and oil and I have been putting the wrong oil in it. Is this correct. Like I said I have a 1990 90hp mercury outboard. Thanks for your help and hopefully he was wrong and I was right!

[tkrein]

do you have a seperate plastic container that you put your oil in kinda like a small gas tank? or do you put the oil in under the cowl like you do in your car and have a dip stick to check it if the first way it should be a 2 stroke and the second way a 4 stroke. get the model number off the motor and then we can tell you for sure.

[Ghost Rider]

I believe that you have an oil injected two stroke. There should be a seprate tank that you add two stroke oil to. The motor has a pump that injects the oil rather then you having to pre mix gas and oil.

[oldmn19]

Don't take this the wrong way but, didn't you ask about how to run and service the motor when you bought the boat? Didn't the seller show or tell you anything about the operation? Didn't you ask any questions? Did you get any manuals with it and have you read them? What else don't you know about your purchase?

[dockholiday]

My past toon had a 89 (i think) merc 90. On top of the motor cowl was a little hatch to access the oil injection reservoir. The oil tank had a black rectangular top. If you have something like this, pour the oil slowly to prevent overflow. I actually bought a small watering pitcher with a long spout, which worked pretty well. If you don't see a hatch ontop of the cowl. Take the cowl off the motor an look around for a small tank. The larger motors had a separate tank on the boat. Let us know what you found
Oh forgot to say mine had a small antenna looking indicator that must have been attached to a float to indicate oil level. If it was sticking up an inch or so the level was okay. Remember when the oil injection first came out, a lot of people would still mix a little oil in the gas. I guess they didn't trust the system back then.
doc

[WaltF]

Mixing is old school....
Most now have separate 2 stroke and gas tanks and the engine mixes it at injection time..

First hint:
"I have been noticing that it seems like everytime I take it out I have to add some oil to it."

So you either have a 2 stroke, or your 4 stroke engine is eating oil faster then Doc can knock back a shot of Jack!

If its a 2 stroke, that makes sense, it WILL use oil every time. It gets burned along with the gas, not at the same rate, but enough that it will be 'used' like gas will.

2 stroke burns oil along with the gas. -> uses oil to run = uses alot of that kind of oil
4 stroke just uses oil as a lube, like your car. -> uses oil to lube = doesnt need oil added often.

If its a 4 stroke, then well... you prob messed the motor up by pouring 2 stroke oil into it....


This question reminds me of the ole wife putting diesel into the mini van trick.