Thread: a few about outboard motors

As far as 2 stroke oil goes its going to depend on age a little. 50-1 is a good starting point and i tend to like the quicksilver oil myself but oil can be a kind of brand loyalty thing.
There will be a grease zert on the steering tube and another on the neck where the motor pivots. Give it a shot or two every couple months depending on use.

Another thing to check is lower unit lube. Drain and fill two to three times a year again depending on use. Also keep q look out for water or milky colored oil as this means you have water getting into the lower unit.

As far as the impeller goes if you don't know when it was last changed for it now. Then once every two years or so.

If you have power tilt and trim there will be another grease zert on the up down pivot in the motor mount. Treat this one the same as the other ones.

Your motor should charge its self but you can test this by putting a multi meter to the battery while the motor is running and it should show an output above 12v.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, that helps a lot!

Find a oil bottle at BPS or local marine dealer that has the graduations on it for oil per gallon and different ratios. Kept mine in boat with a bottle of oil. That way if you put 2 gal's in the tank you can add the exact amount of oil for the 2 gal. Keeps from under or over dosing with oil.

Originally Posted by Snapper49

Few a questions about outboard motors.1 I have a 35 mercury on a stick steering boat, does it charge the battery as it runs? 2. what is the best oil for outboard motors and what is standard mix ratios for six gallon tanks? 3. is there any place I need to oil, lube and keep an eye on, if so provide instructions. 4. How long or often do I need check the foot, inpreller and perform preventive maintenance Thanks

1. what year is the 35hp merc ? As for charging the battery ... I doubt it. Best to always fully charge a battery after each days use. I recommend a 10A charger.
2. any TC-W3 motor oil should work for a two stroke engine. 50:1 ratio is 1pint oil to 6gal gas.
3. Lower unit oil should be changed at least every couple of years (along with water pump impeller) ... steering cable & tilt/trim module should be lubed at least once a year, and tilt/trim fluid should be checked & re-filled when necessary.

Look up or purchase a owners manual for your motor .... preventative maintenance menu should be listed in there.

IMHO ...
Visual inspection & hands on inspection should occur prior to each trip. Check battery charge, trailer tire lube, steering cable (ease of movement), amount of gas in tanks, drain plugs aboard, keys are with you, tie downs are tight, all trailer lights work, trailer & safety chains are in place, boat load is positioned over axle, proper tongue weight, transom saver is attached & secured, trailer tires are properly inflated to specs, & all necessary equipment is onboard (PFD's, throwable cushion, fire extinguisher, whistle, spare key, ownership paperwork/title, etc).

... cp

to check for charging, connect a digital volt meter to the battery while the motor is not runnin and all the electrics on boat are turned off, hook up muffs and water hose, start the motor and run it up to at least 2000 rpm, then connect the voltage meter to battery, its its higher voltage then it was while not runnin, it is chargin, if its the same or lower, it is not charging. as for the lower unit oil, i like to check all my motors 3-4 times a year. my 85 yamaha has never had water in it, and was changed in feb. i just checked it last week and there was water in it, upper seal under water impellar went bad. if i only checked or changed once a year, then i would have ruined the lower unit. lower unit lube is only $12-$15 a gallon, so why not check and change 3-4 times a year. change the impellar every 2-3 years.

Originally Posted by rickswanson

to check for charging, connect a digital volt meter to the battery

This does not have to be done with a digital volt meter. It can be done with any old Radio Shack or others analog volt meter.

Gear case oil, about every 100 hours or seasonally.

Originally Posted by FisherMike

This does not have to be done with a digital volt meter. It can be done with any old Radio Shack or others analog volt meter.

Any meter that reads DC voltage. If the motor is electric start it most likely has a charging circuit. Another way to tell is look on the starboard side of the motor. If it has charge coils there will be 2 yellow wires coming from under the stator going to the rectifier.