another oil question

[capnzee]

I have been running TCW-3 oil in my 225 opti (1999) and have not had a problem that I thought might be oil related. I did find a hole in my fuel regulator on the port rail. Just talked to a gent and he informed me that running TCW-3 oil in a OPTI was an absolute no no! Is this true? Have I been dodging bullets? If so, I'll switch over immediately. Thanks for some quick but knowledgeable answers.

[slowaction420]

Merc says you can run there premium + but yet still make different Opti max oil and most dealers try to push people to use it, think it's cleaner burning

[hsbob]

when the 200xs opti came out in the 2004 yr the certified oil was premium+. the opti had just came out and it was the second oil. i have been using the +oil since 2004 without any issues. however my 115 opti will run with the opti oil. which oil is the better i really dont know but i run "clean" regularly to clean the combustion chamber. there is a thought that a little oil my be benifical in the gas to oil the injectors?????

[Markus]

Just talked to a gent and he informed me that running TCW-3 oil in a OPTI was an absolute no no! Is this true?

I believe the engine officially calls for TC-W3 oil, but that Mercury recommends using their own product.

If Mercury Premium Plus is good enough, any high detergent TC-W3 oil should be good enough.

Btw, if you have a 1999 Opti that is still running, you have been dodging a lot of bullets.

[PanRonnie]

[Dave Strong]

I was told the performance engines should run Prem + and the standard engines run the Opti oil. Think its an emission thing, but the Opti oil does seem to be thicker " higher viscosity "


Dave

[capnzee]

I believe the engine officially calls for TC-W3 oil, but that Mercury recommends using their own product.

If Mercury Premium Plus is good enough, any high detergent TC-W3 oil should be good enough.

Btw, if you have a 1999 Opti that is still running, you have been dodging a lot of bullets.

Thanks for the comments, they support what I have been posting on another thread. I have followed your posts for some time now and value your thoughts. The question now is, what to do? I have so much $$$$ stuck in this engine that I can't really afford to scrap it. Wouldn't sell it to a friend! I guess I just run it until it takes a total crap! I have a 260 just waiting to GO.

[EMDSAPMGR]

If you will note the packaging, the Optimax oil is not TCWIII rated. Check the container. It is different from the Premium Plus, which is TCWIII rated. Having said that, I'm not sure just what the difference is. I called Merc Tech Service once for a customer. He'd dumped a gallon of Premium Plus in his Optmax oil tank and wondered if he could run with that oil mixture-the combination of both Opti and Premium Plus. The Tech said it would probably be "OK," but he recommended that the tank be drained and refilled with Opti oil only. He never gave a real definition of his logic-which I never did understand.