Used Wrong Oil

[Sutphen20]

I used 2 cycle outboard oil opposed to 4 cycle! Motor started running rough! Pulled boat out of water and prop has a stiff spot when turning it clockwise. Turning counter clockwise no problem at all. What kind of damage have I caused here?? Motor runs smooth in neutral and reverse! Forward is rough. Need help....

[wideglide55]

More information please.Where did you put the oil you are talking about?In the gearcase or crankcase,Is the motor 2stroke or 4?

[Richard]

assume it is a new four stroke. did you put two cycle oil in the crankcase. two cycle oil has different properties from four cycle oil. i have seen people use 30 weight four stroke oil in a two cycle in an emergency. don't know what any of that would have to do with your shifting. someone who knows these motors better could probably tell you. how long did you run it that way?

[Sutphen20]

Motor is 2 stroke and oil injected. Put the oil in the seperate tank in which injects into the motor as needed. I did look up specs on motor and says 2 cycle oil to use! Its a optimax 225 fuel injected / can't figure out what went wrong. I am going to look on line to see if maybe I have the wrong motor manual.

More information please.Where did you put the oil you are talking about?In the gearcase or crankcase,Is the motor 2stroke or 4?

[Sutphen20]

I ran the boat for 20 minutes. I pulled out the manual that the previous owner gave me and now looks like it is a 2 stroke. Its not the saltwater 225 optimax. So now if i did use the right oil what would cause a stiff spot in the prop?? Boating:confused:

assume it is a new four stroke. did you put two cycle oil in the crankcase. two cycle oil has different properties from four cycle oil. i have seen people use 30 weight four stroke oil in a two cycle in an emergency. don't know what any of that would have to do with your shifting. someone who knows these motors better could probably tell you. how long did you run it that way?

[Ziemer]

If you have an oil injected 2 stroke engine and you used 2 stroke oil in the oil injection tank, you are fine.

Sounds as if your problem could be in the gearcase not the engine. I would drain the oil out of the gearcase and see what comes out. Look for water, metal shavings etc.

[Sutphen20]

WIll do thanks / boating ??

If you have an oil injected 2 stroke engine and you used 2 stroke oil in the oil injection tank, you are fine.

Sounds as if your problem could be in the gearcase not the engine. I would drain the oil out of the gearcase and see what comes out. Look for water, metal shavings etc.

[Sutphen20]

Mechanic just called and said metal in the gear case and said drive is shot / whats next / can i rebuild or go with a more performance drive. I think my problem may have been over trimming or could the prop have been turning too much. One mechanic says one thing and another says something else. From what I see / motor was rerigged too high for the drive, they set me up with a smaller wheel / i was over trimming to try to get the speed and just kept overheating the drive and now here I am . Or maybe I'm wrong. I need some help before spending worthless cash.....


If you have an oil injected 2 stroke engine and you used 2 stroke oil in the oil injection tank, you are fine.

Sounds as if your problem could be in the gearcase not the engine. I would drain the oil out of the gearcase and see what comes out. Look for water, metal shavings etc.

[captcarb]

Does your boat have a foot throttle?

[Sutphen20]

No does not!

Does your boat have a foot throttle?

[THE HOGG]

Im Not An Expert But Ive Never Heard Of Gearcase Problems From Over Trimming. Never Heard Of An Overheated Drive Unless It Didnt Have Oil In It.

[Sutphen20]

I just found out the same thing from another guy / I guess this mechanic is not familiar with outboards or who the hell knows what he's familiar with. Thanks for the input.... Now on to fixing the damn problem...

Im Not An Expert But Ive Never Heard Of Gearcase Problems From Over Trimming. Never Heard Of An Overheated Drive Unless It Didnt Have Oil In It.

[Sutphen20]

So now I know that its not my driving...

I just found out the same thing from another guy / I guess this mechanic is not familiar with outboards or who the hell knows what he's familiar with. Thanks for the input.... Now on to fixing the damn problem...

[wideglide55]

If you want help with your setup you will have to give all of us as much info as you have about your rig.What hull,what motor and gearcase,prop you are running,engine height etc.,etc.

[merc326]

yes, you can damage the gearcase by overtrimming, i just replaced a 115 inline 6 for the guy doing the same thing, he thought it was cool,

[150aintenuff]

only way over trimming damages the gearcase is if the engine is mounted so high on the transom that the gearcase is out of water and the propeller is Surfacing compleatly ( BIG ROOTER) Causing the drive to build up heat and break down the oil noot to mention the stress surfacing a prop causes on the case and bearings. the stress and heat caused a failure not the trim angle. The drive leg itself remains in the same plane as the driveshaft throughout the trim range and does not change like a driveline in a car does at different suspension heights. The EXCUSE used is over trimming.. THE FACTS are Stress due to surfacing the propeller and Heat build up from the case being 1/2-2/3 out of water caused the failure.

[Sutphen20]

The Hull Sutphen - semi V more flat towards the stern, 225 optimax EFI 1999, gearcase 1.75;1. prop is a laser 24 pitch 3 blade and holes are plugged also using a backer plate to seal exhaust , stainless marine extension box I believe about 7" set back, I know the stern is 25" in height and the prop is below the bottom of the stern......I will go to the boat today to measure exact height ...

If you want help with your setup you will have to give all of us as much info as you have about your rig.What hull,what motor and gearcase,prop you are running,engine height etc.,etc.

[Sutphen20]

WOW.....What do you recommend at this point as far as repair or new lower unit?????

yes, you can damage the gearcase by overtrimming, i just replaced a 115 inline 6 for the guy doing the same thing, he thought it was cool,

[Sutphen20]

Damn - so with a stern drive its not as easy to heat the drive / much deeper in the water / thats all i owned before this and never heated a drive up!!!! How high should the motor typically be mounted on the transom / can my drive be rebuilt or should i replace it with a different style. How can you tell if the drive is starving from water??

only way over trimming damages the gearcase is if the engine is mounted so high on the transom that the gearcase is out of water and the propeller is Surfacing compleatly ( BIG ROOTER) Causing the drive to build up heat and break down the oil noot to mention the stress surfacing a prop causes on the case and bearings. the stress and heat caused a failure not the trim angle. The drive leg itself remains in the same plane as the driveshaft throughout the trim range and does not change like a driveline in a car does at different suspension heights. The EXCUSE used is over trimming.. THE FACTS are Stress due to surfacing the propeller and Heat build up from the case being 1/2-2/3 out of water caused the failure.

[Reese]

Stuphen...


I seriously doubt you broke your lower unit because of over trimming. If you were trimmed that far out you wouldn't be going anywhere, and because I also doubt you have a low water pickup, your engine would have overheated. God only knows what happend to you lower unit and if the damage was already present when it finally decided to let go.

The only thing I might suggest is to look around if you are not totally confident that the shop knows what they are doing. There are fewer and fewer shops out there that work on outboards let alone rebuild lower units. If the guys you're talking to don't seem right, there are several on this forum who rebuild lower units on a regular basis. So check around.

Good luck...hope you're in the water soon.

[Sutphen20]

THANKS FOR THE HELP!

Stuphen...


I seriously doubt you broke your lower unit because of over trimming. If you were trimmed that far out you wouldn't be going anywhere, and because I also doubt you have a low water pickup, your engine would have overheated. God only knows what happend to you lower unit and if the damage was already present when it finally decided to let go.

The only thing I might suggest is to look around if you are not totally confident that the shop knows what they are doing. There are fewer and fewer shops out there that work on outboards let alone rebuild lower units. If the guys you're talking to don't seem right, there are several on this forum who rebuild lower units on a regular basis. So check around.

Good luck...hope you're in the water soon.