FAQ

Questions

1 - What kind of oil can I use for my 2-stroke motor?

2 - What is the fuel/oil mix for my motor?

3 - I live in an area where they only sell oxygenated fuels. Will this hurt my motor?

4 - What grade of fuel should I use in my motor?

5 - Can I use synthetic oil my OMC Cobra engine?

6 - I have some oil that has been sitting on the shelf for a few years. Is it any good? Can I still use it?

7 - I have a lot of TCW-2 oil. Can I still use it in my motor?

8 - Why are your TCW-3 oils different colors?

9 - What type of gearcase oil should I use? How much does it hold?

Answers

1 - What kind of oil can I use for my 2-stroke motor?

XD30, XD50 and XD100 oil is recommended for all 1993 and newer motors.

2 - What is the fuel/oil mix for my motor?

The following is generally true: 1958 and prior used 20:1, 1959 thru 1963 used 24:1, 1964 and newer use 50:1. High performance usage (racing) requires a ratio of 25:1. New engine break-in (not DI) requires 25:1.

3 - I live in an area where they only sell oxygenated fuels. Will this hurt my motor?

Oxygenated fuels should not hurt motors. Motors can tolerate up to 10% alcohol in fuels, which is the maximum allowed by law in the United States.

4 - What grade of fuel should I use in my motor?

Current recommendations are to use a minimum of 87 octane, 89 octane is preferred. There is no additional benefit from using higher-octane fuels, in fact they may cause hard starting conditions in hot weather. If you have an older motor and the owner's manual requires premium fuel, here's why:
When these were built, the best oil available was TCW-2 rated, and did not contain the additive package (detergents, carbon preservatives, etc.) which our current oils (XD-30, XD-50 and XD-100) contain today. In that era, premium fuel contained the additive package that helped prevent the formation of internal engine deposits. That's why premium fuels were preferred at the time. Ultimately, in the late 90's the federal government mandated fuel refiners to use the same additive package in all grades of fuel and the premium fuel requirement was dropped.

5 - Can I use synthetic oil my OMC Cobra engine?

OMC Cobra's must use straight 30W oils. You cannot use multi-viscosity oil. The additives that are put in multi-viscosity oils cause the oil to break down too fast. This will cause the oil to lose its lubricity characteristics. Remember, a stern drive engine application is much different than a car or truck - the stern drive engine normally sustains a higher running rpm for a longer period of time than a car or truck ( most cars or trucks cruise 2500 rpm's or less, where a stern drive will run 4000 rpm or more ). Using a synthetic oil is acceptable if a straight 30W cannot be found. The change interval remains every 50 hours! Therefore, given the higher cost of synthetics, this doesn't make them cost effective for use by most boaters.

6 - I have some oil that has been sitting on the shelf for a few years. Is it any good? Can I still use it?

Yes, just shake it up and it will be fine (it may need to be room temperature).

7 - I have a lot of TCW-2 oil. Can I still use it in my motor?

Yes, as long as it's a 1992 or older motor. You may want to use Carbon Guard to minimize the formation of carbon deposits in the engine. Using TCW-2 oil in a motor that requires TCW-3 oil will void your warranty, should an oil related failure occur.

8 - Why are your TCW-3 oils different colors?

Our oil comes from different suppliers. Each uses a different dye (for identification purposes), but the oils are formulated exactly the same.

9 - What type of gearcase oil should I use? How much does it hold?

Refer to your owner's manual.