Duckboats.net
Skip to Content


Home : Main Forums : Duck Boat/Hunting Forum :

Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes

Quote Reply
Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes
I run a Yamaha 2 stroke 15, and have always been very careful to mix my gas at as close to the recommended 50:1 as possible.

I made a dumb mistake. After transferring a little over half of a 2 gallon can of pre-mixed gas into the tank in the boat, I added oil to it in anticipation that I'd top off the tank. I forgot to do top it off, and instead put a a gallon of fuel that was mixed at 25:1 into my three gallon tank in the boat. Last night I ran the boat a little on the over-oiled tank and it seemed to run just fine, though I only ran about a half gallon of fuel through it.

Question: Should I just ignore my dumb mistake and go back to adding fuel mixed at 50:1, assuming that the excess oil enrichment will be gradually reduced as I add fuel at the proper ratio? Or should I instead top off the tank now with unmixed gas to kick the ratio back where it belongs?

What are the consequences of running a 3 gallon tank of ~35:1 gas:oil through the motor?

Gas prices being what they are, and gasoline being hard to dispose of, I am reluctant to dump the tank and start over with the right ratio.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Jeff-I wouldn't worry about it. One tank of gas with more oil through your motor isn't going to make much difference. Even though my Yamaha 25 calls for 100-1, I have run 50-1 through it for years on the advice of the dealer where I bought it. I have never fouled a plug, and really only use the motor for duck hunting, which probably puts only 20 hours per year on it plus or minus. You can also get an empty gas can, split the mixture, and then add gas to approach approx where you want to be. Or just do that as you run down the current mixture. You are not doing any damage to your engine.Worst thing that happens, you foul the plugs. And I doubt that will happen for the short time you will be running that mixture.
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
My Yamaha 15hp is a 2009, supposed to run 100:1, and I always run it 50:1 oil, but then add in the Yamaha ring free, stabil, Yamaha fuel stabilizer and some Sea Foam. Quite a witches brew..... When I have allowed the gas to sit for awhile, I will dump it in my truck to mix fresh for the boat motors. I will be curious what others say, but I always error on the oil side and figure maybe it will smoke a little more, but won't be lube starved.

Dave Diefenderfer
Manassas, VA

"Once you set out to build a boat, throw away your square. And if you work on her after she's launched, throw away your level." author unknown

Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Wouldn?t give it a second thought.

Mark
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Phew!

And thanks to the Duck Boat crew for confirming that my own stupidity won't hurt me in this instance.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
one thing I would add it to check your plugs. You could get a little fowling . Clean with tooth bush and gas if it starts to fowl.


A bit off the subject. When I was a kid we would chip in $2.35 for 6 gallons of gas and a qt of oil.

The old 10 hp johnson took a quart to 6 gallons.
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Bill Ferrar wrote:
When I was a kid we would chip in $2.35 for 6 gallons of gas and a qt of oil.

The old 10 hp johnson took a quart to 6 gallons.


For comparison, I paid $7.99 for a quart of 2 stroke oil at a convenience store. Let's not talk about what I paid for ethanol free gas, but your $2.35 would not have gotten me a half gallon.

Not sure how old you are, but my motor may date to when you were a kid. :) I think it's mid 80's. I'm at least the third owner. Should check the serial number and find out.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
I over-oil my motor all the time. Just clean the plugs now & then and you're fine


Carl
Mobile, AL
DHBP Member since 1998

"Life is too short to drink bad beer."
Disclaimer: This post and/or report is not a substantiation of or reflection on the true accuracy of the present surveying methods. It is only a report on or comment concerning local observation and/or results. Your results and observation may vary based on your location, local water conditions, food supply, weather conditions and migratory patterns "
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Carl wrote:
I over-oil my motor all the time. Just clean the plugs now & then and you're fine


Well no wonder your motor doesn't pee Cool


Pete


MOLON LABE [mo 'lon la 've]

Technology has it's place, hunting isn't it.

Life's a blink, never have to say ....... "I should have"!

"That human optimism & goodness that we put our faith in, is in no more danger than the stars in the jaws of the clouds." .................Victor Hugo
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
   
I had a mehcanic tell me better to have a little too much oil than too little.
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
If I was mixed at 25-1 I would not spend a lot of time at idle. Other then that I would run her.
South Jersey
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Pees great now!
Just have to clean the plugs every now & then so she cranks easier.
Wink


Carl
Mobile, AL
DHBP Member since 1998

"Life is too short to drink bad beer."
Disclaimer: This post and/or report is not a substantiation of or reflection on the true accuracy of the present surveying methods. It is only a report on or comment concerning local observation and/or results. Your results and observation may vary based on your location, local water conditions, food supply, weather conditions and migratory patterns "
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Dave,

I do the same thing. A witches brew of stabil, sea foam and ethanol free gas. Fill the 6 gallon tank after the season in January to keep moisture out and then relocate the fuel in my 4 Runner just before season in October and add fresh fuel with the brew. I run a 25 four stroke on my TDB. Seems to work well.

RVZ
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Rod VanZile wrote:
Dave,

I do the same thing. A witches brew of stabil, sea foam and ethanol free gas. Fill the 6 gallon tank after the season in January to keep moisture out and then relocate the fuel in my 4 Runner just before season in October and add fresh fuel with the brew. I run a 25 four stroke on my TDB. Seems to work well.

RVZ


You guys who are running your old gas in your cars and trucks--are you burning gas treated with 2 stroke oil in your vehicle? Not sure why, but that seems like it could be a bad idea.

Maybe I just have nightmares about an old Subaru I drove in college that burned oil like an Iraqi war zone.

"At first blush I am tempted to conclude that a satisfactory hobby must be in large degree useless, inefficient, laborious, or irrelevant."
— Aldo Leopold
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Yup, I dump the 2 stroke oil in my Silverado..... 4 or 5 gallons diluted with 12 to 15 gallons of 87octane, and never notice it.

Dave Diefenderfer
Manassas, VA

"Once you set out to build a boat, throw away your square. And if you work on her after she's launched, throw away your level." author unknown

Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
My buddy had a 20hp that was 100 x 1 oil ratio. Was always fowling plugs and never ran really well. Found he was mixing 25 x 1, Math. Ran it on 50 x 1 and ran fine.
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Capt Rich Geminski wrote:
My buddy had a 20hp that was 100 x 1 oil ratio. Was always fowling plugs and never ran really well. Found he was mixing 25 x 1, Math. Ran it on 50 x 1 and ran fine.


Dang math messin' stuff up.....


Carl
Mobile, AL
DHBP Member since 1998

"Life is too short to drink bad beer."
Disclaimer: This post and/or report is not a substantiation of or reflection on the true accuracy of the present surveying methods. It is only a report on or comment concerning local observation and/or results. Your results and observation may vary based on your location, local water conditions, food supply, weather conditions and migratory patterns "
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Jeff,
the only trouble you might get with too much oil is either a fowled plug of sluggish running motor. no big deal.
the trouble you may get from not enough oil is a scorched cylinder or seized motor.
add a little gas or not. just check the plugs after the gas is burned. a fowled plug will rear its ugly head when it gets cold out. plugs are cheap insurance.
frank
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
Jeff,
As others have said, it will run fine, but watch/change plugs. My 2004's owner's manual says use 25:1 for breakin, then go to 100:1 after that. A lot of people use 50:1 as they feel better protected from corrosion and engine wear.

v/r
Bill
Quote Reply
Re: Gas-Oil ratio for 2 strokes In reply to
You are right. That oil harms the catalytic converter. Its one of those things that takes awhile but it harms the beads. Those things are costly.