OUTBOARD MOTORS

[O2BFSHN]

Quick question i guess on fuel type. I purchased a used boat with a '95 Johnson 130hp and was wondering if people used Premium or Regular unleaded? I have heard regular works fine if used enough. And I've also heard that Premium burns much hotter and can ruin certain components? Just wondering if anyone had any input.

Thanks in advance.

[Gissert]

A popular misconception regarding octane.

Octane is a measure of a fuel's ability to resist detonation. The higher the octane number, the more resistant it is to detonation. It actually results in a cooler burn if the engine does have enough compression to get into the optimum pressure for combustion.

In a stock engine, high octane can result in fuel not burning efficiently, and can lead to a poorly running engine and fouled plugs. I have seen first hand what happens to a snomobile that does not run well on high octane. No engine damage results, but the experiance can be really frustrating. Boggy holeshots, sputtering, and lots of plug fouling.

I would use what the owners manual calls for as long as it is in stock configuration.

[ChuckN]

When I owned Johnson/Evinrude, and now Mercury, 87 octane was recommended. It's stamped on a small plate on the motor near the serial number usually.

I have used high octane in snowmobiles, boats, etc...and the performance was noticably poorer as Gissert stated unless the manufacturer required it. I don't use that high octane when not necessary, and ethanol blends in today's fuel have never been a concern or issue for me whatsoever.

[TommyJ33]

I suggest using non-ethanol added gasoline and the manufactures suggested 2-cycle oil. I used some cheap oil a few years pack when I was in a pinch. and my motor was very smokey and ran terrible.

[The_Duckslayer]

Hmmm I have a 1989 Evinrude 60HP on the back of my boat. I run premium fuel in it and have noticed that the cold blooded thing runs a lot better on it. Faster starts and smoother idle. Then again it is an older one and maybe that is what they were made for. Have a good one and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo