Yamaha HPDI 175 Oil question

[Teri C.]

The prior owner gave me the oil jug he used to fill the oil. The label on front says "Quicksilver Synthetic Blend 2 cycle". I did not find this exact label at Bass Pro. I think "Quicksilver Premium Plus 2 Cycle" is the same thing. Can someone confirm that? The label text on the back labels are exactly the same. Both are TCW3 approved. I want to use the same thing he has been using.



I've heard you should always use Yamalube with Yamaha motors. I used to buy it in bulk for one of my previous boats. I assume I should not mix Yamalube with what he put in, Quicksilver? I thought I would finish the season using the same oil he used then have the dealer drain all the oil and start using Yamalube. Thoughts?

 

[Greg Meyer]

All of the pure synthetcs will perform the same in your motor... A manufacturer cannot require you to use a brand (theirs) of oil to maintain a warrnty unless they give it to you for free. So, they would be nuts to manufacture (actually they buy it and brand it) an oil that would not be suitable for any brand of motor or manufacture a motor that would not be adequately served/maintained by any brand of oil. I personally like Pennzoil or Quaker State brand of pure synthetic oil.



If I could get it I would use Amsoil pure synthetic. Just don't have an easy reliable source. When I did and I used it my plugs were "beautiful" after 100 hours.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

They're the same Teri...you should have no issues.

 

[Aroldo Hernandez]

My fishing partner has a 2010 Yamaha 200 and he use's quicksilver from Academy with no problem. He has been using it since the bigging of this year. He buy's the black label can not the one with red letter's. Hope this helps Teri.

 

[Teri C.]

Based on your answers, I should not bother switching to Yamalube?



Also, can you switch brands and mix the two? Meaning I have Quicksilver in now. When it came time to add more, can I add Pennzoil? I always heard this was a bad idea. You should always use the same oil.



I did look in the owners manual and it said to use YamaLube but also noted you could use any TCW3 oil but it might be lower quality.



One more thing, the Premium Plus doesn't note or specifically state it is synthetic. I just want to make sure I am using the right thing. I assume I am because it say TCW3 approved.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Stick w/Yamalube,...save yourself the stress of worrying.

 

[Teri C.]

Mac, don't I have to drain all the Quicksilver out before I put Yamalube in it?



I was going to call the dealership here but I figure they will tell me to use Yamalube so I will buy it from them.



Quicksilver is more readily available which is a plus when traveling. Just a thought.

 

[Bill McElroy]

I'd just run the motor until the quicksilver is almost all gone from the main oil reservoir......then refill it w/yamalube. You don't have to drain and flush......just start using the yamalube when you have an inch or so left in the reservoir. Buy the Yamalube by the case....you can always find room in your boat or truck to stash a spare gallon or 2.

 

[Teri C.]

Excuse my ignorance but this is the 1st time I have actually had a boat with a remote oil fill (not filling directly in the motor). Are you saying to let the tank in the battery compartment get as low as possible? Isn't there an oil reservior in the motor too? I think the low oil indicator is driven by the oil level in the tank not the motor.

 

[Bill McElroy]

you are correct,.......let the oil reservoir in the batt compt get down to 1" or so, then refill it with Yamalube....the little bottle on the motor istelf just refills itself from the big bottle anyway. When your low oil alarm goes off, that means the big bottle is empty and you're using the reserve oil on the motor...which will get you back to port, unless you're 1/2 way to Bermuda. Mixing less than a qt. or two of Quiksilver with Yamalube won't be an issue. From now on, I'd continue to use the Yamalube all the time,...it's not as hard to find as you think.....any boat/RV or motorcycle dealer that sells yamaha's will have it in stock.

 

[Dan J.]

Not to mess your brain up, but either one (Merc/Yammy) will be fine. The main thing I'd suggest is to pick one and stick with it. Good luck!

 

[TritonGlenn]

Isn't the big thing with Yami's (I really don't know - I don't own a Yamaha) to run that ring-free stuff?



I have a friend with a Yamaha and he decided to run Penzoil in it. He blew it up. The dealership fixed it under warranty. They "suggested" that he use Yamalube instead of the Penzoil. He kept using Penzoil. Blew it up again. They fixed it again and suggested he run Yamalube. This time he listened and it lasted about three times as long before he blew it up again. I'm not sure if the Yamalube helped it last longer, or if his engine was just going to keep blowing up because of something he was doing. All I know is that he stayed away from the Yamaha dealership for longer periods of time when he was running Yamalube. Might be pure coincidence.



I'm a big fan of Amsoil in everything I drive. However, that being said, I used OMC brand oil in my OMC engine and I use Merc brand oil in my Optimax. If I owned a Yamaha, I'd be using Yamalube. I've heard of every engine company having engines that pop. Optipops, E-Tic Tic Booms, and Yamabombs. With as finicky as these two stroke high-output engines are, I try to feed them what the manufacturer recommends.



The comment about a company not being able to specify BRAND is correct. They can't do that. However, they can specify a quality, feature, or rating that the oil is required to have. You can't buy something that requires high octane fuel and pure synthetic oil and run regular unleaded and dino oil in it. When it blows up, the company can (and probably will) deny the warranty claim. You might be able to yell, holler and scream, hire a lawyer and maybe, just maybe, win... but is it all worth it to save a few bucks on oil?



I use the Mercury oil designed for my Optimax. Knock on wood - I haven't had a single issue since 2005, while many of my friends have popped a head or two in that time.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Teri C.]

My initial thought was to use Yamalube but I was concerned about mixing it with the Quicksilver oil that he used. I hate to pay a dealer to drain it. Thought about sucking it out with a big turkey baster (no comments!) but havent looked inside the cover of the motor to see where the engine oil reservior is. If mixing oil doesnt matter as long as I use YamaLube from now on then I won't worry about it. The dealer I spoke to said it wouldnt hurt it as long as the Quicksilver was "Premium Plus" but the label he gave me said "Synthetic" so I was confused. I think they are the same based on comments above.

 

[Greg Meyer]

Actually, tyhe Premium plus is a pure (100%) synthetic and will burn cleaner and "potentially" be better protection for your engine than a "semi-synthetic" (which is what I believe to be the story with the Yamalube). My preference in any HPDI engine would be a full 100% synthetic oil specifically formulated for HPDI engines. They get so little oil that any boost in quality might be critical in a high stess situation (cold, water in fuel, etc.). Since I run a carbed motor I am not as likely to have a lubrication issue (50 to 1). Just my final two cents... If I had an HPDI it would be 100% synthetic at a minimum and Amsoil if I could get it reliably.

 

[Randy Burgess]

Use Amsoil, if you do you don't need Ring Free. Cost about $100 dollars for four gallons. Used it for 20 years with zero problems.

 

[Berry Lindley]

MERCURY PREMIUM PLUS OIL is a synthetic blend for high-horsepower fuel-injected engines



Teri, I always use Merc oil in a Merc, and yes you can mix them. I'd just run it down and start with a new diet of Yamalube. And read up on the Ring Free, you probably want to run that too.



Teri- What did you buy? Did you sell your Triton? Holla and I'll help you break it in.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Better safe than sorry....run the Yamalube AND ringfree. Also wasn't there a problem with the fuel filters on the Yammers? CIII knows all about that!! We spent an afternoon with me laying on the back deck pumping the bulb and Ken holding my ankles so that I didn't slide into the lake.



TOXIC

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

I would run yamalube and ring free each tank.



Also, Hammer from taht lesson learned I just replaced all the filters in teh 'hammer to the tune of about 200 bones. It has been almost 4 years and I was due my 200 hour service, so I did the 200 hour and replaced all filters in the fuel system. I NEVER want that mess happening again!

 

[TrepMan]

What did I miss Teri, what boat do you have a 175hp Yammie on? You got rid of the 18ft triton?

 

[Jim B]

My .02 is i would run whatever they say to run while its in warranty, it just makes the claims process easier should you have a problem. My 175 Pro XS wants Merc prem plus and thats what it gets and its what it will get until the warranty is up, then im switching back to Amsoil.



In my personal opinion i don't really buy the hype that if you run something like say pennzoil that you will blow your motor vs the mfg brand oil. For every person that has blown up a motor using 3rd party oil there is someone that has run his motor forever on it without issue. I know a guy that has run the walmart oil in his 225 hpdi since he got it 4 years ago with zero issue, on the other foot i know someone who used that in a bind and popped his motor shortly thereafter. He blamed the oil, i blame the owher since he has a history of melted powerheads. Lubrication isn't generally the issue with any of these oils, they all lubricate. The killer is carbon buildup and you will get it with any oil, some more than others. You need to take the right precautions like put a carbon addiditve in the fuel like merc quickleen or yammie ring free and also do the regular maint like decarbon the motor yearly.

 

[Teri C.]

I decided to go with Yamalube for now and I did pick up some ring free. That stuff is expensive. Especially if you give it a "shock" treatment. I assume you are suppose to do that first and then use it regularly. A "shock" is about $80. :blink:

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Teri



How much per gallon with the shock? I did not think that it needed that much ring free??



I use both Yamalube and ringfree. Seems ot work well, at teh maintenance level, and I am about at the shock time. With the striper season about to start, that means a bit longer runs across the river looking for them and will help burn off some gas..