Anything to add to the engine?

Question

I have a Mercury 2 stroke 20 HP outboard. Apart from adding oil into the fuel mixture, do I need to add or check any fluid (antifreeze/oil?) in the acctual engine iteself ie. taking off the cover?

Regards

B.

Answer 1

you shouldn't, the engine intakes water from the body of water you're cruising on to cool the engine, so you should be golden...

Answer 2

The lower end, or gearbox, needs to have the correct level of oil. There is usually a lower plug for draining and an upper plug for filling. Fill it until oil starts to come out of the upper plug. Change the oil each year. There may be a grease fitting or two around the steering head (the pivot area) and the tilting mechanism.

The engine itself does not need the oil checked, as you surmised the 2 stroke gets it's oil from the fuel mixture.

Answer 3

the lower unit or gear box OIL will need to be changed out once a year (usually when the boat goes up for the winter), look for a milky color in it to check for a seal leak (water mixed with oil), if it's just smelly, and slightly dark/cloudy in color, then your seals are O.K., there are 2 screws on the lower unit/gear box, the upper screw releases the vacuum, the lower screw drains out the oil, both must be removed to change out the oil. Fill the gearbox with the proper recommended oil from the bottom screw, when the oil comes out of the top screw hole, replace that screw, this will hold the oil in until you can get the bottom screw in (ya still have to work fast), DO NOT OVER TORQUE the screws, just tighten until they stop snuggly, they are "Aluminum", the bottom screw may be "Magnetized", so wipe clean with a rag. You'll need a grease gun, and the proper marine grease, lubricate the "Tilt Tube" and pivot points on the engine, stop when water and grease run out the relief seals, these should be greased every two weeks of use, and grease the sh*t out of them when putting the boat away for the season (salt and water gets in there, dries up the grease, then it's an expensive repair at the shop, and the boat is there for half of the summer, this has happened to me, grease it once again when the weather gets warm enough to pull the cover off the boat in the middle of the winter, this will avoid the steeering from being "LOCKED UP" in the spring).

Answer 4

there are no additional fluids inside your engine... the only other fluid it uses is lower unit lube which needs to be changed out once a year

Answer 5

Buy a repair service Manuel that will help more than anything>

Answer 6

if you do not plan to use the motor for a long period of time, you should add "stabil" or asimilar product to absorb condensation in the tank.