Boat Maintenance FYI
Few maintenance items that all boaters should be aware of:
Cope Marine recommends the use of 87 Octane (Regular Unleaded) in your boat regardless of the power option. Today's fuel manufacturers generally start every grade of fuel they produce below 87 octane. They "BOOST" the octane rating by adding alcohol to the fuel in the form of ethanol to achieve the desired octane level. The higher alcohol levels in fuel can certainly cause some running issues that are very undesireable. Symptons that may arise are engines that are hard to start when hot or cold, engine dieseling (also called run-on), vapor lock, or just poor over all performance. By using 87 Octane fuel, you will be assured that you are using a fuel with the lowestpossible alcohol content, thereby lessening the chances of the above mentioned problems. We also recommend the use of a good OEM FUEL STABILIZER such as Johnson/Evinrude 2+4 fuel conditioner. Regular use of this product will will keep the fuel system clean as well as keeping the fuel from deteriorating and causing your fuel system problems. Alcohol blended fuels begin to break down within THREE WEEKS of the refineryprocess. Likewise, alcohol blended fuels also attract moisture that will eventually decrease the octane of the fuel, and cause poor performance of your engine. So if you have the same fuel sitting in your tank for a period of three weeks or longer, the fuel is starting to seperate and will likely be causing you problems soon. Keep in mind that any fuel system issues related to stale fuel are NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. It is your responsibility to maintain the fuel system. The cost of 2+4 and your time to add the product to your tank is far less than any repair bill!!!
Another important issue worth mentioning is lubricating oils. Your OEM has designed specific oils to protect your enginefor many years of trouble free use. Always follow the manufacturers recommendations for oil. Do not use "AUTOMOTIVE" oils in 4-Stroke Outboards or Sterndrive engines. Automotive oils are not formulated to withstand the high load or high RPM operation that marine engines are constantly subjected to. Likewise, do not use 2-Stroke outboard oils that do not post outboard manufacturers name on the label. Brands such as PENZOIL MARINE, LUBRIMATIC and SUPER TECH do not buil outboard engines. Aftermarket oils are cheaper than OEM oils for a reason...THEY'RE NOT THE SAME!!! Below is a list of OEM recommended oils for your specific brand and type of engine.
OUTBOARDS:
Johnson/Evinrude (2-Stroke Carb. models):Â Use Johnson/Evinrude XD-30 or XD-50
Evinrude (2-Stroke "FICHT" DI models):Â Use Johnson/Evinrude XD-50 or XD-100
Evinrude (E-TEC DI models):Â Use Johnson/Evinrude XD-100 ONLY
Yamaha (2-Stroke Outboards):Â All models use Yamalube 2-MÂ (Blue Bottle Cap)
Yamaha (4-Stroke Outboards):Â All models use Yamalube 4-M (Gold Bottle Cap)
Mercury (2-Stroke Carb. and EFI Outboards including Sport Jet models): Use
              Mercury/Quicksilver Premium Plus 2-Stroke Oil
Mercury (2-Stroke Opti Max DI Outboards and Opti Max Sport Jet models): Use
              Mercury/Quicksilver Opti Max Oil ONLY
Mercury (4-Stroke Outboards):Â Use Mercury/QuickSilver 10W30 4-Stroke Oil
Mercury (Verado 4-Stroke Outboards):Â Use Mercruiser 25W40Â Sterndrive Oil
STERNDRIVE ENGINES (Also referred to as inboard/outboard, or I/O) Â
Volvo Penta (All Models):Â Use Volvo Penta Dura Plus SAE-30 Synthetic
Mercruiser (All Models):Â Use Mercruiser 25W40 Engine Oil
LOWER UNIT OIL:
Volvo Penta (All Models):Â Use Volvo Penta 75W90 Gear Oil
Merccruiser (All Models):Â Use Mercruiser High Performance Gear Lube
Again, we hope that this bit of information will aid to your ease of maintenance, as well as provide you with many years of trouble free time on the water. Remember we also have a TOP RATED SERVICE DEPARTMENT in O'Fallon, IL and in Branson West, MO. Â
O'Fallon, ILÂ (618)632-6353Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Branson, West, MOÂ (417)272-1277
And as always, remember to boat smart and boat safe!!!