2 stroke kicker

[buckmyster]

i wish i had a 4 stroke but i have to use what i have. :offtopic:i was told that running synthetic oil will run much cleaner in my 2 stroker and keep plugs cleaner. no more coughing trolling. is this true?

[yarcraft91]

I run a 2-stroke kicker ('97 15 horse Mariner) and used to have a problem with the motor coughing, sometimes so badly it would spout a cloud of smoke and stall. It would also drip large amounts of black goo for 2-3 days after a trolling trip. Here's what I tried to cure the problem:

- Cut the fuel/oil ratio to 75:1. I disliked the motor so much that if this burned it up I frankly didn't care. That was 5 years ago and it cured the black goo problem, but did little for the coughlng...

- I was advised these motors are notorius for carboning up and mine certainly was. Thoroughly decarboned the motor, then ran OMC Carbon Guard Additive- ran better, but no difference in coughlng

- My Mariner has an idle speed control knob. Turns out the idle speed control adjusts ignition timing, not throttle. I left that in the highest-idle-speed position (most timing advance). That almost eliminated the coughing.

- Changed the factory 9-pitch prop for a 5.5-pitch. This lets me run the motor faster at a given trolling speed. Coughing was eliminated as long as I kept the idle speed adjustment as above. However, if I back off the timing adjustment at idle speed, it will start to cough again after an hour or so of trolling.

All 2-strokes don't act that way. I ran an Evinrude 7.5 horse for 20 years as a kicker and never had it cough once- there's just something different about that Mariner.

[wishnfishn]

Yes it will run alot better and cleaner with synthetic. If you are ONLY using it as a kicker for trolling you can run alot leaner oil/gas ratio. I have a buddy who has been running close to 100:1 for years now with no problems. Also don't be afraid to lean out the carb, in most cases when you get that cough it is because the motor is loading up on gas, leaning it out should take care of this. REMEMBER one thing. these are all suggestions for a 2-stroke that is going to be used solely for trolling. If it is going to be used at higher speeds and rpms then it cannot be leaned out as much. At idle e-techs using xd100 oil are running in the area of 400:1 oil/fuel so 100:1 for trolling is not to lean.