Thanks for your comments. The advice came from a Mercury mechanic who's
been at this for years and has seen the results of people who add higher
octane fuel and octane boosters in an attempt to get more horsepower. I've
seen the service bulletins from Mercury with the 89 octane recommendation.
Of course, I guess my mechanic shouldn't complain about the additional
business it brings him. A 2 cycle outboard is different than an automotive
engine.
I bought my 50 hp Merc new in 1983, have been running it in salt water since
then and it looks and purrs like new. His advice works for me.
Rob Agnew
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 07:56 AM 9/30/96 -0400, you wrote:
>You've been steered wrong Rob. Higher Octane is simply a waste of
>money. It will not cause damage. If your motor does not ping you
>do not need a higher octane. Keep in mind that the octane rating
>is a measure of the potential for detonation. A low value will cause pinging
>if the motor is not tuned for the rated value. A higher value in a motor
>tuned for regular is just a waste of money unless the motor is retuned
>to take advantage of the higher octane.
>
>That said, it could be that the octane boost in a can will cause
>damage to the motor or the rubber parts of the fuel system. It depends
>on the formulation of the booster. I don't know much about them
>I'm afraid.
>
>-Jim.
>'87 Dakota 4x4 auto
>
>> At 12:10 PM 9/27/96 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>> Just for your info .... I investigated using higher octane fuel in my
>> Mercury outboard. My mechanic's advice was 89 octane only. Regular gas is
>> garbage, and higher octane will cause damage.
>>
>> Rob Agnew
>> ragnew@islandnet.com
>> Victoria, British Columbia
>> Canada
>--
>James A. Babcock, Software Engineer email: james.a.babcock@adn.alcatel.com
>Alcatel Data Networks WWW: http://www.adn.alcatel.com
>Ashburn, Virginia personal web page: http://www.dogwood.com/~jbabcock
> Give blood -- it's a great feeling!!!
>
>
Robert P. Agnew
ragnew@islandnet.com
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada
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