So it's time to buy a gallon of oil for my 2010 Yamaha 50 hp 2 stroke outboard. There isn't a Yamaha place near me so I gotta order it. The Yamalube is $50 for a gallon. A gallon of Mercury oil is only $25. Something like Pennzoil is only $17.

A gallon will last me a year, so the cost isn't that big of a deal, but I hate to overpay for anything. Is the Yamaha oil really better? For that matter, is it even as good as some of the others? I would think I could buy a full synthetic for less, but haven't checked it. What do the experts say?

I switched from quicksilver to penzoil a couple years ago. Zero difference that I can tell.

I run pennzoil in my Mercury...I did run yamalube in my HPDI

I always have used Pennzoil. Heavyshot13 is the man for this question.

I'm hoping that Hevishot will answer, but thanks for all the replies.

I buy it here. Bought 3 gallons of XD30 a few weeks ago.

I run Schaffer oil in everything I have and have great luck

No difference at all only the price, motors have ran for years on quicksilver.

Amsoil is what i run .

I had a 1994 70 yamaha that I ran XD50 in because I ran it in my Evinrude 175. No problem for years until my son ran it low of oil, went into limp mode. Couple weeks later it locked up. Chit happens.

Usually places who sell it in bulk are far, far less expensive. My local tackle shop in Oxford sells Yamalube or OptiMax oil for $28 per gal. He's buying the bulk barrel from Buck's Island in Southside, AL and then filling his own 1-gal bottles in the store.

Do not use Penzoil. I’ve seen a lot of engines that said goodbye to their pistons because of penzoil. I hate that mess with a passion. Everyone always says “well I’ve used it for years with no problems”. Well that one time you do have a problem will cost you. Run Yamalube in it and you will be golden. If I could not get Yamalube, I would run Mercury Quicksilver but those are the only two I would run.

Hevishot, you heard anything about a oil test comparison bein dond an yammylube bein twards the bottom...i was told this by the guys at sportsmans marina in orange beach...said quicksilver an one other tested the best...idk..we always ran yamlune in the hpdi..narry a problem.

Many thanks for the advice, to you and all who commented. I'll just pay the man his money.

Thanks for the reply and I didn't even axe the question. LOL I run only Yamalube, but that's good to know if I get in a pinch.

I’ve never heard that whatsoever. Lots of people say things that I reckon they pull straight out of their butts. If that’s true, I would love for the guys that told you that to produce the report so we could see it. But even if they could, I would highly doubt it’s accuracy. Sounds like they might’ve been trying to sell you some quicksilver lol

Idk..i always ran yamaha products in that motor an kept the screens cleaned on it..i figure its got close to a 1000hrs on it...been a dang goodun

I don't know but I have a 2000 G3 with a 2000 40hp Yamaha that I have ran Pennzoil in for all these years with exception of when I first bought the boat for about a year. I ran Yamalube for that first year and no matter the mixture it just smoked really bad. Someone suggested Pennzoil and I haven't looked back. Guess I have just been blessed.

Thought about you the other day preacher. I bought a partial leftover barrel of yamalube from a local dealer that was closing. I got 18 gallons for $250. Almost felt a little guilty until I remembered what I paid him to replace a lower unit a while back.

Dang, that was a bargain!

But at the rate my motor uses oil, it would take me a couple of decades to use that much oil. I am always amazed by how little it uses. Back when I was premixing it, I used way more than what this one uses.

On unrelated note, my motor has cut out at top speed since I've had it. If I kept the speed to around 27, it would run great, but when I got above 30 it would start to hesitate - speed up, then slow down. I have always used non-ethanol 87 octane in it and thought that was what it needed. I assumed I had something gummed up in the carburators and would need to take it apart and clean it.

A couple of weeks ago I found some non-ethanol with a 93 octane rating and decided to try it. It was $3.50 a gallon, but I couldn't believe how much better it ran. No hesitation at all, and I ran it 32 mph with 500 lbs of fishermen and all our gear. I will carry all my gas cans with me the next time I go by The Barking Frog in Maplesville.