Wh does my motor smoke

sometimes? I have and older 89 Merc 150 hp Blk Max engine and I was told that all older model mercury engines suffer from this characteristic at Idle even though it runs like a scalded dog! The oil reservoir has been removed by the previous owner so I manually mix the oil with the gas when I fill it. No problem with it`s compression either. It runs very strong. So what`s with the Idle smoking? Anyone have an IDEA?

typical older 2 stroke merc.... can go to a syn. blend oil at 50 ta one might help some if ya haven't already.....

I've got an 89 Johnson 110 and it does the same. Esp at start up. Synthetic does help on mine.

40:1 or even 50:1 is a great ratio for WOT but at idle most 2 stroke only need about 100:1. Also at idle the exhaust temps are much lower so its not burning the oil completely, hence the smoke.

That explains everything! Thanks a lot Guys!Hardline43 what type synthetic do you use or recommend?

Fishbonz I buy it at Walmart. It's the ,Evinrude/ Johnson oil. They have it it synthetic and the non synthetic.

Pennzoil Premium Plus 2-Cycle or Pennzoil MarineXLF......... walmart/academy.. that omc stuff might make it puke!

this ^^^

I took out the vro on my 96 johnson 175, smokes at idle but runs great. I buy the all synthetic when I can find it, xlf (synthetic blend) when I can't. I mix at 50:1 plus a little.

Be glad it is smoking. That means it is getting more than enough oil. The only problem is at idle you are going to foul out the plugs sooner because of too much oil going thru the cylinders. You motor was probably set up with a mechanical pump that would pump faster as you would go faster. So if you removed this feature, then you get more oil than needed at idle and exactly what you need when you are running over 3k rpm. Smoking is good. That means it is getting oil. Just keep an extra set of plugs handy. Run on!

This!
VRO variable ratio oiling disabled means you are burning 50:1 at idle vs 100:1

If she's smokin, she's oilin.

You pre-mix for WOT operation, at less RPM's, their is excess oil being combusted.