Texasmark
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2005
- Messages
- 14,795
The last couple of days I have been on a nostalgic acquisition caper and stumbled upon something I found interesting.
Back in the 1949 era, the documentation I discovered (www.wizardoutboardforum.com) said that the oil ratio for one of the small Wizard engines (Western Auto sold, built my Merc) was 1 qt/gallon of standard automotive SAE 30 oil.....I don't think HD oil existed at that time....I calculate that to be 4:1...............GASP!!!!!!!
Then by 1955 they were at "3/8 qt/gallon" of the same SAE 30 recommendation, but I think HD had entered the circuit by then........10.7:1....still on the Wizard spec page.
The site also shows a (pint I think) can of 2 cycle oil (newly developed), but the timeline wasn't dated.
Then we get into the 24:l which was the ratio when I was growing up and you probably know the rest of the story......if you don't someone will be on here to finish what I started.
Spark plugs listed for that were J6J and the J6J is just a standard plug with a short electrode and the tip did not protrude beyond the shell. I remember using them when I was a kid so they survived the oil basting for a long time in the marine environment.
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I had one of the 4 cyl Wizard 25's when I was a teen on my first boat and engine purchase; used boat, new engine. I wasn't happy with the performance, sold it and replaced it with an 18 Evinrude which I bought new in 1957 ($400). Performance on my boat was about the same with the rude having a slight edge......trying to water ski behind it......learn to water ski that is.
Was wondering why and wanted the specs of each so I was looking around for an answer, which I found....that's when I saw the oil ratios used over the years and thought you might get a kick out of it. One thing the site said was that the 25 was rated at 2500 rpm. I think that was a misprint. The 25 was very similar to the Merc Mark 30 at 30 hp but sure didn't act like one (as I had one of them 15 or so years later on a 14' Mirrorcraft alum).
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Just found it interesting just how far the industry has come.
Mark
Back in the 1949 era, the documentation I discovered (www.wizardoutboardforum.com) said that the oil ratio for one of the small Wizard engines (Western Auto sold, built my Merc) was 1 qt/gallon of standard automotive SAE 30 oil.....I don't think HD oil existed at that time....I calculate that to be 4:1...............GASP!!!!!!!
Then by 1955 they were at "3/8 qt/gallon" of the same SAE 30 recommendation, but I think HD had entered the circuit by then........10.7:1....still on the Wizard spec page.
The site also shows a (pint I think) can of 2 cycle oil (newly developed), but the timeline wasn't dated.
Then we get into the 24:l which was the ratio when I was growing up and you probably know the rest of the story......if you don't someone will be on here to finish what I started.
Spark plugs listed for that were J6J and the J6J is just a standard plug with a short electrode and the tip did not protrude beyond the shell. I remember using them when I was a kid so they survived the oil basting for a long time in the marine environment.
--------------
I had one of the 4 cyl Wizard 25's when I was a teen on my first boat and engine purchase; used boat, new engine. I wasn't happy with the performance, sold it and replaced it with an 18 Evinrude which I bought new in 1957 ($400). Performance on my boat was about the same with the rude having a slight edge......trying to water ski behind it......learn to water ski that is.
Was wondering why and wanted the specs of each so I was looking around for an answer, which I found....that's when I saw the oil ratios used over the years and thought you might get a kick out of it. One thing the site said was that the 25 was rated at 2500 rpm. I think that was a misprint. The 25 was very similar to the Merc Mark 30 at 30 hp but sure didn't act like one (as I had one of them 15 or so years later on a 14' Mirrorcraft alum).
---------------
Just found it interesting just how far the industry has come.
Mark