Should You Add Oil To The Fuel For Evinrude E-TEC Engines To Lubricate The Injectors?
Good question — I know why you’re asking. Some owners of direct-injected two-strokes (including Evinrude E-TECs) wonder if adding oil to the fuel might help lubricate the injectors or reduce wear.
The short answer from BRP/Evinrude: The “Official response is No, you should not add oil directly to the fuel on an Evinrude E-TEC fuel.”
Here’s why according to BRP/Evinrude:
- E-TEC injectors are not fuel-lubricated.
Unlike older outboards that relied on oil in the fuel stream, E-TECs use a stratified direct injection system. Fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, and lubrication is handled by the engine’s dedicated oiling system, not by mixing in the tank. - The system is engineered for precise ratios.
The E-TEC computer (EMM) meters oil injection at extremely controlled rates, varying with RPM and load. Adding oil to the fuel bypasses that calibration, can foul plugs, clog injectors, or alter spray pattern. - Injector wear isn’t oil-related.
The injectors are electromagnetic/mechanical devices with internal fuel passages. Their biggest enemies are contamination (silt, sand, varnish), not lack of lubrication. That’s why fuel quality and filtration are so critical. - BRP/Evinrude never recommended adding oil.
In fact, their manuals caution against altering fuel/oil ratios. The system is designed to run clean on straight, high-quality gasoline with the oil provided only through the E-TEC oiling system. - If you’re worried about injector life, the real preventative measures are:
- Use clean, fresh fuel (top-tier, ethanol-free if possible).
- Keep the fuel system dry (no water contamination).
- Replace filters regularly.
- Periodically run the engine hard enough to keep it clean (E-TECs like being run, not idled forever).
All that said; I personally would run 400:1 in the fuel additionally but that’s me, some may disagree but I have see too many worn injectors and they are getting harder to find and the slight extra oil will not make it run rich and if it does, it’s a 2 stroke, slightly rich is better than slightly lean. Again my opination, others may disagree. I would definitely do it. If it turns out to be a problem after the first time ()which you can tell by reading the plugs) then stop.