The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has issued it's 2014 list of approved, or certified, TC-W3®, FC-W®, and Catalyst Compatible FC-W® engine oils. TC-W3® oils are recommended for use by two cycle engine manufacturers. FC-W® lubricants are required in today's high performance four-stroke engines. FC-W Catalyst Compatible® lubricants meet the catalyst-friendly four-stroke cycle marine engine oil specification that focuses on limiting catalyst poisoning The lists can be sorted by Registration Number, Oil Name, and Registered Company.

Tom Marhevko, NMMA VP of Engineering Standards, told OEM/Lube News “These lists provide a boat owner invaluable information for maintaining their boat’s marine engine. The consumer is assured that the oil brands listed here have met the very rigorous requirements of their marine oil specifications and are specially made to handle the demands of the marine environment.”

The long term objectives of the two cycle engine industry have been to reduce emissions which contain burnt and unburned oil that has passed through the engine, and to develop a quality of oil that reduces the mixture ratio to fuel while extending the life of the engine. That means significantly reduced emissions to satisfy EPA requirements, less warranty problems, and increased customer satisfaction due to engines lasting longer with less maintenance and overhauls.

TC-W3® lubricant, an NMMA owned trademark, has evolved over the years through much testing and research, and has proven to be the level of quality to satisfy the above objectives for two-cycle water cooled engines. And, going a step further, now that two cycle engines have moved towards higher cylinder temperatures and compressions, this lubricant also meets the EPA emissions reductions. TC-W3® has demonstrated the necessary lubrication performance quality needed for these more demanding cylinder/engine conditions.

NMMA licenses those two cycle lubricants that meet the stringent performance tests conducted by sanctioned laboratories approved by NMMA to conduct the tests. The tests include varied bench tests for fluidity, lubricity, viscosity, etc., plus the oil must meet minimum ring sticking and carbon build up on pistons in engine tests. The chemical make up of the TC-W3® oils vary due to the various additive packages involved with each oil brand. Accordingly, it's a performance based qualifications program. The testing process is comprehensive and expensive.

"The oil registration program is on a calendar year so every year we archive the previous year list and start all over again.  Each week we add brands as they register.  The renewals go out on December and most of the brands are renewed by April but strangers come in throughout the summer and so the list is always being updated" said Marhevko.. 

"Most of the new TC-W3 brands are from overseas where these engines are still popular while most of the new FC-W brands are in the US" said Marhevko.

To view the complete 2013 TC-W3® list, visit http://www.nmma.org/certification/certification/oil/tc-w3.aspx

With the widespread introduction of the four-stroke outboard engine technology, NMMA considered it necessary to develop a marine engine oil category, FC-W®, specifically for marine four-stroke engines. With all of the major outboard engine manufacturers producing four-stroke outboards to further reduce emissions and increase fuel economy, the need for oil specifically designed for the unique marine environment became necessary.

Testing criteria were developed for this marine four-stroke oil that include bench tests for viscosity, corrosion, filter plugging, foaming and aeration. Once these oils have been tested by a sanctioned test laboratory, NMMA issues licenses for the oil's formulation and registers approved brands.

To view the complete 2013 FC-W® list, visit http://www.nmma.org/certification/certification/oil/fc-w.aspx

Approximately five years ago, the National Marine Manufacturers Association approved a new catalyst-friendly four-stroke cycle marine engine oil specification that focuses on limiting catalyst poisoning. This specification, indicated by an FC-W Catalyst Compatible® designation, was introduced into the marketplace in 2009.

The four-stroke catalyst compatible specification puts some additional ranges and limits on the additive in the oil, compared to the FC-W® oil specification.