Winter is around the corner, which means your engines will be staying put for a while. This is why it is better to give them a good fogging before putting them away.
There are a lot of fogging oils you can choose from, but what if they’re all off-limits?
If you’re in a pinch but want to fog your lawnmower, car, or boat engine, there’s good news. You can use fogging oil alternatives to protect your engine.
Here is a list of alternatives you can use instead of fogging oil:
- Winterizing Cocktail
- 2-stroke Oil
- Spray Lubricants
- Penetrative Oil
- Draining the Engine
Alternatives To Fogging Oil
Before we begin, remember that alternates aren’t complete replacements for fogging oils. They can usually cover you for a short time but for long-term protection, fogging oil works the best.
With that out of the way, here are some alternatives you can use instead of fogging oil.
- Winterizing Cocktail
This is probably the closest alternative to fogging oil on this list.
The “winterizing cocktail” keeps things good for the longest time too so if you must pick an alternative, try going with this one.
As the name will tell you, winterizing cocktail is a mix of multiple lubricants and oils.
You’ll have to make the mix carefully, otherwise, you’ll end up with gunk instead of rust. The good thing is the cocktail is easy to make.
Winterizing cocktail is a mix of fuel (oil) and 10% 2-cycle oil. All you have to do is mix about 1 liter of this cocktail and run it through your engine. That does the trick.
This is the ix Volvo recommends for their I/O engines so you know it won’t ruin yours (unless the mix is wrong).
Also Read: Alternatives To Loc-Line.
- 2-stroke Oil
Yes, 2-strokes oil can be an alternative to fogging oil but it won’t be a lasting option. This will work best if you’re using it for a few days, a week max.
2-stroke oil won’t be a viable alternative for fogging oil beyond that.
- Spray Lubricants
Most people take this as a solid alternative to fogging oil, but spray lubricants aren’t exactly that.
You can use spray lubricants for a short period of protection but that’s it. This is because of the difference in thickness.
Spray lubricants aren’t thick enough to create the protective film over the engine that protects them. So you can’t use them as an all-out substitute.
The best use for this is if you’re trying to protect your engine for a few days before your fogging oil arrives.
Or in different cases, if your engine manual says you should use spray lubricants in your engine then you can go for it.
- Penetrative Oil
Yes, that can of WD40 can technically be an alternative to fogging oil but it isn’t recommended.
If you’re in a pinch, you can spray the inside with WD40 and hope for the best. Be careful when you start your engine back though.
Since WD40 is a penetrative oil, it doesn’t really stick to the inner parts of your engine. So when you start your engine, it burns like any other oil with lots of black smoke.
It won’t damage your engine but it is better to be on the safe side.
- Draining the Engine
If you know for a fact that you won’t be fogging your engines, you can try this. Start your engine and run it absolutely dry before putting it away.
Some people also change the lower unit water before locking the engines up but that’s up to you.
Keep in mind this will increase the risk of rust invading your internal engine parts. So if you’re doing this, better to do it in a place where the temperature won’t be shifting frequently.
If you keep your rides in a heat-controlled garage, this is a good way of reducing the risk of a rusty engine.
Is Fogging Oil Worth It?
That was a pretty long list of alternatives, but what about the OG?
Is fogging oil worth it? The answer would be yes.
No matter how many alternatives you try, nothing will get the job done like fogging oil. And there’s a good reason for that too.
Fogging oils are made of special ingredients. It focuses more on creating a protective layer and less on lubricating.
Fogging oil ingredients create a thick protective film over the internal parts of your engine. This protective film clings to everything until it is burned.
But as long as the film is there, your engines will be protected against rust for the whole cold season.
Fogging oil alternatives don’t have this cling factor. The best alternative only creates a thin coat which wears off a lot faster than fogging oil.
This means you’ll either have to fog the engines multiple times or your engines will be exposed to rust.
A can of fogging oil will save you from all that in the best way possible. So yes, fogging oils are very much worth it.
Also Read: Substitutes To Crossbow Rail Lube.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are a bunch of questions people usually ask about fogging oils.
The best option is to find something specifically made for fogging, like the spray oils you’ll find in any hardware store. There are other alternatives like lubricants but they won’t last long.
There really isn’t any difference between fogging oils. You can use the same oil in your car engine, boat engine, lawnmower, and everywhere else.
Yes, if you want to be on the safe side then fogging oil is necessary.
The best option for fogging is fogging oil. You can also use lubricants or WD40 if you’re only using them for a very short time.
Final Verdict
To Fog or not to fog- that’s completely up to you. But the safest option is to fog your engine, preferably with fogging oil.
In case you can’t find some near you and are looking for a fogging oil alternative, this list will narrow the work down for you.
But remember that the alternatives usually don’t last long, so get your hands on some fogging oil as soon as you can.
