To preface this thread, please only constructive comments (criticism welcome of course if it's based on more than opinion). Also, this is not a recommendation thread. It's obviously stepping into unknown territory with good or bad results. As a guy who works on his own equipment, I understand the risk and although I haven't had any oil related repairs (yet) I know it's a possibility. Ok... so here goes.
I had used Walmart Super Tech 2 Stroke oil for many years and with good results. No longer shopping at Walmart, I don't have access to it. I have been looking for a replacement around the same price ($13 a gallon).
It occurred to me after much shopping and not finding gallons anywhere (yes, I burn a lot of two cycle gas)... that this oil likely had #2 Diesel or #1 Kerosene in it based on the odor. I decided to look up MSDS sheets on the most popular 2 cycle oils (Yamalube, Phillips Injex, Warren (I believe makes the Walmart TC-W3 oil), Mercury Quicksilver, Stihl, Makita). They all seem to have a percentage (10 to 40%) of what appears to be Kerosene (which is the same CAS # as Mineral Spirits). I did some experiments and soaked 1" squares of paper towel in different oils and burned them. I made a spreadsheet to record smoke levels, burn times, lubricity, and viscosity. Oils/fuels tested were:
-30 Weight (straight SAE 30)
-5W40 Synthetic
-Tractor Trans/Hyd (approx SAE 20??)
-#2 Diesel
-#1 Kero
-Several commercial 2 cycle oils (Phillips Injex, Echo, a few store brands)
My results were fairly obvious in the smoke category. The commercial 2T oils had little to no visible smoke. Diesel smoked terribly. Kerosene had little to no visible smoke (much better than diesel). 30 weight had heavy smoke. Tractor Trans/Hyd had very little visible smoke. These smoke results also translated in my Lawn Boy mower (mixed 40:1 as for every 2 cycle I own). Viscosity varied greatly with these oils and fuels. 30 weight is much thicker than commercial 2 stroke oils. 85% hydraulic fluid 15% Kero is close in viscosity AND burn time.
In a full summer of use of DIY 40:1 mixed oils (including 30 weight straight out of the pail), I did not seize any of my several 2 cycle engines. I did observe a fouled plug in my Stihl FS81 trimmer. The fouled plug may have been operator error (my teen son who had a habit of half throttling for an hour).
Why would I use SAE30? 30 Weight was an alternative recommended in owners manuals in the 60s by outboard boat motor manufacturers (OMC I believe) to be used if 2 stroke oil (possibly castor at the time) was not available. I'd read accounts of old guys using non detergent straight SAE 30 in chainsaws for decades without problems. In my tests, it smoked much more than 2 stroke oil both in engines and on the 1" square paper towel sample when burned. I could see plugged exhaust ports and spark arrestors and maybe even stuck rings being an issue. However, hydraulic (tractor trans/hyd) fluid burns clean with no smoke. I found this to be the most readily available clean burning oil to mix.
Based on my reading of MSDS sheets mentioned in the first paragraph, I came to a conclusion (hopefully correct) that 15% Kerosene and 85% tractor (trans/hyd) MAY (or may not) be a good substitute for commercial 2 cycle oil. It seems to work and I haven't seized anything with it yet. The one ingredient (very important IMO) I see on the list that I'm not able to replicate is the strong blue dye. I always mark my cans with a date mixed, but I also like the blue dye in commercially mixed oils.
I realize this is probably not going to be a popular topic. I do not recommend trying this as it poses an obvious risk, but has anyone else tried mixing their own 2 stroke oil? The ratios (approx) and ingredients are all right there clear as day on the MSDS sheets. Obviously there's research involved to make a commercial product, but it doesn't seem like rocket science. And in this case, it's not ever going to be a commercial product. I'm just hoping for something better than the SAE 30 that manuals of yesteryear recommended as a substitute.
I had used Walmart Super Tech 2 Stroke oil for many years and with good results. No longer shopping at Walmart, I don't have access to it. I have been looking for a replacement around the same price ($13 a gallon).
It occurred to me after much shopping and not finding gallons anywhere (yes, I burn a lot of two cycle gas)... that this oil likely had #2 Diesel or #1 Kerosene in it based on the odor. I decided to look up MSDS sheets on the most popular 2 cycle oils (Yamalube, Phillips Injex, Warren (I believe makes the Walmart TC-W3 oil), Mercury Quicksilver, Stihl, Makita). They all seem to have a percentage (10 to 40%) of what appears to be Kerosene (which is the same CAS # as Mineral Spirits). I did some experiments and soaked 1" squares of paper towel in different oils and burned them. I made a spreadsheet to record smoke levels, burn times, lubricity, and viscosity. Oils/fuels tested were:
-30 Weight (straight SAE 30)
-5W40 Synthetic
-Tractor Trans/Hyd (approx SAE 20??)
-#2 Diesel
-#1 Kero
-Several commercial 2 cycle oils (Phillips Injex, Echo, a few store brands)
My results were fairly obvious in the smoke category. The commercial 2T oils had little to no visible smoke. Diesel smoked terribly. Kerosene had little to no visible smoke (much better than diesel). 30 weight had heavy smoke. Tractor Trans/Hyd had very little visible smoke. These smoke results also translated in my Lawn Boy mower (mixed 40:1 as for every 2 cycle I own). Viscosity varied greatly with these oils and fuels. 30 weight is much thicker than commercial 2 stroke oils. 85% hydraulic fluid 15% Kero is close in viscosity AND burn time.
In a full summer of use of DIY 40:1 mixed oils (including 30 weight straight out of the pail), I did not seize any of my several 2 cycle engines. I did observe a fouled plug in my Stihl FS81 trimmer. The fouled plug may have been operator error (my teen son who had a habit of half throttling for an hour).
Why would I use SAE30? 30 Weight was an alternative recommended in owners manuals in the 60s by outboard boat motor manufacturers (OMC I believe) to be used if 2 stroke oil (possibly castor at the time) was not available. I'd read accounts of old guys using non detergent straight SAE 30 in chainsaws for decades without problems. In my tests, it smoked much more than 2 stroke oil both in engines and on the 1" square paper towel sample when burned. I could see plugged exhaust ports and spark arrestors and maybe even stuck rings being an issue. However, hydraulic (tractor trans/hyd) fluid burns clean with no smoke. I found this to be the most readily available clean burning oil to mix.
Based on my reading of MSDS sheets mentioned in the first paragraph, I came to a conclusion (hopefully correct) that 15% Kerosene and 85% tractor (trans/hyd) MAY (or may not) be a good substitute for commercial 2 cycle oil. It seems to work and I haven't seized anything with it yet. The one ingredient (very important IMO) I see on the list that I'm not able to replicate is the strong blue dye. I always mark my cans with a date mixed, but I also like the blue dye in commercially mixed oils.
I realize this is probably not going to be a popular topic. I do not recommend trying this as it poses an obvious risk, but has anyone else tried mixing their own 2 stroke oil? The ratios (approx) and ingredients are all right there clear as day on the MSDS sheets. Obviously there's research involved to make a commercial product, but it doesn't seem like rocket science. And in this case, it's not ever going to be a commercial product. I'm just hoping for something better than the SAE 30 that manuals of yesteryear recommended as a substitute.
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