is 50:1 enough oil?

[jeepman3071]

I am also saying that the air filter is more like the cause for the wear. To be honest most of the air filters I’ve seen on two stroke ope absolutely suck. They don’t filter anything besides maybe a small cat. Just my opinion

This 100%.

You guys can all run a richer oil to gas ratio if it makes you feel better, but I doubt the results will be measurable over what the manufacturer recommends. I have a bunch of customers running 2-stroke equipment commercially (most of it not even commercial grade equipment) on 50:1 without issues. In fact the machines always fall apart from some other issue like broken plastic or abuse before the engine has a hint of failure. Modern oils are lightyears ahead of the old "mix with sae 30" 2-stroke engines of years ago.

With that said, air filters on a lot of 2-stroke equipment are sub-par, especially the cheapie brands. Most are little foam filters that disintegrate after 2 years of use. Checking/replacing the filter is crucial especially when running in a dusty environment.

 

[super20dan]

i run twc3 at 40/1 in everything except sthil 4mix. have for decades

 

[#18FAN]

Wh

i run twc3 at 40/1 in everything except sthil 4mix. have for decades

what are you running in the 4mix and is the reason for different mix because of its oil issues.

 

[super20dan]

i run amzoil synth or some other high end synthetic oil in the 4 mix. they dont like twc3 at all and isnt recommended. not impressed with the 4mix engines and wont buy any more.

 

[ragtoplvr]

and what happens with catalitic converters like more and more equipment is using. do you clog the converter at richer mixes.

or does nothing have those yet

 

[Fordiesel69]

You can burn off the carbon foul with a torch. Or soak in acetone all night then bake on a coleman stove.

 

[ZZman]

I have been running a 50:1 snow blower on 100:1 mix of Opti2 oil with no issues for a few years.

 

[jeepman3071]

and what happens with catalitic converters like more and more equipment is using. do you clog the converter at richer mixes.

or does nothing have those yet

You absolutely can plug them up. I usually only see it when someone runs way too rich of an oil mix. Even running 40:1 on a 50:1 recommendation won't do anything to hurt it really, but when people run something like 20:1 it has caused issues. Most of the time it is accidental, and customers just aren't mixing fuel correctly or figure more oil is better. I can usually burn it off with a torch like mentioned above, similar to the mufflers that have spark arrestors. The real problem is some machines, particularly ice augers, 2-stroke snowthrowers, etc, that don't get warm enough seem to have more issues with incomplete burn, and more problems with carbon. I've had a few Toro single stage snow throwers that lost compression due to carbon scoring, and sure enough the exhaust port is full of carbon.

 

[jeepman3071]

I have been running a 50:1 snow blower on 100:1 mix of Opti2 oil with no issues for a few years.

I'll admit that when I first started fixing small engines 10+ years ago I was under the mindset that 100:1 would blow up machines, and that more oil was better. I have to be honest that these oils are now growing on me, because the number of machines that come through with clean exhaust ports and perfect shiny pistons from running Opti or Amsoil Saber has made me a believer.

 

[Mike72]

I'll admit that when I first started fixing small engines 10+ years ago I was under the mindset that 100:1 would blow up machines, and that more oil was better. I have to be honest that these oils are now growing on me, because the number of machines that come through with clean exhaust ports and perfect shiny pistons from running Opti or Amsoil Saber has made me a believer.

I went through a similar learning experience around the same time. I kept raising the mix ratio, first from 32:1 to 40:1 and then settling on 50:1 with the mineral based oil I use. At one point I tried Amsoil at 40:1 and found it was way too much oil (it pooled in the muffler). Amsoil and Opti definitely need to be used at the high ratios they recommend.