I have a cheap MTD push mower. In the spirit of frugality, would it be ok to mix a little used motor oil with gasoline? what ratio would be safe?
mix old motor oil w/ gas?
- Thread starter tonycarguy
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No, don't do it. What exactly would you hope to accomplish?
Bad for the mower, bad for the environment...how is that being frugal?
Bad for the mower, bad for the environment...how is that being frugal?
I put a small amount in my mower tank each time and I think it runs better.
John
John
Used oil has dirt, and combustion bi-products in it, why would you want to add it to gas and then burn it in your engine? Also 4 stroke oil was not designed to be added to fuel to burn, I'd pass on the idea, probably more harm than good. Add TCW3 or MMO if you're looking for a top oil.
Only one place for used oil and that's in the collection tank to be recycled.
It sounds to me like your trying to burn the oil for energy? If it's a mower you could care less about then try a few ounces and see what happens. The people here that are concered with polluting the air must not be aware of what recycled oil is used for. Don't get me wrong I'm very environmentally concious myself but most recycled oil is burned for heating oil.
MolaKule
Staff member
If you want to sludge up your fuel tank and carb, and have some beautifullly fouled plugs, then go ahead.
Originally Posted By: Bullet
Only one place for used oil and that's in the collection tank to be recycled.
I agree 100%. Give it to people that have furnaces for such. No use in polluting our air worse than it already is. Used oil is bad stuff / toxic waste IMHO. It's carcinogenic if allowed to stay on the skin for extended periods of time.
Only one place for used oil and that's in the collection tank to be recycled.
I agree 100%. Give it to people that have furnaces for such. No use in polluting our air worse than it already is. Used oil is bad stuff / toxic waste IMHO. It's carcinogenic if allowed to stay on the skin for extended periods of time.
Originally Posted By: Warstud
It sounds to me like your trying to burn the oil for energy? If it's a mower you could care less about then try a few ounces and see what happens. The people here that are concered with polluting the air must not be aware of what recycled oil is used for. Don't get me wrong I'm very environmentally concious myself but most recycled oil is burned for heating oil.
I've been aware of it for years but I would hope these furnaces have emissions systems to control pollutants into the environment. I don't know just how polluting they are.
It sounds to me like your trying to burn the oil for energy? If it's a mower you could care less about then try a few ounces and see what happens. The people here that are concered with polluting the air must not be aware of what recycled oil is used for. Don't get me wrong I'm very environmentally concious myself but most recycled oil is burned for heating oil.
I've been aware of it for years but I would hope these furnaces have emissions systems to control pollutants into the environment. I don't know just how polluting they are.
I know this is an old thread but I was doing a search on this topic and found this post and wanted to give my experience.
Back in 2007 when gasoline hit $4.30 a gallon I wanted to see if I could use used motor oil as a gasoline extender. So I used my old Snapper with a 15 hp Kohler engine as a test mule.
Yes the savings was marginal considering it only takes about 2 gallons to mow my 3 acre property but this was just an experiement.
I started out with a 5% mixture. No smoke, ran great.
Then I tried a 10% mixture. No smoke, ran great.
I got up to 20%. At this point the engine still did not smoke but did seem to sound a little louder.
I managed to burn about 1 liter of this mixture then all of a sudden the engine died. The first thing I checked was the spark plug. I was suprised to find that the plug was not fouled whatsoever!
I drained the mixture, pulled the plug out of the fuel bowl and topped off with gas.
Immedietly the engine started and I finished mowing my yard.
What puzzled me was what caused the engine to stall. My guess was the oil separated from the gasoline and when it filled the fuel bowl, the fuel/oil mixture could not ignite.
I've heard that 2 cycle oil/fuel will separate. That's why I usually dump what's in my 2 cycle lawn equiptment back into the jug, shake it up and refill the tanks before using them.
Another mystery was why did the engine not smoke or foul the spark plug at 20%.
My guess is the smoke/plug fouling comes from incomplete combustion. Perhaps with worn rings or valve guides, oil enters the combustion chamber after ignition has already occured and that's where the smoke comes from.
Where as if the gas and oil is mixed, the gas ignites and the oil burns with it so there is no incomplete combustion. Well theoretically speaking. Nobody has yet to build a 100% efficent engine.
I never bothered to try any other experiements with gas/oil but the idea has stuck with me.
One thought might be to agitate the mixture with a fuel pump which recirculates the mixture and keeps the oil suspended in gasoline.
If I can get this to work, then I might try a 30/70 mixture.
The Snapper still runs but has been semi-retired after buying a new Craftsman 46".
Back in 2007 when gasoline hit $4.30 a gallon I wanted to see if I could use used motor oil as a gasoline extender. So I used my old Snapper with a 15 hp Kohler engine as a test mule.
Yes the savings was marginal considering it only takes about 2 gallons to mow my 3 acre property but this was just an experiement.
I started out with a 5% mixture. No smoke, ran great.
Then I tried a 10% mixture. No smoke, ran great.
I got up to 20%. At this point the engine still did not smoke but did seem to sound a little louder.
I managed to burn about 1 liter of this mixture then all of a sudden the engine died. The first thing I checked was the spark plug. I was suprised to find that the plug was not fouled whatsoever!
I drained the mixture, pulled the plug out of the fuel bowl and topped off with gas.
Immedietly the engine started and I finished mowing my yard.
What puzzled me was what caused the engine to stall. My guess was the oil separated from the gasoline and when it filled the fuel bowl, the fuel/oil mixture could not ignite.
I've heard that 2 cycle oil/fuel will separate. That's why I usually dump what's in my 2 cycle lawn equiptment back into the jug, shake it up and refill the tanks before using them.
Another mystery was why did the engine not smoke or foul the spark plug at 20%.
My guess is the smoke/plug fouling comes from incomplete combustion. Perhaps with worn rings or valve guides, oil enters the combustion chamber after ignition has already occured and that's where the smoke comes from.
Where as if the gas and oil is mixed, the gas ignites and the oil burns with it so there is no incomplete combustion. Well theoretically speaking. Nobody has yet to build a 100% efficent engine.
I never bothered to try any other experiements with gas/oil but the idea has stuck with me.
One thought might be to agitate the mixture with a fuel pump which recirculates the mixture and keeps the oil suspended in gasoline.
If I can get this to work, then I might try a 30/70 mixture.
The Snapper still runs but has been semi-retired after buying a new Craftsman 46".
putting oil into gas likely does nothing.
Put in too much and it will affect the burn speed of the fuel, which might be why your mower stalled out.
It might put more carbon on the plug.
I ran used ATF in my car at 1 qt per 20 gallons and it worked the same.
When I increased to 2 qts in 20 gallons, it started 1 second slower but still ran ok. I did this as an experiment when gas got very expensive in 2008. Now gas is even higher and every one seems to get used to the price. I dont see anyone driving slower on the highway, road rage seems to have increased.
Put in too much and it will affect the burn speed of the fuel, which might be why your mower stalled out.
It might put more carbon on the plug.
I ran used ATF in my car at 1 qt per 20 gallons and it worked the same.
When I increased to 2 qts in 20 gallons, it started 1 second slower but still ran ok. I did this as an experiment when gas got very expensive in 2008. Now gas is even higher and every one seems to get used to the price. I dont see anyone driving slower on the highway, road rage seems to have increased.
to run high presentages of engine oil in the gas., you may use tcw-3 2 cycle oil to help pull the engine oil through. or marvel mystery oil might do the same. just an idea. as both are made to burn in the chamber
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