what to run with a lawnboy?

[leaves and lawns]

Hello All,

i just scored a lawnboy mower today runs great! what mix and oil would your guys think would work the best?

50-1,100-1 32-1? heard alot on the net about this subject, want to get a straight answer here.

 

[Propflux01]

the Amsoil People will probably tell you 100-1 with their product, I know my lawnboy Owners manual said 32-1, but I always ran 50-1 Pennzoil 2-cycle in mine for years.

 

[TooSlick]

You can get this Mobil MXT2 stuff at some Autozone stores ...I'd run that mixed @ 32:1.

If you are using Amsoil already in other applications, I'd use their Series 2000 racing oil mixed @ 50:1. - that is the richest mix ratio recommended for the Series 2000 - even for professional racing applications.

Tooslick
dixie synthetics

 

[Scott P]

I ran Amsoil at 80:1 on my new mower this year and it's still alive.

 

[FowVay]

Ted, do you see a problem running the 100:1 amsoil in this engine? I have used the 100:1 in my weed eater and chain saws for years with no problems. I recommended the 100:1 to my neighbor who has a new lawnboy (bought this summer) and he's used it all summer long.

I hope that I didn't make a bad recommendation.

 

[Mike_dup1]

My intention is not the slam Lawn-boy movers but I recall years ago reading of all the engine problems with this brand. I am sure there will be some defenders of them and they may be OK but all I have heard over the years is to avoid them. My neighbor torched his a few years back because he got so mad at it, start, then won't start etc. We happened to notice him trying to start if for a while one day, then he went to garage and got a gas can. We could not believe when he dumped the gas over the mover and torched it.

I would use the cheapest oil I could find......and follow LB mix ratios..

Amsoil used to not recommed thier lubes in this brand due to their high failure rates. This was years ago..

[ December 12, 2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: Mike ]

 

[Hasbeen]

tooSlick:

I understand that Amsoil is not advising using the S2000 Racing as anything but a racing oil! I also concure with that! It`s actually designed for that purpose and will not burn off completly if used in other aplications!

Hasbeen

 

[blano]

Lawn boys did have a bad reputation years ago when OMC made them. They are now owned by toro and have redesigned motors in them that are very durable. They almost always outlast simular size four strokes with very little maintenance. I am going to be buying a pro version in the near future, before the epa puts a stop to their mfg.

 

[TooSlick]

The Amsoil 100:1, premix oil will also work well in the lawnboy. I'd probably mix eight ounces w/ five gallons of fuel,which will give you an 85:1 mix. Anything richer and the stuff won't burn very clean under light to medium loads ....I run it @ 100:1 in all my two stroke motors.

Ted

 

[cousincletus]

I have a fair amount of experience with Lawnboys, and have been using Amsoil 100:1 for the past five years with good results. No cylinder scoring and very little deposits on top of the piston. Works real well. I mix one bottle with five gallons of gas instead of the recommended six gallons. Lawnboys had a problem with ignition coils, and the mowers would have problems restarting when hot. They also had problems with the gas tanks leaking at the seam. The replacement coils are about fifty bux (ouch)! My newest one is over five years old now and on its original coil. Amsoil has been run all its life. The Lawnboy oil is reasonably priced and seems to work really well also. Lawnboy engines last a long time with little maintenance. I like the way they can mow on a steep incline without smoking (unlike a four stroke) and are lightweight. Don't have any personal experience with the new type engine, but the older ones were well made, IMO.

 

[penzdude]

honestly, why not just the lawn-boy ashless 2 stoke mix at the ratio they recommend? i know we all have had success stories using other brands and ratios, but why overcomplicate? i owned a lawnboy 4 cycle mower with the tecumseh engine. what a hunk of s...! i'm a fan of synthetics too, run amsoil atm 10~30 in my honda harmony, but for this 2 stroke, go with what the lawn boy manual says, imho.

 

[blano]

The call lawn boy oil blue death overon the OPE forum for a reason. Its generates huge amounts of smoke. Why pay for crap.

 

[penzdude]

wow, i didn't realize the lawn boy oil was supposed to be so bad! i used to use the pennzoil 40:1 in my homelite weedeater and poulan pro blower. maybe this might be a decent choice. it's not much leaner than the 32:1 lawnboy recomends, and is probably, giving the seemingly bad rap of the lawn boy oil, higher quality. at the moment, i'm using poulan synthetic 40:1 in all my hand held 2 stroke equipment including a new small 14"bar poulan chain saw.

[ December 15, 2003, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: penzdude ]

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I bought a Lawn-Boy with the Duraforce engine last spring. I broke it in with the L-B crap oil and then switched to Amsoil 100:1 mixed at 85:1. This worked very well. One thing I would recommend is that no matter what oil you use, don't mix any more than couple of weeks worth of fuel at one time. Not only because today's fuels go stale pretty quickly (I put stabilizer in every batch), but also because during a hot summer, the volitile gasoline molecules evaporate leaving you with a much richer mixture than you intended. Instead of your Duraforce lighting up in half a pull, as it should, you find that starting takes much more effort after this happens. I do love this engine though. It seems like it isn't revving very high, but it has incredible torque and you rarely hear the engine change pitch no matter what you throw at it.

 

[cousincletus]

I wouldn't be so sure that Lawnboy oil is all that bad. Used a Lawnboy from new (1973) until 1996 before the engine had to be rebuilt, and when it was torn down it didn't look too bad. (main bearings were sloppy). This mower saw a lot of use. Lawnboy oil all its life. The Amsoil does seem to leave fewer deposits and no cylinder scoring in the five years I have used it. My choice would be for the Amsoil if you have easy access.