Favorite Oils and Ratios

[mixxer]

Ok... Long time dirt biker ...starting in the 2-stroke time of the 70's...

Castor based oils had the highest film strength, but left gummy carbon deposits ... Ran sorta dirty... But smelled sweet ... Motocross tracks were pungent with the smell of race fuel mixed with Castor... Smells like riding/ freedom/ race day!

Synthetics came and had better film strength than petroleum oils... And were cleaner burning... Motul burned exceptionally clean...

Klotz oils , my overall fsvorite.... Klotz Super Techniplate is my all time favorite 2 stroke oil... Compatible with all fuels, gas, nitro, methanol .... 80% synthetic / 20% de- gummed castor.... best protection and best smell ever....

Next up... Gordon Jennings...author of the legendary 2-stroke Tuners Handbook... And renouned 2 stroke engineer... Had done Dyno testing on a Suzuki 250 2-stroke to document the effects of oil ratio on power...

During that time there was a big push in oil advertising saying you could use less less oil... Thinking less oil meant more gas.... Wrong, you always jet for correct air fuel mix..!

Anyways .. as oil was mixed richer, power went up...up ...up... There was a several hp increase as mix ratio went form 50:1 to 20:1

The only oil your 2 stroke EVER gets , is what is added during premix time....more oil made for less friction and better ring seal... Not to mention engines lasting longer...!

Jennings stopped mixing richer after the 16:1 test ratio because plug fouling was a limiting factor....best power was made @ this point.,

Anyways ... Decades of testing has ended up with me using :
Klotz Super Techniplate@ 32:1....

Burns clean with awesome engine protection... Smells like heaven on race day..

 

[Little Al]

If Klotz @32/1 is your pet mix carry on by all means there are many "Brews" out in the maket to me so long as the mix doesn't go north of 32/1 it will be fine

 

[John Walsh]

Hi, Mixxer, I too have been a 2 stroke street and dirt bike fan and I remember the Jennings article as well. The conclusions were unmistakable, more oil = more power, longer life, less wear. I always mix oil-rich or if an oil injector, turn up the amount injected. Jennings was my favorite writer in the old days, as well as Kevin Cameron now. There is a lot to learn from the 2 stroke motorcycling community, in regards to saw modding.

 

[CR888]

Hi, Mixxer, I too have been a 2 stroke street and dirt bike fan and I remember the Jennings article as well. The conclusions were unmistakable, more oil = more power, longer life, less wear. I always mix oil-rich or if an oil injector, turn up the amount injected. Jennings was my favorite writer in the old days, as well as Kevin Cameron now. There is a lot to learn from the 2 stroke motorcycling community, in regards to saw modding.

So what's the best oil ratio for a saw?

 

[John Walsh]

Wellll, can I waffle a bit and say there are many good oils out there and if you don't want to mess with the needles, get a good oil for air-cooled engines and mix to manufacturer's recommendations. My local farm store carry's Stihl oils and since I'm a sucker for synthetic oils. I use the Stihl "silver" bottle. I would have no probs with any of the better oils for air-cooled 2 stroke cycles. As Mixxer says, if you go rich on the oil in your premix, be sure you fatten the needle(s) as that means you are leaning out the gas, causing accelerated wear or a stuck piston and ruined cylinder. I'm really enjoying this site, as I'm a hot-rodder at heart.