Using cases of 20 year old Castrol 2 cycle outboard oil.

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When exactly the right oil is so cheap compared to the cost and time involved in an engine rebuild, and so easily available, trying to make something else work just seems silly. Just use exactly the right stuff.

Some of the conversations that go on here seriously make me scratch my head.
 
When exactly the right oil is so cheap compared to the cost and time involved in an engine rebuild, and so easily available, trying to make something else work just seems silly. Just use exactly the right stuff.

Some of the conversations that go on here seriously make me scratch my head.

Same as using old mix. Mine gets dumped in a 9N Ford tractor that burns about anything except water.
 
The only options artic cat has for air cooled are 4 stroke engines intended for youth riders. The 400-1000cc are fuel injected liquid cooled 2 strokes. The larger engines also being super charged. Polaris does offer a fan air sled, although I think its slated for the chopping block, amd is a low end model, they offer a 4 stroke youth model as well. Cant comment on other manufacturers. I basically havent seen anything in the past 10 years that has been a flagship model, that wasnt liquid cooled. I'm sure there are still a few out there.
Polaris, Skidoo, Artic Cat and Yamaha all still offer certain models with fan cooled engines.
 
I believe Scott Kunz (AKA Treemonkey) runs Schaeffer’s TCW3 in his saws, and after thousands of board feet they are some of the cleanest and well lubricated cylinders I’ve seen. It may come down to mix ratio?
I think it’s more of the individual oil. The Schaeffers 7000 that Scott uses is still ranked number 4 out of all the oils tested at lean ratios. I’ve also seen 390xp’s run on Walmart TCW3 for years that were still clean inside. I’m not saying it’s advisable. Just that it’s not a one size fits all.

One thing that was proven though is that Schaeffers 7000, even though it’s rated TCW3, is way better at lubrication and cleanliness than Stihl ultra
 
I think it’s more of the individual oil. The Schaeffers 7000 that Scott uses is still ranked number 4 out of all the oils tested at lean ratios. I’ve also seen 390xp’s run on Walmart TCW3 for years that were still clean inside. I’m not saying it’s advisable. Just that it’s not a one size fits all.

One thing that was proven though is that Schaeffers 7000, even though it’s rated TCW3, is way better at lubrication and cleanliness than Stihl ultra

That is impressive. onenormally gets either better lubrication or better cleaning. It is hard to get both - detergents help with cleaning but lower lubrcation - as a rule.
 
Last I looked you can still buy a new fan cooled 2 stroke sled, I want to say Polaris and Arctic Cat and maybe others.

Cat up until just recently had their 570 fan cooled 2 stroke in the twin spar Bearcats. I know, I have one. I’m pretty sure the Inuit people of the north are not happy with fan cooled sleds being discontinued. Hard packed wind blown snow up north is not good for liquid cooled sleds.
Way off topic now but I would use sled oil in an older sled no problem.


Retired guy from SE Manitoba
 
Forget the outboard oil - I also have cases of old snowmobile oil.
You also need to consider if there are any differences between the application i.e. straight pre-mix vs. oil injector. I seem to recall that some of Yamaha's oils were specific to this application.
 
Cat up until just recently had their 570 fan cooled 2 stroke in the twin spar Bearcats. I know, I have one. I’m pretty sure the Inuit people of the north are not happy with fan cooled sleds being discontinued. Hard packed wind blown snow up north is not good for liquid cooled sleds.
Way off topic now but I would use sled oil in an older sled no problem.


Retired guy from SE Manitoba
Legitimate point on fan cooled sleds, they will still run cool when there is little or no loose snow. My dad has a 1995 Polaris XLT with the original 12" rear suspension that sits high. On a frozen lake his temp light would come on. I see ice scratchers on lots of sleds now to keep the heat exchangers cool. Honestly I've had more problems with liquid cooled sleds than the trusty old fan cooled ones.
 
I have cut thousands of cords of wood in all seasons of the year.I have used oil 5 10 20 years old what ever.Snowmobile two cycle golf cart oil outboard oil mixed at one quart to five gallons of non ethanol gas.A saw lasts over 2000 hours on average and I have never had a siezed one.I am a trapper and all my sleds are fan cooled and get the same menu of oil.I do not recommend this to anyone but I have run many tanks of gas mixed with automobile oil.
Just my 2 cents
 
Was working on my 192t last night, I had a bottle of 30wt oil sitting on the shelf next to it. Just dawned on me, they used to mix engine oil in with gas back in the day. Didnt have modern 2 stroke oils. Those saws ran.... guess it's a matter of perspective.
 
Fan cooled sleds have huge advantages in severe service. You’ll never pop a heat exchanger or have a bad hose or low antifreeze and be sitting on the ice.

Much like cars these days, new sleds come with way more power and expensive features we don’t need.

A guy running a trap line or going to his ice house sure as hell doesn’t need a 150 hp sled with a greater than 10k price tag. He wants something that will start reliably in -30f and not leave him stranded.
 

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