What's the best brand of 2 stroke oil...

to use in a Tanaka 40 engine? I need to get some more and I forgot the name.

Thanks,

Mary

 

me i think ther is 3 out ther amsoil royal purple or yamalube 50 50 mix

 

Check out my post here: http://motoredbikes.com/showpost.php?p=107315&postcount=8

That's the best... you could try mixing synthetic w/ castor oil yourself, but some types of these oils might not mix well enough. I bought the Klotz oil, but I'm sure both of these are as good as it gets for 2-strokes.

 

Oil

Mary, I messed around the WWW searching for data etc, and ended up going with easiest brand to find.

I use the Tanaka stuff as I can buy it locally, but any reputable brand made for application should do well at manufacturer's stated mix-ratio.

I found the Amzoil ratio data confusing and think the stuff is over priced. No doubt, it is excellent product and will do the job, however, if you can figure out correct type to use and if it makes any difference.

My neighbors and I share a chainsaw and we really do not worry about it too much and it has been running well for years, abused as it has been, not being on a bike notwithstanding.

Tanaka engines are chrome lined and tough.

A neighbor messes with two-cycles engines as a hobby and he says I have right idea- can't go wrong with mfgr's recommended stuff.

I am anal, but this is one thing I have decided to keep simple and follow maker's advice; it is simple.

 

The only problem with castor oil is that it is quite unstable - it starts oxidizing the minute you mix it, and goes stale in a few weeks. Which plays hob with the lubrication...

Maybe the synthetic blends would help counteract this, but, unless you're racing and throw away any unused fuel after each weekend, it would be an expensive oil to use, I would think.

 

I prefer Castrol A747 as my #1 choice and Klotz R50 as my second. Both are full synthetic and have castor oil already in them. I've rebuilt many engines that have used both these lubricants. When mixed in the proper ratio and through proper break-in period, using these lubes will help maintain a long running engine.

But only my $0.02 worth........

 

Hi Bob,

Yes, I know what you mean by "anal", me too, sometimes drives me nuts
Then, I just give it up and go with simple. :grin:

VIA the grapevine, I heard that Dennis at GEBE likes the Lucas brand. So, I'll check to see if I can get here.

Mary
The Trout Whisperer

 

A big thanks to all who offered information...

THANKS!!

 

Please cite your source of information. THis shouldn't be an issue with today's additive technology. Vitamin E is added in small amounts to stabilize castor oil making your point moot. I've got 90 day old castor oil based fuel in my motorbike and in one of my cars. No problem to date. Yes, I said car, I supplement the oil injection in one of my rotary vehicles with a hint of castor. Been doing it for years and on 5 prior rotaries without any issues.

I pay about 15 cents/oz for castor oil when I buy by the gallon. I'm currently using 70/30 in my used engines and 100% castor in my new engines. Not a bunch of money....

 

Where do you buy your castor Skyliner70cc

128 X .15 = $19.20 for a gallon pf Castor.
I am using Benol $7.36 a pint = 46 cents an oz
16 X .46= $7.36

Where do you buy your castor Skyliner70cc

 

Could be. I've been reading Gordon Jennings' articles & books. They're dated, but, they provide a LOT of information.

Castor will degrade quickly, unless you can slow it with an additive. If vitamin e will do that... great. I've found that synthetic oil works very nicely, just the way it is. I do add sta-bil to the mix, and it works for me in the southern Arizona summers. 115+ anyone?

 

Versatile Castor Oil

Mixed with water, castor oil will keep your yard free of moles. Swingin' !

Heck, bet there are only about three or four 2-cycle oil mix-masters total.

I'll also bet the Lawnboy stuff will do as well and likely made by Mobile, Amzoil or Lucas, as is Tanaka etc.

Been using same mower since dirt was made...

Wish I could remember the stuff we used to pour in those zippy Yamaha RD350 and 400 twin crotch rockets that smoked everything on the street for a couple years.

Frankly, I just stick with simple plain old whatever the maker suggests or close.

Lou, thanks for the 2-cycle reference. Downloaded, just in case...you never know!

 

There's also a nice article there explaining the math behind expansion chamber/tuned pipe/stinger exhaust system design

 

I don't understand how something could be full synthetic AND have bean oil in it. I also dunno about the Castrol, but I do know that the R50 is only synthetic. There isn't bean oil in it unless you add it yourself.

 

And here's a direct link to RockyMountainATV... they have the cheapest 2-stroke oil anywhere:

http://www.rockymountainatv.com/typ...&navTitle=Chemicals&webTypeId=397&webCatId=23

 

The info posted for R50 states

 

Synthetic = Non-Dino
I use a synthetic blend - Part syn/part dino.
PJ-1 Goldfire pro is good stuff.

 

I don't think you understand what the word compatible means.

Either way, the manufacturer would definitely claim that they have castor on their website. It says: "R 50® film strength is comparable to castor oil, but has the benefits of Clean Burn™ technology." It's comparable, even tho it could be compatible with castor oil as well.

That's marketing trickery to think you bought the best of both worlds. Clean Burn technology?!?!? Really? That's called synthetic oil. Castor oil doesn't burn clean even tho it keeps your engine super cool.

 

Oh, I understand compatible...When I initially read the reseller's description, I thought that they should have used 'comparable,' but, upon a bit of thought, I also realized that, while "compatible to" is not syntactically correct, there were two phrasing choices that could have been used:

1. R-50's film strength is compatible with castor oil with the benefits of clean burn technology
2. R-50's film strength is comparable to castor oil with the benefits of clean burn technology

Either sentence meant that a typing mistake had been made by the distributor.

 

BTW. There is a common misunderstanding regarding 'synthetic' oils. They are almost always derived from petroleum. Coal could be used, I suppose, but oil is easier to transport and process..

Essentially, in the refining process, crude oil is used to produce ethylene gas. Then, the ethylene gas is used to synthesize the base stock (polyalphaolefin) for synthetic oil. Because the manufacturing process is well controlled, the oil that is produced is uniform - with virtually ALL the hydrocarbon molecule chains having the same length. On the other hand, when crude oil is distilled and mixed to form motor oils, it starts off as a mish-mash of hydrocarbon molecules with chains of wildly different lengths, as well as impurities like sulpher. After distillation and mixing, motor oil contains molecule chains with a range of lengths. The average length of the hydrocarbon chains are about the same as in synthetic oil, but, inside an engine, with conventional oil, the heat tends to boil off the shorter molecules, and this makes the oil get more viscous (thicker) the longer it is used. Since all the molecules are of the same length in synthetic oil, this gradual thickening of the oil does not occur. As long as you keep the oil clean (with regular changes of the filter,) and the engine filled, synthetic oils can last MUCH longer than can conventional oil.

Ref How is Synthetic Motor Oil Made?

However, both regular oil, AND synthetic oil ultimately come from the same source - out of an oil well. Sorry Dino. Synthetic oil doesn't spare you... .