questions about oil

GoldenMotor.com

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
I currently run lucas semi-synthetic 2 cycle oil for air-cooled engines. For the break in I am running a 16:1 ratio. After break-in I plan to run 25:1. Is this ok? Will this oil and ratio help or hurt reliability?
 

ToxicAz520

New Member
Mar 11, 2011
288
0
0
Tucson,Arizona
It will probably do just fine. What does the bottle recommend or say it can be run at. My suggestion with that oil is to run at 32:1. As far as reliablility as long that is really up to you with regular maintenance and good hardware and riding style.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
The bottle says 50:1, but the engine manuals usually say 25:1. I don't have a manual for my new motor, but I bought it on eBay and its a replacement motor, not the whole kit. The grubee manual is the one I have. Let's not get into a whole debate about the accuracy of the manual, so far 99% of the info in the manual has proven accurate to me. Also, someone whose knowledge and experience I greatly respect has told me to always follow the engine manual. The difference between 25:1 and 32:1 is about an ounce of oil. I don't think an extra ounce of oil is going to kill my engine. I do regular maintenance, don't ride too hard, and never keep the throttle at one position while riding.
 

ToxicAz520

New Member
Mar 11, 2011
288
0
0
Tucson,Arizona
My manual said to run mine at 25:1 as well but 32:1 is what I ran before I went to opti2, I have another motor that I run at 40:1 with Maxima Castor927. I just love the smell so I have to have one that reminds me of my 2stroke quad racing days. The preference is up to you but I know I wouldn't run the Lucas at 50:1 thats for sure. At 32:1 still get the same protection but save a little on oil and it will not hurt anything. The extra ounce won't hurt anything either but will gunk up the exhaust faster and drip more. I am in Az I ran my Quad at 40:1 in the winter 50* to 70* and 32:1 for summer 90* to 110*. These motors run on 30w 15:1 used motor oil in china nothing compared to the quality of our oils even the cheap ones. Maybe some others will chime in but there is lots of contradicting theories and personal opinions on what oil to run and at what ratio. Go with what you want.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
I'm not worried about oil gunking up my exhaust, as it has no guts in it. Its not a straight pipe, it has a cap on it, but nothing inside. It was gutted and re-welded quite a few months back. I am a little skeptical of opti 2. Not that I don't believe what the company says about the oil, I simply question whether its a good idea to put it in a cheapo chinese engine. I have heard that in china they use conventional motor oil instead of 2 cycle oil, but I have yet to hear one person say exactly how they know that.
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
7,194
21
0
Maine
One of the truths regarding oil/fuel mix ratios that's so often ignored or just unknown is that running an excessive amount of oil in your fuel is not safer. Exceeding the oil manufacturer's recommendation regarding mix ratio for your application does NOT compensate for poor manufacturing and/or loose/sloppy tolerances - why do you think they recommend more oil for a new engine during break in & less once the rings are seated?

Excessive oil can result in higher operating temperatures as the fuel provides a cooling effect (more oil = less fuel = leaner fuel/air mix) and will result in heavy unspent oil & carbon build up which can lead to excessive engine wear, misfiring, engine knock, hard starts and even stuck rings & the resultant blow by & loss of compression.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
2,417
3
38
Lebanon, PA
I never said that using more oil would compensate for poor manufacturing. I simply said that I choose to follow my manual when it comes to mix ratio. I'm not gonna sit here and debate the differences between engine manufacturer's recommendation and oil manufacturer's recommendation. I didn't ask for opinions about oil manufacturers recommendations. I asked if the oil I was using was ok, and if the mix ratio was ok. As I said earlier, someone whose mechanical knowledge and experience I greatly respect told me to follow the manual, even if the oil bottle says something different than the engine manual. I will NOT debate that with anyone here.
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
7,194
21
0
Maine
This is an open forum in which comments are welcome from all provided they follow the forum's rules - regardless if you wish to debate them or not.

The fact is I wished to clear a common misconception for any that might be reading this thread as well as addressing the following questions;

For the break in I am running a 16:1 ratio. After break-in I plan to run 25:1. Is this ok? Will this oil and ratio help or hurt reliability?
The bottle says 50:1, but the engine manuals usually say 25:1.
The difference between 25:1 and 32:1 is about an ounce of oil. I don't think an extra ounce of oil is going to kill my engine.
If you choose to believe your "someone" and/or the kit manual that's fine, but you did ask lol
 
Last edited:

ToxicAz520

New Member
Mar 11, 2011
288
0
0
Tucson,Arizona
Awake does have a good point you asked. If you are goung to run it at that ratio then I it won't hurt anything but a suggestion would be to get an oil that says it can be mixed at all ratios. ex my castor 927 reccomends ratios 20:1 to 60:1 if I remember correctly. That way is still does its job protecting but doesn't cause excessive heat like barelyawake was saying cause it is being mixed at the correct ratio that the oil was designed to run at. Does the bottle say up to 50:1 or recommend to run at 50:1 in engines or recomemded for engines that require 50:1. Just thought a would add in about getting an oil can be run at the desired ratio, but to answer your main question though is you should be fine running the lucas oil you have at the 25:1 you want.

Later,
Toxic