Mixing fuel/oil

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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
i know marine oil shouldnt be used, but if i had been mixing the proper ratio, my engine might have lasted longer. it may not have lasted as long as it should have, but it still might have lasted longer than it did.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
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Do some research. I did. Every article I read about how to properly mix oil for 2 cycle engines said this: " To determine the proper mix ratio, consult your owner's manual." .
Also- If you did your research, you would know that these China built two strokes recommend runn 16:1 or sometimes 24:1 because they use straight 30wt oil in China, not good quality two stroke oil.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
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Also- Runnig a rich oil to fuel ratio will cause your engine to run too lean of a fuel to air ratio....did you know that?
That will blow up, or ruin your engine faster than anything short of a handfull of sand thrown in the carb.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
Well gee Thanks so much, Nougat, but I will tell you this. My dad knows a **** of a lot about mechanics. When I started getting into motorized bikes, I knew nothing about mechanics. I figured a lot of things out by trial and error, but sometimes I needed to go to my dad for advice. I have gone to him many times for advice, and he has never been wrong. so I asked him what to go by. He said no matter what, always go by the manual. no matter what kind of oil you are using, no matter what it says on the bottle, no matter if you are using synthetic or conventional oil. GO BY THE MANUAL. you all can say I am wrong all you want, but my manual says 25:1 and that is what I will run. I have the right kind of oil now and I will continue to go by the manual. The fact is, different engines require different ratios. engines are made differently and have different parts. think of bodies. your body does not require the same amount of calories as mine. sure, we might both live on the same amount of calories, but one of our bodies will act differently if you change the amount of calories it consumes. every engine is different and requires a different amount of oil. I am going to do what i think is right so dont waste your breath trying to tell me I am wrong because while you are entitled to your opinion i no longer care what it is.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
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Well good for you. BTW- there is a first time for everything and your dad is wrong.

These engines will tolerate a wide margin of error concerning the fuel to oil ratio, but too much is as bad as not enough.

Just make sure your fuel to air ratio is correct....do you know what that ratio should be?
 
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bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
my manual says for the break in 16 to 18:1 and 25:! after the break in. I didnt realize the manual said that because I was paying attention to the bottle before. In my last engine I was running 32:1 and that engine lasted me over a year. I took this bike on 6 tours in that time. I am sure that I had around 6,000 miles on it in that time. for what that engine kit cost me which was around 150 bucks, 6,00 miles is more than my money's worth. my new engine cost me 130 and it is still pretty much brand new and only has a few miles on it so far. I dont know enough about mechanics to be sure if every single thing i do is right. sometimes i do things a little wrong and they work anyway. for example, I stripped out the muffler studs on my brand new engine. I used some JB weld on them and one of them held but the other one didnt. now technically, i should re-tap and re-drill so I can use a slightly larger stud. But i dont have the equipment or knowledge necessary to do that. So, I just took a bigger bolt and stuck it in there and cross-threaded it. not supposed to do that, but it worked. it isnt the first time i have done it either, so i know it will hold. For what these engines cost, if I get a few thousand miles out of it then I am getting more than my money's worth and learning along the way. thats all that matters to me.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
camlifter, if its a two stroke engine, you dont change the oil. you mix oil with gas every time you fill it up. its two cycle oil and you can buy it at an auto parts store. if its a 4 stroke, i cant help you because i havent worked with a 4 stroke yet.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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Lebanon, PA
the power band isnt an actual physical thing. its a mechanical term I believe only applies to 2 cycle engines but i could be wrong but that term has something to do with the exhaust pulses. as I said before, if it is a two stroke, you do not change the oil. you add oil to the gas and mix it every single time you put gas in the tank. it sounds like you might have a 4 stroke manual. that or you are just confused.
 

bigbutterbean

Active Member
Jan 31, 2011
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The power band refers to the range of operating speeds under which the engine is able to operate efficiently. A typical gasoline automotive engine is capable of operating at a speed of between around 750 and 5500-7500 RPM (or 4000-5000 for diesel), with even higher figures for race and motorcycle engines, but its power band would be more limited. The engine would typically not generate maximum torque until higher operating speeds of perhaps 2500 RPM, after such, the torque drops off. The peak power (horsepower) might be closer to 5000 RPM. Such an engine would be said to have a "power band" of 2500-5000 RPM (another example would be from torque peak to redline: 2500-6000 RPM). As the engine both does not produce any useful power much below idle speed (approx 600-900 RPM) and generally runs very roughly, and produces its highest output over a relatively narrow range of speeds, a clutch or other kind of power-splitting/takeup device (e.g. torque converter) is required to move the vehicle from a standstill, as is a transmission with a selection of discrete gear ratios (or sufficient range of continuous ratios) to make satisfactory power and torque available over the full intended road speed range. By careful gear selection and use of the clutch/analogous coupling to keep the engine turning in its power band, the driver (or automatic transmission system) can better utilise the vehicle's true potential rather than continually labouring at low RPMs or racing the engine at the redline, going much slower (or even stalling) in either case.
 

rohmell

Active Member
Jun 2, 2010
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New York
I have a Toro Snow-Pup snowthrower, made in 1965. The sticker on the machine says to use a 16:1 ratio, but I have always used 32:1.
It is still working fine, and has been for 46 years. I guess I should use 16:1, then it will last 92 years?
My China Girl has an aftermarket muffler, so I lost the blue power band when I changed it over. I think the power band might be red or orange now, can't really tell, there is soot all over it.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
I was reading the owner's manual on my Ford Ranger today. It says to use 16:1 but I've been using 100:1 :(
Have I been doing something wrong cause I can't find the power band, and I've looked all over for it?
Tom
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
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up north now
Tom- Have you checked behind the muffler bearings? Perhaps you should ask butterbeans' dad for helpful advice on locating it, he seems to have educated his son very well on the subject of mechanics...
 

camlifter

Active Member
May 4, 2009
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acme labs marion ohio
i have the one and only prototype of the acme powerband stretcher. i could loan it out to some of you guys. it can take the blue powerband and stretch it out to the size of the red one that came in the russian race engines.


i see butterbean found the delete button.