I'm sure loggers never messed with castor oil (I could be wrong). It's a race thing mostly.
Anyway, even with a little castor I blow very little smoke.
Anyway, even with a little castor I blow very little smoke.
100:1 Mix
- Thread starter Retmachinist
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- 100:1 amsoil motorized bicycle opti
Some Opti-2 users start with about an 80:1 mix for break in then move up to the 100:1 after the first few tanks. I've had two that I started new with 100:1 and neither have shown any signs of trouble. The only additive I've ever used with the Opti-2 is a few drops, maybe a half ounce of Castor to a gallon of fuel and that's just because I like the smell, not to augment lubrication.interesting about this oil.... i may give it a go straight from the start.
what break in mix would be reccomended with opti2?
(sorry if this has been discussed.. im at work and cant read 20 pages!)
Tom
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If you use Castor stay away from the medical grade that you get at the pharmacy. Most hobby shops who deal in model airplanes sell Castor oil that is refined differently and meant to combine with a fuel base, so no sludge. From your avatar you should be familiar with the Sig brand name. They make a fuel grade Castor blend. The medical grade will work but it can produce deposits that will eventually foul a plug...or worse, if used to excess.
Tom
I must advise people if they really don't follow oil mixing science to go light on castor oil if at all. I use it and it works great, but more is not better.
Interesting fact about castor oil. WWI aircraft for the most part used gasoline engines with sacrificial oil systems. After the oil had been pumped into bearings it was pretty much just burned and thrown out the exhaust. The oil used was castor oil. A friend of mine who's now passed away was a WWI pilot in the last couple months of the war. He said that most pilots in his squadron wore diapers in flight. The effects of breathing the castor oil vapor from the engine gave them a serious case of the 'trots'. So make sure you run your castor oiled bikes in a well ventilated area. :<)
my first harley d, a 1936 80 cubic inch flat head engine had that system. it had a gas tank and oil tank combo. it had a pump in the tank, like a coleman lantern. don`t remember having to pump it a lot. but that was around 55 yrs ago. ron
Great reading, waiting for some parts for my first bike and better weather to try the opti-2. Just don't tell Justin.
resurrecting this old thread because i've got the same problem 2door had.
switched my old motor from Valvoline 32:1 to opti2, and just couldn't get it to run right.
it had about 1000 miles on it, and would do an easy 35mph, good power all around, etc.
put the motor on my new build and put opti2 in it at 100:1, and the thing just wouldn't run right. tried everything i could think of, 'cause i didn't believe it coulda just been the oil. ported the intake and exhaust, matched and polished the transfer ports, re-did the carb, moved the needle all over, messed with the gap on the plug, and nothing (i did all this one step at a time, so i'd know if something worked or made it worse.) i also ran about 2-1/2 tanks through it.
so i finally decided to drain it and put some old gas in it that i still had, with my old mixture, and rode off.
bogged like crazy, no power at all, and i'm thinking G0&*%&mm$t, this motor sucks.
then, all a'sudden, it just took off, and banged back to life. lotsa power, smooth idle, quick throttle response, the thing works great! doesn't have much bottom end, but i've got a 32t sprocket on it, so it takes awhile, and this motor never was torque-y anyway.
so, i still love Opti2 in my other bike, which was broken in on it and never had anything else, and still runs like a dream, but i can't recommend switching to it after your motor's been on something else. just my experience, but it confirmed 2door's problems as well.
switched my old motor from Valvoline 32:1 to opti2, and just couldn't get it to run right.
it had about 1000 miles on it, and would do an easy 35mph, good power all around, etc.
put the motor on my new build and put opti2 in it at 100:1, and the thing just wouldn't run right. tried everything i could think of, 'cause i didn't believe it coulda just been the oil. ported the intake and exhaust, matched and polished the transfer ports, re-did the carb, moved the needle all over, messed with the gap on the plug, and nothing (i did all this one step at a time, so i'd know if something worked or made it worse.) i also ran about 2-1/2 tanks through it.
so i finally decided to drain it and put some old gas in it that i still had, with my old mixture, and rode off.
bogged like crazy, no power at all, and i'm thinking G0&*%&mm$t, this motor sucks.
then, all a'sudden, it just took off, and banged back to life. lotsa power, smooth idle, quick throttle response, the thing works great! doesn't have much bottom end, but i've got a 32t sprocket on it, so it takes awhile, and this motor never was torque-y anyway.
so, i still love Opti2 in my other bike, which was broken in on it and never had anything else, and still runs like a dream, but i can't recommend switching to it after your motor's been on something else. just my experience, but it confirmed 2door's problems as well.
Bairdco (and Everyone else) -
Your bike probably ran with little power until it cleaned itself of the remaining fuel in the fuel line and carb. After the cylinder got a whif of that old, proven mix, it took off. (My own theory, for what it is worth. To purge the fuel line takes a few miles.)
I run synthetic oil that advertises "100:1". In reality, I run it about 40:1. The engine runs just fine with the extra lubrication. I am not in this hobby to save every penny possible; I spend just enough to make my ride reliable for the next 100+ mile run.
MikeJ
Your bike probably ran with little power until it cleaned itself of the remaining fuel in the fuel line and carb. After the cylinder got a whif of that old, proven mix, it took off. (My own theory, for what it is worth. To purge the fuel line takes a few miles.)
I run synthetic oil that advertises "100:1". In reality, I run it about 40:1. The engine runs just fine with the extra lubrication. I am not in this hobby to save every penny possible; I spend just enough to make my ride reliable for the next 100+ mile run.
MikeJ
yeah, that's what i figured, too.
it sucks, because my other bike rides awesome on Opti-2. been using it for months with no problems at all. i love the no smoke no smell aspect of it.
now my new bike's gonna make me smell like the gardener.
it sucks, because my other bike rides awesome on Opti-2. been using it for months with no problems at all. i love the no smoke no smell aspect of it.
now my new bike's gonna make me smell like the gardener.
Baird,
Interesting...very, very interesting. I didn't post anymore here regarding that old engine and Opti-2 but after my initial experiments I kept two fuel cans around. One with a 32:1 mix of regular 2 cycle oil and one at 100:1 Opti. I used the Opti in my other two bikes which seem to thrive on it and the 2 stroke mix for the old bike; the one with 1500 plus miles on it. Just out of curiosity I've switched and tried the Opti in the high milage motor, not once but three times. Each time it ran like a sick old dog. I had to pedal assist on the hills around my neighborhood...until I went back to the Stihl 2 stroke mix and the power was restored. I've considered every theory suggested here and none have really explained this phenomena. I'll just keep my mixes seperate and enjoy it and stop trying to figure out why. I built a bike for my nephew this past December using a new dax 80 and broke it in and continue to run it on Opti-2. It runs like a champ. I agree with Bairdco; I'd be hesitant to suggest switching an older, high milage motor to Opti. For whatever reason, some of them don't seem to like it.
Tom
Interesting...very, very interesting. I didn't post anymore here regarding that old engine and Opti-2 but after my initial experiments I kept two fuel cans around. One with a 32:1 mix of regular 2 cycle oil and one at 100:1 Opti. I used the Opti in my other two bikes which seem to thrive on it and the 2 stroke mix for the old bike; the one with 1500 plus miles on it. Just out of curiosity I've switched and tried the Opti in the high milage motor, not once but three times. Each time it ran like a sick old dog. I had to pedal assist on the hills around my neighborhood...until I went back to the Stihl 2 stroke mix and the power was restored. I've considered every theory suggested here and none have really explained this phenomena. I'll just keep my mixes seperate and enjoy it and stop trying to figure out why. I built a bike for my nephew this past December using a new dax 80 and broke it in and continue to run it on Opti-2. It runs like a champ. I agree with Bairdco; I'd be hesitant to suggest switching an older, high milage motor to Opti. For whatever reason, some of them don't seem to like it.
Tom
I'm wondering if the OPTI-2 had an affect on ignition. It might be worth trying to swap the spark plug and CDI unit from an engine that runs on the stuff to the one that doesn't and see if that makes any difference.
i don't see how that would affect anything. it acted like a fuel problem, not a spark or ignition problem. and i put a new plug in when i installed the motor. and it runs fine with the old gas, so why waste the time?
if anything, it's how the rings seated in during break-in. swapping the CDI would be like putting in new innertubes to see if that solves it.
if anything, it's how the rings seated in during break-in. swapping the CDI would be like putting in new innertubes to see if that solves it.
This makes me uneasy and begs the question - what of a new engine broken in on opti, then later switched to a "regular" 2 stroke oil and mix? What of that - then later even trying to go back to opti again?
It may seem schizophrenic of me lol, but I was seriously considering using opti in my newest build... but I can't guarantee opti's consistent availability, suppose I would go on an extended trip?
I think ya'll just put the damp blanket on me plans, better safe than sorry... I don't think I'll be doin' the opti thang - but thanks for the heads up
It may seem schizophrenic of me lol, but I was seriously considering using opti in my newest build... but I can't guarantee opti's consistent availability, suppose I would go on an extended trip?
I think ya'll just put the damp blanket on me plans, better safe than sorry... I don't think I'll be doin' the opti thang - but thanks for the heads up