What brand of oil and gas octane?

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Rnroutlaw

New Member
Nov 15, 2008
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Norwalk,Ohio
The excitement is too much for me! So how about another post....What brand of oil are some of you using that you think have given you a slight performance increase of any type? And how about gasoline octane? should I just use 87 octane and a cheap brand oil while breaking the motor in or will it be ok to use quality supplies right out of the box? Thanks.....1 more day till package arrives!!!!!!
 

toytime

New Member
Mar 20, 2008
550
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Ontario
Buy the best synthetic you can! It will last you months and burns clean with no smoke or smell. I used the Amsoil but make sure it's not the ejection type.
I went for well over year of trouble free driving. I used 1 1/2 oz per litre to stay on the safe side. I read a good article about the newer fuels with bio fuels added hurting engines so try to stay with "normal gasoline". I think the story I read was from a snowmobile manufacturer. Search out and read up on "breaking engine in" on this site, it's very important. Lots of smooth slow to fast drives, letting engine build up speed at a nice smooth pace lets the piston rings wear in nicely. I went with two ozs per litre for my first tank of gas.
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
I run Poulan Synthetic......or Penzoil for Air Cooled Engines. In fact I'm getting a case of the later next week.
 

jasonh

New Member
Jun 23, 2008
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Longmont, CO
Any good quality synthetic will do. I use Valvoline. Do NOT use outboard 2-stroke oil.

There's no reason to go any higher octane than the lowest available (85 or 87 depending on where you are).

Because most gas has ethanol in it now, only mix up a gallon or less at a time. You don't want to leave your premix sitting around for a long time (crap, there goes that gallon I mixed last month the day before my motor blew.)
 

Fletchsd80

New Member
Mar 19, 2009
20
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Colorado
Do NOT use outboard 2-stroke oil.
I did this on accident with my first new build. What will happen if you use the outboard oil? I've had it running one time so far but it was dying going up hill or when I released the clutch. Also it was leaking black watery stuff from what seemed to be the head gasket. My oil and mixture are both blue, but it couldn't have been from using too much black grease somewhere could it? How would it get all the way up there? Is that related to using the outboard oil?
 

Retmachinist

New Member
Oct 21, 2008
635
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Urbandale Ia
I did this on accident with my first new build. What will happen if you use the outboard oil? I've had it running one time so far but it was dying going up hill or when I released the clutch. Also it was leaking black watery stuff from what seemed to be the head gasket. My oil and mixture are both blue, but it couldn't have been from using too much black grease somewhere could it? How would it get all the way up there? Is that related to using the outboard oil?
The outboard oil should be fine as long as it is 2 stroke oil and you are using the right mixture. No less then 20:1 on the new motor. The black stuff you are seeing around the head gasket is oil. That is the way it would look after it is burnt. Sounds to me like your head bolts are loose. Check them, and if you don't have a torque wrench snug them up but don't over tighten.

John
 

Cabinfever1977

New Member
Mar 23, 2009
2,288
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Upstate,NY
im using regular gas and regular 2-stroke oil for break in.
2 oz oil /1 liter gas
after break in i will use regular gas and sythentic 2-stroke oil for longer life.
1.6 oz oil / 1 liter gas
 

Fletchsd80

New Member
Mar 19, 2009
20
0
0
Colorado
The outboard oil should be fine as long as it is 2 stroke oil and you are using the right mixture. No less then 20:1 on the new motor. The black stuff you are seeing around the head gasket is oil. That is the way it would look after it is burnt. Sounds to me like your head bolts are loose. Check them, and if you don't have a torque wrench snug them up but don't over tighten.

John
Yea that's what I thought. I had torqued them to 12lbs but it was a few days earlier. When I came home I tightened them too much and stripped an acorn nut. I ordered all new parts and reassembled it. I have yet to try running it yet. I still need to find a throttle because mine broke. The first time I used a break lever but it bent the cable a bit. It's good to know about the outboard oil. I am not sure actually which one it was because they are right next to each other on the shelf (same brand and color bottle at walmart. I'm going to try it again today after getting an o-ring for the carb and changing the pin position from 2 from top to 2 from bottom. Thanks
 

Fletchsd80

New Member
Mar 19, 2009
20
0
0
Colorado
BTW,

What is the maximum amount of torque you would recommend. I definitely don't want to so that again. I think it was at like 15 or 16 because I was over-killing it. Only one of the nuts stripped though.
 

Cabinfever1977

New Member
Mar 23, 2009
2,288
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Upstate,NY
i dont own a torque wrench.i tightened all bolts with cresent wrench and small pliers til they were tight(using light pressure).i didnt want to break a bolt or strip a thread.after each ride i check all bolts with pliers,that way they stay tight and i dont break nothing.but so far nothing ever loosened up.and my engine runs good.
 

Outrunner

New Member
Dec 27, 2008
147
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0
Atlanta, Georgia
BTW,

What is the maximum amount of torque you would recommend. I definitely don't want to so that again. I think it was at like 15 or 16 because I was over-killing it. Only one of the nuts stripped though.
On my 80cc head bolts, I torqued them between 9-10 lbs but no more than that.
Also do NOT tighten the head bolts when the engine is hot.
 

mechanickid

New Member
Aug 7, 2008
419
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nh
whats wrong with tightening the head bolts when the engine is hot? i've heard of lots of people doing this.
 

Fletchsd80

New Member
Mar 19, 2009
20
0
0
Colorado
On my 80cc head bolts, I torqued them between 9-10 lbs but no more than that.
Also do NOT tighten the head bolts when the engine is hot.
The instruction and maintenance book that came with my 80cc kit said to keep them at 12lbs. I got it up and running today. The first try was with the carb pin moved to the 2nd to bottom with no luck but I realized I didn't mess around with the choke at all. Later I moved the pin back from 2nd from top (pointed end) ans with a little playing around with the choke I got it running...it seemed like it was going fast with no throttle but I don't have the throttle that it came with so I'm improvising with a break lever which may be tight and giving it gas. At one point I actually got it to idle with the clutch in which is a first. I just need some help fine tuning it so it runs well consistently. I may move the pin back to second to the top like many suggest and then play around with the choke again. Is there like a set way of tuning the carb that works for most people- ie. the pin settings, choke settings, and the pin that twists in on the side? Thanks a lot
 

Outrunner

New Member
Dec 27, 2008
147
0
0
Atlanta, Georgia
whats wrong with tightening the head bolts when the engine is hot? i've heard of lots of people doing this.
The torque specs for an aluminum head engine is based upon room temp.
If you torque the bolts when it's hot, you will very easily over torque and
cause uneven torque on the bolts. I'm speaking from 23 years of motorcycle
engine rebuilding.