Adding 2-stroke oil to the gas

Adding oil to gas was a valid technique to help preserve old high mileage car engines. I would imagine it may have come into vogue after the elimination of lead from the gas, which was a superlative lubricant, ironically despite its poisonous attributes. If you want to argue that the oil can help preserve today's engine from the ethanol and such, we would probably need years of testing and comparison. Then there is the possibility of long-term risks from doing such. Everything downstream will in fact get dirtier faster - valves, pistons, exhaust, etc. Thus I would not do this on a modern engine, but that is just one opinion.

 

Back in the 80's a mate with an 1100 katana used to put a few ml of castor based two stroke oil into is tank. Bike sort of smelled like a race bike.
Everyone was convinced he used some sort of special racing fuel.

 

This is the stuff that was being added:

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADFA_enUS401#q=castrol+r

In discussions of alcohols of which there are a shitload, they are hygroscopic.

 

Adding a product or not - Stabil, StarTron, K100, whatever - there are still going to be issues in any older engine (boat, bike, small engine, car).

As the article alluded to, the rubber starts to deteriorate and crack over time. This is exacerbated by ethanol. So all your hoses, o-rings, etc. are going to start to fail. (It wasn't until about 2007 that manufacturers started making hoses that could withstand ethanol). Eventually, little particles are going to make their way into your fuels system (injectors or carbs, pumps, rails), and lead to issues. Whether its complete failure, poor gas mileage, decreased power, whatever. Its alcohol. It will dry things. It WILL cause problems, its just the extent of what said problems are.

There have been additives like K100 around for over a decade. Even as their video says, it bonds to the water, making it combustible. But by definition, it does not reverse phase separation. You can't magically make the water turn into gas. You bond to the water on a molecular lever, and this will allow it to combust. But it ain't gas as we know it.

The other issue - as they showed in the second link - is that water is obviously heavier (denser) than gas. So if your phase separation occurs, the water will reach all the lowest points of the system. Once again, given where this takes place (fuel tank on bike? fuels tank on car? carbs?) will all impact what happens next. Trying to crank an engine when a section of water is just waiting to be sucked in, and your done. So adding a product after the water has made it into your system/lines/combustion chamber is fruitless. Only way your going to properly fix that is to drain, dry, clean and replace.

I don't doubt that its a good product, but its not a cure all. As I've said on this forum 100 times over the years, fuck ethanol. Its expensive as hell to make (Forbes has a great article on the whole cycle of ethanol). It results is less power and worse gas mileage. I wonder if the "20% less greenhouse gasses" offset the additional fuel you have to burn? I don't know. I do know that in my truck, with all things being equal, I get 14 -14.5 mpg on the highway at 72mph over a 225 mile drive. With ethanol free and doing the exact same route, I consistently get 16.6 to 16.8. So I'm getting about 16% better fuel economy with ethanol free.

Sincerely,

Pliskin
Self Proclaimed President of the I Fucking Hate Ethanl Group

 

I agree, some additives help some, running fresh gas helps the most

 

And let's not forget Marvel Mystery Oil - "Just put it in everything" - or so the label says.

 

The problem there is that some dudes used the stuff to make salad dressing or fry grits, proving that not all that is on the net is a good thing.

 

But that wintergreen oil adds nice flavor to grits

 

True grits.

 

You should just get a 2 stroke to go with that oil...

 

I just learned today from someone I have confidence in, that 200ml of 2 stroke added to a tank of diesel in your truck, help a lot in cleaning your injectors. Apparently better than that fuel additive you buy for them in the gas stops.

 

Here's my experience. Draining fuel dries out seals and gaskets. If I add Stabil, the engine can sit for 6 months and it starts like I ran it yesterday.

Fuel injectors never need cleaning if the engine is run regularly, especially if run on an ethanol blend as the ethanol is a pretty serious solvent.

2 stroke oil, or any other oil wil lubricate the top end of any 4 stroke engine and improve power output, but, over time, it will cause issues with dirty exhaust valves, O2 sensors and spark plugs. Of course, the less you add, the less risk.

If you run it regularly, an engine will last almost forever with no additives.

There's no reason (or benefit) to add Stabil if you run the engine regularly. On the other hand, if you often park it for a season it works wonders.

 

with or without additives, no matter wich type, keep your tank full. especially with ethanol fuel. there is moisture in air

 

Here's where an argument can be made. I ain't making one, I'm just sayin...

By keeping your tank full, you are introducing more (volume) of ethanol. A gas tank is not sealed. Its even got vent lines on it. So no matter how much you fill it, there is still going to be the opportunity for moisture to enter and result in phase separation. Granted, a full tank does provide less room for condensation to occur, but phase separation can still take place.