Just mowed my lawn. I put in a new spark plug and changed the mix from 16:1 to 25:1 and the mower ran great, hardly smoked at all. Good feeling! Thanks again all.
#2
steve c
Great to hear, Al. I wouldn't hesitate to try 32 to 1 next fill. I'm using synthetic oil now and have no issues with it at that mixture. I'm no engineer, but it seems that with less oil in the mix, the less spark plug and exhaust port fouling should occur. I'm also using non-ethanol gas and throwing in a little Marvel Mystery Oil and SeaFoam to boot.
A lot of the oil ; fuel ratios date from the days of mixing with engine oil.
Many companies are reluctant to change the ratio regardlessof the advances in modern 2 stroke oils.
Our local company Victa recommends 25:1, however if you use their super 2 stroke oil you can magically go down to 100:1
The logic behind this is the public would get confussed if they changed the fuel ratio and some one micght still use engine oil and not 2 stroke oil.
When you finish mowing, if you can pull the muggler off and look at the piston / bore.
If they look dry then your mix is too lean
If they look oily & wet then your mix is fine.
Oil ratio's and types of oil to use will generate different opinions from just about everyone. I convert weed whackers to model airplane use and try to get the most RPM/horsepower to fly my R/C airplanes. I Googled "what is the optimum oil:gas ration for producing the most horsepower". This link said 18:1!!
As long as you do not have the 3 ring piston with a brass connecting rod bearing no issues with 32 to 1. Basically as long as you have needle bearings 32 to 1 is perfectly fine, I have a dura force and only run that at 32 to 1, this motor was designed when synthetic oil was available to engineers. Some have pushed the ratio to 100 to 1 with synthetic oil on dura force (not too many). I maintain that 32 to 1 is going to cool motor and lubricate the best no matter how good of oil you run through it.
Oil ratio's and types of oil to use will generate different opinions from just about everyone. I convert weed whackers to model airplane use and try to get the most RPM/horsepower to fly my R/C airplanes. I Googled "what is the optimum oil:gas ration for producing the most horsepower". This link said 18:1!!
The last bit in this article about the author getting older and changing his oil ratio from 26:1 to 32:1 because he no longer pushes his mower as fast as he did when he was younger made me think twice.
