Two-stroke oil (also refers to as two-cycle oil, 2-cycle oil, 2T oil, or 2-stroke oil) is a special type of motor oil. It intends for use in crankcase compression two-stroke engines. And it is premium quality non-ash-forming two-stroke motor oil. It is an SAE 40 oil that pre dilutes to SAE 20 for rapid mixing with petrol.
Unlike a four-stroke engine, whose crankcase close except for its ventilation system. A two-stroke engine uses the crankcase as part of the induction tract, and therefore, the oil must mix with gasoline. It is to distribute throughout the engine for lubrication. The resultant mix refers to as premix or petrol. This oil ultimately burns along with the fuel as a total-loss oiling system. This results in an increase in exhaust emissions, sometimes with excess smoke and/or a distinctive odor.
2T Engine Oil is low smoke semi-synthetic two-stroke engine oil. It develops to meet the critical requirements of 2 stroke engines manufactured through all leading automakers. It blends from virgin base stocks and special proven additives to minimize spark plug fouling and pre-ignition. Also prevent rusting, minimize deposit formation and provide protection against seizure, scuffing, and wear. Then, It specifically formulates to give the additional advantage of lower consumption of fuel. It contains a diluent for easy mixing with gasoline and dye green for easy identification.
Comparing regular lubricating oil with two-stroke oil, the relevant difference is that two-stroke oil must have much lower ash content. This requires minimizing deposits that tend to form if ash is present in the oil which burns in the engine’s combustion chamber. Another important factor is that 4-stroke engines have a different requirement for ‘stickiness’ than 2-strokes do. Since the 1980s different types of two-stroke oil develops for specialized uses. Such as outboard motor two-strokes, premix two-stroke oil, as well as the more standard auto lube (motorcycle) two-stroke oil.
Purpose of 2 stroke oil
The purpose of 2 stroke oil along with its 4 stroke cousin is directly, lubrication of vital internal engine components. 2 stroke lubrication delivers via 2 main processes that are inherently different from 4 stroke lubrication. It is resulting in a ‘total lose’ of the oil. It uses to lubricate to the atmosphere after it has been burnt via the combustion process.
Premix, where the 2 stroke oil mix directly with the fuel at variable ratios. And feed to the required internal engine parts via the fueling system
Prelube, where the 2 stroke oil delivers to the required components at predetermined volumes. And feed rates via an adjustable pump and oil tank. The oil does end up mixing with the fuel to burn away exiting the exhaust system with the exhaust gases.
Some 2 stroke engines run contains oil systems. That circulate the oil through the main bearings via a pump and retrieve system. These are very uncommon in the motorcycle industry. Both systems have their benefits and faults. The premixing system allows for customizing of precise oil ratios for racing engines. A lighter infrastructure requirement which is important in view of weight control in performance-orientated motorcycles and karts.
The other item is the elimination of any possible cavitation of the oil through air entering the mixing process. Leading to the unschedule leaning out of the fuel/air ratio. The downside is one needs to mix the oil with the fuel which can lead to incorrect fuel/oil ratios being mix. It is resulting in catastrophic affects to the engines internals and possible injury to the rider. Refueling can also be a problem, particularly for road going motorcycles. It is as one needs to carry oil and be able to mix the correct value to the inaccurate fuel pump delivery at the bowser.
The auto lube system designs for 2 stroke engines that are predominantly road-going vehicles. They prefer longer stints between fuel stops and filling of their 2 stroke oil reserves. Convenience is one of the main positives of a prelude oil mixing system. Complete elimination of mixing complexities and human error.
The negative side of the auto lube system is the unforeseen mechanical failures. Incorrectly adjust oil pumps and human laziness of not filling the oil tanks. All will end in tears and a long walk home will be had. These types of setups tend to travel further from the pits or home. Generally, if the system maintains, and the oil tank regularly fills, can give years of trouble-free operation.
Modern generation 2 stroke oils
There are basically 4 types of 2 stroke engine oil available:
•Vegetable/castor
•Petroleum/Mineral
•Mixtures of petroleum/mineral or semi synthetic
•Full synthetic oil
Vegetable oils
Vegetable oil, or castor oil naturally derives plant based oils that use forever and a day. They were very popular with racers using Methanol due to its ability to blend totally with the vegetable basis fuel. These oils have good lubrication ability when blends at high oil to fuel ratios. E.g. 20:1 and even higher in petrol, although its inability to stay blending is a less than desirable attribute.
The vegetable basis oils also have what terms as ‘high cling rate’ for high revving engines. Such as karts and smaller-capacity motorcycle engines. Due to the high volume of oil and its natural viscosity, it tends to stick to the bearing and piston skirts at extreme rpm (15,000 +). It is fending of centrifugal force effects and aiding in heat dispersion.
The downside is it can be responsible for fouled spark plugs, excessive smoke and combustion deposits. It can lead to engine damage if the internal carbon does not service regularly. The high oil usage can also reduce RPM, alter the octane rating and burn rates of the fuel mixture due to the shear volumes traditionally uses and with the bonus of raising the cost of the racers oil bill. The effects of over oiling when using this types of oil with the recommending oil/fuel ratios do not recommend for engines with power valves.
Petroleum/Mineral oils
These 2 stroke oils derive from natural mineral crude oil reserves that are then cleans from various containments with various complex cleaning and filtration systems. The base quality 2 stroke mineral oils usually derives from poorer quality crude oil which generally contains more hard to remove containments. This is the area which 2 stroke oils start to differ from 4 stroke oils.
Fuel blending additives combining with other various additives to improve combustibility and lubricating qualities add to the base line crude which can sometimes be a derivative of reclaiming engine oils from various market places in poor quality blends. The quality generally agrees to adequate for the designing purpose. The low revving older style of trail, farm and early scooter engine can run all day on these oils although there emissions are generally worse than more advance 2 stroke oils.
Semi synthetic
The semi synthetic oils are a combination of the modern synthetic advancements blended with higher quality mineral oils. The balance of these oils is generally a bulk of mineral with a low volume of synthetic additives. There is now a cross section of synthetic additives available to the oil blender. Many of which have their own specific identity and purpose allowing a more accurate blend of oil to produce the performance and emission requirements accompanied with affordability for the high performance modern 2 stroke engine. The improvement in blending agents and additive’s to reduce oxidation, corrosion, fuel/oil separation and cavitation through oil pumping make these excellent lubricants for Endure, performance scooters and other 2 stroke motorcycle that tend to travel further between engine rebuilds
Synthetic
The modern full synthetic 2 stroke engine oil as it is commonly termed has come a long way in the last 5 years or more. Newly designed polymers, biodegradable inclusions, detergents and additives that have surpassed previous lubricating qualities now have other identifiable traits, such octane enhancement and stabilization, gas producing compounds to further enhance combustion creating nearly smoke free emissions.
The quality burn and lubrication allows for fuel/oil ratios for some production motorcycles to be running 60:1, even in high revving 60cc 2 stroke racing engines with long service intervals and no undue wear of the internal engine parts being found. Some of the competition trial bikes are running 100:1 and are surviving long days of having their necks stretched, again with no undue effects of low lubrication.
These additives are still the minority in an oil blend that creates from ultra-high quality base crude oils that still make up the bulk of the volume of oil. 100% synthetic does not indicate that the oil in this bottle is made totally in a beacon in a science lad. This is justifiable through the fact that many of the manufactures are offering 2 stroke oil blends with a percentage of castor oil for extra cling on those long straights.
The choice of oil in the market place is in abundance but one thing is for sure is the quality of the upper end product has changed. The emission requirements from different countries is now a major player for the 2 stroke manufacturing industry as a hole thus the collaborations between engineering and oil science is congenial to the building of the modern 2 stroke engine and its high performance engineering and inclusions.
There’s a lot of opinion on the subject of oils & oil ratios so when asking the question try and consider the engine dynamics of the modern 2 stoke engine and human psyche and its sometimes defiance of the facts of modern engineering and marketing.
What makes synthetic two-stroke oil different?
Petroleum-based 2-stroke oil is “natural” in that it is made from fossil fuels – many 2-stroke enthusiasts refer to it as dino oil. While it provides adequate lubrication to the engine while it’s running, and aids in appropriate combustion, petroleum-based oil also leaves behind significantly more deposits than synthetic oils. Deposits range from gummy build up in valves to grimy deposits on spark plugs. Additionally, petroleum-based products have higher emissions than their synthetic counterparts.
This is partially caused through the need for richer mixtures, because petroleum-based products have solvents to provide miscibility—the ability to mix with gasoline and solvents are not lubricants. Synthetic 2-stroke oil products have lower deposits and emissions largely to having lower ash content, and some, like DANALUBES recommend leaner mixtures (so you use less). For these reasons, a number of manufacturers now recommend synthetic oil for 2-stroke engine use.
Application / Composition of 2T Engine Oil:
2T Engine Oil recommends for lubrication of scooters, autorickshaws, motorcycles and mopeds operating on two stroke engines. The recommended dosage is 20 ml of oil per liter of petrol.
Performance Level of 2T Engine Oil
- 2T Engine Oil meets the performance level of JASO FC specifications
- Typical Properties of 2T Engine Oil
Benefits of using synthetic 2-stroke oil
As with so much in the world of engines, performance may vary. But making the switch from traditional fossil-fuel based oil to synthetic 2-cycle can provide a number of perks, including:
- Increased efficiency
- Decreased emissions
- A boost to performance
- Overall cost savings (through lower maintenance and less reliance on additives)
- Reduced downtime for repairs
- Increased equipment life
Additionally, you will be able to rest easier knowing that you’ve taken a proactive step toward maintaining your motor for the long term.
