G'day folks,
Well who knows, even proper 2 stroke oil is probably just regular 30 weight oil with some coloured dye added in to make it look different and also so you know when you've mixed it with fuel.
Not so. While it does use the same mineral base stock oil, the additive package is completely different.
The 2-smoke synthetics aren't generally much better than mineral base, as far as good mixing and antiwear properties go, but generate less smoke and engine deposits, which is somewhat due to their leaner mix ratios.
Just as an aside, about the best oil to use in
very high performance 2-stroke engines on the market is Castrol A747, which is castor oil based. Can only be used as a premix in the fuel, though; it's too viscous for oil injection systems.
Not at all cheap, but it saves having to do top end rebuilds more than once in a 'Forgotten Era' classic race bike comp season. That pays off big time now; these bits are getting scarce and exy, particularly barrel sets for TZ series Yamahas.
The only issue I have with using say vegetable oil, or any cooking oil in general, is how well does it actually mix in with unleaded? Then does it go through all the fuel filters and fine parts in the carby before finally reaching the engine? Also I don't know how good it really is at lubricating the internal engine parts. It's one thing to put a little bit of vegetable oil on a bicycle chain I remember doing that a few times when I was a kid. But I don't think i'd use it in the 2 stroke mix...lol
Vegetable cooking oils are not in any way suitable as engine lube oils, as they will form gums quite quickly. Castor oil isn't a cooking oil BTW!
I have just finished all the 5 litres of the Penrite 2 stroke mix and my next mix will be back to Castrol 2T self mix again. Just a personal preference.
Nowt wrong wi' that; it'll work just as well.
