# Fuel Oil Mix for Two Strokes



## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

alex-v said:


> Put the boat away last November. Primed the big motor yesterday and fired and ran immediately, just like a brand new truck or car with fuel injection. The kicker motor fired and ran on the second pull.
> 
> Went to the storage garage and started working on equipment. All the 2-cycle engines fired and ran on 2nd or 3rd pull and that is equipment that was put away at the end of November.
> 
> Like Mike says, it really depends on when you put it away. Four months in storage, not a heated garage.


All my equipment also started right up. (with last fall gas in it mixed with new to top off the tanks)


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## frenchriver1 (Jul 5, 2005)

WALLEYE MIKE said:


> #1 cause of problems. Not being used in a while. Stale gas and gummed up jets.


"Not being used in a while" is a relative term subject to interpretation....


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

frenchriver1 said:


> "Not being used in a while" is a relative term subject to interpretation....


Got the rototiller out. Haven't used it since last June/July. No added new gas. Started on the second pull and ran it out (half tank). So much for separation and water absorption. No stabilizer.


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## caseyj (Apr 8, 2001)

I was never much of a believer in that ethanol gas was harmful to your small engines until I found myself rebuilding carburetors on my Yamaha outboard for the last three years. Even though I used all of the magic potions that were available for treating gas.

Last year I acquired a brand new Mantis tiller as a gift and being that I already had a full size tiller, I hung it on the wall for a period of 5 months. This Spring, it failed to start. So I am now in the process of rebuilding the carburetor. When I disassembled it, it was full of a yellow substance that had filled most of the ports and channels even though it was filled with the specified fuel of 10% ethanol and added oil along with sea foam.

I did a search on the computer and found the only gas station within a reasonable driving distance that sold non ethanol gas (BP) and when I arrived, they had a sign on this one pump that said " for the use in lawn mowers outboards, and other small engines" It was rated at 90% octane and it was about two cents high per gallon. Hopefully now, I can get out of the rebuilding business.


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

caseyj said:


> I was never much of a believer in that ethanol gas was harmful to your small engines until I found myself rebuilding carburetors on my Yamaha outboard for the last three years. Even though I used all of the magic potions that were available for treating gas.
> 
> Last year I acquired a brand new Mantis tiller as a gift and being that I already had a full size tiller, I hung it on the wall for a period of 5 months. This Spring, it failed to start. So I am now in the process of rebuilding the carburetor. When I disassembled it, it was full of a yellow substance that had filled most of the ports and channels even though it was filled with the specified fuel of 10% ethanol and added oil along with sea foam.
> 
> I did a search on the computer and found the only gas station within a reasonable driving distance that sold non ethanol gas (BP) and when I arrived, they had a sign on this one pump that said " for the use in lawn mowers outboards, and other small engines" It was rated at 90% octane and it was about two cents high per gallon. Hopefully now, I can get out of the rebuilding business.


Like I said previously, some of us never have a problem. While others do. Someone must be doing something right and someone not.


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## caseyj (Apr 8, 2001)

Checkout this site for non-ethanol stations in your area.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=MI


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## frenchriver1 (Jul 5, 2005)

You can lead a horse to water, but...


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## shooter 50 (Feb 27, 2012)

Ipicked up a nifty gadget at wal/mart this summer a 2 cycle mixing bottle from shoreline marine. It will pre measure from24-1 to 100-1,Fill your gas tank with gas correspond how many gals of gas you put in tank and on bottle it will tell you how many ozs.of oil to get your perfect mix to gas ratio!


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## pikenetter (Mar 28, 2009)

yellowbelly80 said:


> i run star-tron or marine stabil in every tank on all my gas motors but the cars and trucks,no issues at all


 to each ther own, but i have never winterized a motor, add stable to the gas, drained my tanks at the end of season.
i leave my equipment just like i plan on using it again tomorrow, even if tomorrow is 6 months later...
never had an issue todate....call it blind luck but it works for me


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## paperhead (Feb 1, 2005)

Add marine stabilizer to every tank. My boat gets used weekly april thru sept. Then i winterize it and store indoors 1998 mariner no issues yet. All my small 2 strokes.(chain saw,weedwhip ect.) I use only amsoil 2 stroke oil ,marine stabilizer ansd empty fuel out in fall. Seafoam is added to all my 4 wheelers. Snowblower and lawnmowers engines fogged and fuel removed before putting away for season. Generator and pressure washer stabile in tank and gas is shut off and ran out after every use.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

pikenetter said:


> to each ther own, but i have never winterized a motor, add stable to the gas, drained my tanks at the end of season.
> i leave my equipment just like i plan on using it again tomorrow, even if tomorrow is 6 months later...
> never had an issue todate....call it blind luck but it works for me


Sooner or later, you will run out of luck.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

The person who blends the fuel at the tank farm may not be as precise as he should. Does it have 10% or 25% alcohol I do not know of any testing being done at the pump for alcohol, measurements for volume yes but alcohol content no. My wife has a station and has never been tested for alcohol content or ratio, annually for volume is normal. The tank farms in Flint, have Shell trucks in line with Mobil behind Marathon trucks with Citgo also, all coming from the same tank.


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## fishon2 (Aug 5, 2012)

I use Amsoil Saber for outboards. When mixing with gas. 8 oz bottle to 6 gallons. 100 to 1 ratio.You can use it that way in all your your 40 and 50 to 1 ratios. My friends and I have been using this for over 15 years. We cut a lot of wood and have got a local tree service guy using it now. He hasn't rebuild a saw now for two years. He was doing it at least 1 a year before. My boy has a 20hp Marineir outboard. He has been using the Saber for 2 years now with no problems and a lot less smoke . The nice thing is you mix up a can and you can use it in anything. No worries about what mix ratio. I'm not a dealer,but I'm a true believer in this product. Along with SeaFoam. Amsoil makes 2 different Saber Oils. 1 for outboards and one for all the rest of your 2 stroke needs. I have a 15 year old Husky weed whip I've never even put a spark plug in and a hand held Sthil blower the same.


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## scooter_trasher (Sep 19, 2005)

The way I see it ethanol is nothing new, although ethanol has alkalinity, if your machine will not run on regular pump gas it's a manufacture defect,e 15 or higher will likely be a problem, model Ts ran on pure alcohol until prohibition , my 53 chriscraft outboard drinks it , my 62 evinrude drinks it, my 75 shovelhead drank it, I've never had a problem with it in any of my power equipment, or cars ,buy gas at a station with water in their tanks it could be a problem


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## mbirdsley (Jan 12, 2012)

I just use the highest grade premium gas I can find at the gas station for my 2 stroke mid eighties 9.8 hp mercury. Tank is only 6 gallons so it isn’t that much money. Runs preatty good for the age of the motor.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

scooter_trasher said:


> The way I see it ethanol is nothing new, although ethanol has alkalinity, if your machine will not run on regular pump gas it's a manufacture defect,e 15 or higher will likely be a problem, model Ts ran on pure alcohol until prohibition , my 53 chriscraft outboard drinks it , my 62 evinrude drinks it, my 75 shovelhead drank it, I've never had a problem with it in any of my power equipment, or cars ,buy gas at a station with water in their tanks it could be a problem


Ethyl and Ethanol are totally different Ethyl is a anti knock additive, it was used in older engines to stop spark knock.


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## scooter_trasher (Sep 19, 2005)

feedinggrounds said:


> Ethyl and Ethanol are totally different Ethyl is a anti knock additive, it was used in older engines to stop spark knock.


There's a reason GM and esso div of Standard chose the name Ethy for there product, that would be name recognition , ethyl alcohol had been used for fuel since 1863, it's nothing new, and there is no reason to use parts that won't handle it.

*Ethanol car history *

Here you will find some of the most important steps in ethanol car history, with special focus on United States ethanol car history.

*Year*

*Event *

1824-1826

U.S. inventor Samuel Morey, chiefly known for creating the world's first internal combustion engine, develops an engine that runs on ethanol and turpentine.



1860

German inventor Nicholas Otto uses ethanol as fuel in one of this engines.



1862

In the U.S., a special tax is placed on industrial alcohol by the Union Congress to help pay for the Civil War. The tax is $2 per gallon and this makes ethanol fall out of favor as a fuel in the U.S. Prior to 1962, ethanol was commonly used in lamps.

1896

Henry Fod builds his first automobile (The Quadricycle), and the engine is designed to run on pure ethanol. This is naturally a very important step in ethanol car industry.

1906

The 1862 tax on industrial alcohol is repealed by Congress. Ethanol is now once again a fuel of interest in the United States.

1908

The first Ford Model T leaves the factory. The engine is a flexible hybrid engine capable of using ethanol, gasoline or kerosene. This car is produced until 1927.

1919-1933

During the prohibition era in the United States, it is illegal to sell, manufacture and transport alcohol. This makes it impractical to use ethanol cars. Ethanol fuel sellers are accused of being allied with moonshiners, and ethanol could only be sold when mixed with gasoline.

1920s

World War I is over and gasoline, not ethanol, become the most popular fuel in the United States as well as in many other parts of the world. However, Standard Oil starts adding ethanol to gasoline to get the octane number up and reduce engine knocking.

In Brazil, automobiles can be seen on the streets for the first time in history. Sugarcane from Brazil's huge sugarcane plantations is used to produce ethanol fuel for them.


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## feedinggrounds (Jul 21, 2009)

scooter_trasher said:


> There's a reason GM and esso div of Standard chose the name Ethy for there product, that would be name recognition , ethyl alcohol had been used for fuel since 1863, it's nothing new, and there is no reason to use parts that won't handle it.
> 
> *Ethanol car history *
> 
> ...


You posted a picture of a gas pump with Ethyl on it, are you trying to say Ethyl and Ethanol same? If not, ok. But they are not the same. I did not dispute alcohol has been used as a fuel.


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## kisherfisher (Apr 6, 2008)

I believe the difference between green ,gunked carbs and jets, and not , is the exposure to moisture. If your item is stored in a dry area , you may have prevented the moisture collecting ethanol from developing this algae looking stuff. Have seen it on my power buggy carb jets. Always exposed to a thorough washing after use. Carb on generator stored in shed, same. Neighbor at cottage on the lake had an old jet ski that was running bad. I told him to try Rec gas and sea foam to contract the moisture exposure while docked. Cleaned it right up, he thanks me every year for the tip.Just my experience and hope it never catches you when you least need it .


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## WALLEYE MIKE (Jan 7, 2001)

feedinggrounds said:


> You posted a picture of a gas pump with Ethyl on it, are you trying to say Ethyl and Ethanol same? If not, ok. But they are not the same. I did not dispute alcohol has been used as a fuel.


Ethyl, hi test were other names for "premium fuel" (high octane).


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

kisherfisher said:


> I believe the difference between green ,gunked carbs and jets, and not , is the exposure to moisture. If your item is stored in a dry area , you may have prevented the moisture collecting ethanol from developing this algae looking stuff. Have seen it on my power buggy carb jets. Always exposed to a thorough washing after use. Carb on generator stored in shed, same. Neighbor at cottage on the lake had an old jet ski that was running bad. I told him to try Rec gas and sea foam to contract the moisture exposure while docked. Cleaned it right up, he thanks me every year for the tip.Just my experience and hope it never catches you when you least need it .


http://nationalpetroleum.net/Ethanol-Water-Phase-Separation-facts.pdf


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

scooter_trasher said:


> There's a reason GM and esso div of Standard chose the name Ethy for there product, that would be name recognition , ethyl alcohol had been used for fuel since 1863, it's nothing new, and there is no reason to use parts that won't handle it.
> 
> *Ethanol car history *
> 
> ...



And let's not forget who may have been the most dangerous man in the industry( later developing fluorocarbons as well) , Thomas Midgley.
Ketterling was involved too ,but it was Midgley denying leads effect on humans while promoting it's use in fuel.
They knew alcohol would suffice as an anti-knock compound......
With lobbying to secure legality ,despite the ill effects ....Standard managed a near monopoly in a price war using cheaper lead.

Midgley died by strangulation in one of his on devices. Not before deservedly suffering the effects of lead poisoning though.

Even when eventually lead was to be phased out after painting the landscape ,and garages ect. with a coat of lead ,people were convinced their engines would fail due to non lubrication by the missing lead. Standard oils propaganda still had effect. And lead substitutes still are sold by the bottle.........


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