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2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:04 pm
by isha
Gah! Stupid question alert.
Is there a way for me to tell if I already added the 100ml of oil to my 5 litre container of petrol, eg smell, appearance?
And if not does it matter if I add it twice?
Strimmer. A good while since I took it out and theres a full container of petrol but feck me if I can recall adding the oil or not.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:08 pm
by 765489
isha wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:04 pm
Gah! Stupid question alert.
Is there a way for me to tell if I already added the 100ml of oil to my 5 litre container of petrol, eg smell, appearance?
And if not does it matter if I add it twice?
Strimmer. A good while since I took it out and theres a full container of petrol but feck me if I can recall adding the oil or not.
Hate that
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:09 pm
by isha
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:10 pm
by 765489
If you look into the bottom of the container is the oil laying at the bottom of the container of petrol ? Usually it separates and heads for the bottom. Or give it a shake and pour some of into say a 7 up bottle and see if there is a slight colour similar to the oil you use.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:13 pm
by dawg
I hope its not a stupid question.
Ever since the 60's I routinely find myself faced with this question.
Is there some modern gizmo that can be used to provide the answer ?
( I suppose one could put a fuel sample in a shallow container, wait for the petrol to evaporate 'n then look for oil left behind. Isnt life too short for that sort of carry-on ? )
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:18 pm
by 765489
dawg wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:13 pm
I hope its not a stupid question.
Ever since the 60's I routinely find myself faced with this question.
Is there some modern gizmo that can be used to provide the answer ?
( I suppose one could put a fuel sample in a shallow container, wait for the petrol to evaporate 'n then look for oil left behind. Isnt life too short for that sort of carry-on ? )
I always get mixed up as the chainsaw takes 40ml and the strimmer 50ml.. I usually end up throwing it out but Isha doesn't seem to have one of them little 1 litre mixing bottles so when it goes wrong for her it's a complete deep-water horizon type disaster
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:20 pm
by isha
I am relieved i am not the only one who gets this issue. Red container so cannot see settling.
Poured some into glass. Definite reddish tinge and I THINK the last oil I used might have been red but I have green too.. is the unleaded petrol normally colourless?
If there is no solution what do I do with the 5 litres of petrol?
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:28 pm
by 765489
If there's a reddish tinge something was mixed in it as petrol doesn't have a reddish tinge.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:32 pm
by 765489
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:33 pm
by isha
Ncdjd2 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:28 pm
If there's a reddish tinge something was mixed in it as petrol doesn't have a reddish tinge.
Thanks N. My options are to risk my strimmer now on the basis its LIKELY I added oil, or to leave behind 5 litres of petrol of uncertain provenance in a plastic container as my archaeological deposit for posterity. I dont want that last option.
This is something that needs a more general solution to it- testing dipsticks or something, and if I knew it I might finally get rich!
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:35 pm
by dawg
If you dont have time to do an evaporation test then pour some into a jamjar and add oil to it
( you may need to use a kitchen scales to calibrate some ersatz measuring cylinders for this
- keep in mind that both oil and petrol are less dense than water ) .
Mix up the jamjar contents and use it as fuel. If the engine smokes disastrously then its probably double dosed
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:43 pm
by dawg
Oh!, The Shame of it
I googled for the answer
This struck me :
"... I put some fuel from the tank in a jam jar and compared it with 'straight' petrol..."
from
http://answers.google.com/answers/threa ... 29587.html
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:46 pm
by 765489
Have you you got clean petrol handy Isha ?
Sorry I'm just being mischievous there and wondering do you have to siphon clean petrol from a car
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:08 pm
by isha
Ncdjd2 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:46 pm
Have you you got clean petrol handy Isha ?
Sorry I'm just being mischievous there and wondering do you have to siphon clean petrol from a car
I have clean petrol in the red can carefully labeled For Power Washer Only! Because no oil goes in there! I will check difference.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:10 pm
by isha
Will check when I get home from shouting into the forest...Thanks!!
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:37 pm
by isha
We have a winner. Such an easy solution in the end. And bang goes another of my schemes to be a billionaire.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:00 pm
by kadman
If its old petrol , mixed or not, throw it out and use new petrol.
Old petrol deteriorates with time, and causes all sorts of starting problems.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:16 pm
by isha
kadman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:00 pm
If its old petrol , mixed or not, throw it out and use new petrol.
Old petrol deteriorates with time, and causes all sorts of starting problems.
It's not old - it's my memory that's old!
I have a new problem now in that my trusty old husqvarna is not sounding too great. But it's not the fuel. It's been acting weird for a while, and it's not getting better. Ah well.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:19 pm
by dawg
check spark @ spark plug
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:24 pm
by kadman
With 2 stroke small engines, its imperative that the proper mix is consistent and accurate.
The correct amount of oil needs to be measured at each mix. Its not like a cocktail , a dash of oil and thats it.
The biggest issue with starting and running small 2 stroke engines will be down to the correct mix and NEW petrol.
If you have not used a 2 stroke item for 3-4 weeks, then empty out the remaining petrol in the machine, and mix new.
People do not realise petrol deteriorates in a very short space of time. I have just thrown out my old Husky 135 due to starting issues with a worn cylinder. 6 years old, with less than average work. They dont make them like they used to.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:44 pm
by isha
kadman wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:24 pm
With 2 stroke small engines, its imperative that the proper mix is consistent and accurate.
The correct amount of oil needs to be measured at each mix. Its not like a cocktail , a dash of oil and thats it.
The biggest issue with starting and running small 2 stroke engines will be down to the correct mix and NEW petrol.
If you have not used a 2 stroke item for 3-4 weeks, then empty out the remaining petrol in the machine, and mix new.
People do not realise petrol deteriorates in a very short space of time. I have just thrown out my old Husky 135 due to starting issues with a worn cylinder. 6 years old, with less than average work. They dont make them like they used to.
This explains a lot! My husqvarna is about 13 or 14 years old, I guess I am pretty stingy to be expecting it to keep going and I have not been emptying tank before next go. Although I do otherwise care for it and have it maintained as I value it. A new one will have to wait til new growth and bigger savings in Spring though.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:21 am
by 765489
When finished I always tip out any petrol left in my strimmer or chainsaw while they are still running and let the engine run to burn up any petrol still in them.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:43 am
by isha
Tip out where though? This was another issue that arose for me yesterday - I did not know where to put ''old'' or ''bad'' petrol.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:53 am
by 765489
isha wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:43 am
Tip out where though? This was another issue that arose for me yesterday - I did not know where to put ''old'' or ''bad'' petrol.
I just tip it out onto the grass. In my case it would be less than a 3rd of a litre.
Re: 2 stroke oil
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 10:45 am
by kadman
isha wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 9:43 am
Tip out where though? This was another issue that arose for me yesterday - I did not know where to put ''old'' or ''bad'' petrol.
How much are we talking about
