Adding 2-stroke oil to petrol because of ethanol

[Van]

Just seen a jag video on youtube where someone has added a comment saying you should add 2 stroke oil to the petrol to prevent the damage ethanol in the petrol can do to fuel pumps, carbs etc. I've never heard of this before. Has anyone else or can anyone elaborate?

[Hogie]

Would be much the same as adding RedeX I would have thought.  Can't do any harm but won't nullify the effects of ethanol on the rubber bits etc.

Roger

[partsaver]

Who remembers all the bad advice and myths that appeared with the banishing of leaded petrol?

Would you really want to put OIL in your fuel tank?

[JohnD]

I've seen a smidge of 2-stroke put in the tank of a Pi car, to stop the fuel pump screeching.
Petrol has very little 'lubricity', unlike diesel, but 2-stroke, diesel or Redex are not lead substitutes or alcohol moderators.
This is like taking an antibiotic for a headache, and probably works the same way.
Someone 'wise' tells you it's a good idea and you trust them.
It's called the 'placebo' effect, and it's interesting that it works on cars too!

John

[Hogie]

Hi Folks,
             so we have myths, placebo's, Redex, 2 stroke oil and ethanol.
However no absolute answer.

Is there any benefit in putting 2 stroke oil in the petrol in absolute terms?

Roger

[heraldcoupe]

I agree with John on this one; there might be good arguments for using 2-stroke oil, but countering effects of the ethanol isn't one of them.

2-stroke oil is often used in older diesel engines, for the benefit of the pumps, because of reduced lubricity in modern diesel fuels. With an old Ford Transit with the 2.5 engine, introducing 2-stroke oil to the fuel quietens everything down very noticeably. Some owners reported better fuel economy, but I didn't observe any noticeable change with my own van,

Cheers,
Bill.

[69vitesse]

377 wrote:

Who remembers all the bad advice and myths that appeared with the banishing of leaded petrol?

Would you really want to put OIL in your fuel tank?

He shoots!  He scores!

[Andy Flexney]

377 wrote:

Would you really want to put OIL in your fuel tank?

Yes, not for lubrication but for aesthetic reasons.

Try putting a few drops of castor oil in with the petrol to reproducing the smell of pre-war racing cars.

What a great smell  :)

AndyF

[Nick Jones]

Tried 2 stroke oil in my A6 TDI (I5, rotary pump).  Even with very small additions it definitely changed the sound of the engine - smoother - less, dieselly.  Didn't help power and slightly reduced economy though.  Similar to the effects of using bio-diesel.  Conversely, using Toolstation fuel system cleaner in it makes it sound more dieselly and considerably increases fuel economy (+ 5-6mpg)

Nick

[Ridgetone Triumph]

I use Johnson's baby oil in my fuel/diesel tank, in the motorbike give it a table spoon to every tank full, the race car got a very good squirt and Big Poo gets a good squirt per tank full, and about 2 table spoons in the diesel tank. I had never heard of this before until 2007 when I was advised to try it in the bike, so I did. After every Winter of being parked up the bike would need the carbs stripped of the gummed up internals before baby oil treatment, since 2007 it has never being back to the bike shop after the baby oil treatment. How cool is that? I also got 186miles continuously per tank full before reserve tank was needed, after baby oil treatment and also on the same journeys, same conditions, same miles, loads etc 195miles continuously per tank full. It seems to make 'Big Poo' go smoother as well. Amazing stuff baby oil  ;)    

[Nick Jones]

You're winding us up right?  :-/

Nick

[JohnD]

In the US, people buy something called "Marvel Mystery Oil" to add to their fuel, on absolutely no rational basis as it is a 'mystery' what is in it.   Just like WD40, which is a lousy lubricant, but a good water dispersant (as it says on the tin) and reasonable rust preventer.  Well it would be wouldn't it?  That was what it was invented for, but although it too is still 'secret' WD40 claims to have over 2000 uses, 90% of whivch are for 'lubricating' something!

John

[Ridgetone Triumph]

Nick_Jones wrote:

You're winding us up right?  :-/

Nick

No Nick straight up, I didn't believe it either when I first was told, but the proof is in the use  :)

[Andy Borris]

Will "own brand" baby oil work as well?

Andy

[ferny]

Looks like I'll have to blend some babies and give it a go.

[Ridgetone Triumph]

I only have used this brand baby oil.

Make sure ferny that they are Johnson's babies now  ;D

[69vitesse]

JohnD wrote:

In the US, people buy something called "Marvel Mystery Oil" to add to their fuel, on absolutely no rational basis as it is a 'mystery' what is in it.   Just like WD40, which is a lousy lubricant, but a good water dispersant (as it says on the tin) and reasonable rust preventer.  Well it would be wouldn't it?  That was what it was invented for, but although it too is still 'secret' WD40 claims to have over 2000 uses, 90% of whivch are for 'lubricating' something!

John

I've go some Snake Oil, fancy a pint?

[marktheherald]

Caster oil in the tank....I used to do that back in the 60's....Thought I was the dog's dangly bits...

Mind you, who did I think I was kidding, on a Honda 50 ?   :B

[Pete Lewis]

Before the days of diesel particle filters and catalytic additions, it was quite common to add just engine oil into the truck fuel tank, to regain power and consumption, it was a common problem with european trucks ,where diesel was less 'clean' they would arrive over in the uk and then expect warranty due to lost horses ,which was  mainly due to low sulphur UK fuel .  1/2 gallon in 700ltr tank worked wonders.  
you cant do that now  

Pete

[Sheepy]

Ferny you can use the baby oil in the tank, then use the rest for a nice lovely massage!  ;)

Who remembers the old castrol R racing oil for the two strokes! Smelt lovely, but it used to gum them up a lot.

You can get a similar modern version now, Castrol a747, but it's expensive.
You can also get strawberry oil for the 2 strokes, quite a nice smell actually, some of the guys at the trial club use it, I have not tried it yet.

Wonder if that would make the car smell nice?

So does the baby oil make it smell like a baby?

[Hogie]

Back in the 60's as an apprentice at BEA some of my collegues would put aircraft hydraulic oil (DTD585) in with the 2 stroke.
It smelt not unlike Castrol R.

Roger

[sparky_spit]

I use modern synthetic two-stroke oil in my Yamaha and it smells of nothing really.  I can see a market opportunity here for an "Essence of Nostalgia" additive to flog to bikers of a certain age.

If anyone really wants to find out the truth about the effects of ethanol in petrol, especially the specific conditions under which it releases the water it has absorbed, you want to read an article by Steve Cooper (an ex-petrochemist) in the March issue of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

[JohnD]

Sparky,
I'd be interested, but doubt if I will be able to find the mag. at my local WHS, when the womens, computing, fishing and gardening, let alone the 'top shelf' mags crowd the motoring jourmals into a tiny corner.
Will you please summarise for us what he had to say?

Thanks,
John

[sparky_spit]

Too lengthy to summarise really John, so I've scanned it and added it here over 4 posts:

[sparky_spit]

Picture 2