SAE 30 V.S. 2-stroke Oil

ItsLookingUp /

I purchased a '78 Rizzato Califfo moped. The owners manual states to mix SAE 30 oil with the fuel at a rate of 20:1. It states SAE 40 can be used if SAE 30 in not available.

Is there a material different between SAE 30 and 2-stroke oil? Should I use the SAE 30 instead of the usual 2-stroke?

Also, if anyone knows where I can get side covers for this ped I'm looking.

Re: SAE 30 V.S. 2-stroke Oil

They are talking about the oil for your crank case dude.....

Re: SAE 30 V.S. 2-stroke Oil

I hope.... Only 2 stroke oil should be mixed with gasoline, right?.!

Re: SAE 30 V.S. 2-stroke Oil

on my puch it says you can mix sae 30 at 25:1 if no two stroke oil is available.

SAE 30 (my lawnmower) Fred?

that's what my lawnmower takes.... I was going to ask fred about that--- why my moped takes 2-stroke and the mower sae-30

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower) Fred?

ItsLookingUp /

Yea Wayne, I'm not confusing the transmission oil with fuel oil as Crisis suggests. The instructions never mention "2-stroke." FYI it says the break-in is 700 miles!!! It then suggests a 7% mixture using SAE30.

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower) Fred?

my puch says 25:1 SAE 30 or 50:1 quality 2-stroke

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower)

Remember that all 2 stroke oil makers don't make their stuff the same .. so all generalizations will be wrong in some cases.

BUT... in general .. there will be 4 differences from burning genuine 2-stroke oil

1 Less carbon build up in the combustion chamber and exhaust .. they call it 'low-ash'.

2 (related to that) - less crud gumming up the rings over time.

3 Less visible smoke.

4 Less 'stink'

(now the last two .. are almost more items of 'style' .. and its possible some people would actually like those features ?)

BUT ... you should also understand that there is not THAT MUCH difference between 2 stroke oil and regular motor oil.

.. and you could always substitute in a pinch without worry.

(thats why the guy freaking about 2 stroke oil in this tranny is just being a jerk)

Many 2 stroke oil manufacturers also put in chemicals just to give the oil a nice odor ... and the smoke from those bikes has an exotic smell like incense.

I love the smell of some of them ... Klotz is one of the 'perfumey' ones.

*... mmmmm ... I love the smell of 2 stroke smoke in the morning... it reminds me of ........... victory ! .. *

Also ... many oil bottles and cans will use the incorrect terminology and call 2 stroke oil .. '2 cycle' oil ... that is very commonly used among the general public ... and its wrong.

it may be a technicality .. but its wrong.

Are there 2 cycles? .. or are there 2 strokes per cycle?

Are there 4 cycles? .. or are there 4 strokes per cycle?

(they print it wrong on the cans because the majority of the public say it wrong .. and they want the customer to feel comfortable about their purchase)

Billy Bob goes to stock boy and sez .. (cartoon hillbilly voice here >) ... "hey .. whats this '2 stroke' mean .. izzat the same as 2 cycle ?"


Bottom line to all oil products ?

People like to attribute all kinds of magical properties to the liquids they put in their motors.

So you will hear all kinds of claims made about them .. by the sellers and buyers.

Guess what ?... it just doesn't make that much difference what motor oil or 2 stroke you use.

I buy the cheap 2 stroke oil sold at Meijers under the Citgo brand name ... for about $1.70 a quart .. buy 5 quarts at a time and it lasts me a long time.

... and I don't do synthetic.

I also believe the same oil is sold under different labels .. its the same inside (in some cases).

The smaller 'specialty' 2 stroke brands definitely put different additives in .. so they are gonna be a little different .. and one might be better than another for hardcore racing engines making big HP.

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower)

..... and I swore I wasn't going to do another 'which oil' post.

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower)

ItsLookingUp /

Thanks Fred, I'm sorry you are repeating yourself. But you have set me straight and I appreciate your help.

Do you have any idea why Toehead's lawnmower manual would give different ratios for the two "different" oils?

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower) Fred?

Sorry dude.

Re: SAE 30 (my lawnmower)

not my lawnmower, my moped

I forgot

One other advantage of 2 stroke oil is ... they put a colored dye in it to identify it as 2 stroke oil

So all you have to do is look in the can of gas .. if the gas is green or blue ... then you already pre-mixed it.

Regular motor oil is amber like gas .. and you can't tell if it has oil in it or not without careful examination.

Re: I forgot

Hey I have some really small cans of oil that came on a 6 pack carton that says smokeless 2 stroke oil. Out int he barn.. I might even go look outside and se what kind it is and post if for you guys.. hehe..

I have a ton of 2 stroke oil becuase of my boats.. seems like you would want to use less regualr oil the you would two stroke just becuase two stroke sems more thin and watered down and normal oil is thicker... I dunno though..

and where on earth do you get that inscence oil form Fred... thats almost as groovy as the ped i want to put it in !

it would be cool too if i could ge the smoke t burn a diffren't color.. haha... SWEET! Smoke Bombs rule


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