What oil to add to the grass trimmer. AL-KO Zweitaktmotorenol

What oil to use for grass trimmer and garden equipment

Today we will answer the frequently asked question: what oil to choose for grass trimmer with a two-stroke engine? How, what kind and in what proportions.

Oil is one of the most important components for a good engine. This is especially true for 2 stroke engines. The oil is mixed with gasoline, and the right oil selection will determine whether you will mow the grass or go to the repair shop.

So, which oil is recommended for two-stroke engines and why?

Fuel mix for two-stroke engines

grass trimmers, which are equipped with a two-stroke motor, do not have a separate system designed for oil supply in order to lubricate the rubbing parts. That’s why you shouldn’t fill such devices with pure gasoline, but with a mixture of fuel and engine oil. The latter should be specially formulated for two-stroke engines. Using automobile engine fluid will lead to premature engine failure.

Fuel mixture preparation for two-roller engines

To fill the lawnmower with a two-stroke engine needs gasoline AI-92. When using AI-95 you may observe overheating of the engine and uneven work of the device. Gasoline and oil should be mixed in a 50:1 ratio, with 50 being the fuel and 1 being the oil. It turns out that 20 ml of oil is needed per 1 liter of fuel.

If the engine is worn or the tool is running with a high load, the proportion is 25:1. If there is not enough lubricant, it will cause burrs on the cylinder walls and piston surface. The piston ring will then be destroyed and the engine will seize up. An oversupply is not that critical, but it can lead to fouling. The piston ring would then get caked, which would reduce the power of the unit.

Oil and gasoline ratios for the fuel mix

How oils for different engine types differ?

Different working principles of the oil system force the use of lubricants with different properties and characteristics.

Also, the oil in four-stroke engines lasts the whole season, while in two-stroke engines it lubricates the parts and then burns in the cylinder, which also affects the requirements for the oil.

Four-stroke

The principle of operation of a four-stroke power unit is fully identical to that of an internal combustion engine.

Therefore, requirements to lubricating fluid are the same as to conventional motor oil for high-speed automobile engines.

The main parameter of a lubricant for four-stroke engines is viscosity, which describes how fluid the oil will be at operating temperature and is denoted by the letter “W” and the numbers before and after it.

The figures before the letter describe the minimum negative temperature at which it retains its lubricating power, but for trimmers this parameter is not relevant, because it is not used during frost.

The figures after the letter describe the viscosity at the operating temperature. For four-stroke trimmers you normally use 5W30 or 5W40.

Another relatively important parameter of oil for four-stroke engines is the type of lubricant, that is:

Mineral oil is made by thermal distillation (distillation) of oil and heavy petroleum products. It is cheap, but has poor lubricating properties and low resistance to high temperatures.

Synthetic oil is derived from various gases released from the earth along with oil. It is much more expensive, but has a noticeably better lubricating ability and resistance to high temperatures. Semi-synthetic, on the other hand, is a mixture of both.

However all base oils of any type have very poor characteristics, that is why they are modified using different additives that change properties of the ready product.

Requirements to the oil depend on the engine characteristics and operating conditions, but the trimmer engines work in much more comfortable conditions than the car engines, so they are suitable oil, designed for any engine. For this reason, trimmer lubricant containers do not indicate API class, which means compliance for certain automotive engines.

Two-stroke

As this type of oil works for only a few moments before it is burned in the cylinder, it does not need the same durability as with four-stroke engines.

It also needs to have a higher lubricating power, for it goes to the bearing when the oil is highly diluted with petrol.

Since all two-stroke garden machinery engines work under roughly the same conditions, the oil for them does not have viscosity grades or any classes.

Two-stroke oil is fine for a grass trimmer, even if the packaging or container says it’s for the following two-stroke units:

An important condition is also a complete combustion in the cylinder, otherwise the grass trimmer will be highly polluting the environment, and the smell of its exhaust will be extremely unpleasant.

That’s why a wrongly mixed fuel mixture produces a thick, dark or blue exhaust with a pungent, unpleasant odor. The same effect occurs when the machine is running with a faulty or out of tune engine/carburetor, as well as when overcharging heavily.

How to dilute petrol with grass trimmer oil if you under or overfill the oil?

If you have bought a grass trimmer, lawnmower, brush cutter, chainsaw and other types of equipment, you probably know that two-stroke motors are used as power units on them. These engines do not run on pure gasoline as four-stroke engines do, but on a mixture of gasoline and oil. What percentage of petrol should be diluted with oil for grass trimmer. this is the question every dacha user asks himself before preparing the tool for work. In this matter let’s understand in detail, because the dilution of gasoline with oil for grass trimmer affects the life of the tool, and improper preparation of the mixture, will lead to rapid engine wear. What is dangerous is the excessive or insufficient amount of oil in the gasoline for the grass trimmer:

• If the gasoline will be diluted with a large amount of oil (above the norm), it will lead not only to a large amount of smoke, but also to the formation of soot on the walls of the cylinder and a drop in power. This fouling will cause the piston to wear, which will be diagnosed by a decrease in performance
• If the gasoline contains an insufficient amount of oil poured into the grass trimmer, it is even more dangerous. After all the working mechanisms of the engine will not be lubricated in a sufficient amount, which will eventually lead to their rapid wear and tear (there is a rapid destruction of piston rings and jamming of the motor). With insufficient oil in the gasoline poured into the trimmer for grass, the wear and tear of the motor will occur ten times faster

If you don’t want to make a mistake and have to pay for it with a complete engine overhaul or new tools, you must fill the tank from day one with fuel of the right consistency. You can find out the ratio in the instructions to the tool, since the models of different manufacturers may give different recommendations. Usually this ratio is as follows:

• 1 to 25 or 40 grams of two-stroke oil per 1 liter of petrol
• 1 to 40 or 25-30 grams of grease per one liter of petrol
• 1 to 50. this is 20 grams of oil added to a liter of gasoline

The standard value is 1:50 (it is written on canisters with oil for two-stroke engines), but it should be taken as a last resort, because manufacturers indicate the recommended ratio, and if you do not follow it, the service life of the two-stroke engine will decrease.

In addition to observing the proportion, it is also necessary to learn how to prepare the mixture. After all, the option of adding oil to the gas tank, is categorically contraindicated, although some do so. If you bought a grass trimmer or lawnmower, you will need consumables that you will use to prepare the mixture. The instructions for preparing the fuel mixture into the grass trimmer are as follows:

• Prepare gasoline and two-stroke oil based on the above recommendations for lubricant and fuel selection
• In addition, for the preparation of the mixture you need to take a container or container. Usually a plastic bottle is used for this purpose, which must be chosen accordingly. It must be clean inside. It is not recommended to use a container from milk, beer or other drinks. A mineral water bottle is the best choice
• It is very important that the container has a whole value of volume, that is 1 or 2 liters, so you don’t have to calculate how much oil to pour in a bottle of 1.5 liter, 1.3 or 1.25 liter, because you can easily make a mistake
• You also need a syringe that can be used as an oil measuring device. A 10-cc or larger syringe filled with medicinal oil is often sufficient. It is desirable to have an accurate measuring scale on the syringe
• After you have prepared the necessary materials, you can begin preparing

Instructions for preparing the fuel mixture into the lawnmower:

• First of all it is necessary to fill up a plastic container. Do not fill the container more than two fingers full so that the oil can fit in
• Pour the required amount of two-stroke oil into the syringe and pour it into the bottle with the filled gasoline. This is the way to do it, not the other way around
• After adding the lubricant to the bottle, you need to close it tightly with the cap and stir it up. When you do this, note, however, that oils marked “pre mix” need to be stirred. If the oil container is marked “self mix”, then it is not necessary to shake the container, and after combining the substances, you can pour them into the tank of the tool

After preparing the fuel mixture for the grass trimmer, it remains to refuel the tool, and get to work. How to properly fuel grass trimmers, lawnmowers, chainsaws and other types of motor equipment, let’s consider in detail.

What happens if you don’t lubricate in time?

If you will mow the grass trimmer, the rubbing parts of which have not received lubrication, then the following will happen:

• the shaft will break the bushings, so there will be a strong vibration and the machine will be harder to hold in your hands;
• the gearbox will begin to heat, and the surface of the gears will wear out, metal dust will get into the crankcase, so laying new grease will no longer work, because it will act like an abrasive paste, accelerating the wear;
• Over time, the gearbox will stop working and the knife or spool will not rotate when the engine is on.

What gasoline to fill

Lawnmower gasoline is the second element of the fuel mixture. Its brand should be chosen according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, described in the machine’s datasheet. The duration of fuel combustion and resistance to detonation is indicated by the octane number value: the higher the number, the longer the fuel burns. Thus, at gas stations you can buy such grades of petroleum products:

The AI-92 has a greater tendency to detonate.

The mixture is prepared before operation in the proportion that is indicated on the petrol tank cap:

This means that you need 20 ml of oil per 1 liter of fuel.

Manufacturers of gasoline mowers with a two-stroke engine (for example, Patriot PT 555 or Champion T336) specify the necessary proportion for the preparation of the fuel mixture in the instruction manual of the tool. 32:1 ratio is suggested for the first model, 50:1 for the second.

Lawn mower with a 4-stroke engine does not require pre-preparation of oil. There are two reservoirs in the machine. It is necessary to fill up the gasoline in the tank, and the oil liquid. in the drainage hole on the crankcase.

Rules of Usage

The 4-cycle tractor is easy to lubricate. just fill the reservoir and keep an eye on the level. Another thing. 2-stroke copies. They require oil to be premixed with gasoline, and only then pour it into the lawnmower, but in no case add it separately to the gas tank. otherwise the grass trimmer engine will not get effective lubrication and will break.

When diluting, the proportions must be strictly observed. The mixing ratio is determined by the type of oil, the conditions and the manufacturer’s recommendations. For example, for mineral oil is typical mixing in the values of 1:25. 1:35, and for synthetic oil. from 1:50 to 1:80. Dilution should be carried out in a separate container by adding oil to the required amount of fuel. And only after the ingredients are completely mixed, is the mixture poured into the gas tank.

Product is compatible with 4T devices. One of the best budget solutions for trimmers, tillers, lawnmowers, mini-tractors and other similar equipment. Lubricant creates a thin, thick protective film on the surface of the engine, keeping it spotlessly clean and considerably prolonging its service life.

How to mix

If you don’t have a measuring jug with divisions (a part of every good grass trimmer) or you have lost such a jug, you can use any suitable measuring jug. A glass or metal one is better. Plastic is also usable, but you should choose a bottle with rigid walls.

The capacity of the container should be a multiple of 1 liter. You can also take a 1.5 liter bottle, but practice shows that it is not very convenient. You also need a medical syringe, preferably 20 to 50 milliliters. First pour petrol into the container, then add a precisely measured amount of oil (by volume). You can’t change the order of the steps.

If you have “pre-mix” oil the bottle or canister should be sealed with a cap and turned upside down a few times and shaken vigorously. If you have a “self-mix” oil it will dissolve on its own. The prepared mixture should be used during the day. If you know how much fuel the grass trimmer consumes for a certain amount of work (or time), it is not difficult to calculate the amount of mixture. Otherwise, dilute the new fuel before each refueling so that a minimum amount is left until the end of work.