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Adding two stroke oil to four stroke gasoline?

 
xbacksideslider xbacksideslider
User | Posts: 193 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 10/29/12
03:33 PM

I have some turbo cars and accelerated cylinder taper is associated with high boost. We control detonation, in part, with fuel ratios as high as 10:1.  This, it is speculated, may "wash" the oil off of the cylinder wall/compression ring interface and thereby contribute to accelerated tapering of the cylinder bores.

So, I was wondering if adding some two stroke oil to our gasoline might add some lubricity to the rings/cylinder wall and rings/piston land and thereby enhance seal and reduce accelerated taper.

I bring the question here because "everybody knows" that premix detonates easier than the same gasoline if it is not tainted with oil, and the best knowledge of this question is probably held by some of those who have tried to take two strokes to their limits - motorcycle racers.  Part of that common knowledge about pre-mix may be derived from the fact that lower fuelil ratios meant that the air:fuel mixture was leaner and that extra leanness might have been the cause of the greater detonation.

Today's TCW-3 oils are ashless and safe for both 02 sensors and catalytic converters.   In low ratios, say 500:1  or maybe even 1000:1 (marine outboards run 50:1 or 100:1), I suspect that these oils probably won't hurt and may well help my car's 120 PSI fuel pump, regulator, and injectors, while perhaps enhancing cylinder wall/ring/land lubrication as well.

So, just what is the mechanism and magnitude of the detonation that is said to be associated with pre-mix?   Does anyone know?  

 
kento1 kento1
Administrator | Posts: 981 | Joined: 09/07
Posted: 10/29/12
04:14 PM

Many 2nd and 3rd Gen Mazda RX-7 owners do this for the exact same reason (although there obviously isn't a "tapering of the cylinder bores" to speak of... ), which includes myself (I have the "FD3S" model twin-turbo 3rd gen rotary). Note that because of its design, the Wankel cannot tolerate detonation in the slightest; yet many premix in order to ensure adequate lubrication along the housing walls, and do not suffer detonation problems because of it as long as the mixture ratios are lower than 50:1 and you're not running ultra-high boost.

As far as the "mechanism and magnitude of the detonation that is said to be associated with pre-mix", I don't have the answer to that question.

Also, because this is really an automobile-related question, it's being moved to the Off-Topic section...  

 
xbacksideslider xbacksideslider
User | Posts: 193 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 10/29/12
04:22 PM

Yeah, off topic is fine, thanks for the reply and for fixing my title typo.

50:1 - that's the same fuelil ratio that is run in old school pre-mix marine outboards!  I understand that the new clean burn oil (and fuel) injected outboards run 100:1 or more and are capable of "mistakes" of 1000:1 - that's how potent the lubricity of the TCW-3 is.

Do the rotaries run the TCW-3 or the air-cooled motorcycle rated JASO two cycle oils?  The latter, of course, are rated for higher temperatures and incorporate metal compounds that provide lubricity if the oils are burned off but they also may/do harm O2 sensors and cats.  

 
kento1 kento1
Administrator | Posts: 981 | Joined: 09/07
Posted: 10/29/12
04:42 PM

I think most run around 100:1 or higher, because too high an oil/fuel ratio would tend to clog the fuel filter. And yes most use the synthetic TCW-3 oils, because some still run hi-flow cats, and their low ash content doesn't result in excessive carbon buildup.

A lot of rotary owners are also installing alcohol or water injection as extra detonation insurance, so that may affect the detonation threshold for those running premix as well.  

 
xbacksideslider xbacksideslider
User | Posts: 193 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 10/29/12
06:44 PM

Three years ago I was at Las Vegas' classic course with my GLHS and a bunch of blown Shelby Mustangs for Mr. Shelby's annual birthday bash.  I arrived running pump gas, 50/50 injection, and 20 pounds of boost.  Ran great.  Then they announced that they were selling 110 Unleaded.  Great. . . . topped off the tank, about 3 gallons on top of 5 gallons of 91.  I thought, "now I can turn up the boost" so I cranked it up to 25 pounds.  Car was OK for about half a lap and then it started sputtering on boost.  DARN!  Thought I'd hurt the engine.  Nope.  All I had to do was turn off the 50/50 injection of H20/Meth - too cold, quenching combustion.

So . . . . for me, compatibility of the oil in a pre-mix with methanol is an issue.

Today, an email list that I am on happened to have a thread on fuel additives, and one of the posters is in the business of making racing fuel, and he volunteered that, depending on the application, he adds castor bean oil to his fuels as a top end lubricant.  

 
kento1 kento1
Administrator | Posts: 981 | Joined: 09/07
Posted: 10/30/12
09:31 AM

I wouldn't say that the combination of 110 unleaded racing fuel and 50/50 methanol/H2O injection was "too cold, quenching combustion"; I would surmise that the specific gravity of the racing fuel was much lighter, resulting in a much richer fuel mixture, especially at higher boost. That combined with the slower burn of the racing fuel meant a lot of unburned fuel in the combustion chamber. Add the 50/50 injection pulling heat and slowing burn even further, and you have a poor running engine.

There are plenty of RX-7 owners running premix with alcohol/water injection with no issues. Like any other addition to the combustion chamber mix, you have to find the right ratio to achieve the benefits you want.  

 
xbacksideslider xbacksideslider
User | Posts: 193 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 10/30/12
02:48 PM

Yes, you state it more precisely.  Ran great on just the race gas when I turned off the 50/50.  

 
jettatdi jettatdi
New User | Posts: 23 | Joined: 02/11
Posted: 10/30/12
06:38 PM

I have run Castrol bean oil in a 1983 Gpz550 (during the 80's). No ill effects, i put 10K fairly hard street miles on it, good compression/ no smoking until it was sold. Not a turbo, but air-cooled motors have their own problems with cylinder/ piston ring seal , and heat.
Redline Oil has several 2-stroke blends, one is even designated for alcohol fuel. I hope you are running Water Wetter (or Motul's version) in your cooling system to help control cylinder temperature.
Also, back in the 80's, I raced a SCCA showroom stock Shelby, a friend had a GLH Turbo, another two had plain GLH Omni's. I remember a "tech pub" from Dodge indicating "new" alignment specs of -3 degrees camber. The turbo's had a warning to not run full boost with less than a quarter tank- to minimize the fuel pump pulling air and running lean. My friends Turbo burned up one pump,  the motor was durable, but it had much milder boost/HP than you're GLH-S. My car would destroy front wheel bearings about every three race weekends, until new bearings were packed with Mobil 1 grease, then the car would run a whole season.
Inexpensive exhaust temp guages can be found in the world of ultra-light aircraft. I found a twin display, compact, thermocouple gauge (no power needed),to watch two cylinders- so testing could be done with less risk of melting pistons, or blowing head gaskets.  

 
xbacksideslider xbacksideslider
User | Posts: 193 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 11/05/12
01:57 PM

As they say, "It's a small world."  Yes, I set negative camber to 3* with an 8" level taped to one leg of a carpenter's adjustable/degreed framing square.

The rear has to be loose enough to allow the car to rotate on braking/entries such that the car is pointed straight where you want to go when you want to go, so tht you can mat the pedal and let the posi hook em both up, pulling straight, not turning.

And, yes a full tank of fuel is important, even with the in the tank baffle that came with the GLHT and GLHS cars.  Also, I found out, the hard way, in turn 8/9 at Willow that 5 quarts of oil (not 4), or a sump baffle is essential to maintain oil pressure too.

Interesting, I haven't had trouble with wheel bearings but I have cracked several sets of front brake rotors but that fact is associated with the "better" high friction/temp pads that I was running to make those 10.5" discs work.

What symptoms/signs should I watch out for on the wheel bearings?

Wide band O2 sensor is all I run in the GLHS but in my GLHT (which I bought new in 1985) I also have EGT but in the collector of the header ahead of the turbo.  

 
jettatdi jettatdi
New User | Posts: 23 | Joined: 02/11
Posted: 11/08/12
08:25 PM

A growling noise on the loaded wheel when cornering- very similar to the noise/feel when you first use your brakes after your car has been sitting for a while , and the rotors surface rust. As it gets worse, runout will cause the brake pads to be pushed back. Then when you go for the brakes, the pedal will go to the floor, with no resistance, until the pads move out to the rotor (hopefully a pump or two) the they work ok- until the next straightaway, and repeat. Not to be confused with brake fade, which gives you a spongy pedal, and fixes itself if you take it easy for a lap or two. Noisey bearings can go weeks on the street, you can finish a race by "double pumping' the brakes, but if there is any play in the bearings (grab the top of the tire and shake) they need to be replaced.

To "loosen" the rear, set rear toe to 1/8 inch out, rear camber to -1. The rear hubs are held on with 4 bolts-changing alignment is easily done with Mopar shims under the bolts

Increasing caster helps with front end grip,by adding negative camber only when you are turning. Measure your camber with the wheels straight, now turn the wheel to a cornering condition, and measure again to see if you "pick up " negative camber. If not, the top of the strut needs to be moved straight back (camber plates, slotted mounting holes, etc). Setting front toe to 1/4 inch out (at tire tread) helps the car to turn.  

 
xbacksideslider xbacksideslider
User | Posts: 193 | Joined: 08/09
Posted: 11/14/12
11:58 AM

Thanks, good information.  

 

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