Ok I had to share this with the group-the old 1958 2hp elgin I have been pestering everyone with is finally up and running. 24 years ago I had bought this little motor already well used, and never got it to run for very long before it got hot and shut down. I hung it up in the barn and ignored it till recently.
This time, with the internet and this forum, and a lot of cleaning, it was back and running-pretty good on Stihl chainsaw air cooled oil, at a 15 to 1 mix (original label on elgin called for sae 30 or 40 weight at 16:1). Ran without seizing at full speed indefinetly, but would not really idle down well, would idle for a bit but hiccup and stop. Would restart ok but sometimes had to fiddle with choke, even when warm. But all in all it was running better than 24 years ago.
Then I got cheap and used some sears 2 stroke oil (for air cooled engines, it said!) that I had, new, unopened, but maybe 10 or 12 years old. Mixed it up at 16:1 thinking all was good, and at full speed after about ten minutes, the elgin started loosing power and was heading for a seize. bummer. I started thinking about, read a helpful sea doo link on oil, and found out that Stihl also offered a full synthetic 2 stroke oil, that had the correct API certification (not the TWC3).
But then, reading the some stuff down at the Stihl dealer, I saw where, because of ethanol in gas, Stihl is recommending 89 octane gas, not the regulat 87 octane. So I mix a batch of the ultra synthetic Stihl oil with 89 octane (the mid level) gas.
Whether its the full synthetic oil, or the 89 octane gas, it now runs like a dream. I dont know whether its the full synthetic oil with the API-TC rating or the 89 octane gas, but it idles great for prolonged periods, starts way easier when warm without fiddling with the choke, does not hiccup, and is operating, well, just about perfect.
I dont suppose I have ever seen such a dramatic difference from switching from one premium oil and fresh gas to another, more premium oil and higher octane gas, but I have found the right "soup" for this little engine.
Thanks again for all the help.
This time, with the internet and this forum, and a lot of cleaning, it was back and running-pretty good on Stihl chainsaw air cooled oil, at a 15 to 1 mix (original label on elgin called for sae 30 or 40 weight at 16:1). Ran without seizing at full speed indefinetly, but would not really idle down well, would idle for a bit but hiccup and stop. Would restart ok but sometimes had to fiddle with choke, even when warm. But all in all it was running better than 24 years ago.
Then I got cheap and used some sears 2 stroke oil (for air cooled engines, it said!) that I had, new, unopened, but maybe 10 or 12 years old. Mixed it up at 16:1 thinking all was good, and at full speed after about ten minutes, the elgin started loosing power and was heading for a seize. bummer. I started thinking about, read a helpful sea doo link on oil, and found out that Stihl also offered a full synthetic 2 stroke oil, that had the correct API certification (not the TWC3).
But then, reading the some stuff down at the Stihl dealer, I saw where, because of ethanol in gas, Stihl is recommending 89 octane gas, not the regulat 87 octane. So I mix a batch of the ultra synthetic Stihl oil with 89 octane (the mid level) gas.
Whether its the full synthetic oil, or the 89 octane gas, it now runs like a dream. I dont know whether its the full synthetic oil with the API-TC rating or the 89 octane gas, but it idles great for prolonged periods, starts way easier when warm without fiddling with the choke, does not hiccup, and is operating, well, just about perfect.
I dont suppose I have ever seen such a dramatic difference from switching from one premium oil and fresh gas to another, more premium oil and higher octane gas, but I have found the right "soup" for this little engine.
Thanks again for all the help.