Most of us have a piece of 2-stroke equipment somewhere at home. It might be an essential everyday item like a lawnmower, whipper-snipper, chainsaw, or recreational equipment like a jet ski or dirt bike.
Whatever your 2-stroke device, you’ll want it to run like a dream every time. The best way to ensure this is by pre-mixing your own 2-stroke fuel and keeping it fresh. Here’s what you need to know:
What is a 2-stroke engine?
A 2-stroke engine fires on every revolution of the crankshaft and is usually more powerful than a 4-stroke engine of equivalent size.
However, as 2-stroke engines are lighter in weight and simpler in construction, they are popular in smaller devices, such as lawn mowers, chainsaws, brushcutters, and whipper-snippers etc
What are the best fuels and lubricants for premixing 2-stroke fuel?
We recommend the following fuels for premixing 2-stroke fuel:
• Unleaded 95 petrol
• Unleaded 91 petrol
The lubricant we recommend is:
• Self Mix 2-stroke
This can be found at any service station or hardware store, just ask for regular 2-stroke oil (NOT "outboard" 2-stroke oil)
What to do:
1. Combine 25 parts of fuel with 1 part of lubricant in a container large enough to hold the total volume of fluid.
2. Mix well.
(eg: Mix 5 liters of fuel with 200 mL of oil.)
Keeping your 2-stroke fuel fresh
2-stroke fuel is best used fresh, making starting easier and engines run cleaner. To maintain maximum freshness and performance:
• Store your 2-stroke fuel in an approved fuel container (stamped AS2906), in a cool, dry, ventilated place. It can be stored for up to three months.
• Always shake the mixture before use to ensure the lubricant is evenly blended. Take care when removing the lid from the container.
A fresh look at 2-stroke fuel
Whether it’s in a boat, jet ski, motorcycle or lawnmower, a 2-stroke engine will run best on fuel that’s fresh.
Premixing your own 2-stroke fuel means you can have fresh fuel whenever and wherever you need it.