If the ring seat is the issue you might try some higher oil content 2-cycle oil. I haven't run my DA 50 yet, but I gave up on 100:1 oil a long time ago. Try something in the 40-50:1 oil range. It's been written that most 2-cycle engines will produce more power with more oil anyway.
I'm not saying that the 100:1 Amsoil dosen't protect well, but it might not provide as good of a seal around the ring as it should.......maybe that's why Amsoil makes the 50:1 racing oil.
Wiz
ORIGINAL: JBrannon
I have been talking to someone that has 15 years experience in design, manufacture and evaluation of 2 cycle chainsaw engines. His opinoin is that after some many gallons you finally get a good ring seat and that is when the problem goes away. He thinks a perfect ring seal on this engine is critcal because of the small cranckcase volume.
There would be a couple of ways to check his theory, compare the ring seal via a leakdown test between engines that fail and engines that dont. Or put some moly coated rings in that seat in 5 minutes run time. Or put a failing engine on a test stand and run it for 20 hours and see if iit no longer fails.
But the part that "wears in" after 8 gallons or so is most likely the rings.
Joe