I've started trying out boosting my 16% total-oil (80:20) fuel to 20% total-oil with Lube Booster which also changes the oil blend from 80:20 to about 60:40. Apparently racing fuel uses 60:40, but I'm wondering if there's any problem with using a 60:40 blend for normal sport plane engine use.

The 46LA engine that I've been using the fuel in has been running fine, but wanted to check before I use the oil boosted fuel in my 46AX.

If it's a problem to use 60:40, I can of course do the boosting in future starting with straight synthetic fuel to achieve about 80:20 after boosting.

Thanks

100% castor worked fine for decades. With today's engines, anything above 20-22% total is very much overkill.

Since you are in Sweden I would guess that the oil in your fuel is of great quality (fuchs, Aerosynth/save??) Why bother with more oil? I only use 15% in all my engines, it is plenty enough

im running 16.66% castor (1 part castor to 5 Parts methanol or 21.33 oz to the gal if i remember correctly)
works great in my 2 strokes, my 4 strokes dont like it as much, castor gumbs it up easier since their are more moving parts

I guess I'll still run the remaining gallon of 60:40 with the 46LA. So I could get 100% synth fuel from now on and boost that to 20% total oil with the castor.

I don't know what brand the oil is. The reason I decided to boost to 20% is that I noticed in the O.S. manual that total oil should be at least 18% and ideally 20%.

So that's 100% castor no synth? Seems many feel 100% castor is better for 2 strokes.

Castor (an exellent HP lube) gives its benefit at 2-3% of total fuel content. You can make the other 12-17% of total oil synthetic or castor.
Anything more than 3% castor is just goo on your plane.

i have a 0.s. 40 la max and im using 10% nitro the fuel is the tower power airplane fuel how do i know if the engine has ample lubrication? im confused with castor oil and synthetic what do you recomend the transision from idle to full throttle is very good no hesitation at all it idels at about 1,000 rpm.need a little help with what fuel to use or recomend.[:-]

100% castor and no nitro is FAI fuel.

Castor oil will provide benefits to any glow engine. It should be flushed out if the engine is going to sit for a length of time. Otherwise, no problems using it.

Iuse all castor Sig Champion fuel all the time. I see no problems with it in all my 2 strokes. Ilike my engines and want to see them last a very long time. And heck its cheaper!!

Sometimes I think that we modelers have as much fun changing our fuel around as we do in building and flying our models. (smile)

I like 20% (or so) all castor lube Sig Champion fuel with 5%-10% nitromethane. It runs great in all of my engines without exception. I haven't ordered some in a while. Maybe I should get on the phone...?


Ed Cregger

So maybe I'll keep using my current 60:40 blend. Plane gets more slimy, but I like what's good for the engine. Thanks for all the inputs.

By "flushed out" I suppose you mean an alcohol bath? I'm wondering if something less tedious like just running a tank or two of 100% synthetic fuel through it in the fall (at slightly richer setting) would be good enough???

Alcohol is a bad choice for flushing an engine. It draws moisture out of the air and will get you some corrosion.

The OP owns a OS 46 LA, this engine has a plain bearing crankshaft and perceived wisdom is that they need a little more oil for longevity

I would suggest that for this engine in particular boosting the oil content to around 20% with some castor is a good thing.

Yes, but he is considering continuirng to use 60/40 fuel. All castor lube. Does anyone recommend that?

Sounds like a misinterpretation. By 60:40 I mean the oil blend: 40% castor and rest synthetic. Total oil only 20%.

Storing an engine with castor in it's not a bad thing..so it will get gummy...no big deal. Dunk it in a cereal bowl filled with fresh fuel when it's time to rejuvinate it.

Yes, my misinterpretation. I had thought all along you were wanting to use 40% of the total fuel mix to be castor oil. Sorry if I confused anyone else. I add 3 or 4 ounces of castor to each gallon of 18% all synthetic lube fuel for all my engines. I use Klotz Techniplate at 20% total for my ASP engines burning no nitro. Good luck with your OS engines I have 9 OS engines from .15 to .80, both plain bearing FP and LA to ball bearing engine FSR, SF, AX and and FX.

Sincerely,

Richard

[/quote]

So that's 100% castor no synth? Seems many feel 100% castor is better for 2 strokes.
This isnt me talking above...quote thing wasnt working

[/quote]

imo yes it is, if you dont run your engines for a few weeks next time you fly your engine will be a little gumbed up but nothing a few min at full throttle wont solve
i can start all of my 2 strokes w/ one backflip and ive noticed my deadsticks are very few now (running 0% nitro and getting idles as low as 1600rpm (gms.47))
this could be due to a number of things (me getting better at tuneing for example) but i havnt had a engine overheat sinced i switched

my main reason for useing all castor is it is the cheapest oil around.....and protects your engine very well.
it does have its downsides like more goo on your plane, buy if you have to wipe your plane off anyways what does an extra 10 seconds mean to wipe "more goo" off.

"if you have to wipe your plane off anyways what does an extra 10 seconds mean to wipe "more goo" off. <span class="info">"

Exactly, so I have to use an extra paper towel, big deal. I have happy happy engines. Ifigure airframes come and go, my engines are for a lifetime.

</span>

Boy, it must be nice to be healthy and young!

No, this is not going to be a whiner post about bad health, but some of us have conditions that make any extra effort expended enough to force us to stay home. I genuinely hope that none of you ever experience this state of health. Unfortunately, I'm sure that some of you will.

Electrics sure are tempting, from this point of view, but they don't stink just right and they aren't noisy and hard to hold on to...<G>


Ed Cregger

They don`t stink (unless you pull too many amps from them) but they can certainly make a noise and be hard to hold on to and outright scary. I do have a couple of extremely fast brushless ones that break 150 miles pr hour ( 1700 watt multiplex Funjet)

But I fully agree that they can not replace the good old glow engine powered models

Ifly both , I aint prejerduuse.

I have a few electric models too. Most are RTF types, which is more suited to my present lifestyle.

Asmund, I have seen/heard some of those ripping electrics on YouTube. Those rascals are bad to the bone.


Ed Cregger

Hi Fellows: In the box my ASP .75 came in there was a white slip of paper which stated," FOR LONG ENGINE LIFE, ADD 3 OUNCES OF CASTOR OIL TO EACH GALLON OF FUEL". Well, at that time I was using Sig 5% nitro all castor oil fuel. Let me tell you about cleaning a model after each flight. When the weather here in Oregon turned cold, my engines really did not like to run very well. Purchased some 15% Sig all castor fuel, and added one third of a gallon to my remaining gallons of 5% fuel(yes, I removed 1/3 from each gallon first) This increased the nitro content some, and my engines ran very well through all of the gallons in stock. I now add only one ounce of castor to a gallon of 10% Sig all castor oil. This has reduced the model coverage of oil, and made all of my engines run well. I believe the use of this oil content will extend the life of my engines. Engines of the sleeve bearing design will really benefit from using an all castor oil fuel. Four stroke engines are a new kind of animal which needs less castor oil.

aerorich73

The manual for the OS.40FSR ringed engine, specifies using 23% castor oil...

I suppose Morgan Fuels would recommend their Cruel Power all synth fuel, for this ringed engine...