RCPAUL

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But, which one?

Paul

Fuelman

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#460, green label if memory serves me correctly

rajul

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I've used Klotz Benol with my 4-strokes with excellent results so far. I don't use much of it, just a couple of ounce per bottle of coolpower.

fiery

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Thread dredged up from the vaults

I bought 3 one (1) litre bottles of buggy fuel from an auto shop the other day, they were having a clearance sale and had the bottles marked down at $1.00 each.

Now, the lubricant listed was cool power and no % was given for quantity.

I expect being buggy fuel it would have low % lubricant.

I later went to a pharmacy where they were having a special on 100% BP grade castor oil in 80 mL bottles (about 2 1/2 FL. Oz.)

I bought 3 bottles ...

One for each litre ...

The Castor was clear and quite low viscosity.

The .46 2 stroke LOVED the fuel.

My take is ... if the castor is pure unadulterated medicinal quality, feel free to use it! I have a source and will be using it again! I have also heard that veterinarial grade castor, and cosmetic grade (used in some soaps) is also quite acceptable.

w8ye

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I've known people that used pharmacy castor oil for years in their model fuel

fiery

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PAW have been recommending the use of pure medicinal castor oil (100% British Pharmaceutical [BP] grade) as a lubricant for their engines since my father were't lad.

The first sentence in paragraph 5. and the table in paragraph 14. in the instructions referenced below tell you all you need to know about it's suitability as a two stroke model engine lubricant:

http://www.eifflaender.com/instruct.htm

downunder

OTOH here are the Merco instructions regarding castor .
My guess would be that if the label on medicinal castor says pure castor with no additives then it's probably OK.

jcvt

My Feedback: (2)

I have been running pharmacy castor oil in my 2 stroke Eng. for years w/o problems. $9 Dollar /Gl.

I will no recommend using it on 4 stroke /Eng. though, It will stop lubrication and damage the engine in not time. (Ask me how I know ??[&o])

TimBle

You should look out for a castor Oil that has been polymerised or hydrogenated.

The hydrogentated castor oil is basically de-waxed Castor. The de waxing process cracks the long chains into shorter chains so that it does not wax up in storage or lower temps.

Medicanal castor isnot dewaxed, its just filtered and purified. Not the best stuff for a modern model engine

Augie11

Timble is correct to some extent. I keep reading posts about 'medicinal castor oil' which are incorrect. The castor you buy in a pharmacy should be labelled Castor Oil, USP. The USP designation means it is described in the United States Pharmacopeia, a set of standards recognized around the world. The description SPECIFIES that 'It contains no added substances'. It is not polymerized, hydrogenated, dewaxed or bombarded with nuclear radiation. So if you buy castor in a pharmacy, just read the label. If there are other ingredients, don't buy it. It is fine for human consumption for it's intended purpose which is as a laxative.

As far as it's suitability for model engines, the battle will go on forever. There are those who love it, those who hate it and they will never change their opinions. Castor is often associated with the 'old guys'. Like me. When you've used it for 40 years you get comfortable with it. I bring all of my fuels up to 20% TOTAL oil with castor the amount depending on what's labelled as being in the fuel. If the fuel label doesn't specify the total oil content I don't buy it. And I can buy Sig castor or WalMart Castor oil USP a lot easier than I can find some proprietary synthetic with some sexy name like Acme 1207Xalpha. And my bottom line is that I have engines older than most people on this forum that still run like new except for that Saito 1.80 that I buried in a smoking hole in the ground 2 years ago. Even castor couldn't save that one

TimBle

The pharmacy grade of castor is murder to a ringed engine or a 4stroke. Build up of varnish can lead to engine failure.
Of course views will remain polarised about the use of this grade.

ABC type engines don't really care what lube oil you use as long as you use enough of it. Of course good synthetics and suitable castor work best in these.

Sport_Pilot

Sorry but the pharmacy castor is the same as the AA castor that the better fuel manufactures use, but better filtered and tested for toxins.

jcvt

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"The pharmacy grade of castor is murder to a ringed engine or a 4stroke. Build up of varnish can lead to engine failure"


The leading cause of death in my 2 stroke engine is still human error.
I agree with you with 4 stroke engines, there are good articles out there that explain why that is.I learned the hard way(Several times).
4 stroke must only used good quality castor oir like Sig.


I have ran 10 Gal. of fuel in my St90 w/o problems. I saved Aprox. 200 Us dollar already.

TimBle

Pharmacy Castor or medicinal castor is not suitable for model engines. Use it if you like, it ownderful for gumming up engines.
if the better fuel manufacturers are using that grade and not a de-waxed castor then I'd rather run a synthetic.

its hard to tell what they use in their fuels, hence if there is castor present I opt for the lowest percentage of castor (volume) thats available.

Better grades of castor based lubes like Castrol M, Shell Advance Racing M, use hydrogenated castor oils to prevent varnish build up. They can get away with the castor in these engines because the engines of racing go-karts are rebuilt fairly often and the drivers want as little oil as possible in the fuel to get the best power per working stroke.
Medicinal Castor is not hydrogenated or de-waxed.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I've used pharmacy castor oil in fuel for almost 60 yrs. I've never seen anything different about it from Sig Castor oil

However, it is cheaper to buy the Sig than 4 oz bottles of castor oil at the pharmacy.

If you can find it in the 1 liter bottles it is cheaper

blw

My Feedback: (3)

May as well buy it by the quart/liter bottle. It lasts a long time.

Sport_Pilot

I don't know where you are getting your castor oil info but there is no such thing as dewaxed castor oil. Castrol and other's do not use hdrogenated oil. Hydrogenated oil, any oil, including castor oil turns into a paste or wax like product. In fact hdrogenated corn oil is margarine.

You have been describing the process to extrate low grade oil from the left over cake from the first and second pressing. The first pressing has the highest quality oil and needs no pureification other than filtering.

TimBle

Nope I think they mean refined Castor Oil or hydrogenated and esterified Castor Oil (Synthetic Castor Oil). Castrol Mis not a straight pressed castor oil. Castor oil suitable for engines has at least been steam stripped.

Sport_Pilot

Try reading a can of Castrol M.  It is described as castor oil from the first pressing.

Not HCO as you describe, which has longer chains with hydrogen, not short broken chains as you describe.

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

To tell the truth, I never gave it much thought. I've used the Sig caster for close to 50 yrs and have also bought the USP grade at the pharmacy and never noticed any difference. To me castor oil was castor oil.

I do remember the old Fox fuel and how thick it seemed to be with castor oil.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

X2 on the Maxima Castor 927. GOOD STUFF

moe7404

well well well. i have been in r/c for less than a year. this thread has so many ideas that SOME ONE shoots down, would confuse a new comer. iam very luckly in that my lhs gave me good info about 2 stroke oil. so ill be fine. the older i get the more i know how little i know.

Sport_Pilot

LHS is not a good source of information these days. Many are staffed by non hobbiests, and enen when they have hobbiests their advise is usually to buy something from them.

Not that they told you wrong, but the information in this thread is better than what you will find in most LHS. If you bought a good castor/synthetic blend, or bought both to blend yourself, you should be in good shape.

Clay Walters

I researched the net about 3yrs ago trying to pin down the various grades of castor oil and came to realize its an industry shrouded by the market and source just like coffee is. Bakers AA is a relatively low grading and nothing special except to say its a "first pressed" grade. "Pharmacy grade" is also a broad term and not all are necessarily equal. "Technical Grade" as best I can tell is the same as "Baker AA" and is common in medical laboratory supply. The moisture content being low (desirable) and probably more consistent than a AA designation. Seems like it was $25/gallon when I bought some and it has worked just as well as the Sig AA stuff I used before.

But I've never scratch blended any fuel, only added to retail fuels to bring the % and type of oil blend to a desired point.

Regards,

Clay

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I've used the USP grade from the drug store (over 50 yrs) as well as from Sig (over 45 yrs) and I never saw any difference in it. Back 40 yrs ago I made up some homebrew using the drug store USP and it ran OK but was no nitro. I've never had any trouble with the engines from any of it.

Last year I noticed a 8oz bottle of USP castor that had been on the back of the work bench for for some 35 years. It had been opened and a small amount used back then. It wasn't rancid or anything. I used it in the fuel. It's all gone now.