AMSOIL 2-Cycle Oils: A Broad Overview

2-cycle engines are simple and have no lubricant distribution system to speak of. In pre-mix engines, oil is mixed right into the fuel, and in injector systems, oil is added to the fuel and air at a rate appropriate to conditions as the fuel and air enter the engine. In either case, the oil is simply mixed with the fuel to lubricate the engine parts.

The reason 2-cycle engines (and 2-cycle oils) work so hard is simple: every stroke is a power stroke. In a four-stroke engine, the piston rises and is driven down by combustion (a power stroke), but the next time the piston rises it simply pushes out exhaust gases. In 2-cycle engines, exhaust gas is driven out by the incoming oil-fuel mixture as the piston forces the mixture into the combustion chamber on each and every stroke. These factors combine to place tremendous demands on lubricants.

For more information regarding the difference between the lubrication needs of 4-cycle engines vs. 2-cycle engines, see the following article: 2-Cycle Lubrication Needs

Burn, and Burn Cleanly:

Since 2-cycle oil is mixed with the fuel, it must also be burned with the fuel, and burned cleanly. If you've seen the tell-tale blue smoke coming from an outboard boat motor or motorcycle, you've seen a case where oil isn't burning cleanly - environmental regulations, concern for the environment and just plain common sense make that kind of scene unacceptable.

A more subtle danger when oil doesn't burn cleanly is what happens to the engine itself. Deposits in a hard-working 2-cycle engine can cause scuffing and ultimately engine failure. Even exhaust outlets can become plugged, and when that happens, engine efficiency drops and wear increases.

Resist Volatility:

2-cycle engines run hot. But while the oil must burn cleanly at combustion temperatures, it must not burn at the hot temperatures found outside the combustion chamber. If a 2-cycle oil is not highly resistant to this volatile evaporation, deposits can begin to form and cause engine damage.

Lubricate:

2-cycle oil must lubricate effectively under these severe conditions. Failure to lubricate properly can quickly result in excessive wear and finally engine failure.

Assist in Cooling:

2-cycle engines are either air-cooled (hotter) or water-cooled (cooler). In either case, the lubricant must take on a major portion of the cooling duties.

The Conventional Answers:

Conventional petroleum lubricants use bright stock, a heavy cut of petroleum, to add lubricity and anti-scuffing properties. Unfortunately, bright stock doesn't burn cleanly. In addition, petroleum basestocks are more prone than synthetics to volatile evaporation, and when they volatize, they tend to form hard carbon deposits that cause extreme engine damage.

To solve the contamination problems caused by dirty-burning bright stock, conventional 2-cycle oil manufacturers use solvents to keep engine parts clean.

When using low-grade solvents, however, there may be drawbacks. Low-grade solvents help with dispersency, but they can hurt film strength and ultimately detract from lubrication performance, and manufacturers that treat 2-cycle oil as a commodity are likely to use bargain-basement solvents instead of the more costly ones that perform better.

To meet pumpability, mix ratio and low-temperature fluidity requirements, AMSOIL 2-Cycle Injector Oil uses only high grade solvents, which lead to its superior performance. However, as we'll see, solvents are unnecessary in a high-quality pre-mix oil.

Finally, to deal with hotter temperatures, conventional 2-cycle oils used in air-cooled applications must employ metal-containing (ash) additives to overcome weaknesses in their basestocks. Since ashed additive packages can cause fouling problems, these companies then formulate a separate oil for cooler water-cooled applications.

The AMSOIL Solution:

The most striking thing to most customers about AMSOIL "Saber" Synthetic 100:1 2-Cycle Oil is the 100:1 mix ratio.

Why can AMSOIL Synthetic 100:1 2-Cycle Oil be mixed at 100:1 while other products are mixed at anywhere from 50:1 to 32:1? It's no mystery. The answer has to do with solvents, or in this case a lack of them.

Solvents often comprise as much as 20-30 percent of a conventional pre-mix 2-cycle oil. However, AMSOIL 100:1 2-Cycle Oil uses a proprietary formulation that makes use of little or no solvents. This technology actually delivers solvency characteristics while improving lubricity instead of improving solvency at the expense of lubricity characteristics.

Since AMSOIL is 100 percent active, it can be mixed at the economical 100:1 rate. But the high-performance features of AMSOIL Synthetic 100:1 2-Cycle Oil don't stop with the mix ratio:

The unique synthetic formulation used by AMSOIL is clean burning. The lower emissions you can expect are much more in line with what current and pending lubricant standards and environmental regulations demand, not to mention what our environment deserves.

Due to the absence of solvents, fire and flash points are dramatically higher. These higher flash and fire points help AMSOIL products resist volatile evaporation. AMSOIL products provide enhanced lubricity. This high lubricity, in turn, aids in engine cooling (since much of the heat generated by an engine comes from friction) and promotes faster response, greater efficiency and improved overall performance.

There has an AMSOIL "Saber" Synthetic 100:1 2-Cycle Oil that is perfect for nearly all pre-mix applications. The benefits of using AMSOIL Synthetic 100:1 2-Cycle Oil are clear. You'll benefit from: an economical mix ratio, reduced emissions, less engine fouling, cleaner combustion, reduced smoke, greater efficiency, a cooler running engine, lower volatility and improved performance. How can you lose?

We Offer More Than Just 2-Cycle Pre-Mix Oils

As good as our "Saber" 100:1 Pre-Mix oil is, it's not designed for oil injected 2-cycle engines. For that we have a line-up of 3 different 2-Cycle oils, depending upon your needs. You can find a listing of our available 2-cycle oils below. Just click on the picture to learn more.

AMSOIL's 2-Cycle Line-Up

For an easy to understand chart showing exactly which of our 2-cycle oils is best for your application, click on the link below:

AMSOIL 2-Cycle Oil Application Chart

DOMINATOR: AMSOIL DOMINATOR Synthetic 2-Cycle Racing Oil is a robust formulation specially engineered for unsurpassed protection in high performance two-cycle motors, both on and off the track. It contains heavier synthetic base oils that provide more lubricity for "on the edge" operation. DOMINATOR reduces friction and protects pistons and bearings subjected to the rigors of racing. DOMINATOR contains the right additives for clean motor operation.

Although AMSOIL DOMINATOR can be used for non-racing applications, our other 2-cycle oils are more suited to this purpose and are the recommended choice if your 2-cycle engine is not MAINLY used for racing.

INTERCEPTOR: AMSOIL INTERCEPTOR Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil is engineered specially for power sports applications and those engines equipped with exhaust power valves. It contains the finest synthetic ester based oils and additives available for exceptional cleanliness properties. INTERCEPTOR is the result of years of field testing in the Rocky Mountain region, which provided some of the most severe conditions possible. INTERCEPTOR excels at controlling exhaust valve sticking and provides outstanding overall lubrication properties.


HP INJECTOR: AMSOIL HP Injector Synthetic 2-Cycle Oil is a precise synthetic formulation that exceeds the lubrication demands of modern two-cycle engines. It contains premium synthetic base oils and MAX-DOSE additive system, providing superior performance in direct fuel injected (DFI), electronic fuel injected (EFI) and carbureted outboard motors, as well as other recreational two-cycle equipment.




SABER 100:1: AMSOIL Saber Professional (ATP) and Saber Outboard (ATO) Synthetic 2-Cycle Oils are specifically designed for lean 100:1 mix ratios in pre-mix applications. Saber Professional contains high temperature detergents for small power equipment. Saber Outboard contains lower temperature dispersants for water-cooled outboard motors. Extensive testing shows superior lubricity and cleanliness properties at lean mix ratios of these premium synthetic formulations.