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2-cycle Premix Fuel Run In A 4-cycle Engine: The Test Results
A head-to-head test of 1 2-cycle premix fuel run in a 4-cycle engine options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.
Ranked first
2-cycle oil premix (generic, no brand named)
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | 40:1 premix test | 4:1 extreme premix test | Smoke/combustion | Spark plug condition | Compression | Engine/exhaust temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-cycle oil premix (generic, no brand named) | mixed 20 oz of 87 octane fuel with a half ounce of 2-cycle oil; ran the small 4-cycle engine on this premix | mixed 16 oz of fuel with 4 oz of 2-cycle oil for an intentionally much richer ratio to see how the engine handled it and how much carbon buildup would occur | narrator expected a lot of smoke and wore a respirator in anticipation, especially with the 4:1 ratio, but the engine produced far less smoke than expected; attributes this to modern 2-cycle oils burning off well inside the combustion chamber | looked pretty clean after running on the premix | per the video's chapter markers, compression measured 100 PSI before introducing 2-cycle oil and 105 PSI afterward, a slight increase rather than a decrease | per the video's chapter markers, described as normal |
How it was tested
- running a 4-cycle engine on a 40:1 gas to 2-cycle oil premix
- running the same engine on an intentionally much richer 4:1 gas to 2-cycle oil premix
- visual smoke/combustion observation and spark plug inspection
- compression test (PSI) before versus after running on 2-cycle oil premix, per chapter markers
- engine and exhaust temperature check, per chapter markers
“I'm really impressed with how well this engine ran on the premix. I really thought I'd see a lot more smoke, especially with the four to one gas to oil ratio.”
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