[SEL] Maytag Oil/fuel ratio

[Steve Webre]

Bill,  Based on my experience w/ older 2-cycles, I think a Maytag 92 should be able to safely run above 100:1 and perhaps 150+:1 ratios w/ modern high grade oils.    Keep in mind when talking about jet skis and modern outboards, you are talking about water cooled engines that need protection at WOT ranges of 6000 rpm+.  Thus the conservative ratios of 25-50:1 ratios when batch mixing.  These oil rich ratios are basically cheap insurance for sustained high speed, full load operation knowing that they will smoke like crazy at slow speeds.   But going slowly is not their mission.... And modern oil injected outboards are reported to be programed for 200-250:1 ratios @ idle speeds and richen up towards 50:1 at WOT above 4000 rpm.     Since your 92 is turning at roughly idle speeds compared to a modern 2 cycle and under much less stress, I'd pick a name brand (Yamaha, Honda, etc) oil for a 2-cycle air-cooled motorcycle and start at 100:1 ratio.  If still too smokey, I'd try 150:1 and so on.  A hand held infrared temp gauge shot towards the cylinders and main bearings will be very helpful to watch trends.   Just remember that leaning the mixture will raise the temp much more than small changes in the oil ratio so try to be consistant as you experiment.   Good luck! 
-Steve- 
  
I was going to use a Maytag 92 for mixing ice cream and didn't want all the 
smoke
either.  How do you think it would work to use a synthetic 2 cycle oil in
the 92.  I know in jet skis and the like they smoke less than regular 2
cycle. But the bottom line is I don't want to hurt my engine it is in good
shape. Any recommendations on type and ratio for what I am doing would be
helpful I will be turning a 2 gallon freezer.
 
Thanks so much
Bill Bramley
Cylinder, Ia