Mixing 2 stroke oil with Diesel fuel.

[duncan]

I have a 2 ltr Ford TDCI with 180,000 miles on the clock goes well bur sounds a bit like a bad of nuts at low revs. I put 150ml of 2T oil into a full 60ltr tank of Tesco's best, after about 50 miles runs quieter and is noticable smoother.

Also tried it in the Perkins 4108 (about 1%) in a similar tank of Tesco's best. Similar results !

Now looking for a cheap supply of 2T.

let us know what you find!

 

[iandwall]

Looking around to find more info on this I cam across this: http://blog.rpm-fuels.co.uk/news/2010/5/2/changes-to-gas-oil-red-diesel-sulphur-content.html

..which says that by Jan 2011 red diesel will normal road diesel + red dye, and basically be sulphur free. Confirmed by DOT website.

Sounds like its 2 stroke oil for me.

 

[Jim@sea]

THIS IS A VERY GOOD IDEA. I am glad that I read this. In the late 50,s and early 60's at my fathers petrol station on the forecourt I would sell "RED-EX" "Upper Cylinder Lubricant" (OIL) (UCL). It was squirted into a petrol tank before you put the petrol in via a plunger fitted on top of a small tank and it was "one shot per gallon"
RED X had done scientific surveys which proved that the addition of these minute quantities of oil stopped your valves burning out.
However aparrently Esso bought out RED-EX and it disappeared from forecourts.
But to add 2/oil to the rubbish we now buy as diesel is brilliant. THANK YOU

 

[alan_d]

In the late 50,s and early 60's at my fathers petrol station on the forecourt I would sell "RED-EX" "Upper Cylinder Lubricant" (OIL) (UCL). It was squirted into a petrol tank before you put the petrol in via a plunger fitted on top of a small tank and it was "one shot per gallon"
RED X had done scientific surveys which proved that the addition of these minute quantities of oil stopped your valves burning out.
However aparrently Esso bought out RED-EX and it disappeared from forecourts.

I thought Red-Ex (the alleged upper cylinder lubricant) disappeared because Which? or somebody tested it and found it to be worthless.

 

[vyv_cox]

I thought Red-Ex (the alleged upper cylinder lubricant) disappeared because Which? or somebody tested it and found it to be worthless.

Quite right. A man I knew well at Shell Research tested every product of the Redex type, all the additives and gizmos that were 'proved' to increase fuel economy. The only one he ever found that did any good, and he tested hundreds of them, was the wire gauze that could be fitted between the carburettor and the engine. It improved fuel efficiency a little but reduced performance due to the reduced CSA of the inlet. Redex, STP, PTFE-based lubricant additives, all gave no benefits and some actually did harm.

As for

But to add 2/oil to the rubbish we now buy as diesel is brilliant.

where does that information come from? Modern diesel fuel is highly formulated, assuming you buy decent stuff, and has proven benefits in wear regimes of fuel handling equipment. Engine economy has increased appreciably due to fuel improvements.

 

[Heckler]

Quite right. A man I knew well at Shell Research tested every product of the Redex type, all the additives and gizmos that were 'proved' to increase fuel economy. The only one he ever found that did any good, and he tested hundreds of them, was the wire gauze that could be fitted between the carburettor and the engine. It improved fuel efficiency a little but reduced performance due to the reduced CSA of the inlet. Redex, STP, PTFE-based lubricant additives, all gave no benefits and some actually did harm.

As for where does that information come from? Modern diesel fuel is highly formulated, assuming you buy decent stuff, and has proven benefits in wear regimes of fuel handling equipment. Engine economy has increased appreciably due to fuel improvements.

Theres a thread somewhere which pointed to a German? pontificating about adding 2T to diesel. Almost like one of those American mags which makes enormous claims with no scientific backup.
For starters the price of 2T nowadays makes it v uneconomical, and secondly, as you know and I know, what is the point? Diesel, in essence, is just a light oil and adding another heavier weight oil wont make a blind bit of difference.
Stu