2 stroke oil (again

Anything related to Lambrettas... ask tech questions, post helpful info, or just read and learn.
User avatar
GP Kevo
registered user
Posts: 321
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:48 am
Main scooter: 1969 150 DL / GP225 TS1
Location: Warsaw
Contact:

Lubrication aside, I'd like to know what the flash point of the 2T I'm buying is, and that's something they don't put on the label.
lozmondo
registered user
Posts: 193
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 10:25 am
Location: Darkside of Aldershot
Contact:

searching the www will normallyfind spec sheets which offer flash point figures
warts
registered user
Posts: 7092
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:28 am
Main scooter: honda
Location: Fenland
Contact:

You worried about it going off in your toolbox?
User avatar
GP Kevo
registered user
Posts: 321
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:48 am
Main scooter: 1969 150 DL / GP225 TS1
Location: Warsaw
Contact:

Flash point is the temperature at which the oil will carbonise, losing it's ability to lubricate. I figure that since air cooled Lambretta engines, especially tuned ones, run hot, and since the fuels are getting so bad with ethanol additives that also cause engines to run hotter than otherwise, it can't hurt to use higher flash point 2Ts. If CHT is say, 240º C and your oil's flash point is 230º C, it'll convert to carbon there and on any other surface where the temp exceeds 230º C. But if the flash point is higher than temps in the engine, it won't carbonise and it'll continue to lubricate. Kind of the difference between using butter or vegetable oil in a frying pan. If you use really high temps for frying, butter will burn but oil won't. I'd think that a high flashpoint oil would be especially helpful in an overheating situation and might save your engine.

I just did an internet search for my oil's flash point and it's 274º C. Cheers, lozmondo! :-)

Density at 20°C (68°F) ASTM D1298 0,927
Viscosity at 40°C (104°F) ASTM D445 157,4 mm2/s
Viscosity at 100°C (212°F) ASTM D445 19,2 mm2/s
Viscosity index ASTM D2270 140
Flash point ASTM D92 274°C / 525°F
Muppet
registered user
Posts: 1279
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:54 pm
Main scooter: SX 150 running in

cht and cylinder wall temps are the same? You run your engine on neat oil or you dilute it at 2-4% with petrol? Petrol has a flash point of? I love google specially for all there is to know about everything,
muppet,
C’est la vie
User avatar
drunkmunkey6969
Moderator
Posts: 2838
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 1:42 pm
Main scooter: '69 Lambretta GP
Location: North Yorkshire
Contact:

Muppet wrote:cht and cylinder wall temps are the same? You run your engine on neat oil or you dilute it at 2-4% with petrol? Petrol has a flash point of? I love google specially for all there is to know about everything,
muppet,
Petrol is a fuel, and also a coolant. Oil is a lubricant. 230 degree flash point oil, in a 240 degree motor is no good, as you then have no lubricant.......and a dead engine.
See our YouTube scooter channel for Tech-help: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheScooterFactory/videos
Muppet
registered user
Posts: 1279
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:54 pm
Main scooter: SX 150 running in

drunkmunkey6969 wrote:
Muppet wrote:cht and cylinder wall temps are the same? You run your engine on neat oil or you dilute it at 2-4% with petrol? Petrol has a flash point of? I love google specially for all there is to know about everything,
muppet,
Petrol is a fuel, and also a coolant. Oil is a lubricant. 230 degree flash point oil, in a 240 degree motor is no good, as you then have no lubricant.......and a dead engine.
i know im a muppet, what's your excuse :moon:
muppet,
C’est la vie
Muppet
registered user
Posts: 1279
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:54 pm
Main scooter: SX 150 running in

It probably has to have a known flash point for it's safe handling distribution and storage under the hazardous chemical laws for fuels oils and chemicals etc; if someone googles it there's probably an answer that's relevant to the information contained on the rock oil packaging,
muppet,
C’est la vie
warts
registered user
Posts: 7092
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:28 am
Main scooter: honda
Location: Fenland
Contact:

Flash point is the temperature at which a fluid or rather its evaporation products will combust when a flame is passed across its surface. Not the temperature at which it carbonises, which will be much higher.
Engines - both 2t and 4t - are lubricated from below - no oil would survive the temperatures reached during combustion. So CHT or EGT are of themselves irrelevant to the discussion.
Only insofar as there must be a correlation between the working side of the piston which is obviously part of the combustion chamber, and the non working underside, which will only receive heat via conduction.
I am aware a 2t engine works both sides, but you know what I mean.
My experience was 25-30 yrs ago, so no data loggers or computer control of anything, we knew things had gone to far by looking at the underside of the piston. Tan was ok, brown was a frown and black was back to the drawing board.
I didn't ever have reason to measure the crankcase/block temperature itself, so have no idea what that would be, perhaps someone with access to a dyno could run an infra-red thermometer over a hard working crankcase?
Which would perhaps put peoples mind at rest about this question of flash point.
warts
registered user
Posts: 7092
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2011 6:28 am
Main scooter: honda
Location: Fenland
Contact:

Muppet wrote:
It probably has to have a known flash point for it's safe handling distribution and storage under the hazardous chemical laws for fuels oils and chemicals etc; if someone googles it there's probably an answer that's relevant to the information contained on the rock oil packaging,
muppet,
Flash point is one of the basic quality markers of the base stock, along with viscosity and the test where they rub their balls together and which I have completely forgotten the name of. So it would be a way telling folk they are using decent materials, independent of the additive package.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic
  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests