Fuels and

Lubricants for
Small Engines

UT Extension

Jim Wills

Biosystems Engineering and

Environmental Science
Department
Extension
University of Tennessee
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Two Main Types of Small

Engines on Lawn and
Garden Equipment

Four-Stroke Cycle
Two-Stroke Cycle
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Cooling System

Most engines on lawn and garden

equipment are air cooled
Fan on flywheel circulates air over
engine for cooling while engine is
running
Water cooled engines have
radiator and liquid coolant
circulating in water jacket around
engine
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Flywheel/Fan

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Four-Stroke Engines
Four strokes* of the engine for one
power cycle
Stroke 1 Intake
Stroke 2 Compression
Stroke 3 Power
Stroke 4 Exhaust
* A stroke is one up or down movement
of the piston in the cylinder

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Four-Stroke Operation

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Typical Four Stroke Lawn

and Garden Equipment

Push-Type Lawn Mowers

Lawn Tractors
Garden Tractors
Pressure Washers
Chippers/Shreaders
Garden Tillers
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Two Stroke Operation

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Typical Two-Stroke
Equipment

Chainsaws
Weed Trimmers
Leaf Blowers
Hedge Clippers
Air Compressors
Small Garden Tillers
Some push type lawnmowers
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Four-Stroke Engine
Characteristics

Separate fuel tank and oil reservoir

Heavier/larger than same HP twocycle
Cannot be tilted much to side
Longer engine life
Larger HP uses
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Two-Stroke Engine
Characteristics

Fuel and oil are mixed in fuel tank

No separate reservoir for oil*
Can be operated on side and
upside down
Lighter/smaller for given HP
Shorter overall engine life
Usually more noise and smoke

* Some boat motors and motorcycles have a reservoir

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Main Causes of
Premature
Small Engine Failure
(Short Engine Life)

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Dirt!

60% to 70% of all failures are

caused by dirt* getting into
engine

*Dust, insects, bits of grass, etc.

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Service air filter on a

regular basis (usually
once a season)
Service

more often under

dusty or adverse
conditions
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For every gallon of

gasoline used, the air
filter must clean 10,000
to 11,000 gallons of air

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Air Filter Paper Type

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Carburetor

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Failure to use proper oil*

* Viscosity (thick or thin)
* API Classification (SJ, SL, Etc.)

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Failure to change oil on a

regular schedule

Mileage
Hours of use
Time of use (weeks, months,
etc.)
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Failure to maintain proper

oil level in crankcase

Check dip stick

Check oil level plug

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Checking Oil Level

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Failure to use
clean, fresh fuel

Dirty fuel tank

Dirty fuel can
Dirty funnel
Trash/dirt around fuel cap
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Install a fuel filter on fuel

line if not factory equipped

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Fuel Filter

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Use a suitable fuel

container to prevent fuel
contamination and insure
safety

Metal cans will eventually rust inside

Plastic containers will not rust
Use a funnel with mesh filter
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Can Good Plastic Fuel

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Failure to use proper fuel

Unleaded fuel is cleaner burning

Choose proper fuel octane level
Do not use fuel containing alcohol
Use lead substitutes if 1974 or older

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Operating tips to extend

engine life

Let engine idle for two minutes

before stopping
Never stop under load
Avoid stalls and sudden impacts
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Avoid Impacts

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Flywheel Keyway

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SAFETY!!!

Use approved fuel containers

Never fuel a hot engine
Stop engine before making
repairs or adjustments
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Motor Oils

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Castrol Brand Oil

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Functions of Motor Oil

Lubricate moving parts

Seal around gaskets, seals,
piston rings
Clean contaminates from engine
parts
Remove excess heat from engine

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Oil container has

information on oil
quality and viscosity

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API (American Petroleum

Institute) circle contains
API Service Classification
and Viscosity

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API Circle

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VISCOSITY

Is the oil thick or thin?

Affected by temperature
Affected by shear of oil
molecules in lubrication process
All oils are tested at same
temperatures to establish
viscosity rating
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Viscosity Values

SAE 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W

SAE 30, 40, 50
SAE 10W-30, 5W-30, 15W-50, 10W40, etc.
W means suitable for wintertime
use (cold temperatures)
SAE- Society of Automotive
Engineers
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API Service
Classifications

- for gasoline engines

(S- Spark ignition)
C - for diesel engines
(C- Compression ignition)
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Gasoline Classes

SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF, SG, SH,

SJ, SL
SA is lowest quality
SL is highest quality
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Diesel Classes

CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF, CG, CH

CA is lowest quality
CH is highest quality

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Petroleum Based Oils

Base stock of about 85% oil by

volume
Additives of about 15% by volume
Additives include detergent, antioxidation, anti-corrosion, extreme
heat, extreme pressure, anti-rust,
etc.
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Value of Oil Additives?

Slick 50, T-Plus, STP, Motor

Honey, etc.
Usually not worth the price !!!

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T-Plus Additive

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Why Change Motor Oil?

Replace additives
Remove contaminants ( water,
acid, carbon, etc.

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When to Change Motor

Oil?
At recommended mileage
(3,000 on cars, trucks, campers, etc.)
At 50 hours on small engines
More often under severe conditions
(pulling heavy loads, steep
climbing, etc.)
Change when oil is hot, not cold

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Changing Brands of Oil

You do not have to use the same

brand of oil forever in a given
engine
To change brands, drain old brand
and replace with new brand
change oil filter at same time
Use same viscosity
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Oil for Your Small

Engines

SAE 30*
SAE 10W-30
Synthetic oil
* Above 40 degrees F

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Temperature Chart

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Synthetic Motor Oil

Better than petroleum based oil

More expensive

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Synthetic Oils

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Advantages of Synthetic
Oil

More detergent additive

Better cold weather lubrication
Better high temperature protection
Longer engine life
Better lubrication
Better fuel efficiency
Can be mixed with petroleum oil
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Disadvantages of
Synthetic

Expensive (about $4.50/quart)

Not recommended for
turbochargers
Not for dirty engines (inside of
engine)
Not for most diesels
Not for new engines
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Tips for Synthetic Use

Use same viscosity

Can be mixed with petroleum
based oil
Use regular oil filter
Change at same change intervals
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Oils for Two-Cycle

Engines

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Not the same as engine

oils

Different additive package

Different viscosity
Higher price
Different mix ratios
Different rating system
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Mix with Gasoline

for Engine Lubrication

Use only two-cycle oils

Use proper ratio of gas to oil
Use proper type of oil (TC or TSC-3)
One mix and exact mix simplify
mixing
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Mix Ratios

Parts of gas and oil to be mixed

Can be ounces, pints, quarts, gallons
Examples:
16:1 16 parts gas to 1 part oil
24:1 24 parts of gas to 1 part oil
50:1 50 parts of gas to 1 part oil

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Making one gallon mix

128 ounces in one gallon

16:1 mix
16 parts gas (128 oz.) to 1 part
oil (8 oz.)
50:1 mix
50 parts gas (128 oz.) to 1 part
oil (2.6 oz.)
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Two-Cycle Oil Classes

TA, TB, TC*, TD

TSC-1, TSC-2, TSC-3*, TSC-4
ONE MIX*
EXACT MIX*
* For lawn and garden equipment
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Two-Cycle Oil

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Two-Cycle Oil

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Exact Mix Oil

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Fuels for Engines

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Octane Ratings for

Gasoline

Octane rating is a measure of

resistance to pre-ignition of fuel

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Engine Ignition

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Octane Ratings

87 Octane Regular
89 Octane Regular+
91+ Octane - Premium

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87 Octane Fuel

Low resistance to pre-ignition

usually best for 4-cycle lawn and
garden and automobile engines
that are not high compression
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89 Octane Fuel

Best for engines that knock or

ping slightly on 87 octane fuel or
older engines with slight carbon
build-up in combustion chamber
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91+ Octane Fuels

Best for high compression

engines or engines that knock or
ping on 89 octane fuels

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Compression Examples

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Leaded vs. Unleaded Gas

Lead was banned by EPA in 1989 because

of air pollution
Lead was put in gasoline to boost octane
levels
Some engines built before 1974 need
lead to lubricate exhaust valves and
seats
Use a lead substitute in pre-1974 models
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Octane Boosters

Tetraethyl Lead*
Ethanol Alcohol
Methanol Alcohol
Oxinol
MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl
Ether)*
* Now Banned from use
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Seasonal Blends of
Gasoline

Winter Blend Very Volatile

Spring Blend Moderately
Volatile
Summer Blend Low Volatility
Fall Blend Moderate Volatility
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Gasohol

A mixture of 90% gasoline and

10% alcohol (usually ethanol)
About 40% less air pollution from
gasohol
Can cause severe problems in
some engines used infrequently
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Problems with Gasohol

Alcohol attracts water to fuel

system
Alcohol destroys plasticizers in
gaskets, o-rings, seals, floats,
diaphragms, etc.
Alcohol causes severe corrosion
Alcohol dissolves some additives
in two-cycle oils
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Gasohol vs. Gasoline

Gasohol 78,000 BTUs per

gallon
Gasoline 115,000 BTUs per
gallon
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Gasohol and Small

Engines

Avoid use of gasohol fuels in

small engines- especially twocycle engines

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Fuel Useful Life*

Gasoline about 90 days

Gasoline + Two-cycle oil About
60 days
Diesel Fuel About two years
* Depends greatly on
temperature
and humidity
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Fuel Stabilizers
Can be added to fuel in storage
container
Can be added to fuel storage tanks
Can be added to fuel tank on engine
Can be added to fuel tank for long term
storage of equipment*
* Run engine for five minutes to
distribute stabilizer to all parts of fuel
system

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Fuel Life with

Stabilizers
Gasoline

Up to two years
Gasoline + Oil Up to one
year
Diesel Fuel Over two years
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Stabilizer Brands*
STA-BIL
GUMOUT
McCullogh
Others
*Available at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Auto
parts stores, etc.
*Costs about 10 cents/gallon of fuel

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STA-BIL Stabilizer

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Disposal of Used Oil

Contains carcinogens !!!

Do not pour on ground !!!
Collect oil in suitable container
Take to recycling center for
disposal
Centers will also take gear oil,
transmission fluid, antifreeze,
freon,
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Used Oil
One gallon will foul taste of one
million gallons of fresh water
Toxic to plants and animals
Can be refined into new oil*
*One gallon of used oil will make
2.5 quarts of new oil

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Off Season Storage

of Small Engines
Change engine oil
Drain fuel tank*
Clean exterior of engine
Remove spark plug, add one table
spoon oil, replace spark plug
Cover loosely to keep clean
Store in dry location
* Add fuel stabilizer to fuel tank

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Adding Oil At Sparkplug

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Cleaning Engine Exterior

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Liquid Cooling Systems

Circulating fluid (coolant) assists

in removing heat of combustion
Coolant is usually a mixture of
antifreeze and water
Coolant must be changed
periodically to remove corrosion
and replace additives
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Antifreeze Types

Ethylene glycol (green)

Propylene glycol (green)
Long-Life ethylene glycol
(orange)
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Replacing Antifreeze*
Regular antifreeze Drain, flush
and replace every one to two years
Long life antifreeze Drain, flush,
replace every 5 years or 100,000 to
150,000 miles
* Additives include corrosion
inhibitors, sealers, water pump
lubricant, heat transfer compounds

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Toxicity
Ethylene glycol very toxic
Propylene glycol non toxic *
* Will be slightly toxic after use in
cooling system picks up
contaminants such as lead,
mercury

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Freeze Protection

Pure antifreeze minus 9 F

50% water + 50% antifreeze
minus 34 F
30% water + 70% antifreeze
minus 84 F
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Boil-Over Protection

Pure antifreeze 98 degrees F

50% water + 50% antifreeze
265 F
30% water + 70% antifreeze
282 F
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Mixing Anti-Freezes

Regular antifreeze (green) and

Long-life antifreeze (orange)
cannot be mixed !!!!!!!
Regular antifreeze contains
alkaline corrosion inhibitors
Long life antifreeze contains
organic acid corrosion inhibitors
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The Beginning of a
Better Maintenance
Program and Longer Life
for Engines on Your
Lawn and Garden
Equipment
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