Re: oil
Rick, about 3 or 4 months ago there was a grand topic on 2-stroke oils and my input, just like everyone else's, was individual opion.<br />I went one step farther and agreed to try 1 gallon of wally SuperTech in my 97'crossflow 115.<br />I only had about 45 hours on it after purchasing and rebuilding the powerhead.<br />Anyway, I had run only XD-25 J/E in it prior to this point. The first thing I noticed with the SuperTech was lots of residual on the mid-section. The second item to show was idle became rougher than usuall. I took compression readings after every 4-5hrs of WOT time and noticed no drop, or any trend there, but as I continued, the idle got to a point where I had to occasionally restart, something I had never done in the first 45hrs of operation. At this point, I decided to stop the test of SuperTech and go back to XD-25. It took 18-20gallons of gas, but I got my idle back and it didn't look like you drained the oil from your car on the mid section after setting for a day. Through-out the remainder of the next gallon of XD-25, I decided to try Ficht Ram, which has a higher content of synthetics than the XD-25. There was some question as to whether or not the Ficht oil could be used in 50:1 applications, and is NOW printed as such to be used in either.<br /> I've only got about 12 hrs of time on it after starting the Ficht oil, and I must say, the plugs ARE slightly cleaner. I'm still taking comp readings every 5 hrs., and I use only 1 ramp at my lake just for the purpose of staying consistant.<br />I do believe the synthetics offer protection dino oils can't, but whether they are "required" or not-I don't think so.....for the average guy.<br />I have a very heavy hand when running, and find it hard to stay below 5200-5500R's even cruising...I like the speed, and I think maybe the synthetics are much better suited to both ENDS of the spectrum, either slow-trolling for many hours, or WOT for extended periods. The average boater probably runs most of his time "between" the extremes, and the std. dino's are OK.<br />I really think the synthetics have a place in the boating world other than racing, and it's being proven in longevity of the engines running it, the sparkplugs, the lack of messy residual oil, and the satisfied people that are running it.
