Add 2 stroke oil to a 4 stroke petrol engine during burn-in period

Question

I'm planning to get a new petrol (gasoline) car soon.

A friend of mine, who worked as a motorbike mechanic when he was young, told me he puts a small quantity (125 ml / 4 oz) of 2 stroke oil in the petrol tank the first time he fills a car.

He argues it helps the burn (break) in of the engine, making the piston ring seal better against the sleeve, or somehow doing tolerance "matter less". I've found information in the web on doing so to diesel engines, but not to petrol ones.

Do you find doing so advisable? Anything to worry about if I do so? Does it sound logical?

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There is a related question on breaking in new cars, but not covering this idea.

Answer 1

I have seen this (mixing 2 stroke engine oil in the diesel fuel by about 2% ratio) being done by some mechanics about 20-25 years back for breaking-in diesel engines. They believed that, this would help in lubricating diesel engine fuel pump and the engine combustion side of the piston rings during break-in period of the engine. They used to say that, 'the piston rings and the piston walls are polished better due to this indirect lubrication, subsequently extending the total life of the engine'. The current 2T oils burnout almost completely causing very less increase in carbon deposits on the piston tops.

With the current pollution control norms, your catalytic converter could fail prematurely causing a bigger expense. Now a days with improvements in the lubrication technology and companies doing a break-in run of the engine at the assembly line, the engine life is extended to the limits. We may not need to do this for the current technology cars.

For engines that are re-bored (re-built in the garage), this method of adding about 1% to 2% 2T in the fuel during break-in period could help.

Answer 2

I agree with Bob's comment 100%

Do you want to risk your engine trying something unsupported by guidance from the manufacturer? This will invalidate any warranty from them!

Generally manufacturers give good guidance on running in engines (where necessary) including which oils, what speeds/revs you should use etc.

Answer 3

Have you ever opened up an engine that is using oil, in other words, oil blow-by past the rings. The piston with the oil consumption is clean where as those burning correctly have a layer of carbon on top of the piston. Now that is ordinary engine oil that has removed the carbon. Therefore I fail to see how a very diluted mixture of two stroke oil will damage the engine.

And for those people that say yea but the fuel companies would have added it to the petrol.....

Look on at the demo on you- tube at omega or lubrication engineer products. and see how they exceed your standard lubricants sold by the petrol industries. If the petrol industries were so keen to give you the best product then they would match the above lubricants. Guess what, Ive seen the demos done personally and have used both products above in vehicles and industry. The above mentioned lubricants reduced machine failures tremendously in the industry that I worked for. Infact on one product in particular eliminated regular hydraulic pump failure completely. These pumps used to fail once a month on hydraulic oils supplied by the petrol industry. And we tested all brands. And no, I am not advertising, thats why I did not mention which one of the two products it was.

Answer 4

I have a 1990 4 stroke petrol vehicle. On advice from a top mechanic after 10,000 klms added half a pint of 2 stroke oil to a full tank of petrol. The mechanic told me the small amount of 2 stroke oil in the petrol as it was burnt under compression would soften any carbon in the upper cylinder are and the engine would clean itself of carbon by burning it. Just to check we actually removed the cylinder head after a two year period. Things looked good, little or no carbon on the head, piston tops, valves Etc. So since then we have been adding half a pint of 2-stroke oil every 10,000 klms or 6,200 miles.

I think there are a few products on the market for Diesel and Petrol vehicles. Just seems two stroke oil is the cheapest and least hassle.

Answer 5

Imho adding 2 stroke oil will help lubricates the top part of the piston. What i am worried is, how clean the mixture will burn? Because most 4 stroke engine have egr. If it burns much dirtier, u could end up with more soot re-entering your combustion chamber.

Answer 6

I was mixing motor oil in the fuel tank of my petrol car for a year and it is giving me better performance on hills as well as the engine is still young because i am driving it very roughly still it has a very good pick up and performs really good. Quantity of oil I mix is about a single pouch in 10 liters of fuel.