Here is a story about when I worked at a dirt bike track last year. Most of the week consisted of weedeating, in long thick grass that was so heavy, you had to run the weedeaters at full throttle for the entire 8 hour day. Still is just a story of my bad luck with small engines.
My boss never felt the need to put money into the smaller machines, he did however buy 2 new weedeaters when I worked there, but one did not last. The one killed was a 4 stroke YardMan that was so silky smooth when it was new, it was a luxury running (my hands didnt hurt after running all day) however, after a week of hard running, there was a vibration, and a week after the clip on air filter finally fell off and I didn't notice until it was too late. In the dusty environments, the rings didnt hold a chance, and running what ever 10/30 I could get my hands on, while the OEM speced straight 30, especially running in 90 degree+ whether for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, the engine was toast. Fearing to have an ***chewing, (I often did) I changed the oil twice to maybe save the engine, each time after running the engine for a minute between the OCI was oil not much darker than before. The next work day, I discovered heavy oil burning, I found some Lucas oil stabilizer and added 20% of the total volume (maybe 10ml). The oil burning slowed, but the engine finally gave up a day later. I then had another YardMan 2 stroke, which ran on any 2 stroke oil I could find, Citco seeming the best, but I couldnt determine the 40:1 ratio specified, and my best judgement was used to mix the fuel and oil. That weedeater lasted for a month. There was a mettle pinging noise (my guess a piece of bearing or piston skirt) jumping around in the engine. A day lator it died. Then there was cheap weedeaters picked up for $5 at garage sales, one of which stalled on a 101 degree day after a 6 hour run. I went to refuel it, opened the cap, and the fuel boiled over and splashed everywhere. I couldn't determine if the gas was boiling or the 2 stroke oil. But the engine finally died that day.
This story is completely useless, yet pertains to engine oil to an extend, and I draw my conclusions and recommendations.
If you have a 4 stroke weedeater, and run it in hot whether, run something heavy duty, maybe Rotella T, and if you run a 2-stroke, mix it properly.
and finally, if possible. Don't work too hard outside when the heat is bearing down on you
My boss never felt the need to put money into the smaller machines, he did however buy 2 new weedeaters when I worked there, but one did not last. The one killed was a 4 stroke YardMan that was so silky smooth when it was new, it was a luxury running (my hands didnt hurt after running all day) however, after a week of hard running, there was a vibration, and a week after the clip on air filter finally fell off and I didn't notice until it was too late. In the dusty environments, the rings didnt hold a chance, and running what ever 10/30 I could get my hands on, while the OEM speced straight 30, especially running in 90 degree+ whether for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, the engine was toast. Fearing to have an ***chewing, (I often did) I changed the oil twice to maybe save the engine, each time after running the engine for a minute between the OCI was oil not much darker than before. The next work day, I discovered heavy oil burning, I found some Lucas oil stabilizer and added 20% of the total volume (maybe 10ml). The oil burning slowed, but the engine finally gave up a day later. I then had another YardMan 2 stroke, which ran on any 2 stroke oil I could find, Citco seeming the best, but I couldnt determine the 40:1 ratio specified, and my best judgement was used to mix the fuel and oil. That weedeater lasted for a month. There was a mettle pinging noise (my guess a piece of bearing or piston skirt) jumping around in the engine. A day lator it died. Then there was cheap weedeaters picked up for $5 at garage sales, one of which stalled on a 101 degree day after a 6 hour run. I went to refuel it, opened the cap, and the fuel boiled over and splashed everywhere. I couldn't determine if the gas was boiling or the 2 stroke oil. But the engine finally died that day.
This story is completely useless, yet pertains to engine oil to an extend, and I draw my conclusions and recommendations.
If you have a 4 stroke weedeater, and run it in hot whether, run something heavy duty, maybe Rotella T, and if you run a 2-stroke, mix it properly.
and finally, if possible. Don't work too hard outside when the heat is bearing down on you
