Two-stroke oil in diesel: insider tip or is it a myth?

Thomas Wachsmuth March 17, 2021 Tips, products, information & Co.

Reading time 7 Min.

Recently updated on May 1, 2021 at 11:21 p.m

Even today, many diesel drivers of older models swear by the once popular trick used by taxi drivers: fuel Two-stroke oil to mix in. What do you expect from it? A smoother engine run and better combustion, but above all one improved lubrication the injection system. The two-stroke oil should ensure less wear on the diesel pump and the injectors, especially when it is an injection system that is not lubricated by engine oil but by fuel. There was a similar phenomenon for Gasoline engines: Until the 1970s, it was common Top oil put in the tank. This should protect the tank, the valves and pistons as well as the carburetor parts from excessive wear. However, top oil has practically disappeared from the market since it is mostly for a Coking instead of providing wear protection. Nevertheless, numerous diesel drivers hold on to Zeitaktöl. You can find out whether it really helps and whether it can also be used in modern diesel engines here on tuningblog.

Two-stroke oil in diesel

Who is only interested in very specific areas around the topic “Two-stroke oil in diesel: insider tip or is it a myth?" iIf you are interested, you can use the following jump labels to navigate directly to the desired topic with just one click. And just as quickly you can return to this overview from the selected menu item with just one click. However, we recommend our readers to always read through the entire article. Some menu items are only really comprehensible and understandable once the complete information article has been read.

Conclusion: two-stroke oil - insider tip or myth?

Modern diesel engine: can two-stroke oil be used?

The injection system of modern diesel engines is both filigree worked as well as most sensitive. This can result in damage from small dirt particles that lead to the entire injection system must be replaced. The repair costs for this amount to several thousand euros. Adding two-stroke oil can help get dirt into the tank, which in turn causes costly damage. The diesel pump and the injectors can also use the oil even in small quantities to damage. While it provides higher lubricity, increased namely at the same time the viscosity. The diesel itself is thereby more viscous. This property can lead to problems if the lubricating film remains for a few milliseconds the abreiß. "back

Residues can attack particle filters!

The addition of two-stroke oil represents not only for modern vehicles with common rail injection poses a problem. Even models with a diesel particulate Filter have problems with the combination of fuel and added two-stroke oil. It is true that there are two-stroke oils that contain the precious metals in the catalytic converter do not attack - However, this does not mean that they will not damage the particle filter. As with injectors, it is the combustion residues that damage the particle filter and can quickly make it unusable. Much more damaging, however, is the ash that is created during the combustion of the two-stroke oil. This, supplemented with the soot particles from the diesel combustion, clogs the particle filter over time. In such a case only those help Cleaning or the exchange of the particulate filter. "back

Metals such as zinc are contained in two-stroke oil

Combustion residues are special for modern diesel engines dangerous. Since this is one type of engine oil, others are inevitably left on during combustion Rückstände back than is normally the case with diesel fuel. In two-stroke oil, for example Zinc the combustion residues of which are in turn on the injector can deposit. Due to the high temperatures during combustion, they can no longer be removed so easily afterwards. The more residue there is, the harder it is for the injectors to work until they have to be replaced at some point. However, this happens much less often with older diesel engines. "back

Two-stroke oil: why is it even added?

That the two-stroke oil is mixed with the fuel has different Reasons. Mainly it is about the higher lubricity, the better combustion and the quieter running of the engine. "back

Higher lubricity:

One of the first reasons that two-stroke oil is used is that the lubricity of diesel fuel should be increased. A higher lubricity helps to reduce the wear and tear on the diesel pump and injectors. In older models, these are often not lubricated by the engine oil, but with the help of diesel fuel. For many decades the rumor that modern diesel has poor lubricating properties has persisted.

The cause lies in the fuel development. Around 40 years ago there was a comparative in diesel fuel high content of sulfur contain. After the combustion, this came out of the exhaust in the form of sulfur dioxide. However, sulfur dioxide is a highly toxic gas. Among other things, it ensures acid rain, which is why the sulfur in diesel fuel nowadays is already used during production is withdrawn. This procedure is also called "Hydrodesulfurization" designated. The truth is: diesel fuel This process actually loses its lubricity.

Tip: This is how you properly dispose of used oil!

However, this applies in Europe Standard DIN standard EN 590that regulates the nature of diesel fuel. It describes all the basic requirements including lubricity, which must be availableso that the fuel is approved. In order to meet the required minimum level of lubricity, is on additives set, which are fed back after the hydrodesulfurization. Mostly the given ones are given Minimum limit values even for the fuel at the gas station exceeded.

Nevertheless, the use of two-stroke oil leads to the lubricity somewhat is increased. This is due to the fact that it is significantly higher with two-stroke oil than with diesel fuel itself. This property also explains the smoother engine running. "back

Quieter engine running:

Some experts suspect that the reason for the quieter engine run is in two-stroke oil. As the centan value falls, the diesel becomes slower ignited. The result is a gentler ignition, which makes the engine run quieter. Still others feel that it turns into one instead Ignition delay comes. This means that the diesel ignites later than is actually desired. On the one hand, this would result in a loss of performance, on the other hand, it would lead to louder engine noises. In order for this effect to occur, however, a significantly higher mixing ratio than 1:200 necessary. Even so, it gets through the addition of two-stroke oil too no lower consumption kommen. "back

Better combustion:

Another reason for adding two-stroke oil is the hope that the combustion will take place becomes more effective and thus more performance with low consumption can be expected. What is important is the so-called Cetane value. This gives the Ignitability of the diesel. This means that the higher this value, the easier it is for the diesel-air mixture to ignite in the combustion chamber. However, adding two-stroke oil tends to lower the cent value. Depending on the mixing ratio, this can ultimately lead to noticeable losses in terms of performance. "back

What is two-stroke oil anyway?

A two-stroke oil is an engine oil that for use in two-stroke engines is provided. Because while the four-stroke engine has its own oil circuit, which ensures the lubrication of all components, in the two-stroke engine these are instead lubricated by the fuel. In most cases, this is a fuel that is a Mixture of gasoline and (two-stroke) oil is. The oil contained in the fuel is burned with it, which in turn creates the typical blue clouds that are familiar from scooters and some classic cars. The Trabant P601, the Wartburg 353 and almost all two-wheelers in the former GDR are examples of the blue clouds.

However, the two-stroke oils differ. This is because different processes can be used to manufacture two-stroke oils. One possibility is to make the oil from base oils. These are obtained by oil distillation, which is why a "mineral“Two-stroke oil is talked about. The second possibility is the production from synthetic base oils, in which a "fully synthetic“Two-stroke oil is talked about. There is also a mixture of both variants that in turn "semi-synthetic“Is called two-stroke oil. Mostly, two-stroke oils can be compared with engine oils, although they are different additives deploy. These serve, for example, to promote self-mixing between fuel and oil. "back

And finally ... Two-stroke oil - insider tip or myth?

When it comes to adding two-stroke oil to diesel fuel, opinions differ. It's actually a touchy subject that not sufficient is explored. Even fuel experts and diesel technicians do not always agree on this. Nevertheless, the properties of the oil indicate that at least the older models can benefit from their use. This is due to the higher lubricity. With a modern diesel, on the other hand, must be considerable disadvantages be expected.

The fact that two-stroke oil makes contaminated or self-adulterated diesel more usable is a myth, however. Because although the oil can improve lubricity a little, it carries under no circumstances to a better ignitability. Instead of relying on two-stroke oil, the owners of modern diesel vehicles have two alternatives to improve the longevity of the injection system: Regularly close the fuel filter drain or if necessary to exchange. "back

Of course that had not happened yet!

tuningblog has countless other articles on the subject of car and auto tuning in stock. Do you want to see them all? Just click HERE and look around. In part, we would like to provide you with news but also off the tuning. In our category Tips, products, information & Co We have reviews of car or accessories manufacturers, new ones Tuning Wiki Terms or one or the other Leak veröffentlicht. Following an excerpt of the last articles:

High performance oil filter: The TRABOLD filter system!

Brembo launches its new upgrade program (2021)

Retrofit: How you can retrofit modern technology!

"Tuningblog.eu" - we keep you up to date on the subject of car tuning and car styling with our tuning magazine and we present you the latest tuned vehicles from all over the world every day. It's best to subscribe to ours Feed and will automatically be informed as soon as there is something new about this post, and of course also to all other contributions.