Ratio Rite in your shop/garage?

[thewrenchbender]

As I jammed a paper towel in it and stuck it back up on the shelf (after measuring fresh fork oil, rear end fluid, & coolant with it) just wondered how many other people on here still own one?

 

[TomInPA]

I am less concerned about volume, than height from the top of the forks when adding fluid. I initially measure the fluid going in, but then use an improvised tube with a vacuum pump to set the level. Different springs, washers and components can affect volume, and I'm less concerned with OEM specs than just maintaining 100 mm of air space. I don't know how the volume rite cup helps with that.

 

[lonerider]

I've had one for the last 12 - 15 years, use it mainly for measuring fork oil, though I've had other uses for it, also.

 

[BigOgre]

Have had one for at least 15 years. Second one actually as my son "misplaced" my first. Used originally for mixing fuel on my two-stroke but like Lonerider found other uses for it also.

 

[Bugnatr]

Mix my Martini's with one every night

 

[bigjohnsd]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Bugnatr" data-cid="1339170" data-time="1474601184"><p>

Mix my Martini's with one every night </p></blockquote>

So that's what I tasted Monday night LOL

 

[Spud]

I've got one with great sentimental value sitting there. So many great days burning up two-stroke 250's with friends out on the awesome St. Anthony Sand Dunes, 30 minutes from my house.... then rebuilding the top end every winter in buddy's garage over a few beers. I miss those days. (not my photo)

 

[rushes]

I do.

Part of owning a 2 smoke.

 

[Auburn]

Still have 2 smoke dirt bikes. I have two, one in my travel box and one in the garage.

 

[Spud]

Since it's Friday, let's morph this into an oil thread. I used to use only Mobil MX2T and would mix it 40:1. My brother in law is a die hard Honda guy. He'd run the Honda stuff 32:1. First year he told me big mistake I was going to burn up my motor. My bike would smoke less and seemed to run leaner. When we'd tear them down, there was no difference in wear. And let me tell you, riding nothing but sand dunes tortures a motor--full throttle a lot of the day.

Despite the empirical evidence, he always stuck with Honda oil, mixed it richer, spent more money, made more smoke, and never got any increased reliability.

Appears MX2T has gone the way of the dodo now...

 

[thewrenchbender]

Never did the dirt bike thing. First street bike was a '69 T500 though.

Of course on that ya just needed to keep the little tank filled up...with Castrol R. No clue what properties it had, just KNEW it was the stuff

 

[exskibum]

Well, heck, since it's a Friday oil thread, I have a question: what is the difference in formulation between 2 stroke oil and crankcase oils used in 4 strokes and diesels?

I have never owned 2 strokes, except for chain saws, weed-eaters, and Leaf-blowers, and have always wondered about the oils.

 

[Bugnatr]

"Comparing regular lubricating oil with two-stroke oil, the relevant difference is that two-stroke oil must have a much lower ash content. This is required to minimize deposits that tend to form if ash is present in the oil which is burned in the engine's combustion chamber. Additionally a non-2T-specific oil can turn to gum in a matter of days if mixed with gasoline and not immediately consumed. Another important factor is that 4-stroke engines have a different requirement for 'stickiness' than 2-strokes do. Since the 1980s different types of two-stroke oil have been developed for specialized uses such as outboard motor two-strokes, premix two-stroke oil, as well as the more standard auto lube (motorcycle) two-stroke oil. As a rule of thumb, most containers of oil commercially offered will have somewhere on the label printed that it is compatible with 'Autolube' or injector pumps. Those bottles tend to have the consistency of liquid dish soap if shaken. A more viscous oil cannot reliably be passed through an injection system, although a premix machine can be run on either type."

Yes Rich, I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

 

[N4HHE]

I am less concerned about volume, than height from the top of the forks when adding fluid. I initially measure the fluid going in, but then use an improvised tube with a vacuum pump to set the level. Different springs, washers and components can affect volume, and I'm less concerned with OEM specs than just maintaining 100 mm of air space. I don't know how the volume rite cup helps with that.

Hint: Grab a pump spray head from a bottle of Formula 409, or tire shine, or plant moisturizer, or Mean Green, or anything. Something with a lever on the pump. Then a small 1x2 block and staples. Set the block on pump's straw for desired depth, clamp with staples but not so tight you can't slide it up and down for adjustment.

Then insert straw in fork with block resting on top opening of fork and pump until it can draw no more oil.

 

[flars]

Just to answer the actual question: I bought mine in 1984 and find uses for it all the time. Fork oil, gas/oil for weed whacker, final drive oil on all three bikes...et al.

 

[wetwolf]

2 of them, one in the garage, one in the toolbox of the truck, next to the standup.