Mix fuel oil?

[liquifirebarn]

I have my Liquifire 440 running now. I see in the manual that I should use 50:1 oil mix for the first tank, and also whenever it's very cold outside. Are most of you mixing oil at all times? Doesn't it make for a very smoky exhaust and fouled plugs? Looking for advice... as this is my first John Deere.

[AirborneX4Special]

Typically, no mixed fuel. That aside, plugs are cheaper than pistons but that means dealing with the consequences of changing them all the time. Some choose to bypass the autolube system but the center crank bearing must be oiled on the Kawasaki engine, so you must keep it active anyway. Anytime the system is serviced it must be bled to eliminate air pockets. There is a tutorial here dealing with rebuild procedures that includes prepping a freshly rebuilt engine via manually overriding the oil pump cable and snuffing it with oil. I presume you've had the case apart and changed the outer crank seals?

[liquifirebarn]

Typically, no mixed fuel. That aside, plugs are cheaper than pistons but that means dealing with the consequences of changing them all the time. Some choose to bypass the autolube system but the center crank bearing must be oiled on the Kawasaki engine, so you must keep it active anyway. Anytime the system is serviced it must be bled to eliminate air pockets. There is a tutorial here dealing with rebuild procedures that includes prepping a freshly rebuilt engine via manually overriding the oil pump cable and snuffing it with oil. I presume you've had the case apart and changed the outer crank seals?

Thanks for your response. I intend to leave the oil pump operating as Kawasaki intended. I just found out this engine was apart a couple years ago, but I haven't found out yet if the seals were changed. I mostly wanted to know if people really do put oil in the gas when it's cold in the winter. I find it hard to believe that Kawasaki didn't address this for a snowmobile!?

[AirborneX4Special]

I think the manual indicates -20 as the temp to mix oil with the gas. If the ambient air temp is that cold, I tend to avoid sledding if at all possible.

[nick80lf]

I've never premixed in addition to using the oil injection because of the cold. I do have a specific brand of oil that I like because I think it flows better in sub zero temps.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

[liquifirebarn]

I think the manual indicates -20 as the temp to mix oil with the gas. If the ambient air temp is that cold, I tend to avoid sledding if at all possible.

You're probably right! I'm thinking of riding when I was younger. My fireplace sounds nicer now at that temperature!

[liquifirebarn]

I've never premixed in addition to using the oil injection because of the cold. I do have a specific brand of oil that I like because I think it flows better in sub zero temps.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

That's probably true that oil is much better now than it was 38 years ago... when this sled was made. Thanks!