Two-stroke Engine - Lubrication

Lubrication

Most small petrol two-stroke engines cannot be lubricated by oil contained in their crankcase and sump, since the crankcase is already being used to pump fuel-air mixture into the cylinder. Traditionally, the moving parts (both rotating crankshaft and sliding piston) were lubricated by a premixed fuel-oil mixture (at a ratio between 16:1 and 100:1). As late as the 1960s, petrol stations would often have a separate pump to deliver such a premix fuel to motorcycles. Even then, in many cases, the rider would carry a bottle of their own two-stroke oil. Taking care to close the fuel-tap first, he or she would meter in a little oil (using the cap of the bottle) and then put in the petrol, this action mixing the two liquids.

Modern two-stroke engines pump lubrication from a separate tank of oil. This is still a total-loss system with the oil being burnt the same as in the older system, but at a lower and more economical rate. It is also cleaner, reducing the problem of oil-fouling of the spark-plugs and coke formation in the cylinder and the exhaust. Two-stroke engines still using premix are hand-held two-stroke devices, such as chainsaws (which must operate in any attitude), the majority of model engines, British Seagull outboard motors, and off-road motorcycles.

All two-stroke engines running on a petrol/oil mix will suffer oil starvation if forced to rotate at speed with the throttle closed, e.g. motorcycles descending long hills and perhaps when decelerating gradually from high speed by changing down through the gears. Two-stroke cars (such as those that were popular in Eastern Europe in mid-20th century) were in particular danger and were usually fitted with freewheel mechanisms in the powertrain, allowing the engine to idle when the throttle was closed, requiring the use of the brakes in all slowing situations.

Large two-stroke engines, including diesels, normally use a sump lubrication system similar to four-stroke engines. The cylinder must still be pressurized, but this is not done from the crankcase, but by an ancillary Roots supercharger or a specialized turbocharger which has a "locked" compressor for starting (and during which it is powered by the engine's crankshaft), but which is "unlocked" for running (and during which it is powered by the engine's exhaust gasses through the turbine).