I have a 1999 Explorer 400 which currently uses Polaris 2 cycle injection oil. This stuff is expensive and, at times, difficult to get. Is there a good substitute oil I can use? I understand 2 stroke engines are rather picky about the oil used.

 

Bell Ray makes a good oil but it is not any cheaper. Whatever you do use, make sure it is synthetic and safe for oil injectors.

 

Just make sure the oil is for injection use. Have seen many a varnished piston from using low quality pre-mix oil.

 

WalMart has just begun to handle Bombadier Rotax Injector Oil for about $18.00 per gallon.

Amsoil can be purchased at ATV Rallies and Snowmobile Shows for about $15.00 per gallon.

Injex can be purchased at Phillips 66 dealers for about $9.50 per gallon.

In 5,500 miles of two stroke usage I have used all three. The Amsoil smokes the least, the Bombardier oil leaves the engine very clean with only slightly more smoke and the Injex smokes a little more but will leave the engine also clean.

 

Thanks for the tips. I have been talking to some "experienced" ATV owners about injection oil choices. Several of them have told me that only Polaris oil works because the injection system was designed and "calibrated" for only that specific oil. They said that other oils have different viscosities and the system will mix them at the wrong ratio. Can you straighten me out? Two stroke engines like the Explorer's is new to me.

Thanks for your help

 

The "experienced" ATVers who say that only Polaris Injector Oil will work may have owned a machine for a while, but they are not experienced. (IMHO)

Most Polari$ Dealer$ will tell you the same thing.

In my garage right now is a machine exactly like yours with mud machines, gps, fuel cell, hand guards, and a mirror with in excess of 1990 miles on the odometer.

It has burned a gallon of Polaris Injector Oil, a gallon of Injex, one half gallon of Bombardier Rotax oil and is now existing on a straight diet of Amsoil Injector Oil.

Our family is also a snowmobile family and readers of every snowmobile magazine on the market today.

This oil debate continues in both the snowmobile and the ATV industry year after year. Why? because the lubricants sold are very profitable.

There is no black magic regarding two cycle oil.
If it is rated TCW3 or FC, chances are it is just as good as Polaris oil for your quad.

TCW3 stands for two cycle water cooled and is the standard used to judge acceptability for marine 2 cycle engines. Since marine engines have an unlimited access to water for cooling their designs are different from an engine that is strictly air cooled.

Unlike "ashless" marine engine 2-cycle oils, air cooled cooled engines require a bit of "ash" in the oils formulation to cleanse the combustion chamber due to higher operating temperatures.

On an annual basis Bombardier (Ski-Doo) spends over $500,000 on oil development and destructive engine testing. If I were only to trust one oil it would be theirs.

The latest synthetic or synthetic blends marked FC are the lowest smoke oils available on the market today. Yamalube is one of these and there are others.

Snowmobile reasearch has shown that pure synthetics are often no better than blended sythetics, but pure synthetics do smoke less.

Smoking quads/snowmobiles are not perceived as friends of the environment.

Read the labels, if it says FC (the most smoke free) and is priced right buy it.

Some people feel very secure spending up to $27.00 per gallon for 2-cycle oil. Good for them. Some people also buy Rolex when Seiko will do.

I hope this answers your question.

In summation go for the lowest smoke, lowest odor, lowest priced synthetic oil that you can find.

(I have aready tried the Quaker State Itasca synthetic and would not recommend it, based upon the smoke factor.)

Wal-Mart is also selling the new Pennzoil environmentally friendly oil but I have not read the labels or tried it yet. It may be a compromise.

Motor Oils to some people are a deeply personal thing like, religion, or politics.

"There are some people, you just can't reach."

 

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with different 2-cycle oils. I hate being told that only Polaris products will work. Polaris dealerships are brainwashed to totally push their endorsed products. The local WalMart is close to home and the price is right. Thanks for your reply.


Maverick