Opti 2 Oil

[tlanders]

I have been having problems with my power valve on my 2001 KTM 200 EXC. I have had a number of people say it is because I am using Golden Spectro oil. They claim that it is too gummy even at 52:1 for the power valves and they gum up and stick. I have been using Golden Spectro since I got back into bikes 5 years ago. It was recommended by everyone including many from this site. Speedy (Helmut Clausen) the Canadian KTM distributor says that we all should be using Opti 2 oil at 100:1 !!!!! It is very clean and won't gum up the power valve. He also says we should be using this oil in our vintage machines. Comments please!!!

Teddy

[dkwkid]

Oil questions are like political questions, you will get many different right answers!
 For my 2 cents worth, I have always used Yamalube R at 28:1 on the vintage stuff and 40:1 on the modern bikes.
 Keep in mind the purpose of 2 stroke oil mix. Not only does it lubricate the bearings and piston but it cools things as well. A 2 stroke will run at 20:1 or 200:1- the difference will be the wear factor on the moving parts. How long do you want your vintage bike to last? Or your modern one for that matter.
 Think about this, with the new synthetics for cars available they do not expect you to lowere the volume in the crankcase or drop the oil pressure just because the new blend is superior to dino oil.

[Kip Kern]

Teddy  I just picked up a NOS 2002 KTM 200 and use the Motorex oil recommended by KTM.  The bottle says mix at 100/1 but the KTM 200 manual says 60/1. So far with 100 miles, the 60/1 works great (a little rich)!  The power is unreal from that 200 engine.  Think I will add a 9oz flywheel weight to lose the big "hit".  Sure is a fun bike though with exception of the file, oops, I mean seat.[}:)]

[Rocket]

Kip
I have been riding the KTM 200's since 99 and I have found the best product for controlling the "hit" is the Throttle Cam System.  You can view what this does on the website, //www.g2ergo.com  You can call the number on the website and talk to the man who invented this.  A flywheel weight slows the motor down throughout the whole rpm range, the TCS gives you more control in the first half of twisting the grip.
Rod

[Merlin]

...........Optimal=GARBAGE,period........................

[tlanders]

Merlin,

Why??? What happened to you???

Teddy

[john durrill]

Teddy,
  We have used Opti at 70 to 1 with very good results. I have not tried the 100 to 1 mix just because  I'm old and set in my ways I think ,chuckle chuckle. Pulled the top end down on my 175 after the 2003 RR ( 200 miles on that top end) and everything had a solid coat of oil on it and no noticeable wear. It burns  very clean and thats what we were looking for with our supper trapp silencers and disk setups.
  We switched back to Maxium because it is available locally and Opti is not.
 Many of the Vinduro group have used it with good results. Speedy has used it for more than 20 years in his bikes and in customers bikes with good results.  All his personal KTM's used Opti if they were 2 stroke. ISDT medals were won with it in engines over a long period of time.
 That in itself says a lot about the oil.
 
 Merlin what happened that makes you feel that Opti is that bad?
 John D.

[Kip Kern]

Thanks Rod, I'll check it out!  What oil and ratio do you run in your 200?

[Rocket]

Kip
This may make some people cringe, but I have used Pennzoil outboard motor oil at 40:1 for 25+ years.  Never have had a motor failure and the power valves on the modern bikes stay clean.  I started using the Pennzoil when my boy started racing a lot and between the 2 of us, we went through a lot of expensive oil.  I think I pay around $3 bucks a quart now and you can mix 10 gallon of gas.
Definately check out the Thottle Cam System, it is an awesome product.
Rod

[behindbars]

Team Honda ran 32:1. Believe it or not...they used Yamahalube R! [:0]I'm sure they would never admit to it though. I just happen to know the guy who was building the 125 motors for Honda up until last year. Yes...you heard correctly. Honda did not build their own engines for the 125 two strokes. They farmed that job out to JMS performance in New Carlisle Indiana. Best 2 stroke engine builder in the country. The reason for the mixture at 32:1 is that it is the best balance of temperature, wear, and ring seal. You actually build the best power at this ratio. Less oil equals less ring seal. After many tests on the best dyno in the county, 32:1 could not be beat for keeping the temperature down and overall power. I run Maxima K2 at 32:1 and have had great luck with it. One thing I would not do is run a modern synthetic in an engine that I intend to leave in storage for long periods of time. I've found that they do not offer the same level of protection from corrosion as the older bean and petroleum based oils. If you ride your bike regularly, I'd stay with a modern synthetic though. Here's another fact that few folks understand. Different fuel/oil ratios alter jetting slightly. More oil equals less fuel to burn. Some guys think that if the bike is running slightly lean, they will just add a little more oil to compensate. This is backwards. Adding more oil will only make the bike run even leaner as now it has even less fuel to burn. Never add more or less oil to your fuel to try and correct for jetting! Jetting should only be corrected with a different jet...not with oil. I would imagine that there will be those who disagree....so this should be an interesting thread to watch as there seem to be so many different opinions on this subject.

[tlanders]

Now you opened up a can of worms!!! Three years ago when I went to Miliken, CO for the AHRMA nationals, I bought all sorts of jets and needles for the four bikes I was to ride because Miliken is at 6000 ft elevation. I spent an enormous amount of time ( about a half day)rejetting those bikes to get them to run well and with great power after I got there. Just about everybody was doing the same thing and I was loaning out a lot of jets and carb parts to get people going. Another rider told me that I was wasting a lot of time and energy, just add oil to the gas to lean out the carb. So the next year I calculated how much oil I would need to add to achieve the leaness that was required for the elevation. It turned out that I needed to go from my standard of 52:1 Golden Spectro to about 25:1. I threw in the oil and the bikes ran great!!!! When I got home, I added the required amount of gas to the remaining mix to get back to 52:1 and everything worked great.

I did the same thing at Sandia a couple months ago. Tim hauled my Piner to New Mexico. I flew in from a business trip at midnight, got up at 6:00 and to the Sandia site by 7:00. Threw a calculated amount of oil in the Piner and it started on the first kick and ran like a scaulded rabbit. This made Tim mad because he had come a day early so that he could get his bikes jetted correctly.

Thought you guys might want to hear these stories. Merlin, why don't you like Opti oil!!!

Teddy

[desmond197]

I feel like a genius. I have set up my bikes to run Golden Spectro at 35:1 for years no problems. Very little wear. I have a Bultaco 250 Pursang that I ride regulary that still has had the same rings 12 years. Each year I tear the motor down no wear. I always use race gas but that is another can of worms. Todays pump gas is made for fuel injection systems and thier high pressure atomasation.

[Dave Withrow]

Funny you should mention oil ratio vs jetting.  A couple of years ago I raced at Aztec in Colorado Springs.  Prior to the race I wanted to ride some trails around Woodland Park.  I asked a local guy at a shop and he echoed what Teddy said.  I went from 42:1 to 32:1 and the bikes ran fine.  Kinda makes you wonder how much tinkering one could do with pipe/jetting/mixture set ups....and just how bad one could screw something up!

                                       GO PENTON

[Kip Kern]

Rod,  Just ordered the TCS, thanks for the input I'll bet it is just what I need for the 200.  Really love the bike, just can't believe how fast it is![]  Kinda makes my eyes water when I am in 6th![:0]

[Mike Lenz]

Teddy, My 200 did the same thing. I run Maxama SuperM at 32 to 36 to one. It seems to me the bikes come jetted way rich.  Mine drools out goo from the end of the pipe. If thats there its in the exhaust ports also! No goo from my vintage pipes when there jetted right. Inside of end of pipes is dry. Im going to keep running the same ratios but lean out the jetting. Spectro is good stuff I feel but runs a little dirty.