Essex Microlight Club

Our next club meeting is Monday 14th April, at 7pm for 7-30 at Stewarts Bar, Western Road, Billericay.

There are a number of things you can do to help look after your two stroke engine.

1. Gap the plugs regularly. The plugs on a Rotax 2 stroke should have a gap of 0.4mm. Fit new plugs at the scheduled 25 hour intervals but re-gap and clean the plugs at approx 8 hour intervals. This will help with cold starts and will ensure you have full power.

2. Use the best 2 stroke oil. 2 stroke oils vary from the cheapo £3 a litre flavours up to the best fully synthetics at over £10 a litre. Don't scrimp on your oil. Using the best fully synthetics will ensure that the engine receives perfect lubrication, especially on cold start and it will prevent the piston rings grooves from getting clogging with burnt oil residue. IMHO the best is Motul 600. Its 100% Esther based synthetic (this is the statically charged stuff that they put a little bit of into Castrol Magnatec). Its suitable for oil injection or pre mix and it has a really good dark blue/green dye so the fuel in the tank is easy to see. The best thing about it is that its very thin, so it mixes easily. This is important if refuelling at an airfield pump. You can just pour in the Motul and know that the incoming fuel will mix with it perfectly. The Esther content of Motul will maintain a film coating all internal parts for up to six weeks between use. Another good oil is Silkolene Comp 2. This is for pre mix use only and whilst its a semi synthetic, its also esther based with a good brown dye. Its slightly thicker than Motul, so is best part mixed with fuel, slooshed around and then put in the tank. Castrola nd Shell also make fully synthetics, but make sure you get one with a good dye. I bought some that was colourless. All of the good oils are available from good motor bike shops.

3. Oil leaks around the exhaust manifold. This is a common problem on the Rotax two strokes and is easily cured by fitting two exhaust gaskets to each port.

4. Fuel additives. There are some excellent fuel additives for preventing carb ice and helping protect engines that are left for weeks on end. Probably the best is Silkolene FST. This is an iso-alcohol based additive that literally melts ice crystals as they form in the carb body. Very clever stuff and legal for microlights use.

5. Keep an eye on your pull start rope. Check for any fraying, especially where the cord enters the cartridge. When they snap, it is always at the most inconvenient time!