Although the Mark 3 has been in service since the 1960’s, there has been an evolution of equipment, fuel and oil. Today’s 2-cycle oil is technologically more advanced than the old 30W motor oil used in the early years. Despite that advancement, there remain a number of people continuing to use the thicker 16:1 fuel/oil ratio.

Equally problematic are those using ratios of 24:1 (manufacturer’s recommendation) and thinner. With these thin ratios, we are witnessing significantly severe piston and cylinder failures.

In 2003, the mechanics in Regions One and Six have concurred among themselves and the manufacturer on the recommended mixture that serves us best, considering the variable elevations and environmental conditions in our areas. This is the recommendation provided in all of our pump training courses.

The correct fuel/oil mixture for 2-cycle Mark 3 pumps is 20:1.
This translates into one (1) quart of 2-cycle oil per five (5) gallons of gasoline.