A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

[PDS]

Why is it always said 50:1 when if you do the math it's 48:1 but like for older motors the ratio is 24:1 and it's not rounded up to 25. This isn't a question that keeps me up at night but I was just wondering if someone(anyone) had a reasonable reason or thought on this.

 

[JB]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

As my crew chief used to say, "That's close enough for government work."<br /><br />That's as close as I can come to explaining it, PDS.

 

[PDS]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

JB. that is what i expected to hear. For the heck of it, we got 3 weeks of summer this year.Best of luck to you texas guys and gals Like Ladyfish and Bassy. PDS

 

[lark2004]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

ha ha, that's why metric is better! <br /><br />We can be exact in our ratios <br /><br />1 litre of oil, 50 litres of fuel....<br /><br />oh crap, i forgot, our fuel is always xxx.9c .... go figure that one out....

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

Ha! Lark2004, I thought Aussie fuel was always Castlemaine XXXX ????

 

[ED21]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

A pint per six gallons is easy to measure and the oil is sold in pint & quart containers usually.

 

[PDS]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

Totaly correct ed, but why do they call it 50:1 ? I'll admit that i'm trolling with this subject. I think JB has it correct. The governments way of saying close is good enough. PDS

 

[lark2004]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

xxxx is for the yobbo's, I want to run mine on moonshine!

 

[ED21]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

Close enough I agree.<br />Maybe just a nod to the rest of the metric world.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

So if I pay my tax at the 50/1 rate instead of the 48/1 rate, the government will accept that as close enough?

 

[mjbrueck]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

If you assume that you leave 1/2 an ounce of oil in every quart container (which is probably a reasonable estimate), for every 12 gallons of gas and quart of oil, you're now at 49:1. Getting closer. If you're filling up your 200 gallon tank and not getting every last drop(leaving a full ounce in every quart container), that will put you at 50:1 (49.55:1).<br /><br />If you really want to be a stickler (and you know you've measured the oil exactly), you can just add 6.25 gallons to every pint of oil.<br /><br />Or you can just buy a 4-stroke and then you only have to think about pints when you're at the pub.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: A funny ? about fuel/oil ratios

Way back in the olden days of premix, I mixed a gallon of oil for every 50 gallons of gas for the pump. I don't know of anybody that mixes that way anymore for pump gas. Just straight gas ... you add the oil.