ASK THE MXPERTS: CAN PRE-MIX SHATTER MY PISTON?
Dear MXA,
I read that some people recommend premixing fuel at 40:1. My local mechanic says I should run 32:1. I have been running 36:1. I already shattered a stock piston skirt last season so I would like to straighten out my mix ratio before I do it again.
More than likely, your shattered skirt was not a product of your oil mixture. The more likely culprit was piston slap (when the tolerances get too far out). Oil is always the first place that people lay the blame, but almost always the last cause of a problem. Your oil mixture (36:1) is fine if you are jetted correctly for your oil/gas ratio.
