A small article titled “Two Stroke Oil Ratings” found in the Spring 2006 issue of SnowTech has created some confusion. Don Friedrich of Performance...

A small article titled “Two Stroke Oil Ratings” found in the Spring 2006 issue of SnowTech has created some confusion. Don Friedrich of Performance Parts informed us that there was no “ISO-L-EGD+” rating for two-stroke oils, as mentioned in the article.

Don is correct. Technically, the proper nomenclature is “ISO EGD”. This is the technically accurate spec per ISO, the use of the “L” and the “+” appears to be the cause of the confusion. Klotz uses “ISO-L-EGD+” on their oils, and that is where it came from.

ISO EGD is the “European” specification that slightly exceeds the “Japanese” JASO-FC. There is a new JASO-FD spec, as the ISO and JASO testing sequences have come closer together with the latest ‘FD’ and ‘EGD’ designations. Previously, the only difference was a 1 hour and 3 hour detergency – lubricity – ring groove – sticking test with JASO-FC and ISO-EGD respectively. Now, they are the same set of tests.

Manufacturers tend to ignore the JASO and ISO standards for marketing reasons. If they make specific recommendations to their customers to use an oil that meets a certain standard, then companies that specialize in lubricants can meet these standards and then claim “Factory Approved”. Therefore, the statement that “Ski-Doo/Sea-Doo requires ISO-L-EGD+ lubricants”, also found in the above mentioned article, is not completely accurate.

Ski-Doo/Sea-Doo has recommended the use of ISO EGD lubricants, but more specifically suggests the use of their own proprietary XPS lubricants as “no known equivalent is available” in reference to their SDI engines.

Meanwhile, you can quit looking for oils with a rating of ISO-L-EGD+. Instead, look for the ISO EGD or the new JASO-FD as the highest ratings available to 2-stroke oil manufacturers and users.

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