When a retailer refuses to sell you a lawnmower, there is very likely good reason. They are, after all, in business to sell, and they don't make any money when they lose a sale. He must have had previous experience with this engine failing in the field, due to oil starvation. On the other hand, folks have been mowing there lawns with 4-stroke, splash lubricated gas engines since around 1910, and 100 years is enough time for the manufacturers to figure out how to build an engine that will tolerate a 20 degree slope. In your situation, I would ask around, and make an effort to see what other people are using on sloped ground. Regardless of what mower you choose, keeping the oil level on the "maximum" line will help prevent oil starvation.

"My take on the current fuel 'crisis' is that the age of gasoline and Diesel is over. I doubt if you'll even be able to buy a new internal combustion-only new car within ten years. I could tell you what will replace oil-based fuels, but of course I would have to kill you LOL. I can say that it won't be alcohol. Anyone who has been paying attention will already know what the 'mystery fuel' is. Strangely enough, Jules Verne, who predicted many modern marvels in his books, also predicted the use of this fuel 'which burns with the heat of the sun' and produces no harmful emissions. The current surge in oil prices is actually because of this new fuel. Everyone in the oil business is trying to grab as much profit as they can before the oil crash, which will be the most dangerous time in history. They know that once this is really 'out of the bag' (which it already is, but most people don't believe it) they will have lost control of this huge share of the energy market. Think about the ramifications" Just thought it was funny that there are six months left on this prediction and car lots are swimming in brand new internal combustion only vehicles and fuel prices are relatively cheap. I predict they will be around for a long time to come.

Information for consumption. Honda/Yamaha/Husqvarna/KTM/Suzuki/Kawasaki They all produced extremely high output 2-stroke racing engines in their off-road motorcycles, and these engines were put in some of the most grueling conditions you could imagine. Virtually ALL of them recommended 20:1 or 24:1 mix ratios. What the actual FACTORY mechanics did at racing events was very telling. Their teams (admittedly not running "stock" engines) but were running engines putting out even MORE power for the displacement class followed the same rules. 1) The higher the RPM's the engine turned the more oil they ran in the fuel. (e.g. a 125cc machine that routinely lived in the 10,000 - 13,500rpm range ran 20:1 or 24:1 -- The 250cc engines that ran between 6,500 and 9,000rpm ran 32:1 or 40:1, and the Open Class machines (251cc and up by AMA but they were all 400+cc engines, usually 465's, 490's, or 500cc) ran 50:1 or in some instances if the temps were cool and the loads light on the engine they ventured into the 70:1 range.) (2) Additionally Husqvarna did some testing in the mid 70's that was also very interesting. They put 3 identical stock engines on a dyno and ran them for several days at varying RPM and load conditions. Then both motors were torn down and inspected. The engine running CASTOR based oil had the least wear, followed by the synthetic oil, and finally the engine running standard 2-cycle oil. (3) A second test they performed was to run synthetic in 2 identical engines and one was run at 24:1, the other was run at 50:1 The engine that ran 24:1 had less piston skirt wear, and less rod bearing wear, but had the same main roller bearing wear as the engine run at 50:1. I personally ran my 125cc race bikes on synthetic Yamalube-R at 24:1 or ran Bel-Ray MC1 at 24:1 even though Bel-Ray claimed it was a 50:1 oil. The 250's I ran 32:1, and the brutal 500cc machine ran 50:1. The plug reading will tell you a lot. The insulator should be light tan in color. If it is white you are too lean, dark, black, or oily, and you are too rich. Changing the oil/gas ratio DOES affect the jetting settings so changing ratios will likely require carb adjustment. If you are fouling plugs then you have the fuel/air mixture incorrect for the gas/oil mix you are using. Manufacturers intentionally make the low rpm pilot jet on the rich side (so they start easier) and excessive idling will foul the plug. I am not sure if there is a low speed adjustment on the carb you have, but if you constantly foul plugs you may want to lean that out a bit, again the plug condition will tell you.

Greetings all Some very interesting comments and replies, I am studying motorcycle mechanics atm and there is a question about a 2 stroke engines regarding the blue smoke. From what i gather from all the comments and question i have decided to express my opinion also, to maybe help the problem if i can. I do not know the bike your talking atm so maybe someone with the same bike has more expirienced if it has mechanically involed as well. There is a way of making 2 strok run cleaner but you will get smoke one way or the other, the problem is despite the small amount you may put to the engine to lubricated in order to keep it clean (but not at its best lubrication) it is impossible to do anything other then provide the right amount needed by the engine at full load. inevitable this means that at lower speeds or start up there is an excess of oil which results in oily exhaust and build of carbon, as the others said the problem you have is the build of carbon and in this case that the explaination as to why you get that build of carbon in your engine/exhaust. Something you need to know is wheather your bike has a pre-mix lub system or a pump system. to simplify this a pre-mix means wehater the oil is mixed with the petrol before getting to the chamber or having a pump will either injected directly. You can easily find that in ur manual or by checking the throtle. a pump will be connected to the throttle were a separeteing wire will be used for the throtle and the pump. this is important because of the ration, the pre-mix has a ratio of 20:1 to 50:1depending on the engine and the oil used. a pump has 100:1 at idle speed and 20: at full throtle. I hope you can see from the ratio the different in oil use, but always check the oil by the manufacter and the engine itself obiously. Having said that using the wrong oil will cause smoke. carbon in the piston will cause smoke. having setted the throttle, pump incorrected, such as smaller wire, will cause smoke. Richer mix will cause smoke. But at this case all you need to do is check weather u have pre-mix lub or pump then check you are using the right oil and then check the mixture is right, by adjasting the carb, then clean the ex port as the other said. and then check the bike to see if its better. if not open the engine up, its shouldnt be a problem with the right tools and you using the manual and then check the piston for carb. I hope this answer some of your questions, it wont take you long to do it and i hope good luck to you. Please as i said i am a motorbike mechanic studen so any comments are approciated