# Gas for Saws



## Moestavrn (Jan 4, 2009)

Which octane do you use for gas in ur Saws?


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## Moestavrn (Jan 4, 2009)

My old man is a mechanic and said, on small engines, they would run tip top on High octane. My company uses cheap gas, hence we have to screw with the High/Low adjustments, he said use High octane, you won't have to udjust anything, and they will rip...SO next week I am filling up a can of High octane for my saws...Reason for the post is cuz once it got cold, my saws dogged....


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## minnnt (Jan 4, 2009)

We use 95octane at a mix of 50:1 with 2 stroke oil. There are a few threads about this in the 'chainsaw' section, have a look there mate, you may get more answers.


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## (WLL) (Jan 4, 2009)

i like using 110oct with Garry's goo and find my sawz runs better in the cold. cheap gas scores the jugs. at work the boss uses cheap gas and our top handles hardly last a year before compression begins to cause hard starts and poor performance and strange falls outa the tree tops .


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## Blakesmaster (Jan 4, 2009)

I usually just run regular but have heard that high octane is better so I may make that switch now that it's ( almost ) affordable.


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## TDunk (Jan 4, 2009)

I run high test in the summer and reg. in the winter. I heard somewhere that the lower octane makes more heat and thus runs better in cold weather. I don't know if that's a bunch of BS or not but i heard it on here.


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## fishercat (Jan 4, 2009)

*93 octane Mobil and Stihl Ultra 50:1*

never had a meltdown .


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## ozzy42 (Jan 5, 2009)

TDunk said:


> I run high test in the summer and reg. in the winter. I heard somewhere that the lower octane makes more heat and thus runs better in cold weather. I don't know if that's a bunch of BS or not but i heard it on here.



Yes ,that is true lower octane does make more heat.

I have raced ,and built oval track racecars on ,and off 15 yrs now.
Alot of people are mistaking in there thinking of high octane fuel.
They think we run it in hi perfofmance engines to MAKE them faster.
This is not true.You run hi oct.to allow you to run;more ignition timing,compression,and leaner fuel mixture. witch in turn,makes more power .With out the higher oct. there would be pre ignition,and detonation,wich laeds to exccessive heat ,and burnt pistons among other things.
Hi oct gas actually does not ignite as easy as lower oct. does ,there fore it is more precise in burning when it is supposed to.,when plug is energized,and only then.

You are probably right in using low oct. in extreme cold, it will fire sooner than hi oct.,and create more heat.As for me,Im in the south,therefore i use 93oct year round


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## PA Plumber (Jan 5, 2009)

100 Octane Low Lead Aviation Fuel - Year around.


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## UnckieBub (Jan 5, 2009)

PA Plumber said:


> 100 Octane Low Lead Aviation Fuel - Year around.


Shewww..Big Dollar Fuel!!! 

Just Regular here and good oil Amsoil or Klotz.
I only have a little saw...


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## thejdman04 (Jan 5, 2009)

I personally run te cheapest stuff I can find, I use about 1.5 gallons of 2 cycle a week and havent had any problems with running the cheaper gas with good 2 cycle oil


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## Nailsbeats (Jan 5, 2009)

92 or 93 octane for me. Never had a problem. I Always drain and run the gas out of the carb if the saw is going to sit a couple weeks.


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## PA Plumber (Jan 5, 2009)

UnckieBub said:


> Shewww..Big Dollar Fuel!!!
> 
> Just Regular here and good oil Amsoil or Klotz.
> I only have a little saw...



I'll sometimes go a couple of months between cutting. I don't worry about dumping it in a vehicle or running the saw dry every time I finish up an outing.

I have a couple of dollars tied up in saws and I like the extra insurance.

Well worth it to me!


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## Jim1NZ (Jan 5, 2009)

Aspen 2t.

Ethanol/alkylate gas exactly permixed 50:1 with fully synthetic two stroke oil.

http://www.aspen.se/Aspen_(eng)_Consumer_Products_Petrol_Aspen_2T_DXNI-3336_.aspx


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## treeslayer (Jan 5, 2009)

PA Plumber said:


> 100 Octane Low Lead Aviation Fuel - Year around.




Left over from your lear jet? knew I shoulda been a plumber...........................


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## PA Plumber (Jan 5, 2009)

treeslayer said:


> Left over from your lear jet? knew I shoulda been a plumber...........................



Which one? 

The silver with blue stripes or the blue with silver stripes?


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## UnckieBub (Jan 5, 2009)

PA Plumber said:


> I'll sometimes go a couple of months between cutting. I don't worry about dumping it in a vehicle or running the saw dry every time I finish up an outing.
> 
> I have a couple of dollars tied up in saws and I like the extra insurance.
> 
> Well worth it to me!


I am missing something..
What is there to gain from running AV fuel??? Insurance???


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## pdqdl (Jan 5, 2009)

I recently went through some discoveries on premium fuel.

Some years back (in Missouri), all pumps were obliged (legally) to post a sign if the gas contained alcohol. It seems that alcohol raises the octane, yet decreases the amount of energy in each gallon. Less pinging, but less push, too.

Then they quietly changed the law, and now ALL regular gas in missouri MUST contain 10% ethanol; NO posting is required. It is still legal to sell premium gasoline without any alcohol, but it is nearly impossible to find a gas station that actually sells "alcohol-free" premium gas. It costs more, and there are no posting requirements now, so the public doesn't know the difference; hence not many reasons to sell it.

I found ONE station in the KC area: I called 3 gasoline distributors, and between them all, they only sold alcohol free premium to one gas station. Fortunately, it is close to my shop, and now that station gets all my 2-cycle gas purchases.

The moral of the story: don't assume you are getting good gas, just because you don't see a sign stating otherwise.


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## PA Plumber (Jan 5, 2009)

UnckieBub said:


> I am missing something..
> What is there to gain from running AV fuel??? Insurance???



No Ethanol in AV fuel. Longer shelf life. Neat blue color.

Before the 10% ethanol thing started happening, I happily ran 91+ Octane in all of my 2-cycle stuff, used mix with stabilizers in it, and didn't worry about a few gallons of mix sitting around for a few months.

After E10 became all the rage, and before I used the AV fuel, I would keep track of how long I had mix sitting and would put it in my truck after 2 months. Got kinda tired of wasting 2-cycle oil. Also, I wouldn't let mix sit in my equipment for more than a couple of weeks at a time. Might not have been any harm in it, I just didn't do it.

With AV, I don't worry about any of the above. 

Less hassle and smells great!


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## Nailsbeats (Jan 5, 2009)

PA, where do you get AV fuel? I might have to convert.


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## PA Plumber (Jan 5, 2009)

Nailsbeats said:


> PA, where do you get AV fuel? I might have to convert.



Capital City Airport in New Cumberland.
UFS-Aero is the company name.
Need their phone number?


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## md_tree_dood (Jan 5, 2009)

I use 89 and always mix on the rich side. Haven't had any problems as of yet


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## nitrousbaby (Jan 12, 2009)

I too run 100ll aviation fuel, we get it at the airport in town where we do 90% of our work for only 2.50-3.00 a gallon. plus two strokes love the lead in the fuel


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## booboo (Jan 13, 2009)

Nothing like jumping on a thread late...

We recently went through a bunch of carb/fuel type problems with the guys I work with across a range of saws (Stihl, Husky, and J'red). It was happening regardless of who's mix jugs we got gas from, which saws we ran, and what gas station the gas came from. I did some checking in the chainsaw forum and there are a lot of threads about ethanol but no real clear consensus except to run aviation fuel. That's not really practical for us, the nearest airport isn't that close and we go through a fair bit of gas. All the gas available around here is E10 and I'm chalking the problems up to the ethanol, so I started running high quality marine grade fuel stabilizer in all our mix and it seems to be helping. Any thoughts? Anyone else doing this?


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## Ghillie (Jan 13, 2009)

booboo said:


> Nothing like jumping on a thread late...
> 
> We recently went through a bunch of carb/fuel type problems with the guys I work with across a range of saws (Stihl, Husky, and J'red). It was happening regardless of who's mix jugs we got gas from, which saws we ran, and what gas station the gas came from. I did some checking in the chainsaw forum and there are a lot of threads about ethanol but no real clear consensus except to run aviation fuel. That's not really practical for us, the nearest airport isn't that close and we go through a fair bit of gas. All the gas available around here is E10 and I'm chalking the problems up to the ethanol, so I started running high quality marine grade fuel stabilizer in all our mix and it seems to be helping. Any thoughts? Anyone else doing this?



Baileys sells a tester that will check the ethanol content of your fuel.

Sells for $5

Nice little diagnostic tool.


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## xxl (Jan 14, 2009)

93 octane works great


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## PA Plumber (Jan 14, 2009)

Most importantly, you can get some pretty neato colors with aviation fuel!







.


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## WolverineMarine (Jan 15, 2009)

High ethanol fuels will eat your fuel lines..it is a more corrosive fuel by nature, thats why vehicles that arent E85 rated should not use it b/c they are not designed to handle this more corrosive fuel. I run 89 octane and Stihl Ultra syn exclusively as per OEM recommendations and doing research on Baileys..there was a link I cant find to the chainsaw gods that do mods..and they said use fresh 89 octane..if it gets more than a month old..dump it out..With fuel prices so unstable nowadays..it makes things alot easier..


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## deer slayer (Jan 17, 2009)

Just picked up ms 460 yesterday, what needs to be done to run the av fuel? should I start right away? I raced dirt bikes when I was a youngin, ran cam 2, had to richen them up a little if I remember correctly! man did it smell GOOD!!! also I am big on removing the spark arrester. I dont do state forests, so nothing to worry about, saw somewhere on here to richen even after doing that. my ms 290 & 017 did fine w/o any adjustments after doing so.


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## deer slayer (Jan 17, 2009)

oh yea, back then cam 2 was $4.25 a gal. cant imagine what is today!!!!


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## (WLL) (Jan 21, 2009)

all my sawz run on Robitussin.....................................................















...CAUSE THERE :censored: SICK!!!


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## UrbanLogger (Jan 21, 2009)

i found a local gas station near me, that sells 110 octane leaded racing fuel, i take a 5 gal can there and fill it up with about 2 -2.5 gal then go over to the reg pumps and top it off with what ever their premium is (i think its 93) it works out to about 100 ocatne with a little lead in it. Then mix it 50:1 with Mobil 1 R2T (one gallon at a time). I havn't had any problems as of yet. Smells Great!

I should mention, I only run this mix in warmer months, straight premium (91 or 93) in winter.


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## squad143 (Jan 21, 2009)

Love the smell of race fuel. 

Reminds me of my younger days.


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## Plasmech (Jan 26, 2009)

PA Plumber said:


> 100 Octane Low Lead Aviation Fuel - Year around.



Wait, are you serious?


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## windthrown (Jan 27, 2009)

Super, 91 octane 100% unleaded gasoiline + Elf 100% synthetic premix 50:1 + Sta-Bil.


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## windthrown (Jan 27, 2009)

squad143 said:


> Love the smell of race fuel.
> 
> Reminds me of my younger days.



Its the lead. Lead smells/tastes good. Also toxic. Very toxic. Not good.


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## CJ-7 (Jan 27, 2009)

My local Stihl dealer recently told me the factory just started recommending that all small engines (saws, blowers, trimmers) run mid grade gas (89 octane) and to stay away from regular 87 octane to compensate for issues caused by 10% ethanol.


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## windthrown (Jan 27, 2009)

CJ-7 said:


> My local Stihl dealer recently told me the factory just started recommending that all small engines (saws, blowers, trimmers) run mid grade gas (89 octane) and to stay away from regular 87 octane to compensate for issues caused by 10% ethanol.



Just started? Looking in my Stihl MS 361 book that is a few years old, it says use mid-grade 89 octane or better gas. 10% ethanol issues will not be compensated for with using mid-grade. Ethanol increases octane, and burns more evenly that pure gas. The issues with ethanol are with its water absorbing, gumming/setteling, and rubber/plastic/gasket eating properties.


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## Wishie22 (Jan 27, 2009)

CJ-7 said:


> My local Stihl dealer recently told me the factory just started recommending that all small engines (saws, blowers, trimmers) run mid grade gas (89 octane) and to stay away from regular 87 octane to compensate for issues caused by 10% ethanol.



Was advised to use 89 octane or better also (not to compensate for the ethanol but since it is not regulated as much but mass produced to meet demands). Have been running the High octane (91 or 93) (in all my small motor equipment) and only mixing what I plan on using for the day (1/2 or 1 gallon). Mix seems to go bad after a couple of weeks otherwise. 

Ethanol what a nightmare, but at least the farmers aren't suffering and you can't see my saw glowing from space (BTB's).:bang: 

Have herd that the ethanol will eat up the fuel line and carb will need to be rebuilt more often. Since no chainsaw co. have adapted the components to deal with this issue of ethanol in gas. Has anyone tried the hobby stores for non-corrosive replacement lines?opcorn:


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## Plasmech (Jan 27, 2009)

Wishie22 said:


> Was advised to use 89 octane or better also (not to compensate for the ethanol but since it is not regulated as much but mass produced to meet demands). Have been running the High octane (91 or 93) (in all my small motor equipment) and only mixing what I plan on using for the day (1/2 or 1 gallon). Mix seems to go bad after a couple of weeks otherwise.
> 
> Ethanol what a nightmare, but at least the farmers aren't suffering and you can't see my saw glowing from space (BTB's).:bang:
> 
> Have herd that the ethanol will eat up the fuel line and carb will need to be rebuilt more often. Since no chainsaw co. have adapted the components to deal with this issue of ethanol in gas. Has anyone tried the hobby stores for non-corrosive replacement lines?opcorn:




Guy at the saw shop today told me to put stabilizer in my 93 octane gas. I said I use it quick enough that it doesn't matter. Said he still recommended it. He didn't sell it either so it wasn't self-serving advice...wonder why though?


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## windthrown (Jan 27, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> Guy at the saw shop today told me to put stabilizer in my 93 octane gas. I said I use it quick enough that it doesn't matter. Said he still recommended it. He didn't sell it either so it wasn't self-serving advice...wonder why though?



Octane in unleaded gas drops fairly fast in small containers and in carbs. Though I never have a problem if I use the gas in less than a month or so. This time of year I like to run gas stabilizer to keep the carbs in the saws from getting fouled. Never know when I will wind up leaving the saws to sit longer than I think they will (the weather here this winter has been brutal). I also use Sta-Bil in my chipper (regular gas, no premix). 

It can't hurt.


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## T1MB3RWOLF (Jan 28, 2009)

*hate ethanol*

I will not run ethanol in my saws anymore, I blew the motor on 660 twice! Luckily one gas station in town still does`nt have the ethanol mix because their tanks are too old. Also I run 91 Octane and Stihl 50:1.


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## Plasmech (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm interested in running 100LL. Good stuff, it lasts forever too. Really an over-engineered fuel. I wonder how bad the lead fumes are for you though?


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## deer slayer (Feb 11, 2009)

Thanks to AS I recently switched to the 100LL. re-tuned everything I run with it. I'm sure there is some long term effect, Don't get me wrong I don't want to be ignorant about it, but these days what doesn't have one. Man it smells good!!!


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## Plasmech (Feb 11, 2009)

deer slayer said:


> Thanks to AS I recently switched to the 100LL. re-tuned everything I run with it. I'm sure there is some long term effect, Don't get me wrong I don't want to be ignorant about it, but these days what doesn't have one. Man it smells good!!!



Why does it smell good? Does it not have the stench additive that gasoline has?


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## deer slayer (Feb 11, 2009)

I'm no chemist, but to my knowledge no theres none of the additives that most gas companies add for pump gas. (for instance chevron w/techron). to my understanding the oil gets refined then the big oil companies add there mojo (ethanol and what ever else) to it and sell on the street.


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## Ghillie (Feb 11, 2009)

plasmech said:


> why does it smell good? Does it not have the stench additive that gasoline has?



Lead!!


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## windthrown (Feb 11, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> Why does it smell good? Does it not have the stench additive that gasoline has?



Gasoline does not have a stench additive. Its stinks natually. Unlike say, natural gas which has no smell, so they add this stuff that smells like rotten eggs to it so you notice when there is a leak. 

As said here again and again... it is the LEAD in the gas that makes it smell good. Lead smells and tastes sweet. That is why there is a big issue over old lead paint in houses; kids peel the stuff off the walls and eat it. Why? Becasue it tastes good! Same with the old leaded gasoline when I was a kid. It smelled good becasue of lead added to it. Smells sweet. Like AvGas and Racing fuel does today. 

The Romans used lead to sweeten up crappy wine for drinking. They also used lead for tablewear and for plumbing, and the word for lead in Latin was 'plumb.' Hence we get the term plumbing and plumber. It was also a leading casue of illness and death in Roman times. They had no clue it was poisonous. We modern civilized advanced stipidos were on the road to making the same mistake in this culture until not too long ago. When I was in Boston I saw that there were still some lead pipes in use there. It is also in many modern houses that have copper pipes; lead was used in the solder for joining pipes together. It was used in paint until the 1960s. It was used in gas until recently as well.


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## windthrown (Feb 11, 2009)

Sadly the last gas station in the area that had pure gasoline is upgrading their storage tanks now, and they slapped on E-10 stickers on the pumps this weekend in preparation of flipping to E-10 gas.  

I filled up the 5 gallon tanks with the last of the good premium unleaded 100% gasoline at Space Age this weekend, and I will run that as long as it lasts. Then I will have to find another old tank station that still has not flipped to E-10 yet. May not find any though, as March is supposed to be somedeadline here for E-10 gas in Oregon. :censored: E-10. What a midwest lobby farce that stuff is.


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## Ghillie (Feb 11, 2009)

Wow... I kinda missed the "stench additive" comment. Kinda got fired up on "why does it smell good".

Windthrown, guess you caught me again with my hair bristling and head lowered. 


BTW, the "stench" from natural gas is Mercaptin.

A 1/2 Teaspoon of the stuff in the center of town would lead to a mass evacuation!! They kep tight reins on it for that reason.


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## windthrown (Feb 11, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> Wow... I kinda missed the "stench additive" comment. Kinda got fired up on "why does it smell good".
> 
> Windthrown, guess you caught me again with my hair bristling and head lowered.
> 
> ...




You are not Gibrodie! (or however you spell what the Hulk calls people when they are tossed out of the ring). Lead does make racing gasoline smell good. 

BTW: MTBE made gas really smell weird and bad when they had that stuff in California for several years. Talk about a disaster in the making though. 

Mercaptin eh? Talk about a bad smell... but for a really good reason.


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## Plasmech (Feb 11, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> Wow... I kinda missed the "stench additive" comment. Kinda got fired up on "why does it smell good".
> 
> Windthrown, guess you caught me again with my hair bristling and head lowered.
> 
> ...



Yea I knew it was Mercaptin but figured I'd get flamed for acting like a know-it-all if I posted that. Plus "stench" is the true lingo for it believe it or not.


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## Ghillie (Feb 11, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> Yea I knew it was Mercaptin but figured I'd get flamed for acting like a know-it-all if I posted that. Plus "stench" is the true lingo for it believe it or not.



The quotes don't mean I don't believe you. 

And I understand not wanting to draw attention to the target already on you. You've been up and down since first signing up with an alternative spelling of someone elses username.

It's all good.


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## Ghillie (Feb 11, 2009)

windthrown said:


> You are not Gibrodie! (or however you spell what the Hulk calls people when they are tossed out of the ring). Lead does make racing gasoline smell good.
> 
> BTW: MTBE made gas really smell weird and bad when they had that stuff in California for several years. Talk about a disaster in the making though.
> 
> Mercaptin eh? Talk about a bad smell... but for a really good reason.



LOL... I did not have you pegged as a WWF fan. And yea it does smell good. And ethylene glycol tastes sweet too.....no wonder I have brain damage!


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## Plasmech (Feb 11, 2009)

Ghillie said:


> The quotes don't mean I don't believe you.
> 
> And I understand not wanting to draw attention to the target already on you. You've been up and down since first signing up with an alternative spelling of someone elses username.
> 
> It's all good.



I can honestly say I have no idea what anything in your reply means man! All good though, as you say.


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## Ghillie (Feb 11, 2009)

Plasmech said:


> I can honestly say I have no idea what anything in your reply means man! All good though, as you say.



Maybe my Attention deficit disor..........WAS THAT A SQUIRREL?!


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## cherrycutter (Feb 15, 2009)

I missed in the thread if you actually have to re-tune the carb on 100LL or whether I can just mix it like regular 93 and oil and run.


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## Plasmech (Feb 15, 2009)

cherrycutter said:


> I missed in the thread if you actually have to re-tune the carb on 100LL or whether I can just mix it like regular 93 and oil and run.



Yea, and does the lead foul anything....reed valve, etc?


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