# Trufuel vs. Stihl Motomix vs. VP small engine fuel. Whats the difference?



## Halligan (Jan 28, 2013)

I used both Trufuel and Motomix. They come in an identical can except for labeling and smell the same. Now I see VP has a similar fuel in what appears to be the same can. Is it safe to assume it's all coming from the same bottling plant? Is the only difference the oil? They all claim to use synthetic with Stihl claiming to use their Ultra oil. I've heard that Trufuel uses Klotz. Anyone know what VP is using?

I've been using Trufuel for occasional use and when I store my saw's because in my area only E-10 is available. If I'm going to cut a lot of wood it's a gallon of fresh 89 octane and Stihl Ultra then when I'm done I dump the gas and use Trufuel again for storage. I tend to overthink some things but I sleep better at night.

What do you guy's think?


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## BloodOnTheIce (Jan 28, 2013)

I haven't been able to tell the difference, I've run both motomix and trufuel. 

Go with what you can get the cheapest.


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## PJF1313 (Jan 28, 2013)

Same here on the Island - Tru or Moto are local varieties. 


I did get some VP from Bailey's, on sale last year, but haven't run it yet. As long as it's e-free; it's for me!


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## SawTroll (Jan 28, 2013)

BloodOnTheIce said:


> I haven't been able to tell the difference, I've run both motomix and trufuel.
> 
> Go with what you can get the cheapest.



I stay with Aspen regardless, as the exaust from the Motomix we get here just smells bad - but of course that is just my nose.....


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## 166 (Jan 29, 2013)

SawTroll said:


> I stay with Aspen regardless, as the exaust from the Motomix we get here just smells bad - but of course that is just my nose.....



You're gonna have to try the new 95 Octane Husqvarna / Redmax Fuel!

I hear it gives quicker acceleration than the motomix. 











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## SawTroll (Jan 29, 2013)

166 said:


> You're gonna have to try the new 95 Octane Husqvarna / Redmax Fuel!
> 
> I hear it gives quicker acceleration than the motomix.
> 
> ...



I have no idea what that stuff really is, Husky is selling Aspen here, nothing else.


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## mikefunaro (Jan 29, 2013)

I think TruSouth is somehow involved w motomix..either as a bottler or blender or both. 

I think they all use the same cans more or less from a single vendor. 

Troll how much is Aspen for what volume in the UK/Norway?

Aspen previously seemed absurdly expensive but this stuff is $20 a gallon or more so...

I'm getting a little reluctant to buy 5 gals of SEF since at least in some shops it seems to sit for quite a while. 2 years is a long time but judging by the dust on some...

Glad husky and RM are getting a piece of the pie. 

Regardless I think we'll continue to see $4-$8 per quart


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## SawTroll (Jan 29, 2013)

mikefunaro said:


> Troll how much is Aspen for what volume in the UK/Norway?
> 
> Aspen previously seemed absurdly expensive but this stuff is $20 a gallon or more so...
> 
> ...



I haven't seen Aspen being offered in smaller cans than 5 litres, and those cost like $25-30 here. I have no idea what the price is in the UK.

Btw, shelf life isn't an issue, a few years doesn't matter.

The cans are Husky, Jonsered or Partner branded here.


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## 1Alpha1 (Jan 29, 2013)

When did it get to the point where we have to have pre-mix in cans and we don't have any problem paying an arm and a leg for it, and yet, we seem to be able to justify it? :msp_thumbdn:


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## mikefunaro (Jan 29, 2013)

SawTroll said:


> I haven't seen Aspen being offered in smaller cans than 5 litres, and those cost like $25-30 here. I have no idea what the price is in the UK.
> 
> Btw, shelf life isn't an issue, a few years doesn't matter.
> 
> The cans are Husky, Jonsered or Partner branded here.



That is in line with the prices here, which do not have the health benefits of aspen.


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## SawTroll (Jan 29, 2013)

mikefunaro said:


> That is in line with the prices here, which do not have the health benefits of aspen.



Yes, Alkylate fuel is a little healthier to use, as is lacks some of the poisons that are in regular fuel. :msp_smile:


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## TK (Jan 29, 2013)

Can't forget these guys


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## 166 (Jan 29, 2013)

TK said:


> Can't forget these guys



So I have a Poulan that runs on 40:1 and a Poulan Pro that runs on 50:1 how does one can work for both?


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## KenJax Tree (Jan 29, 2013)

Halligan said:


> I used both Trufuel and Motomix. They come in an identical can except for labeling and smell the same. Now I see VP has a similar fuel in what appears to be the same can. Is it safe to assume it's all coming from the same bottling plant? Is the only difference the oil? They all claim to use synthetic with Stihl claiming to use their Ultra oil. I've heard that Trufuel uses Klotz. Anyone know what VP is using?
> 
> I've been using Trufuel for occasional use and when I store my saw's because in my area only E-10 is available. If I'm going to cut a lot of wood it's a gallon of fresh 89 octane and Stihl Ultra then when I'm done I dump the gas and use Trufuel again for storage. I tend to overthink some things but I sleep better at night.
> 
> What do you guy's think?




VP's website said they used Motul oil but it doesn't specify which one.


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## TK (Jan 29, 2013)

166 said:


> So I have a Poulan that runs on 40:1 and a Poulan Pro that runs on 50:1 how does one can work for both?



If it survives then you know it worked! :hmm3grin2orange:


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## Halligan (Jan 29, 2013)

Considering all the big name saw manufacturers are now selling bottled fuel I hope the day does not come when they will require you to use their bottled fuel or lose your warranty.


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## mad murdock (Jan 29, 2013)

Just my old skool thinking, but why would anyone pay 5x the cost of fuel for something they could mix up themselves? I run through 40-50 gallons of saw gas a year I could not, nor would I ever want to afford that stuff, as handy as it may be.


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## TK (Jan 29, 2013)

mad murdock said:


> Just my old skool thinking, but why would anyone pay 5x the cost of fuel for something they could mix up themselves? I run through 40-50 gallons of saw gas a year I could not, nor would I ever want to afford that stuff, as handy as it may be.



Running 40-50 gallons of fuel per year shouldn't get you into any of the trouble that most saws are having, you don't need canned fuel.


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## Redoakranch (Jan 29, 2013)

I tried a few canned fuels and found them to all be good but expensive. Now I run 100LL, cheap and good quality. Other than the slow lead poisoning I love it. I do put the leaded mix into the empty canned fuel containers. No spouts or funnels needs in the forest.


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## doeber21 (Jan 29, 2013)

Bahahahahaha!!! They actually found suckers to pay for that stuff... hmm I wonder what I can bottle.


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## mels (Jan 30, 2013)

166 said:


> So I have a Poulan that runs on 40:1 and a Poulan Pro that runs on 50:1 how does one can work for both?



Right? It's like that enduring mystery about a thermos - it keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold - how does it know??? :msp_biggrin:


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## 2dumb4words (Jan 30, 2013)

mad murdock said:


> Just my old skool thinking, but why would anyone pay 5x the cost of fuel for something they could mix up themselves? I run through 40-50 gallons of saw gas a year I could not, nor would I ever want to afford that stuff, as handy as it may be.



I've been doing the same as the OP. For those of us with 2-stroke engines that are used seasonally, it may make sense. Too soon to say how effective using Tru-fuel as a "prophylactic" will be. But if it reduces the number of fuel lines, diaphragms and or carbs I have to replace from Ethanol damage. It seems like insurance. 

Desperation. In a word. We're desperate for a source of ethanol free fuel. Some have been "making" their own ethanol free fuel via phase shift. I'm interested in finding an efficient, safe way to do so myself.


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## ShermanC (Feb 18, 2013)

*Danone' question is hard to answer but well thought out.*



dano said:


> When did it get to the point where we have to have pre-mix in cans and we don't have any problem paying an arm and a leg for it, and yet, we seem to be able to justify it? :msp_thumbdn:


It seems that about 2007 maybe before then that ethanol fuel became more common or prevalent at gas pumps. In our small town we buy non-e fuels at Shell or Conoco, as other sellers have ethanol. Then there is the increase in impurities in fuel that's causing us in the small engine world to clean carbs more often, to empty the fuel mix back out after a work session and idle til empty, and to buy fuel more frequently in smaller quantities. Heck, I never used to concern myself with fuel that was two or three months old but now it's a top priority.


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## o8f150 (Feb 18, 2013)

doeber21 said:


> Bahahahahaha!!! They actually found suckers to pay for that stuff... hmm I wonder what I can bottle.



pee


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## o8f150 (Feb 18, 2013)

i am thinking about getting some to put in when i put my saws up for a long period of time,, home depot has it for 33.00 for 6 cans of it


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## 2dumb4words (Feb 18, 2013)

o8f150 said:


> pee



In fact, in the name of passing drug tests, it's been done.


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## Isna (Feb 20, 2013)

Is the smell really the only difference between Aspen and Motomix? We want to switch to one of them and are actually in the process of choosing. Motomix is cheaper. Buying by 200 Liter barrels helps reduce the price. Less pollution is commercially interesting for us since we work a lot in rivers and protected areas. We also figured that having 200 liter barrels delivered will save time and hassle. We can have up to 20 chainsaws, brush cutters, blowers (...) running at the same time and therefore spend time mixing and lining up at the gas station. Not to mention what happens when our employees suddenly realize, at 8 in the morning, that there in not enough fuel for every crew...


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## user 91270 (Feb 20, 2013)

The canned fuel is ideal for those who rarely use their piece of equipment. This is especially so, for those in the rescue business. If you are a fireman and need your rescue saw to run NOW you can't afford to not use this stuff. For them a quart of fuel will last a long time. 

For the home owner, they might only burn a quart of fuel all summer long so $8 worth of fuel for a summer is still inexpensive. More so when you figure in the cost of a carb cleaning 'cause of bad fuel.

Ken


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## Isna (Feb 20, 2013)

In our case, environmentally friendly gas (and chain oil) can be worth it since we have customers ready to pay extra for it: working in rivers, near areas where they pump drinking water, "natura 2000" areas (areas protected by the European union), national parks... (I'm talking about 200 liter "cans" here)
Of course, for small land owners, longer shelf life is a big plus.


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## mikefunaro (Feb 20, 2013)

Isna said:


> In our case, environmentally friendly gas (and chain oil) can be worth it since we have customers ready to pay extra for it: working in rivers, near areas where they pump drinking water, "natura 2000" areas (areas protected by the European union), national parks... (I'm talking about 200 liter "cans" here)
> Of course, for small land owners, longer shelf life is a big plus.



Not to exclude you as a european but the products are different. 

These products in the US are just gasoline with stihl ultra added, sold under the "motomix" name in stihl's case. 

Aspen is a special type of fuel that's made from exhaust gasses and actually has a slightly different chemical profile (less benzene etc and more consistent hydrocarbon chain lengths) vs regular gas. 

Not sure what the Stihl motomix is over there but I would assume it'snot the same product that we're getting here


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## Isna (Feb 20, 2013)

mikefunaro said:


> Not to exclude you as a european but the products are different.
> 
> These products in the US are just gasoline with stihl ultra added, sold under the "motomix" name in stihl's case.
> 
> ...



I sure would like to know if our motomix is really different. Not sure... That's why I tend to favor Aspen so far, even though it's more expensive. Anybody have more info on motomix content/refining?


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## Redoakranch (Feb 20, 2013)

I quit worrying about the fumes when I thought about the millions of LA residence who lived in a leaded haze for decades and still lived to be 80-90 years old. Also air planes regularly dump thousands of gallons of "jet a" into the air when they need to land with any technical problems. Hope I don't ruffle too many feathers!


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## Isna (Feb 21, 2013)

Redoakranch said:


> I quit worrying about the fumes when I thought about the millions of LA residence who lived in a leaded haze for decades and still lived to be 80-90 years old. Also air planes regularly dump thousands of gallons of "jet a" into the air when they need to land with any technical problems. Hope I don't ruffle too many feathers!



This might help you understand why I worry about fumes:
I am working on an estimate for a job where environmental policies will take a big part in the final decision. 4 months of brush cutting for a crew of 4 or 5: 200 000$! For that price, I can forget about planes!


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## indiansprings (Feb 21, 2013)

I think any of them would be comparable, I used to store my saws dry, now I've started to dump all the old mix out and pour just enough motomix in the saw to start and run it and then shut it down, I think it is prolly better to have the cdaarb wet, and with the shelf life I don't worry about it.

I couldn't began to afford to run it everyday with the amount of 2 cycle fuel we use, but it certainlly has it's place, we sell motomix and trufuel especially to older customers who just run their blowers or trimmers infrequently and recommend it for storage of the unit.


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## Ghostrider (Feb 11, 2014)

Redoakranch said:


> I tried a few canned fuels and found them to all be good but expensive. Now I run 100LL, cheap and good quality. Other than the slow lead poisoning I love it. I do put the leaded mix into the empty canned fuel containers. No spouts or funnels needs in the forest.


I agree, use 100LL for my chainsaws, lawnmower, snowblower & motorcycles. Much better refined gasoline, also use stab-bil in it. Why do you think it is used in aviation.


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## ShermanC (Feb 11, 2014)

mels said:


> Right? It's like that enduring mystery about a thermos - it keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold - how does it know??? :msp_biggrin:


Thank you for your Service,
Sherm


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## 1Alpha1 (Feb 11, 2014)

Stihl Inc. recommends that you dump the fuel in your power equipment, then start it back up and let it idle until it dies.

I've been doing just that for years and have never had any issue(s) of any kind.


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## imagineero (Feb 12, 2014)

kenh3497 said:


> The canned fuel is ideal for those who rarely use their piece of equipment. This is especially so, for those in the rescue business. If you are a fireman and need your rescue saw to run NOW you can't afford to not use this stuff. For them a quart of fuel will last a long time.
> 
> For the home owner, they might only burn a quart of fuel all summer long so $8 worth of fuel for a summer is still inexpensive. More so when you figure in the cost of a carb cleaning 'cause of bad fuel.
> 
> Ken



+1 on that. Guys that use our gear commercially rarely have the problems that home users have. I'm going through a gallon or two a day, so fuel problems aren't much of an issue. My gear wears out in other ways. For home users, my dealer tells me that 95% of the equipment brought in is bad gas. Their standard workshop procedure for any 2 stroke equipment brought in is; dump the gas, fresh mix in, new plug, and 9 times out of 10 bingo! That'll be $95 thank you. There just isn't that much to go wrong on 2 stroke gear, especially with low hours. Worst case scenario they're looking at a new carb or new fuel lines. They don't do carb rebuilds any more, the cost of a brand new carb is now less than the cost of labour plus a carb kit.

Yeah it's not that hard if you're a homeowner. You could add stabiliser to your fuel, or drain your tanks and then run dry. We always used to do that when I was a kid, you'd finish up mowing the lawn or whatever and drain the tank, run the mower dry. Next use you'd fuel it up fresh and it'd start every time. Nobody has the patience any more, and nobody wants to go buy new fuel those 2 or 3 times a year you need that bit of gear. The canned fuel is a good solution to those low volume users, and brings you out well ahead when you factor in the time/cost of not having your gear running when you want it.


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## redunshee (Feb 12, 2014)

166 said:


> So I have a Poulan that runs on 40:1 and a Poulan Pro that runs on 50:1 how does one can work for both?


I'd run them both using the same ratio. 40/1 vs 50/1 either one is fine.


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## Little Al (Feb 12, 2014)

KenJax Tree said:


> VP's website said they used Motul oil but it doesn't specify which one.


The last conversation I had with some one I would consider in the know. it was reported to be 710. But I have no idea if they tender out for contracts, or stick with the same supplier. If they are still with Motul I would think it is 710 as this is their top of the range oil( 800 is reputedly same base but with extra additives for keeping power valves free & clean etc.)


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## axe2fall (Feb 12, 2014)

dano said:


> Stihl Inc. recommends that you dump the fuel in your power equipment, then start it back up and let it idle until it dies.
> 
> I've been doing just that for years and have never had any issue(s) of any kind.


X 2 . . . Then try to restart it a few pulls, then choke it a few more. And for long time storage a few drops of oil downy plugole.


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## woodchipper95 (Feb 12, 2014)

KenJax Tree said:


> VP's website said they used Motul oil but it doesn't specify which one.



VP uses Motul 710, I called about 2 weeks ago. I also read it on the net a few places.


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## woodchipper95 (Feb 12, 2014)

Little Al said:


> The last conversation I had with some one I would consider in the know. it was reported to be 710. But I have no idea if they tender out for contracts, or stick with the same supplier. If they are still with Motul I would think it is 710 as this is their top of the range oil( 800 is reputedly same base but with extra additives for keeping power valves free & clean etc.)



I wish they used 800 but 710 will do.


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## 1Alpha1 (Feb 12, 2014)

I now keep all of my STIHL equipment in my garage / shop. It's insulated the same as the house, and never gets below 50 degrees inside. No moisture or extreme temp changes to worry about.

And, if I feel the need to fire something up, they're handy as can be.


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