# How a'm I getting my 2 stroke mix so wrong?



## dannythemanny (Jun 28, 2020)

I have a new hedge trimmer and it says ratio 40:1. I mixed it up using the bottle provided but the hedge trimmer gets too hot, cuts out and smokes. Made a fresh mix and had another go but the same thing happened again! I can't see how I have the ratio so wrong. How accurate do you have to get the ratio? Because its as close as I'm ever going to get it, looks fine by my eye but obviously Ive got it badly wrong. Any ideas how to fix this or any tips to make a correct mix.
thank you


----------



## Bobby Kirbos (Jun 28, 2020)

Welcome to the board Danny. 
In reality, close enough is close enough. If you used the 40:1 pre-measured bottle, you're at 40:1 (or at least close enough to call it 40:1). Guys run 50:1 in saws, WAY harder than any hedge trimmer would ever be run, and don't have issues. Being that it is a new trimmer, I suspect that it is tuned lean. 

Hit up youtube for videos on how to properly tune a 2 stroke engine. To meet EPA emission regulations, many manufacturers tune their equipment lean. 

Sorry if this is very basic... not knowing your level of knowledge on this stuff
In short.... mixture is the ratio of air to fuel as produced by the carburator. A rich mixture means more fuel. A lean mixture, not enough fuel. How does a lean mixture equate to running hot? In its transition from a liquid to a vapor, the evaporating fuel absorbs heat from engine components.


----------



## ammoaddict (Jun 28, 2020)

How many ounces of oil to how much gas are you using?

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk


----------



## dannythemanny (Jun 28, 2020)

Not sure about ounces sorry. Just using the bottle provided filling the petrol part up 1/2 liter mark and then filling the oil part to the 1/2 way mark on the 40:1 gauge. You'd think it was fool proof 
I'll have a look how to tune it or maybe try with a little less oil.
Thank you for the help


----------



## Philbert (Jun 28, 2020)

'40:1' = 128 ounces (1 U.S. gallon) of gas: 3.2 ounces of mix oil, right?

Or, 1,000 ml (1 Liter) : 25 ml.

Not sure what your gauges look like - a photo of them might help.

Philbert


----------



## The Lorax (Jun 28, 2020)

dannythemanny said:


> Not sure about ounces sorry. Just using the bottle provided filling the petrol part up 1/2 liter mark and then filling the oil part to the 1/2 way mark on the 40:1 gauge. You'd think it was fool proof
> I'll have a look how to tune it or maybe try with a little less oil.
> Thank you for the help


Is it a 1 litre bottle?
For 40:1 you need 40 litres petrol to 1 litre of oil, 20 litres of petrol to 500ml oil, 10 litres petrol to 250ml oil, 5 litres petrol 125ml oil 1 litre to 25ml oil.
I would mix 1 litre minimum as less than that the ratios get less precise as you are dealing with surface tension etc.


----------



## Fatherwheels (Jun 28, 2020)

Either your mix is wrong, or your mix is right and your engine is not right,
either way, engine running too HOT to the extent it cuts out more than likely means
the piston is gone, and likely cylinder damage too.
Take it back to the dealer you bought it from and explain how it ran from new.
Your mix may be correct, but if the engine is that hot it won’t run, then something is wrong.

Put up a picture of the measuring bottle showing the scale, some bottles have scales on both sides
that show different numbers for different ratios.

What is the model of trimmer you have.


----------



## mexicanyella (Jun 29, 2020)

This seems like an interesting approach to starting an oil thread.


----------



## jp233 (Jun 29, 2020)

take the guesswork out of mixing. There are little bottles that the marine community use, cheap on Amazon.

But if you want to mix small quantities and especially want to be able to accurately do multiple ratios, go get an Accu-Mix jug and never look back.





__





Accu-Mix Fuel Jug


Accu-Mix is a fluid measuring and mixing bottle. Measures fuel by weight, not just by volume. Easily and accurately measures and mixes any form of concentrate into solution.




www.accu-products.com





post, some more stuff here: https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/ideal-fuel-mix.343984/page-2#post-7327229


----------



## holeycow (Jun 29, 2020)

Likely you have a phone. Likely it has a calculator. Measure your gas reasonably close. Enter that volume in your calculator. Divide by 40. That is your oil amount. Close enough.

as suggested, your little motor is probably stupid lean, mixed fuel to air ratio.

anyway, the mix doesn't have to be perfect at all. Close is fine. Every oil is different and has an effect on how things run. I try to pick an oil that burns clean with as much oil as possible in the mix, down to as close to 30:1 as I can get it, if it's a racing two stroke bike that is. I don't sweat the same detail in my chainsaws, trimmer, etc, which I run mostly near 40:1.

i doubt the problem is your mix.


----------



## cuinrearview (Jun 29, 2020)

Seems like an easy answer right here, especially with a tool that's seldom used.


----------



## cuinrearview (Jun 29, 2020)

Or maybe this if your location is accurate.








Aspen & Stihl fuel at Caerfagu in Mid Wales


The cleanest forms of petrol available on the market for sale in Mid Wales. Aspen 2-stroke and 4-stroke alkylate petrol and Stihl Motomix & Viking Motoplus in stock!




www.caerfagu.co.uk


----------



## Philbert (Jun 29, 2020)

cuinrearview said:


> Seems like an easy answer right here, especially with a tool that's seldom used.


Good point. Especially, to see if the tool runs right using the pre-mix stuff. 

Philbert


----------



## holeycow (Jun 29, 2020)

Yuk!, but ya!


----------



## dannythemanny (Jun 29, 2020)

The is the mixing bottle I use. The oil says on it semi synthetic don't know if that makes a difference?
I may get some premix stuff.
Thanks for the help


----------



## MacAttack (Jun 29, 2020)

dannythemanny said:


> I have a new hedge trimmer and it says ratio 40:1. I mixed it up using the bottle provided but the hedge trimmer gets too hot, cuts out and smokes. Made a fresh mix and had another go but the same thing happened again! I can't see how I have the ratio so wrong. How accurate do you have to get the ratio? Because its as close as I'm ever going to get it, looks fine by my eye but obviously Ive got it badly wrong. Any ideas how to fix this or any tips to make a correct mix.
> thank you


Usually you get a little bottle that you just dump into a gallon of gas, when you buy a new hedge trimmer, leaf blower, etc. Is that what you did?


----------



## Deleted member 117362 (Jun 29, 2020)

Just straight gas it. Problem solved. Use clippers.


----------



## Huskybill (Jun 29, 2020)

When not using the non ethanol pre mix 50:1 cans I buy the two stroke oil in the little bottles that mixes 2.5 gallons and use 2.3 gallons at the pump.
Can never go wrong.


----------



## cuinrearview (Jun 29, 2020)

Huskybill said:


> Can never go wrong.


This, it made me chuckle...


----------



## Huskybill (Jun 29, 2020)

cuinrearview said:


> This, it made me chuckle...



Mixing two stroke to the same bottle of oil to 2.3 gallons of gas is fool proof. I always mix the two stroke in the morning when I’m fresh, my mind is clear. With saws that cost $1,000 I don’t make mistakes I can’t afford too. I take it very serious.

We have a big job this fall coming up. Probable mixing 5+ gallons of mix or more.


----------



## Huskybill (Jun 29, 2020)

Don’t forget when your gas cans sit idle the oil seperates from the gas so shake, shake the gas can of mix before we pour,


----------



## cuinrearview (Jun 29, 2020)

Huskybill said:


> Don’t forget when your gas cans sit idle the oil seperates from the gas so shake, shake the gas can of mix before we pour,


Mine gets shook on the ride out to wherever I'm going. And I'm a 2.00 gal/the 2.5 gal oil container. Dolmar synth to 100% dead dinos. 

Here we go...


----------



## Huskybill (Jun 29, 2020)

cuinrearview said:


> Mine gets shook on the ride out to wherever I'm going. And I'm a 2.00 gal/the 2.5 gal oil container. Dolmar synth to 100% dead dinos.
> 
> Here we go...



I think maybe not mixing the pre mix before we pour if there using a 50:1 mix could be way to lean? I don’t like the 50:1 mix anyway.


----------



## cuinrearview (Jun 29, 2020)

I dump the oil in the empty can then fill with gas at a high rate of speed. Mixes her up good.


----------



## Huskybill (Jun 29, 2020)

cuinrearview said:


> I dump the oil in the empty can then fill with gas at a high rate of speed. Mixes her up good.



Exactly what I do, then wash out the oil can to get every drop of oil in the mix.


----------



## benjo75 (Jun 29, 2020)

I mix one bottle to 5 gallons of gas every few days. It says on the little bottle how much gas it makes.


----------



## holeycow (Jun 29, 2020)

Huskybill said:


> Mixing two stroke to the same bottle of oil to 2.3 gallons of gas is fool proof. I always mix the two stroke in the morning when I’m fresh, my mind is clear. With saws that cost $1,000 I don’t make mistakes I can’t afford too. I take it very serious.
> 
> We have a big job this fall coming up. Probable mixing 5+ gallons of mix or more.



I remember the days when 4 saws on a crew of 5 (one guy was the "packer") went through two five gallon cans of gas in a day. Every saw was full at the beginning of day before even dipping in to those cans. Some days there wasn't enough gas to finish building the helipad at the end of the day..

Saws burned more gas then, and guys did way more cutting too.


----------



## cuinrearview (Jun 29, 2020)

Huskybill said:


> Exactly what I do, then wash out the oil can to get every drop of oil in the mix.


@huskihl taught me that.


----------



## Philbert (Jun 29, 2020)

dannythemanny said:


> View attachment 839461
> View attachment 839462
> 
> The is the mixing bottle I use. The oil says on it semi synthetic don't know if that makes a difference?
> ...


Danny,

Hard to read the markings on that container in the photo. If you have some type of graduated measuring cup, (e.g. for cooking) you can try filling each part with water and seeing if it makes sense. Might be calibrated for something else?

Again, 40:1 = 1,000 ml gas : 25 ml mix oil

Philbert


----------



## mexicanyella (Jun 29, 2020)

Duce said:


> Just straight gas it. Problem solved. Use clippers.



Ouch, but technically true, I guess.


----------



## RED-85-Z51 (Jun 30, 2020)

What make and model clippers?

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk


----------



## Deleted member 117362 (Jun 30, 2020)

RED-85-Z51 said:


> What make and model clippers?
> 
> Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk


Fiskars hedge shears work great. 25-33 power gear.


----------



## CacaoBoy (Jun 30, 2020)

dannythemanny said:


> View attachment 839461
> View attachment 839462
> 
> The is the mixing bottle I use. The oil says on it semi synthetic don't know if that makes a difference?
> ...


That is a strange and confusing mixing bottle. The oil part appears to be marked for 30:1 and 40:1 at the same level. 


There should be a way to use it to get the correct ratio, but it is not apparent from the photo.


----------



## full chizel (Jul 1, 2020)

Huskybill said:


> We have a big job this fall coming up. Probable mixing 5+ gallons of mix or more.


Bill the way you talk about your health you should put the saws down......seriously. If you can no longer drive a vehicle safely i doubt you can run a saw safely


----------



## CR888 (Jul 1, 2020)

dannythemanny said:


> I have a new hedge trimmer and it says ratio 40:1. I mixed it up using the bottle provided but the hedge trimmer gets too hot, cuts out and smokes. Made a fresh mix and had another go but the same thing happened again! I can't see how I have the ratio so wrong. How accurate do you have to get the ratio? Because its as close as I'm ever going to get it, looks fine by my eye but obviously Ive got it badly wrong. Any ideas how to fix this or any tips to make a correct mix.
> thank you


Lots of presumption in this thread. I don't believe it's your mix that is causing heat issues. It's most likely a lean tune. Now the fact that your unit is NEW it may produce a little more heat until broken in but if it's getting excessively hot richen up your carb settings. Are you keeping those blades well oiled? Every few minutes you should be spraying your blades with some lube. Also when you add more oil the carb runs leaner, and it was likely set for 50:1. You need to properly tune the carb and err on the rich side during break-in. Check your spark arrestor and torch the mesh to burn off carbon, & keep the blades well oiled, they'll be a little stiff and need too break in too. If your gearbox is getting too hot its likely got too much grease in it or not enough.


----------



## cuinrearview (Jul 1, 2020)

CR888 said:


> I don't believe





CR888 said:


> It's most likely





CR888 said:


> it was likely





CR888 said:


> Lots of presumption in this thread.


----------

