- special thanks to Trx250r180 for providing some H1R.
- Method (cuz someone will ask)...
1. start with 50:1 stihl ultra in tank + bar + used chain.
2. make some cuts to warm up saw
3. take bar off, clean grooves in bar, put new .404 RS chain on.
4. start saw, check tension, retension.
5. clean air filter, top off 50:1 gas, top off oil. start saw
6. do cotton wood test cut, turn off saw, hurriedly grab camera and thermo, take temps
7. restart saw to keep warm. grab camera, thermo, running saw...walk over to other log.
8. do 2nd cut, turn off saw, hurriedly grab camera and thermo take temps.
9. now dump out 50:1 gas completely back into gas can
10. fill up with 40:1 gas
11. do cuts with old chain to get 40:1 gas into the system.
12. shut off saw, clean air filter, top off 40:1 gas, Top off oil.
13. take old chain off, take bar off, clean bar grooves, put on new chain for 40:1 test cut.
14. start saw, check tension, retension, start saw do 40:1 cuts....repeat repeat repeat. Every test was done exactly like the above.
few things...
- not what I expected!
- Both Stihl 50:1 & 40:1, seem to start off cooler (after 1 cut) , but then gets approx 10-15 F hotter than belray 50:1 and 42:1 on the 2nd cuts. While the belray 50:1 and 42:1 seem to get to temp faster but basically it stays at that temp. I like this about belray.
- I'd have to say based on the #s 32:1 just doesn't seem to work as good in a stock saw. Maybe it works better in a ported saw because of the higher compression? But a drop of 3-4 secs vs 42:1 and temps creeping up, that's pretty clear if you ask me. As to Why it worked out this way? I don't know...there is a happy medium of oil and gas in every 2 cycle and for this particular saw, 32:1 H1R isn't it!. Maybe the 661 was designed around 50:1?
- On the 2nd cut with the belray 50:1 I had a good 3 second hang up so that is why I put 32.8. So it appears that belray 50:1 and stihl 50:1 were the fastest. But I'd take the belray (even though I think it smells! lol). Based on what I've read and the specs of H1R vs Stihl ultra, I have little doubt that the Belray wouldn't provide better lube/maintaining the oil film.
- The 40:1 Stihl was clearly slower but ran same temps.
- Based on the results -
I'm thinking Belray H1R 45:1 would be interesting to try out. Maybe Stihl 50:1 vs belray 50:1 vs belray 45:1 with more cuts. Stihl just to compare. I'm sold on the belray. Question for me is the ratio. 45:1 looks like a happy medium and you can split the bottle in 3 equal parts (125ml/4.25oz) and it make 45:1 = 1.5 gal.
Here are the numbers laid out.