Lookout 45:1 like why even bother? Might aswell just mix it at 50:1 and continue being scared of oil lol
Oil Ratio
- Thread starter AddisonM30
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You gotta find that balance between fear and SPOOGE.
whodatschrome
ArboristSite Lurker
I’ve always figured that Amsoil Saber 100:1 was just a marketing name and not an actual mix ratio that should ever be used
Stihl and Echo at 50:1 for30 years. Good tune, scary sharp chain. Warm up the saw.
Gunsling3r1988
Newbie chainsaw addict
I like my saws too much to risk trying 100:1
Chainsaw Pete
ArboristSite Operative
Don't bet on that.
sawmill sam
ArboristSite Member
I've been using 45:1 for several years. Works best for me.
Hermio
Addicted to ArboristSite
Some posters have claimed to use 100:1 for years. I use 50:1. I might be wasting a bit of money, but it is not enough for me to worry about the cost.
Anywhere from 30-40:1 depending on the saw. I mix at 40:1 plus and add a wee bit for particular saws. I'm not too fussy. Every saw burns differently. I just keep an eye on it. The goal is to have a small, but significant amount of residual oil in the crankcase. Safety factor.
Get as much oil as possible through a 2 stroke while maintaining a clean burn. No spooge (very little, anyway) and almost NO carbon buildup. That's the goal for me for about 50 years. Clean burn has everything to do with the particular oil.
Trying to mix perfect ratios is ridiculous. A few points either way means nothing. It is insignificant.
Get as much oil as possible through a 2 stroke while maintaining a clean burn. No spooge (very little, anyway) and almost NO carbon buildup. That's the goal for me for about 50 years. Clean burn has everything to do with the particular oil.
Trying to mix perfect ratios is ridiculous. A few points either way means nothing. It is insignificant.
Kdavis2685
ArboristSite Lurker
Curious what oil/oils you prefer?
I've been running 50:1 in new pro level stuff, including lightly ported or MM saws. I use 40:1 in early 90s saws and cheaper stuff. Ran 32:1 in some old reed homelites that were ported. And I even have my dad's old 70s Craftsman/Poulan that says 16:1, and sounds too sqwauky when turned over without that ratio, so I run 16:1 in it.
I've ran Stihl HP Ultra (someone gave me a flat of small bottles), but won't anymore because I run the saws hard and want better bottom end lube. I donated the stuff along with the homelites to a thrift store.
I tried Belray H1R. It definitely leaves good lube in the case, but has more carbon buildup than I like - not horrible, but not what I'm looking for.
I haven't tried RedArmor, but would like to. Then I realized from the sources available locally that Honda HP2 is actually a little cheaper than the Echo.
So I am going to run through a pint of HP2 next and then see the results.
So what do you use? You have the same considerations and oil analysis principles that I do, so I would be interested what you have used, and what results you've seen.
I did a lot of experimentation years ago trying to achieve a clean burn at near 30:1 in various dirt bikes. Yamalube, HP2, motul 800 and 600?, amsoil dominator and interceptor, elf something or other (I forget), and a few others. There were only two oils that burned clean at 30:1. The amsoil dominator (for moto) and interceptor (for enduro) burned clean with no spooge (a dry-to-moist grey to light brown tail pipe and light brown to almost grey-ish plug) and no excessive carbon. The elf oil was similar, but basically not available in my world, unfortunately. I'd say the elf was the best oil, all around, but kind of a guess, really. All of the others were spoogy and dirty unless running at 40-45:1, which I don't do. Top ends in these bikes were regularly serviced: about 15-20 hours in 125's (pushing it for cost considerations) and 40-50 hours in 250's. I don't run heavy mixes for the top ends, I run them for the bottom ends. We were seeing ridiculous high hours on bottom ends and, for the most part rebuilt bottom ends just because, for example, about 250 hours on a ktm200 bottom end seemed like time to redo even though there would be "0" rod play. The 125's went into the mid 100's of hours. Easily. Always replaced the wrist pin bearing even with just a ring change to eliminate the possibility of "hammering". Jetted for torque most of the time, etc, etc. The '08 200xc, one of the '06 CR125's, and an '05 kdx220 are still running perfectly today, tho not getting as much use as before.
Chainsaws are more forgiving. I ran some stihl oil for a while and found terrible carbon build up. And it stinks. I'm not nearly as picky with saws or other equipment. Bikes are not allowed to break, lest ye break yourself...
In saws lately I have been running interceptor with a little lucas oil mixed in for color. I couldn't stand the stink of the lucas (and I'm guessing it's not very good oil anyway - no inspections to prove one way or the other). It's about time I pulled some mufflers and have a look...
Every engine runs differently, even "identical" ones. We had a couple of cr85's years ago that were just a few serial #'s apart. They required different jetting to behave about the same. The bikes were racing bikes, so we were picky.
The saws just need to run well and not be problematic. No spooge, no carbon, residual oil, that's it.
Chainsaws are more forgiving. I ran some stihl oil for a while and found terrible carbon build up. And it stinks. I'm not nearly as picky with saws or other equipment. Bikes are not allowed to break, lest ye break yourself...
In saws lately I have been running interceptor with a little lucas oil mixed in for color. I couldn't stand the stink of the lucas (and I'm guessing it's not very good oil anyway - no inspections to prove one way or the other). It's about time I pulled some mufflers and have a look...
Every engine runs differently, even "identical" ones. We had a couple of cr85's years ago that were just a few serial #'s apart. They required different jetting to behave about the same. The bikes were racing bikes, so we were picky.
The saws just need to run well and not be problematic. No spooge, no carbon, residual oil, that's it.
I use to run the hell out of my cr250 and ran 32:1 motorex 2t. I never once considered anything different because I wasn’t part of a forum at the time lol.
forums can be problematic with respect to truth...
On the topic of forums, truths but mixed in and sometimes overridden with opinions. On the oil topic, back in the dirt bike days I ran Belray H1R, among others and then found Mobil 2xt and it became my oil for 20 years, when they quit selling it I helped them clear the shelves. I recently was at the end of my supply and needed to find the next oil. I landed on echo red armor at 40:1 and had very little timing adjustments, if any to do the switch. Looking for deals and buying in gallon size helped with the price after I decided it was the one. Really pleased with the residue oil in crankcase of the one I took apart to check and so signs of carbon buildup or spoog. What oils people like is right at the most opinionated topic on this forum, or at least close.
Up there with husky vs stihl.
Opinions are fine. It's the agendas I don't like. Some salesmen just can't stop selling. Even when sometimes they are withholding truths.
Anyway, maybe someday I will try this red armour stuff. It's ridiculous expensive locally, so I haven't bothered. For that money I would buy something I know..it sure gets good reviews by some here who actually look at their stuff.
Anyway, maybe someday I will try this red armour stuff. It's ridiculous expensive locally, so I haven't bothered. For that money I would buy something I know..it sure gets good reviews by some here who actually look at their stuff.
I bought two gallons to get to free shipping from Russo Power Equipment https://russopower.com/ They had it for $69 a gallon. One of the current better deals if you are in the States.
NYH1
Tacticle Chainsaw Operator.
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