Premix fuel OK to use?

[Chucksta]

So... I'm guessing that this isn't a good time to say that I run E Free premium, with Amsoil Saber at 70 to 1.. In everything.. even in my 32 to 1 Lawnboy.. My new school Echos, My old school vintage Stihls.. Never an issue. Never a carb issue. Nothing ever went "bang". And, just for *(&% s' and giggles, I toss two "glugs" of Seafoam, into every 20 Liters of gas.

Only other passing comment, is that outboard oil is different because, as they are almost all water cooled, the combustion chamber temperature is lower than an air cooled engine, which (IMHO) would seem to require a different formulation.

 

[Chevboy0167]

^^^^^ It's your equipment, run it as you like.

 

[bwalker]

Regarding the Lawn-Boy's, I understand they call for Lawn-Boy no-ash oil at 32:1 ratio.
It helps to pay attention to the engines. We have a lot of them (over a dozen), and keep about three going at once. My father is cheap, and used the cheapest 2-cycle oil he could find.
The modern low-ash oil mixed at 40:1 does just fine in them. Don't forget, they are approaching 50 years old at this point. I have checked the plugs from time-to-time, and checked the pistons. Everything looks like it burning it normally, and they start on the first pull. Same thing with the old Stihl 015L that gets used frequently as well.
As mentioned, just reporting that I have had good results with the Lucas 2-cycle semi-synthetic , as have others. (It costs a buck a quart more than the cheap one he was using from the local hardware store) (pic is of the three currently running Lawn-Boys, circa 1977-1978 models)

No, low ash oil doesn't work well in a Lawnboy. You need ashless oil.
Here is a Lawnboy piston ran on low ash oil.

 

[bwalker]

^^^^^ It's your equipment, run it as you like.

Which is all good and well until people start dispensing poor advice to others.

 

[Chucksta]

^^^^^ It's your equipment, run it as you like.

Thanks... I do... and it works for me! Just see so much technical stuff on this thread.. Wow.. blown away by the technical knowledge some members have..

I've just boiled it down to...

Don't run Ethanol fuel, unless you're gonna go through it pretty quick..

Use the best oil that you can find..

Don't keep any fuel in a unit or use fuel that is over 90 days..

TruFuel, and it's equivalents, are meant for stuff that doesn't get used much. Otherwise, just dump the fuel, and fog and store.

Chainsaws and fuel and oil, are like belly buttons and opinions.. everybody's' got one... That don't mean that they are right.

Keep safe.

 

[bwalker]

Thanks... I do... and it works for me! Just see so much technical stuff on this thread.. Wow.. blown away by the technical knowledge some members have..

I've just boiled it down to...

Don't run Ethanol fuel, unless you're gonna go through it pretty quick..

Use the best oil that you can find..

Don't keep any fuel in a unit or use fuel that is over 90 days..

TruFuel, and it's equivalents, are meant for stuff that doesn't get used much. Otherwise, just dump the fuel, and fog and store.

Chainsaws and fuel and oil, are like belly buttons and opinions.. everybody's' got one... That don't mean that they are right.

Keep safe.

Oil just isn't that important as long as you use the correct type and at a decent concentration. Any genuine certified FD oil will work very well in your air cooled equipment.

 

[OM617YOTA]

So... I'm guessing that this isn't a good time to say that I run E Free premium, with Amsoil Saber at 70 to 1.. In everything.. even in my 32 to 1 Lawnboy.. My new school Echos, My old school vintage Stihls.. Never an issue. Never a carb issue. Nothing ever went "bang". And, just for *(&% s' and giggles, I toss two "glugs" of Seafoam, into every 20 Liters of gas.

Only other passing comment, is that outboard oil is different because, as they are almost all water cooled, the combustion chamber temperature is lower than an air cooled engine, which (IMHO) would seem to require a different formulation.

Do you drive your car around with 3.5 quarts of oil instead of 5, too?

Like was said, your equipment, run it like you want, but I'm curious.

 

[adedeluca]

So... I'm guessing that this isn't a good time to say that I run E Free premium, with Amsoil Saber at 70 to 1.. In everything.. even in my 32 to 1 Lawnboy.. My new school Echos, My old school vintage Stihls.. Never an issue. Never a carb issue. Nothing ever went "bang". And, just for *(&% s' and giggles, I toss two "glugs" of Seafoam, into every 20 Liters of gas.

Only other passing comment, is that outboard oil is different because, as they are almost all water cooled, the combustion chamber temperature is lower than an air cooled engine, which (IMHO) would seem to require a different formulation.

Exactly air cooled 2 strokes run hotter and like minimum ash formulation . Less ash in the head tends to reduce self ignition that can lead to a pre-ignition under load .

 

[bwalker]

Exactly air cooled 2 strokes run hotter and like minimum ash formulation . Less ash in the head tends to reduce self ignition that can lead to a pre-ignition under load .

The ash means it uses a mettalic based additives. Ashless Marine style oils do not and as a result do poorly in air cooled engines. Metallic ash can lead to pre ignition in liquid cooled motors that operate at constant throttle settings for long periods of time..like boat motors, hence the need for ashless oils.

 

[Husky77]

I use husky and Aspen fuel and would never go back to pump petrol, it's just not worth the hassle. People tell me it costs too much but I'm not using much so for me it works out fine. And them very people are often having trouble with their saws so
It's so clean burning and I dont stink of petrol which is a big bonus because my wife hates the smell of petrol.
You'll find people get very set in their ways and wont change, even if it is for the better. Let them carry on but if your happy running a better fuel then go for it. I will never go backwards and my truck, workshop and me dont smell of petrol any more..... just wood chips .

 

[Chucksta]

Do you drive your car around with 3.5 quarts of oil instead of 5, too?

Like was said, your equipment, run it like you want, but I'm curious.

Just saw this, as I was reading through the thread..

A car doesn't have a "mix ratio", it either has enough oil in the pan to let the pick up feed the oil pump or it doesn't.. If there's enough oil to cover the oil pump pick up, the engine will have proper oil pressure to all it's internal components. The percentage of oil in the pan, compared to the proper full capacity, doesn't affect oil pressure. I'll explain it a bit differently, in chain saw terms.. Do you worry about bar lubrication when your bar oil reservoir is below half? Does the bar get less lubrication? No, it just doesn't matter.. The clunker in the bottom of the bar oil reservoir tank, picks up oil, the pump pumps it, and the world continues to carry on. You ( well, not you, but your saw blade), are well lubricated, in-spite of the saws inclination.

Only sign that you only has 3.5 quarts in a 5 quart ( car) system would be if you stood on the brakes, or threw the vehicle sideways, the oil pressure light on the dash might come on. That would be from the oil running away from the pick up. That'd only last a second or two, until you came to a stop, or quit going sideways, and the oil returned to the pick up. That let's you know that you might want to pull the dip stick, the next time you get gas. And, yes, I know this from driving 70's junk that was not able to go from one oil change to another without adding oil to the crank case.

Only having 3.5 quarts in a 5 quart system only matters if your driving style runs the oil away from the pick up, and you lose pressure for the system. It's only in high performance vehicles where they put on an oil pan with windage ribs for cooling the oil with passing air, that missing a quart and a half could possibly make any difference. Even then, negligible... and only reflecting a slight change in oil temperature, not oil pressure. For really high performance stuff, there's something called a dry sump.

Lately, I've been driving stuff built in this century, ( Well, actually, I've got a collectable built in the late 90s') I personally can't remember the last time that I added a quart of oil to anything I own. I get the oil changed, I drive 8,000 K.M. ( 5,000 miles), pull into Jiffy Lube, and then leave.. Wash, rinse, and repeat. LOL..

So, in conclusion, 3.5 quarts in a 5 quart system, compared to a 2 stroke mix ratio, is an apples to oranges comparison.

You were curious, so I hope that this helps.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I'm not reading all that. I wasn't curious, I was poking fun at you.

 

[bwalker]

Just saw this, as I was reading through the thread..

A car doesn't have a "mix ratio", it either has enough oil in the pan to let the pick up feed the oil pump or it doesn't.. If there's enough oil to cover the oil pump pick up, the engine will have proper oil pressure to all it's internal components. The percentage of oil in the pan, compared to the proper full capacity, doesn't affect oil pressure. I'll explain it a bit differently, in chain saw terms.. Do you worry about bar lubrication when your bar oil reservoir is below half? Does the bar get less lubrication? No, it just doesn't matter.. The clunker in the bottom of the bar oil reservoir tank, picks up oil, the pump pumps it, and the world continues to carry on. You ( well, not you, but your saw blade), are well lubricated, in-spite of the saws inclination.

Only sign that you only has 3.5 quarts in a 5 quart ( car) system would be if you stood on the brakes, or threw the vehicle sideways, the oil pressure light on the dash might come on. That would be from the oil running away from the pick up. That'd only last a second or two, until you came to a stop, or quit going sideways, and the oil returned to the pick up. That let's you know that you might want to pull the dip stick, the next time you get gas. And, yes, I know this from driving 70's junk that was not able to go from one oil change to another without adding oil to the crank case.

Only having 3.5 quarts in a 5 quart system only matters if your driving style runs the oil away from the pick up, and you lose pressure for the system. It's only in high performance vehicles where they put on an oil pan with windage ribs for cooling the oil with passing air, that missing a quart and a half could possibly make any difference. Even then, negligible... and only reflecting a slight change in oil temperature, not oil pressure. For really high performance stuff, there's something called a dry sump.

Lately, I've been driving stuff built in this century, ( Well, actually, I've got a collectable built in the late 90s') I personally can't remember the last time that I added a quart of oil to anything I own. I get the oil changed, I drive 8,000 K.M. ( 5,000 miles), pull into Jiffy Lube, and then leave.. Wash, rinse, and repeat. LOL..

So, in conclusion, 3.5 quarts in a 5 quart system, compared to a 2 stroke mix ratio, is an apples to oranges comparison.

You were curious, so I hope that this helps.

Actually sump capacity in a 4cycle does matter as it pertains to oil change intervals, oil temperature, etc. Hence most HD gasoline and diesel engines have large sump capacities.
IMO it's about ******** to play the "see how little oil I can run" game in a motor as marginally lubricated as a two stroke.

 

[huskihl]

Carbon baaaad.
More oil is the debil

100:1 rox

 

[OM617YOTA]

Say no to homeopathic oil ratios.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathic_dilutions

 

[ColoCoug]

The oil in a car or other 4 cycle engine is part of the cooling system. Running it at appropriate levels means the engine has the cooling capacity it was designed for. Normally not a big deal, but it's a consideration for extreme operating conditions.

 

[WheelHorseFan]

The oil in a car or other 4 cycle engine is part of the cooling system. Running it at appropriate levels means the engine has the cooling capacity it was designed for. Normally not a big deal, but it's a consideration for extreme operating conditions.

Correct! Just as running too lean over heats, oil both cools/lubes.
Also low oil in 4 cycle can allow a pan to run dry allowing engine damage at high RPM. Even one quart low on some cars can do it, Ive seen small imports with 3qt pans!
Ive done my own work when possible 50yrs now & always check a shops work when I don't! My 05 Tundra has a 6.6qt pan & I had my oil changed at a Juffy "once" after 2 back surgeries (yrs ago) who only put 5qts in it.
fwiw- Almost 400k miles now & it never burns a drop between changes. One outstanding truck!

Neighbors on both sides of my old place had oil pan plugs stripped eventually costing one neighbor 1k the other payed $1800 to replace her pan, both caused by quick change shops. One put the next size up drain plug in his pan but his bigger plug was stripped out by a different quick lube joint too so he had to replace pan.
Very common issue if you look online so beware of quick change facilities.
I read online where Walmart failed to put any oil in a ladies Honda.
She left, drove a mile or so & immediately returned cause her oil light was on. Imagine that?
Wally put her oil in, said oops sorry lady sending her off again, saying engine was fine!
Not being ignorant she drove to a Honda Stealership to inspect it who said "Wally toasted our fabulous engine we developed".
She had to sue Wally for an engine rebuild, case was pending when I read it, no idea if she won/lost case? Its a team of Wally (oil corp) lawyers against you fyi?
No thanks, I'll change my own or get a real mech when I can't knowing what I know!
Ask your mech how many oil pans they replace due to quick lubes he'll fill you in.
Sorry long, hope it saves a headache or two.

 

[ColoCoug]

I WILL NOT go to the Jiffy Lube places. Too many problems with stripped pan bolts or no oil. And I check the oil immediately after having a proper shop change it.

 

[bwalker]

I WILL NOT go to the Jiffy Lube places. Too many problems with stripped pan bolts or no oil. And I check the oil immediately after having a proper shop change it.

Replace your drain plug with a Fumoto valve and you don't have to worry about drain plugs stripping.

 

[ColoCoug]

Replace your drain plug with a Fumoto valve and you don't have to worry about drain plugs stripping.

I bet one of the monkey lads there would just unscrew and cross thread the valve.