Run red armor oil and redmax oil is good as well both are FD rated got a Zenoah Komatsu RedMax trimmer here from 2005 that has never been apart running those two oils and used commercially since then.
So what's the current Two stroke oil favorite for
- Thread starter clemsonfor
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Appreciate the info.
Castrol 2T has a good history . Used it back in the 70's & 80's injector oil for my Kawasaki Road bikes . However Red Armour may be an exception as to a quality manufacturers oil . Most Manufacturer oils are just adequate at a premium price point . To many other aftermarket premium oils out there to pay through the nose for a mediocre dealer oil !
And I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind. Just sharing what I see. Some folks have no idea one way or the other, they’re using what they assume should be the best because that’s what’s recommended.
Problem is most folks don’t understand how a strato saw works. I believe you mentioned earlier a couple old school saws that are clean and run fine. Running a strato saw at 50:1 is akin to running your 046 (I think that’s what model you mentioned) at about 70:1. It obviously works for some, but if I’m assuming responsibility for the motor, it’s not enough for me.
Power blend was great top. Husky oil has always been good as well.
Shortly after Ultra first came on the market I ran it in a new 361 I bought because I got a large quantity for free with the saw. I used that 6 pack of 2.5 gallon mix(IIRC) bottle up and sent the saw out for porting. The guy doing the port work called me when the saw arrived and asked what oil I was running as it looked terrible internally. I was shocked to see the pictures he sent.
I then did some digging and found out Ultra was a FB quality, ashless oil designed as a band aid fix for issues in Stihls 4mix engine.
The nasty smell should have alerted me to as much, but the dealer really hyped the stuff up.
The other thing I would mention is Kevin's 70:1 comment is spot on. Not only that, these strato engines run hotter than a traditional two stroke. Strato motors really do tax what ever oil you use much more so than a regular two stroke and the absolutely require a low ash FC or better yet FD oil. Not that ashless FB crap that is Ultra.
Echo powerblend ? Yeah was a proven oil at a reasonable cost ! ($38 / 4 litre hug ) . Compared to Echo Red Armor @ ( $165 / 4 litre jug ) .
@ Huskhil I have a 290 and a 460, both saws are 10+ years old. I cut 10-12 cords a year for heat plus the occasional cleanup around here and at friends/family. I also use my 460 for milling so when it runs it gets a work out. Run on stihl oil exclusively from day one.
In light of this thread I pulled the mufflers off both. I have not had the mufflers off in at least 2 years, maybe 3 and was interested in how things looked compared to your pictures. I stuffed my wireless snake camera in for some pics. Buttoned them back up and came in to share them here and they did not transfer to my phone
Hook back up to device and they are there in storage but will not transfer. I will work on figuring this out as I am interested in your opinions.
For now, the few I took with my phone. Nothing has been touched or cleaned up. The pictures you are probably most interested in are on my wireless snake. I will work on figuring that out in a bit after I am done clearing the driveways. Again.
290 compression
460 compression
I've been told by a friend the 290 is on the low side but it has held steady ever since I began checking them which is 5 or 6 years now. And it runs great.
Screen on the 290 has not been cleaned in a few seasons. This saw sees the most use of the 2.
Plug has a couple of seasons on it as well.
460 with the muffler off. I don't have one of the 290 on my phone but it was not any worse for wear compared to the 460.
I'll reiterate these saws have never been opened up. Not ever. Which makes your pics of a 1 year old saw all the more shocking. Either I have been super lucky or there are variables here that I'm missing.
In light of this thread I pulled the mufflers off both. I have not had the mufflers off in at least 2 years, maybe 3 and was interested in how things looked compared to your pictures. I stuffed my wireless snake camera in for some pics. Buttoned them back up and came in to share them here and they did not transfer to my phone
Hook back up to device and they are there in storage but will not transfer. I will work on figuring this out as I am interested in your opinions. For now, the few I took with my phone. Nothing has been touched or cleaned up. The pictures you are probably most interested in are on my wireless snake. I will work on figuring that out in a bit after I am done clearing the driveways. Again.
290 compression
460 compression
I've been told by a friend the 290 is on the low side but it has held steady ever since I began checking them which is 5 or 6 years now. And it runs great.
Screen on the 290 has not been cleaned in a few seasons. This saw sees the most use of the 2.
Plug has a couple of seasons on it as well.
460 with the muffler off. I don't have one of the 290 on my phone but it was not any worse for wear compared to the 460.
I'll reiterate these saws have never been opened up. Not ever. Which makes your pics of a 1 year old saw all the more shocking. Either I have been super lucky or there are variables here that I'm missing.
Maybe you run your saws good and hot which helps burn the leftovers up
Yeah. That’s pretty gummy
I got a quart of castrol go 2t rated FB here i bought last year for 6.99.
Muffler is actually decent but the spark arrestor screen was partially plugged.
Actually running them hot makes Ultra much worse.
@JRM
You kind of made my point though. 10 cords per year x 1hr/cord is 10 hours/year. 10 years = 100 hours. Divide that by 2 saws and you have about 50 hours on each saw. Even if I’m off by a factor of 3, that’s only 150 hours each. And your exhaust port is closing up and already starting to score the piston.
There are actually oils out there that reduce carbon when used at heavy ratios.
You kind of made my point though. 10 cords per year x 1hr/cord is 10 hours/year. 10 years = 100 hours. Divide that by 2 saws and you have about 50 hours on each saw. Even if I’m off by a factor of 3, that’s only 150 hours each. And your exhaust port is closing up and already starting to score the piston.
There are actually oils out there that reduce carbon when used at heavy ratios.
Exhaust port looks bad, the 290 is low on compression( let's see the ring area). What's the pistons looks like?@ Huskhil I have a 290 and a 460, both saws are 10+ years old. I cut 10-12 cords a year for heat plus the occasional cleanup around here and at friends/family. I also use my 460 for milling so when it runs it gets a work out. Run on stihl oil exclusively from day one.
In light of this thread I pulled the mufflers off both. I have not had the mufflers off in at least 2 years, maybe 3 and was interested in how things looked compared to your pictures. I stuffed my wireless snake camera in for some pics. Buttoned them back up and came in to share them here and they did not transfer to my phone
For now, the few I took with my phone. Nothing has been touched or cleaned up. The pictures you are probably most interested in are on my wireless snake. I will work on figuring that out in a bit after I am done clearing the driveways. Again.
290 compression
View attachment 958854
460 compressionView attachment 958857
I've been told by a friend the 290 is on the low side but it has held steady ever since I began checking them which is 5 or 6 years now. And it runs great.
Screen on the 290 has not been cleaned in a few seasons. This saw sees the most use of the 2.
Plug has a couple of seasons on it as well.
View attachment 958852View attachment 958853
460 with the muffler off. I don't have one of the 290 on my phone but it was not any worse for wear compared to the 460.
View attachment 958856
I'll reiterate these saws have never been opened up. Not ever. Which makes your pics of a 1 year old saw all the more shocking. Either I have been super lucky or there are variables here that I'm missing.
And your saws have low hours all things considered.
Similar threads
