Stihl 4-mix?

[NORTHMAN]

Hi,I'm the new guy.I know the forum is about chainsaws but I have a Stihl trimmer question if no one minds,please?I have a 1 year old Stihl FS 130 trimmer/brushcutter with a 4-Mix engine,when I went to sart it up a week ago to get ready for spring(I'm a landscaper)it wouldn't turn over,it felt gummy,i brought it in to my dealer and they said it was "carbonized",the spark plug was also black.The dealer 'decarbonized"itand said to cut down on my mix.I only use premium fuel,Stihl oil,50:1 mix,I'm going to switch to the HP oil.The dealer said theres alot of problems with the new fuel blends(i've had problems with other equipment not starting but not carbonized.What did I do wrong?What can I do to prevent this from happening again?Does the Stihl 4-Mix have problems?I need another new trimmer and was going to buy a Stihl 100 RX but I'm concerned and would like to know if you all might sugest something better?Thanks for the sort of off-topic questions.

 

[Butch(OH)]

I bought a new 4-mix weed eater late last summer and it with through a plug very quicly using the regular orange bottle Stihl oil at 50-1. Dealer said Stihl is no longer reccomending anything but the new white bottle synthetic stuff which I now have. He said there is also troubles gunking up the valves, sounds like what you were told. Anyway I have the oil oil and have not had to run the weed whacker yet so time will tell. Other than that I like the power curve of the 4-mix motor but I dont look for it to be around long. Too compicated, too heavy as compared to the Stratocharged types.

 

[Stihl_Learning]

The new synthetics burn extremely clean
I would try the Stihl synthetic at 50:1

Also make sure you are mixing at exactly 50:1
I know I had a gas can at one time that said it was 2 gallons plus (2.2 or so)
and I was putting the oil in for 2.5 gallons.
After I fouled out a spark arrestor on my Stihl blower I found a can at my stihl dealer that was 2.5 gallons exactly so now all I have to do is pour in the right size bottle of stihl mix. no more fouling out. no more too rich mixture
John

 

[sperho]

I've had no problems with my FS110R trimmer (yet?). I've only ran about 10 or so tanks through it though. I've been using both Stihl (dino) and Echo (syn blend) oils both at 50:1. I have a half-dozen bottles of Stihl dino oil, but after I use them up I'm probably going to swich to synthetic in any case.

 

[Lakeside53]

Sticky when pulling over isn't carbon. How long did it stay in storage? I assume it was working just fine when you put it away last fall? Sounds to me like it sat over the winter and the gas evaporated leaving the mix oil behind. Just needed flushing out, but if the used EDTA Decarbonizer, then that's fine to.

Carbon is an easy target in the 4-mix, but I've seen few problems of this type in the trimmers. The constant temperature cycling keeps the carbon build-up down. Yes, mix is more important in 4-mix - 50:1, synthetic or synthetic blend is correct, with premium gas.

 

[Austin1]

Sticky when pulling over isn't carbon. How long did it stay in storage? I assume it was working just fine when you put it away last fall? Sounds to me like it sat over the winter and the gas evaporated leaving the mix oil behind. Just needed flushing out, but if the used EDTA Decarbonizer, then that's fine to.

Carbon is an easy target in the 4-mix, but I've seen few problems of this type in the trimmers. The constant temperature cycling keeps the carbon build-up down. Yes, mix is more important in 4-mix - 50:1, synthetic or synthetic blend is correct, with premium gas.

I was looking at one of these trimmers and the dealer said I might be better off running it at 60-1 or 70-1 depending on if it was Dino or full synthetic. Is there any truth to this? after all they are a sthil dealer.

 

[Lakeside53]

For full synthetic, yes... but... it's not "official" so if you mess one up expect warranty issues... I wouldn't run dino in a 4 mix.

 

[Austin1]

For full synthetic, yes... but... it's not "official" so if you mess one up expect warranty issues... I wouldn't run dino in a 4 mix.

Is this inside knowledge that only you stihl guy's know? I am not going to start or get involved with a oil thread here! But I did tell the guy what I was using for the last few years and it is the same he uses not Sthil oil but a oil you can get for a moderate price let's say it works low on smell and smoke.What I meant by Dino was a high end semi synthetic I should have been more clear.

 

[Lakeside53]

It's been discussed in several tech workshops, but until I see it in writing from Stihl corp, it's just "discussion".

 

[Austin1]

It's been discussed in several tech workshops, but until I see it in writing from Stihl corp, it's just "discussion".

I thought I would get more or less a straight answer out of somebody on here thanks. My motto never believe a sthil guy they always have a secret!

 

[enjoys cutting]

had a stihl 4-mix brushcutter for about 3 years,it was alright but i found it tempermental:hmm3grin2orange: especialy starting it.sold it and bought a jonsered rs 52 the extra cc's makes a big diffrence.

 

[PES+]

See this tip

Perhaps this would be the problem and or solution

Check those filters

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=43861&highlight=Fuel+filters