What fuel/mix do you use?

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Yoyo

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Hi All,

New here and fairly new to using a chainsaw. Have had an old hand-me-down Craftsman but recently bought a cabin with wood burning stove and got some good advice and picked up a nice 026.

Did a search on this site for "fuel" and didn't see much in terms of specific posts but have seen some member's signatures mention different products and mix ratios, etc.

The local Stihl dealer recommended "Aspen" a pre-mixed fuel ready to run right out of the bottle. Says it will last years on the shelf or in the saw. Say it doesn't contain the same crap that pump gas has in it and so will be way better on the carb. Also (obviously) contains some preservative. Expensive though! I think about $8 / litre (over $30/US Gal). I assume if you have a crew running multiple saws all day long, you are not going to pay $8/litre for fuel but maybe you would. When I was in there, the local fire department chief popped in to pick up a saw and Aspen fuel is all they ever use. Saw is always ready to go, never lets them down. They obviously have the budget for it too!

Also heard some people recommend getting marine or aviation fuel (if you can) then do your own mix because it also does not contain the same crap (ethanol?) as pump fuel. Some recommend always putting a few drops of fuel preservative in the mix.

Then of course, there is the big question of mix ratio. Stihl (my brand now) seems to recommend 50:1 although I have seen some member's signature indicating 40:1.

That brings me to oil. I was told to stick with Stihl's premium pre-mix. There must be other stuff out there that people are using.

So here is my situation...I don't cut often and want to keep my nice (new to me) saw in good shape and always ready to cut. Sometimes I cut all day long, but only a couple of times a year at most. I probably could drain it each time I am finished using it, or???

I would like to hear from anyone who has any thoughts/recommendations on the subject. Please indicate the environment you are cutting in so I can get some context your comments. Oh, and if there is already a thread on this that I missed, please just point the way!
 
There are a bunch of threads on mix, oil and fuel. Maybe you can expand your search criteria and find them.

I strongly recommend a PM to AS member Gasoline71 (Gary). He is always happy to discuss fuel mixes and oils.

Welcome to AS. I like my 026 too.

P.S. I run Stihl Ultra synthetic at 50:1 with 93 octane pump gas. Just gotta live with the 10% ethanol.
 
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I'm not a fuel mix expert by any means ,but I have in the tree bus over 28 years.

I use 87 octane gas and mix it 40:1 where as most stick with 50:1
I like the richer mix myself.

A little rich and the saw might smoke a bit.

A little lean,and you have a burned up saw.

I prefer the little rich side.
Dumped a gallon of it in a truck that didn't quite make to the filling station a few times .Never seemed tohurt anything.

As far as premixed fuel goes,WOW 30$ a gal would be a deal breaker .Heck 5$ a gallon would be a deal breaker. That's some mark up.
I suspect the FD buys it because 1 it;s not their $$ and 2 they don't want to fool with mixing it.

My saws are ready to go at any given time also.
That has more to do with keeping them in good condition than any ''MAGIC '' fuel.
Stihl mixes work well.Never done me wrong.
Hope this helps.:cheers:
 
Aspen. It's all I run, both at work and privately, and it's the only thing my saw has ever been fed.
 
Stihl Ultra synthetic 50:1 with 93 octane gas. Government subsidized 10% corn liquor added.
 
Worked for me so far (35+ yrs.):
"Major brand" regular gas 50:1 with "major brand" synthetic oil. (You never really know the source for sure.) Mix only 1 gal. at a time; shake before pouring.
As possible, only put a saw away after it's run dry.
Couple saws, thus fed, still have clean ports & mufflers after 30+ years. (Their mufflers are why they're still here.) :cheers:

OTOH, if I had a $1K Stihl or Solo, I'd scrupulously comply with mfgs recommendations, including using their stuff, until the warranty expired. And document it, with numbers like that.

Now, if we could just resolve this fuel line thing- which ones last with current fuels.
 
Any Premium unleaded in my town becaue it all comes from the same big tank and Royal Purple TCW 2 cycle @ 40:1...Bob
 
I use 87 octane non-alcohol fuel mixed at 32:1 with whatever 2 cycle oil I can find cheap. I have used a dozen different brands and they all work at that ratio. (Including the horribly maligned "outboard" oil) I run that ratio in all my 2 cycle equipment and have NEVER had an oil fouled plug. I have also never had an engine failure. My opinion (an opinion only) is that 50:1 ratios are more a result of EPA concerns than because it's the best thing for the saw.
 
After having to install new fuel lines in my Husky 371 3 times in 3 years because the tygon line shrinks and the mix leaks out of the tank I switched to 110 leaded because it is the only fuel around here that doesn't have governmenthanol. I have used it for 2 years now a haven't had an issue. I mix it a 40:1 with Klotz R50 and have been happy.
 
Be careful. If you read the manual that comes with new(er) 2-cycle engines, they usually have an octane minimum (89, 90, 91 --something like that); and the new Stihl 4-mix engines require full synthetic at 50:1 (Stihl Ultra). There have been problems encountered with the new Stihl trimmers when the operator doesn't use Ultra.
 
I use 87 octane gas and mix it 40:1 where as most stick with 50:1
I like the richer mix myself.

no disrespect intended and correct me if i'm wrong, but i recently did alot of reading that suggested 40:1 was a leaner mix than 50:1. reason being you have less parts of gas per 1 part of oil than you do at 50:1.
 

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