Premix gas or not.

[Hannibal]

I own a $750 chain saw. I DO NOT put outboard 2-cycle oil in it.

Some things ain't worth the risk.

[Bullwolf]

I'm a big fan of Red Line 2 stroke oil from my motorcycle days, so my pre-mixed gasoline tends to have a red color to it.

I also use a sharpie and write on the can "2-cycle Pre-Mix" mix ratio and date.

It keeps me from mixing up different fuels, and helps me know which to use first.

May seem like a lot of extra work or even make me seem somewhat OCD, but I use MANY different fuel and fluid containers around the farm like diesel, pre-mix, kerosine, hydraulic fluid, oil, water, and gasoline.

As I grow older I've found my memory and guesswork not to be as reliable as visibly marking things with a black Sharpie.


- Bullwolf

[Plate plinker]

mix little richer better than thinner.

[Alstep]

I have 2 dedicated and marked cans, one 20/1 for the old Homelite saw, the other 50/1 for the newer 2 stroke. Don't use outboard oil in air cooled engines. Outboard oil isn't formulated for the high heat generated in chain saws and weed wackers. Use the mix recommended by the manufacturer, they run extensive tests and know what's best for their products. These are expensive precision made engines, and as said above, ain't worth the risk.
Use non ethanol gas if you can find it. Ethanol is a solvent, and dissolves the lucubrating properties of the oil.

[Greg S]

The past few years I've been using less and less pre-mix. Now I mix as needed. I picked up a 2 quart stainless steel ounce graduated mixing beaker and a SS TBS and just mix a tank, 2 ect I believe I'm going to need and use premium alcohol free gasoline. The remainder I pour into a glass mason jar and store for awhile.

[Hannibal]

It does make a difference so far as starting goes. Start yankin' on a 6.5 HP saw and you'll appreciate the difference in a BIG hurry.

[bear67]

I don't use as much 2 cycle equipment since I retired, but when I did I used a steel can painted orange to tell the hands it was 50/1 mix. Now I just buy the pre mixed alcohol free stuff made for 2 cycle engines. It costs more, but I don't have to talk in tongues while working on fuel lines and carbs because all the unleaded fuel we can buy locally now has alcohol.

A neighbor wanted to borrow my 2 cycle gas drill to drill some posts for through bolt hinges. I got it out of the barn, filled it with mix from the can of premix and it cranked right up. Sent the can with neighbor and told him to throw it away if he emptied it.

BTW I have a two man Pioneer saw in the barn--42" bar that uses 20/1--I hope I never have to use it as it is a man killer--especially for the guy on the outside end of the bar with the two handgrips.

[Down South]

I don't have any water cooled 2-cycle engines anymore. Both of my outboards are 4-stroke. So that problem went away. All of my 2-strokes are air cooled and use close to the same ratio mixture so I mix to the max ratio of oil recommended for the one that takes the most oil per ratio of gas and am able to keep it in one designated can.
Problem Solved.

[Duckiller]

When Iwas running my 115 HP outboard there was 16:1, 50:1 and 100:1 oil. all worked in any outboard. Just mix like it said on the can not the engine manufacture. People who made the oil knew what and how it was mad. 100:1 mix never fouled plugs when trolling. If you used 16;1 you had better run wide open or more than 3000rpms if you didn't want fouled plugs. Not sure I believe everything posted about water and air cooled engines here. I do agree that 2 cycle gas should be in well marked containers.

[leadman]

I started using Amsoil synthetic 2 cycle oil just after it came out around the late 1970s. Everything gets 100 to 1, even the olddddd Homelite chain saw I had that was 16 to 1. Never had an issue with an engine except for one Eska 15 horse twin that the water pump quit in the middle of the lake after midnight. Engine shut off but restarted after it cooled. At that time there was only one Amsoil 2 cycle oil, now there are a few different kinds.
Bought a 4 stroke outboard last spring and will never go back to 2 stroke if I can help it. No foul smell and uses about 1/3 of the gas as the 2 stroke did.
I hang a heavy paper tag with thin wire on the handle of the premix gas for the chain saw.

[Moonie]

I ended up getting a 4 stroke string trimmer, problem solved, no need for mix any longer.

[MtGun44]

I have been told that if you put a drop on a piece of notebook paper
and let it dry, straight gas will leave no oily residue and premix will
leave a definite oily residue. Try and see, I have never actually
tested this myself, but it makes sense.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use to be very particular about all my 2 cycle equipment. I had a push mower that took one mix, and leaf blowers and weed trimmers that took another mix, and small outboard on a small fishing boat that took another mix...and my Stihl chainsaws, using only Stihl brand oil.

Then about 2008 when crude went way way up, 2 cycle oil got pricey and I stumbled onto a 5 gallon bucket of "out-of-date"??? john deere 2 cycle mix oil, in 2.6oz bottles to mix with one gallon(50:1), the small print said it was synth. Anyway I've been using that 50:1 in everything ever since...but to be honest, most of my equipment has either been sold or doesn't get used anymore, except the Stihl chain saws...I also quit using the expensive Stihl bar oil, and use the cheapest stuff I find on sale at the Box stores. That's been about 8 years and still run fine. I still have a bunch of those bottles of John Deere oil.

mix little richer better than thinner.

this is kind of an inside joke with my close friend, who believes that line and has frequent trouble with carboned up mufflers...I tend to mix right too 50:1, but when I'm with him, I always mix lean (thinner), to prove a point, and those times, I seem to get more RPMs out of the saw...I haven't burnt up a piston yet...and I've never had a carboned up muffler.

[Cadillo]

NO. Do not use outboard oil for a water cooled engine in an air cooled engine. Unless you don't care about longevity. Granted, outboard oil is better than nothing in an EMERGENCY.

Boy! I must be in real trouble. My Stihl Chainsaw will be going belly up any day now. Since July of 1999, it's been on a steady diet of 93 Octane fuel laced with Mercury Quicksilver outboard oil at 50/1. I can tell it's going south already because, it now takes three pulls to fire it up on a cold start, and a little short half pull after warm up.

Same power now as in 1999.

[labradigger1]

I will recommend a mixing cup called "ratio rite", use whatever flavor of 2 cycle oil you like and the ratio to gallons is on the side of the cup. Makes mixing very easy.
As for labeling cans, I use a large artist paint brush and paint 50:1, 30:1 etc on the container with old acrylic enamel automotive paint.