I run a stihl farm boss and have a 1/2 gallon of 6 month-old 93 octane mixed with the additive that stihl makes. Anyone see a problem with mixing it with a fresh 1/2 gallon + additive and running it in the saw?
6 month old gas
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Don't see why it would be a problem. I keep gas in all my stuff, sometimes goes a year or two before something is used. Only had problems once on a log splitter, 5-6 years without use. Had to clean the carb out.
Give it a whiff. If it smells watery or like old paint, toss it. If it smells close to the fresher mix then you should be good. Stihl's oil mix does a great job of stabilizing the fuel.
mayhem
Minister of Fire
I have only ever had one experience with questionable gas in any vehicle of piece of OPE, on a recent trip to PA I refilled my wife's Audi down there with 92 pump gas. Car ran noticably badly...rough idle, loss of power, stuff like that. Refilled it when we got home with my regular unbranded gas stations's 93 and it went back to normal.
I use 6 month old gas in my OPE all the time, never had an issue wtih it. I usually put a bit of Seafoam in the jug when I fill it, which may account for at least part of that good fortune.
I use 6 month old gas in my OPE all the time, never had an issue wtih it. I usually put a bit of Seafoam in the jug when I fill it, which may account for at least part of that good fortune.
smokinj
Minister of Fire
mayhem said:
It all depends on how/where you store the cans too. Mine stay in my nice cool dry garage. If you keep them in a shed that reaches 100+ in the summertime then nothing is going to keep. Seafoam, stabilizer, pixie dust, nothing is going to help that fuel. I rarely have a 5 gal can go more than 30 days and never over 60. That includes my 2-stroke elixir too.
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
This has an additive . . . use it whatever way you see fit. Without the additive . . . I would be a little more hesitant to just dump it into a two stroke engine.
mecreature
Minister of Fire
Adios Pantalones
Minister of Fire
MasterMech said:
I am a FRIM believer in sea foam additive. My neighbor turned me on to it several years ago. He wanted to get his run about boat started one spring after sitting for THREE years. So I got some ether, miscellaneous wrenches, screwdrives, ect ect figuring on having to basically disassemble the Carb to get the gum out. He said " I sea foamed the gas when I winterized it last". I thought yeah right
Snake oil I said But ill be darned if that 305 didn't start right up with a good battery charge SOLD! I started using immediately. I put sea foam in all my gas cans toward the end of the year and have never had a problem in the spring. I personally believe in it.shmodaddy said:MasterMech said:
I am a FRIM believer in sea foam additive. My neighbor turned me on to it several years ago. He wanted to get his run about boat started one spring after sitting for THREE years. So I got some ether, miscellaneous wrenches, screwdrives, ect ect figuring on having to basically disassemble the Carb to get the gum out. He said " I sea foamed the gas when I winterized it last". I thought yeah right
I too use and believe in the seafoam. Over time it really is quite good at dissolving gunk in the fuel system as well.
shmodaddy - sounds like your fuel was in -cold- storage. ;-)
I use seafoam at the end of the season before putting stuff away. Old saw fuel will get mixed with straight gas and go into the lawn tractor, push mower or snowblower. Any low compression 4 stroke engine will burn old gas no problem but I don't like to take a chance with it on a 2 stroke since it also lubricates at the same time. That said, I've run 2-3 YEAR old mix through my old weedwacker because it was what I had on hand and it's a free weedwacker that is 15 years old now...never had a problem with it. But, if my weedwacker dies, no big deal. I'd be pretty upset if I cooked either of my saws doing something dumb like that.
madrone
Minister of Fire
Personally, I've never had a problem with 6 mo. gas. I add stabilizer, even though Stihl's 2-cycle already contains it. The mower, however, won't run on old gas no matter the octane or stabilizer.
shmodaddy said:
Saws get 91 octane, everything else gets either leftovers or 87 octane.
**edit**
All gas around here has 10% ethanol for the last 2 years, hasn't been an issue with any of my saws. Some plastic Poulans the gas caps expand from it though, makes it fun getting the cap on and off.
madrone
Minister of Fire
Station not too far away sells 91 without ethanol. Spendy, but I'm only buying a gallon at a time.
shmodaddy said:madrone said:
Roger that
Something like 11-12:1 if I recall correctly. That said, the smaller the piston surface area, the lower the octane required for proper combustion without detonation. IE - run a 350 chevy at 12:1 and try to run 87 octane...it won't be happy, but run a chainsaw at 12:1 and run 87 and it'll be just fine. I've run 87 and 91 in all my saws, the only reason I stick to 91 most of the time is due to the manual recommending it. I think it's probably only a concern for predetonation if it's crazy hot (100+ F) outside and running 87 or lower octane, so to cover their butts they recommend 91+.
shmodaddy said:
I think it would actually be easier to hear spark knock. That said, it's not much of an issue. If you are running it in a warm environment, run 91+ octane, if not, run whatever. Or, to be safe just run 91 all the time - it's not like I burn that much in my saw anyway so it's cheap insurance.
smokinj
Minister of Fire
shmodaddy said:madrone said:
Roger that
165psi and up. Is idea. I am sure there is guys over 195psi. :cheese:
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