2 Stroke Oil Mix - Did I or Didn't I Mix

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KenLockett

Minister of Fire
Dec 27, 2011
580
Eastern Upstate NY
Hey guys, went to use my chainsaw yesterday and before filling it occurred to me that the gallon can was full and I wasn't sure if I mixed 2 stroke oil. Poured some in cup to tell if I could tell difference and still wasn't sure. Well my question is this. I know for certain that it is bad to put fuel without oil into the saw but If had already mixed oil 50:1 previously then now put more in effectively making mixture 100:1 then use the saw will this damage the saw. Any other suggestions? Thanks.
 
If in doubt throw it out. The price of a gallon of gas simply isn't worth it.
 
Hey guys, went to use my chainsaw yesterday and before filling it occurred to me that the gallon can was full and I wasn't sure if I mixed 2 stroke oil. Poured some in cup to tell if I could tell difference and still wasn't sure. Well my question is this. I know for certain that it is bad to put fuel without oil into the saw but If had already mixed oil 50:1 previously then now put more in effectively making mixture 100:1 then use the saw will this damage the saw. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

If you double up, it would be 25:1. No, it won't hurt the saw, 32:1 was the recommended mix with older oils and engines and some people still use it or 40:1 as insurance against a lean condition (intake leak). What color is your oil? Many oils are colored (Stens is blue) so it's easy to tell.
 
I use Royal Purple that is darker. Unfortunately at the moment I don't have any raw fuel that I can compare color to. Seemed to be a little dark in the cup but could not tell if this is typical gas color unmixed.
 
No harm to the fuel injection? I guess I wouldn't think so, but what do I know?
Not at that dilution rate. 1 gallon into 10-20 = very low concentration of oil. I routinely dump old saw fuel into my vehicles.
 
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Won't hurt a thing unless you run a diesel. I've mixed several hundred gallons of old gas as well as 2S mix in late model gas motors and they never even hiccuped
 
Yeah just put more in. The above reply about some people still using 32:1 in everything is true. One of them is me.
 
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$700 chainsaw, $3 worth of questionable gas.

Put it in something else. (car, lawnmower) Mix fresh, mark your can. One thing I have done for years is to tie my jug of bar and chain oil to the gas can with a 2-3 foot piece of rope. If you need one or the other, it is always together, no confusion.
 
2-stroke oil ALWAYS goes in the can before the gas.

This. I never go to the gas station to fill my 2-stroke cans unless I have the 2-stroke oil with me, and add it at time of filling. It's just too easy to forget, otherwise... as you have just found out!

I dump questionable gas into my mower, not my car. I love my car too much.

Running 25:1 will increase plug fouling and carbon build-up. It won't kill your saw, but why not just burn it in the mower or tractor, instead? It is mowing season, now.
 
I put in the oil (and stabilizer) in can first then fill at gas station so I can use the pump to measure the right amount of gas, Easier than eyeballing a vague line on the container.
 
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I do the same. I also always make sure to run a few gallons into my pickup truck from any single-nozzle multi-grade pump, to flush out the gallon+ of 87-octane that's likely to be in the hose, before putting any in my little 1-gallon 2-stroke gas cans.
 
I do the same. I also always make sure to run a few gallons into my pickup truck from any single-nozzle multi-grade pump, to flush out the gallon+ of 87-octane that's likely to be in the hose, before putting any in my little 1-gallon 2-stroke gas cans.

I do the exact same thing. Or If I have the mower gas can with, that gets filled first.
 
I mix 2 stroke in 1 gallon quantities....with 1 gallon gas cans. Which I fill from my 5 gallon gas cans.

Oil mixes very quickly and well with gas. Doesn't matter what you dump in first as long as you give it some agitation.
 
I do the same. I also always make sure to run a few gallons into my pickup truck from any single-nozzle multi-grade pump, to flush out the gallon+ of 87-octane that's likely to be in the hose, before putting any in my little 1-gallon 2-stroke gas cans.
I'm glad you mentioned this. I have been filling my 5 gallon yard gas can with 91 or 93. But since I haven't been filling the car first, half of it is probably 87. Doh! Why didn't I think of that.

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I do the same. I also always make sure to run a few gallons into my pickup truck from any single-nozzle multi-grade pump, to flush out the gallon+ of 87-octane that's likely to be in the hose, before putting any in my little 1-gallon 2-stroke gas cans.
That had never occurred to me. One more thing to be compulsive about.
 
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That had never occurred to me. One more thing to be compulsive about.
Another thing I'll mention to my dad. And he will look at me like, I'm silly and say "what ever happened to wood burning being simple? You cut it, you split it, you stack it, you burn it."

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I do the same. I also always make sure to run a few gallons into my pickup truck from any single-nozzle multi-grade pump, to flush out the gallon+ of 87-octane that's likely to be in the hose, before putting any in my little 1-gallon 2-stroke gas cans.

Do I understand that you're all using higher octane in your saws?
 
Do I understand that you're all using higher octane in your saws?
Yes. Most use 93 in their saws. Most manuals (eg. Stihl) call out 91 minimum, and they burn so little, why not follow it?
 
Yes. Most use 93 in their saws. Most manuals (eg. Stihl) call out 91 minimum, and they burn so little, why not follow it?

Good info. I bought my Husqvarna 359 second hand so I never read a manual. I will start running the higher octane. I would assume it will give the saw a little extra grunt.


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