Is my gas/oil mix is still usable?

[Dmitry]

I was preparing my gas/oil mix today in 1 gal container with premeasured 2,6 oz oil for my two stroke Husqvarna tools. Put more than 1 gal of gas in there,then added more oil...... Long story short, I got more oil in the mix than I should have .I think now this is 1 1/4 + gal. of gas and about 3,6 oz of oil. Put it in a trimmer, runs OK.
But I'm just wondering if I need to dispose it and make new mix since this has more oil than recommended.
I just assumed that more oil is not gonna hurt , now having second thought.

 

[BrotherBart]

Run it.

 

[Dmitry]

Just for the future references : Am I doing a favor for my tools adding a little more oil. I bought oil in a bigger container, so it's cheaper, but hard to get exact measurements. I just guessed it's safer to put a bit more than less oil. Is it?

 

[dougand3]

A little more is better than a little less. With 2.6 oz, you're shooting for 50:1. A little more would yield 45:1. I run everything at 40:1.

 

[Dmitry]

Can you tell if you overdoing it ? Is there a smoke in exhausts or else?

 

[drz1050]

You can pull the plug and have a look. Ideally you want a tan, brownish color. Too light is not enough oil, too dark is too much oil.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/reading_spark_plugs.jpg

 

[claydogg84]

Can you tell if you overdoing it ? Is there a smoke in exhausts or else?

Too much oil and it will smoke.

 

[Corey]

1.25 gallons of gas is 160 ounces. With 3.6 ounces of oil, you're at 160/3.6 or ~44.4:1 on the ratio, so kind of 'middle of the road' between 40 and 50:1. Should be fine to run. Might put just a bit more carbon on the plug and you're running a bit leaner because the extra oil is displacing gasoline, but again, not like you're down at 20 or 30:1.

If you were looking for 50:1, you could add 20 ounces of gas back to the original mix, though you say you've already burned some, so you'd have to know how much is gone to add the proper amount of gas back in to what is remaining.

 

[Jon1270]

You can pull the plug and have a look. Ideally you want a tan, brownish color. Too light is not enough oil, too dark is too much oil.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/reading_spark_plugs.jpg

On cars and other 4-stroke engines, this is useful. For small 2-cycle engines it is bad advice. Relying on the electrode color to tell you when you're running too lean or with not enough oil is a good way to ruin motors.

 

[firefighterjake]

I suspect you'll be OK . . . you may find less mosquitoes in the area as you smoke things up a little bit more.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Keep in mind that "more" isn't always better. The carb on your engine delivers a set amount of fuel/oil mix to the incoming air. The more oil that is in that mix the less fuel there is. Taking the "more is better" approach to the extreme would actually be running your engine lean (read as "hot") unless you adjust the carb to account for it.

That is the only downside I can see to running more oil. What you said shouldn't be a problem. I once put in twice as much oil as I was supposed to and ran a good amount of that mix through my engines before I realized what I had done (due to the smoke).

 

[Jags]

Neither you nor the machine is gonna recognize the difference between 45:1 vs 50:1.
Run what ya brung.

 

[Montanalocal]

Just a note on how to "dispose" of old oil/ gas mixtures. I just dump it into my standard car or pickup tank. The small amount of oil is undetectable. I routinely do this to dispose of end of season amounts in my small engines when winterizing.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Just a note on how to "dispose" of old oil/ gas mixtures. I just dump it into my standard car or pickup tank. The small amount of oil is undetectable. I routinely do this to dispose of end of season amounts in my small engines when winterizing.

I do the same., my GM silverado doesnt know the difference.

 

[iamlucky13]

Just a note on how to "dispose" of old oil/ gas mixtures. I just dump it into my standard car or pickup tank. The small amount of oil is undetectable. I routinely do this to dispose of end of season amounts in my small engines when winterizing.

I've always chosen to burn it in the inexpensive, carbureted mower rather than the more expensive, fuel-injected car, which has more potentially gummable parts to expose to the oil. I'm sure the detergents in the fuel clean any potential oil deposits out very quickly, but I figure this is the lowest risk disposal route.

I also dilute it further, just because I can, filling the tank with maybe 1/4 premix, and the rest unmixed.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I run 40 to 1 in everything. It easier not having to measure or have different mixes.

 

[jharkin]

Heck I run 32:1 in everything.... Wont hurt a thing and probably make the tools last a bit longer even.

Maybe once a decade you'll have to pull the jug and scrub some carbon.

 

[xman23]

My dad had a 2 cycle saab. He had a case of straight 30 weight oil in the trunk. He wasn't going to buy any fancy 2 cycle oil. One quart with every fill up. I remember figuring out that he was maybe four times the mixture. He said a little extra was good. The car had a smoke trail a mile long.

 

[jaoneill]

If I get behind, and end up in the woods this time of year, I always add a bit of extra oil to keep the bugs at bay

 

[johneh]

If I get behind, and end up in the woods this time of year, I always add a bit of extra oil to keep the bugs at bay

X2

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Run it.

this

 

[Giles]

On cars and other 4-stroke engines, this is useful. For small 2-cycle engines it is bad advice. Relying on the electrode color to tell you when you're running too lean or with not enough oil is a good way to ruin motors.

I have worked on and raced two stroke engines for about fifty years. I ALWAYS do a spark plug color check after "super tuning" any engine.
As far as determining amount of oil in gas--NO--lean or rich running condition --YES.
To check, I run the chainsaw in a long cut after installing a new sparkplug in a warmed up engine. I cut the ignition immediately and check plug color.

 

[Jon1270]

View attachment 158580 View attachment 158581

I have worked on and raced two stroke engines for about fifty years. I ALWAYS do a spark plug color check after "super tuning" any engine.
As far as determining amount of oil in gas--NO--lean or rich running condition --YES.
To check, I run the chainsaw in a long cut after installing a new sparkplug in a warmed up engine. I cut the ignition immediately and check plug color.

Fascinating. I take it that if the electrode is white then you replace the plug, "super tune" the carb again, take another long cut and pull the plug to check the color a second time. How many times do you typically "super tune" a saw before you're happy with the color?

 

[Giles]

Fascinating. I take it that if the electrode is white then you replace the plug, "super tune" the carb again, take another long cut and pull the plug to check the color a second time. How many times do you typically "super tune" a saw before you're happy with the color?

By "super tuning" I am referring to muffler mod and carb limiter removal and adjusting to four stroke in the cut. When I am satisfied it is right, I then do a plug check, just for verification. Not that I am that good--but usually it is light tan or a light shade of grey. In most cases I always use the manufacturer recommended spark plug and it will be the right heat range.
You can have a light tan color to the plug and install a hotter heat range plug and then get a near white color.