Chainsaw vs Outboard 2 Cycle Oil

[Workstead]

I have a few gallons of Outboard Motor 2 cycle oil. It's bee a while since I read the label but is does specifically say "Outboard Motor" oil.

Can this be used in my chainsaw? We had a pretty bad ice storm earlier this year and I'm using my chainsaw quite a bit. I no longer have an outboard motor and I thought I would just use it to mix with gas for my saw.

My chainsaw is air cooled and the outboard was water cooled. Would that make any difference? Is 2 cycle oil 2 cycle oil or are there significant differences?

Thanks for any help.

Clem

 

[MikeD74T]

I use Castrol 2 cycle oil in my outboard, chainsaws & snowmobiles. Can't bring myself to buy that $18 per gallon stuff. MikeD74T

 

[JoelD]

I've always considered two stroke oil to be two stroke oil. Never personally had a problem regardless of what machine I've run it in.

Joel

 

[zzvyb6]

If you know that the outboard oil is the same mix ratio (say 50:1) you are off to the races. However, a gallon of outboard oil goes into 50 gal of mixed fuel. That's a lot of fuel to keep around for a chain saw. And, mixing the proportionaly right amount of oil for 1 single gal can be tricky. What I do is save the teeny little oil bottles from a chain saw or leaf blower kit and fill them from the gallon jug as needed. That way I keep the 2 cycle motors from smokin' or getting smoked.

BTW: I have a lot of unused snowmobile oil for the same jobs, too, although I actually got it out on the trails this year for the first time in 6 years (Global Warming, don't ya know).

 

[LBrown59]

I read some where perhaps in my chain saw and string trimmer manuals not to use out board oil .

 

[TBDonnelly]

I have a few gallons of Outboard Motor 2 cycle oil. It's bee a while since I read the label but is does specifically say "Outboard Motor" oil.

My chainsaw is air cooled and the outboard was water cooled. Would that make any difference? Is 2 cycle oil 2 cycle oil or are there significant differences?

I used some marine 2 cycle oil in my chainsaw one time.......and only one time. The chainsaw over rev'd for a few moments and quit. I ended up having to rebuild the engine.

Don

 

[DieselPower]

Most TCW3 oils are not intended for air cooled engines. There is a difference in most air cooled 2 cycle oils and outboard engine oils. The difference is that the majority of TCW3 outboard engine oils are formulated to be used in water cooled engines. If the bottle does not say it is suitable for use in air cooled engines I would not use it, if it does then you should be fine.

 

[JoelD]

One thing I've not done is used "outboard Motor" labeled oil.

I obvisously need to revisit my practice, because I've used standard two stroke in my outboard, which may have been a mistake?

Thanks for the follow-up posts.

Joel

 

[LBrown59]

One thing I've not done is used "outboard Motor" labeled oil.

I obvisously need to revisit my practice, because I've used standard two stroke in my outboard, which may have been a mistake?

Thanks for the follow-up posts.

Joel

It could well have been a mistake.

 

[PILOON]

Back when I always used straight non detergent SAE 30 in my old Johnson 25.
We'd burn as much as 25-40 gals every W/E. and 10-15 rest of the week.
Ran that motor 10 years and also sunk it maybe 10-15 times.

When I sold it (10 yrs) the compression was as good as when new!

What has changed? or is it just marketing.