50 to 1 mix for ALL small engines... 2-stroke and 4-stroke?

[ultrarunner]

Just not supposed to get close to high voltage ignition. Not supposed to lean over a gas engine when it's running. It's not 2 stroke issue. I'd be leary of outboards if sitting very close to the engine. Be okay if you sat away from it and used a steering wheel.

When I only used regular fuel, I fixed many carb issues with Sea Foam. Haven't had to tear down a carb in eons.

Ralph

Makes sense... there have been times out weed whacking on a hillside and get too close and get shocked...

 

[ultrarunner]

Heck, I'm still working on stash from the 70s. I use a little in everything. I figure if I'm not fouling spark plugs or smoking like a fiend, it's all good!View attachment 549385

When my uncle bought his 1957 Evinrude 35 hp Lark outboard new... he bought cause of "Standard" two cycle oil.

We used that into the 90's at the Lake... 1957 outboard with 1957 two stroke oil... one quart to a 6 gallon tank.

Boat was last out on the very last day two strokes were allowed on Lake Tahoe... even made it into a boating magazine on the last circumnavigation...

 

[ultrarunner]

4-cycle Trufuel runs around $19.20+tax per gallon from Lowe's.

Wish we I was seeing these kind of prices here the SF Bay Area... two years ago I really researched it and the best I could do was $28 a gallon... more at the mower shops.

Don't get to Lowes much but thanks for the tip...

**** Just checked... Lowes here is limited to quarts at $5.96 + tax so about $26.25 per gallon.

 

[goeduck]

I just filled up with 91 ethanol blend and paid $3.69 a gallon..

California recently boosted gas and diesel fuel taxes.

Ethanol FREE 87 octane here is $3.41 a gallon. Ethanol 87 octane is $3.19. So just 22 cents. We have expensive Alaskan oil but corn alcohol has to be trucked in.

 

[Snobdds]

Growing up, our ranch mechanic wanted everything small engine running mixed gas. He worked up in prudhoe bay in the 60s and brought that thinking with him. I have always done it since.

I have a John Deere walk behind mower with a Kawasaki engine that has had nothing but mixed gas. It's 20 years old now and never a carb problem, and i use just regular gas with ethonal. Still starts first pull. Now may just be luck, but doubt it.

It can and is done, mix away if you want.

 

[4570Man]

Ethanol FREE 87 octane here is $3.41 a gallon. Ethanol 87 octane is $3.19. So just 22 cents. We have expensive Alaskan oil but corn alcohol has to be trucked in.

I’ve been paying about $2.60 for ethanol free gas. It recently jumped to about $2.90, but ethanol gas also went up a good bit.

 

[Ortimber]

I've run plenty of mixed gas in 4 strokes over the years. Zero issues so far. My new Stihl weed whacker is a 4 stroke, but takes mixed gas.

 

[goeduck]

I've run plenty of mixed gas in 4 strokes over the years. Zero issues so far. My new Stihl weed whacker is a 4 stroke, but takes mixed gas.

The 4mix engines were designed to burn mixed fuel.

 

[Ortimber]

The 4mix engines were designed to burn mixed fuel.

Yes, this is true.

 

[4570Man]

Why would you want a 4 stroke that burns mixed gas. You still get the hassle of mixing fuel, the added hassle of changing oil and more weight. What could be better?

 

[goeduck]

4mix engines do not have traditional oil lubrication. They lube only via the oil in the fuel. Some don’t like them but I do.

 

[grm61]

Why would you want a 4 stroke that burns mixed gas. You still get the hassle of mixing fuel, the added hassle of changing oil and more weight. What could be better?

The 4 mix motors do not have a sump that holds engine oil, all lubrication is from the fuel mix.
No changing oil, they are torquey, and sound like a four stroke dirt bike:thumbsup:

 

[tillers]

Several threads on the benefits of Seafoam and Stabil for minimizing fuel issues... both of which are added to fuel.

I probably go through no more than 20 gallons of two-stroke excluding the outboard which has not been in the water since the two stroke ban... but this is a topic for another discussion.

I also keep fuel in the Service Truck... so it is more exposed to temp swings and I have had issues of it going bad...

Honest... never had any carb problems for decades but do now... both 2 and 4 stroke engines... so far zero fuel injection issues.

Never realized there is a connection with pacemakers tied to two stroke equipment... is it only for hand held or does it apply to things like outboards?

>>>>outboard which has not been in the water since the two stroke ban...

2 stroke outboards are banned? where are they banned?

 

[ultrarunner]

They have been effectively banned from from California fresh water going back to the early 2000s

The requirements are pretty strict... in Lake Tahoe you can't use carburetor 2 stroke in the lake nor can you have one docked, beached or on a platform...

Some fisherman got into trouble for a having a 25 hp outboard they never used as they only used their electric trolling motor...

I would say it is a California thing but I know it applies in Nevada too.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I used nothing but ethanol free for a few years but found that if I added Stabil to the ethanol blend 87 octane, I had no problems with carb gum up. I have bought nothing but 87 octane with ethanol for the last 3 years and at fall set up, I double dose the tanks with Stabil and come spring time, everything starts and runs great. My pressure washer has always been stored with a dry tank since it is so easy to run the tank dry and it has never had a carb problem as long as I store it dry. It is now 18 years old and still cranks on the first or second pull.

 

[Tomtint]

We needed another back pack blower and went to get one last week. Most all my equipment is Echo and I have a Husky chainsaw.. figured I would try a Sthil blower with the 4" output hose.. it's about 600.00 +\- out the door....went to pay and the guy says I need to run the Sthill oil only..no TruFuel ..no Echo pre mix.. nothing but Sthil..or warranty is void... it is not worth it to me to have a special gas can just for a blower and more work than its worth. Ended up with another Echo instead. ..For the past few years at the end of the season, I have run all my 2Stroke motors dry of fuel, then filled them up with TruFuel and run it into the motors before putting them away for the winter.. past 3 years ...no spring time problems. My 4cycle motors I turn the fuel off and run them dry, then drain the bowl for any excess, then blast the intake and carb with WD40 or PB blaster or Zep.. which ever I have on hand. ..so far so good.

 

[aczlan]

We needed another back pack blower and went to get one last week. Most all my equipment is Echo and I have a Husky chainsaw.. figured I would try a Sthil blower with the 4" output hose.. it's about 600.00 +\- out the door....went to pay and the guy says I need to run the Sthill oil only..no TruFuel ..no Echo pre mix.. nothing but Sthil..or warranty is void... it is not worth it to me to have a special gas can just for a blower and more work than its worth. Ended up with another Echo instead. ..

Not only does that make no sense, but it is illegal. As I recall, Stihl will (or used to) double your warranty if you bought a six-pack of their synthetic 2-cycle oil when you bought a new Stihl. But it is against the law for them to make their warranty dependent on you buying there fuel or parts. They can deny your warranty if they can pin the failure on the aftermarket parts or bad fuel, but they can't just deny warranty coverage because you didn't buy their brand of fuel.

Aaron Z

 

[tillers]

Not only does that make no sense, but it is illegal. As I recall, Stihl will (or used to) double your warranty if you bought a six-pack of their synthetic 2-cycle oil when you bought a new Stihl. But it is against the law for them to make their warranty dependent on you buying there fuel or parts. They can deny your warranty if they can pin the failure on the aftermarket parts or bad fuel, but they can't just deny warranty coverage because you didn't buy their brand of fuel.

Aaron Z

where i live, stihl doubles the warrentee with a six pack of fuel. i don't bother with different kinds of 2 stroke fuel, just use a gallon of premium gas, stable and some decent oil and done for a while. repeat and carry on, seems to run all my 2 strokes for years.

nothing wrong with bunches of different fuels i suppose, but not for me. tooo busy.

 

[Tomtint]

Not only does that make no sense, but it is illegal. As I recall, Stihl will (or used to) double your warranty if you bought a six-pack of their synthetic 2-cycle oil when you bought a new Stihl. But it is against the law for them to make their warranty dependent on you buying there fuel or parts. They can deny your warranty if they can pin the failure on the aftermarket parts or bad fuel, but they can't just deny warranty coverage because you didn't buy their brand of fuel.

Aaron Z

Well.. that’s what their salesman is telling people.. it lost them my sale

 

[ultrarunner]

For a few years now I have been running the 16 to 1 and the 20 to 1 Brush Cutter on Stihl Ultra mixed 25 to 1

One bottle is a 50 to 1 mix in a 2 gallon jug so I use one bottle in a 1 gallon jug.

The Echo Brush Cutter is circa 1980 and the engine has never been touched... just clean the filter and spark arrestor. A few years back the tank was damaged, Echo and the Mom and Pop shops said nothing can be done... I saw a Tanaka tank at my local small engine shop and bought it... I had to say it was for my Tanaka as they wouldn't sell it to me for my Echo???

Bought the SRM 300 Brush Cutter for my Dad on Father's Day almost 40 years ago and Dad's been gone for 18 now... it came dear at over $300 on my teenage earnings... my plan is to keep it running as long as possible... it clears 5 acres of waster high weeds/grass each season that is to steep to mow...