TruFuel 50-1or Stihl 50-1 or Red Armor 50-1??

[mrmikey]

I may have posted this before but in that case, here I go again LOL:

 

[shooterdon]

The pre-mix would have to be awesome before I spent that kind of money. But if a person only uses 2-3 quarts a year, it may be worth it...if it works well.

 

[newbury]

I like the Tru-Fuel cans and try to keep a couple of them around for when I have to lend a saw to my sons. eliminates the worry of them "straight gassing" the saw. They are also handy when I anticipate the job may require more than a saw tank of fuel but less than a gallon. And they are easy to refill with my own mix. But to my dismay they start rusting on top after about 6 years.

 

[kenmbz]

I use the pre-mix for the big saws and use E10 as nothing else is available outside airports for the rest. Usually mixed with red armor and Sta-Bil.
So far no problems. Some of the engines are over 15 years in use.

 

[xyz123]

One thing that video dont show.
Always tune your OPE to your mix and ratio run period. Oils are different and gas is different. Tune to what you run.
Heck tune can change in same day for those that pay attention to such stuff because of weather from morning to evening.
But I am guessing most folks have no clue how to tune and why they run as is. Also why they come out with AT MT and Injection IMHO.



Learn your OPE and the H L I and how to tune.

 

[Alan46]

One thing that video dont show.
Always tune your OPE to your mix and ratio run period. Oils are different and gas is different. Tune to what you run.
Heck tune can change in same day for those that pay attention to such stuff because of weather from morning to evening.
But I am guessing most folks have no clue how to tune and why they run as is. Also why they come out with AT MT and Injection IMHO.



Learn your OPE and the H L I and how to tune.

View attachment 781980

Great reply! Is there a video you can recommend for that subject?

 

[5030]

One thing that video dont show.
Always tune your OPE to your mix and ratio run period. Oils are different and gas is different. Tune to what you run.
Heck tune can change in same day for those that pay attention to such stuff because of weather from morning to evening.
But I am guessing most folks have no clue how to tune and why they run as is. Also why they come out with AT MT and Injection IMHO.



Learn your OPE and the H L I and how to tune.

View attachment 781980

EXACTLY.

 

[shooterdon]

After reading this thread, I decided to order a 6 pack ($40) of the quart TruFuel mix. I use my backpack blower to move light snow and the blower has not been running well in the cold. It is -6 degrees this morning.

The fuel I have been using was mixed 6 months ago and has Stabil in it so I assumed it would be OK. Will see if it makes a difference.

 

[lman]

One thing that video dont show.
Always tune your OPE to your mix and ratio run period. Oils are different and gas is different. Tune to what you run.
Heck tune can change in same day for those that pay attention to such stuff because of weather from morning to evening.
But I am guessing most folks have no clue how to tune and why they run as is. Also why they come out with AT MT and Injection IMHO.



Learn your OPE and the H L I and how to tune.

View attachment 781980

A lot of the new saws use special screws for the High and low speed mixtures. EPA requires it. I had to buy a special splined screwdriver just to tune my newest chainsaw. I'm sure a lot of people having problems with their saws just need to adjust the carb but don't have the screwdriver required.
Easy money for a service shop.

 

[5030]

After reading this thread, I decided to order a 6 pack ($40) of the quart TruFuel mix. I use my backpack blower to move light snow and the blower has not been running well in the cold. It is -6 degrees this morning.

The fuel I have been using was mixed 6 months ago and has Stabil in it so I assumed it would be OK. Will see if it makes a difference.

Only the BLUE marine stabil works. Having really good results with the 50-1 Trufuel in my saws btw. Home Depot sells it in gallons and 2.5 gallon cans. Lowes has it in gallons too. Farm and Fleet has the Red Armor and the Trufuel bit only in quarts. Less in gallons price wise.

-4 here this am...lol.

 

[5030]

A lot of the new saws use special screws for the High and low speed mixtures. EPA requires it. I had to buy a special splined screwdriver just to tune my newest chainsaw. I'm sure a lot of people having problems with their saws just need to adjust the carb but don't have the screwdriver required.
Easy money for a service shop.

I just remove the limiter plastic caps from the mixture screws. Takes all of 30 seconds and needle nose pliers.

 

[xyz123]

A lot of the new saws use special screws for the High and low speed mixtures. EPA requires it. I had to buy a special splined screwdriver just to tune my newest chainsaw. I'm sure a lot of people having problems with their saws just need to adjust the carb but don't have the screwdriver required.
Easy money for a service shop.

I have 3 sets. Still can adjust them.

You also just learn to defeat their BS and adjust them. These are beyond the plastic cap pulling or plastic tab trimming.

 

[shooterdon]

Dropped to -10 around 7:00. Just nuts.

Will take care of the snow tomorrow. Nice being retired and not having any critters to take care of when it gets this cold.

About two cords of wood in the garage so all set for now.

 

[lman]

I just remove the limiter plastic caps from the mixture screws. Takes all of 30 seconds and needle nose pliers.

There are no plastic caps. Can't get to them with needle nose. Requires a splined screwdriver. Not hard to buy one for $5.

 

[ZTMAN]

Lot of options for spline tools on Amazon. Below is one that a youtuber uses:

https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Seven-Carburetor-Adjustment-Carburator/dp/B07XG2L2NT/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=carb+adjustment+tools+for+small+engines&qid=1675448551&sr=8-4

My Stihl MS260 is old enough to have flat head adjustments. Had to get a spline tool to adjust my Husqvarna

 

[EddinKY]

I have multiple stihl saws and weed eaters. I don't run them myself, my employees do the trimming. I always worry about them mixing the gas properly, or using old gas that is gummy. After spending lots of money having carburetors cleaned I decided to start using premix fuel. My stihl dealer told me that pre-mix was the simplest way to avoid constant operation problems. He was right. I keep a few gallons of this premix available. When I send somebody out to weed eat a fence row I give him a full can. The difference in price, in a year, it's probably less than $20 bucks, premix versus home mix. I'd spend that much in truck gasoline and time to take a saw in for repair. Pennywise dollar foolish. By the way I have a lot more important things to do with my time than overhaul weedeater carburetors.

 

[sdef]

What is the best and experience? I got a gallon of Red Armor. We have e-gas here and it's terrible. Not cheap but is it worth it???

I quit mixing my own non-ethanol 2 stroke fuel ~8 years ago for my Husqvarna equipment and switched to TruFuel 50:1 for the convenience and ease of transportation, if required. In my experience, TruFuel surpasses its rated "Lasts 2 years opened and 5 years unopened" web site comment. Since I am a home user and not a pro who would use a lot more fuel, I purchase in a six pack of 32 ounce cans for a lower price/ounce (on my 2nd purchase) vs. single can or gallon can purchase. Long-term storage has been great. I have never had a fuel problem and my machines always run at their top potential with reliable starting- even the XPs. TruFuel is now my standard 2-cycle fuel.

Also, which I think is important- whenever I am done using a 2-stroke machine for an extended period of time, I drain the remaining fuel out of the tank and back into the can, and then run the engine until it dies to ensure all fuel is out of the system before storage.

For all of my non road worthy equipment fuel storage in 5-gallon cans, I use Pri-D for diesel and Pri-G for gasoline. More good products tested past their advertised values.

Plus, all of my stored fuel pass through Mr. Funnel filters before going into any machine's fuel tank.

 

[Soloz2]

I started using Stihl Motomix about 5 years ago and haven't gone back to mixing my own fuel. I have a leaf blower, 3 chainsaws, and a pole saw. My SO has the Srihl mini tiller that takes accessories. Everything is Stihl except my blower I got used and it's an echo. My chainsaws have never had anyy but canned fuel and always start up for me even when they sit for months between use.
During COVID, I struggled to get Stihl and bought a case of VP. I like the VP, my saws seem to like it, but it doesn't store as well. Last summer I grabbed a gallon of red armor after a storm when I was picking up a generator from HD. It seems to be alright so far as well, but I'll know how it works in my saws when I next start them. It worked great for my blower.

 

[tjandrews]

Fascinating. We bought our Stihl MS 290 10-12 years ago, use it mostly just to cut our own firewood. The manual states specifically that it is OK with E10 gas at 50:1, so I don't worry about it that much. Mostly, when we cut firewood in the fall we use gas leftover from our annual fishing trip in August. That would be E10 gas from a station mixed with Walmart 2-cycle oil at 24:1, mixed so heavy because that's what our 1950's Johnson outboards use. (I have rebuilt the fuel systems in the outboards so that they can use the E10 gas with no problems) When we run out of the leftovers we mix E10 from our farm tank with leftover Walmart 2-cycle oil at 50:1.
So far no problems, except I've replaced the fuel line twice. They tend to get a hole right where it emerges from the tank, probably from vibration.

 

[RJohnsonEOD]

What is the best and experience? I got a gallon of Red Armor. We have e-gas here and it's terrible. Not cheap but is it worth it???

Bought a new commercial grade Echo trimmer for out 6 acres and bought the Echo Red Armor. Finding non-ethynol gas is not an issue here but I went with the premix this time. Not many places carry the Red Armor so after a couple years I tried TruFuel which is carried everywhere. The TF fuel was different in look, smell, and the trimer had made a high pitch almost clatter noise. It also seemed to struggle in the thick weeds/brush. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and ran it for a few hours. After a few tank fulls, I drained the fuel and replaced it with RA and it quieted down. Accoding to my non-scientific research (read the labels) the RA seems to have some type additives to lub and clean the engine as you go and the TF seems to be just a simple premix. I use the TF in my 30+yr old chainsaw but it is older. The RA costs more then TF and only couple places carry it but I prefer it for the newer cheaply made equipment. The old generators and chainsaws seem to run on anything I put in them, so they will get the TF or I mix my own.