50 to 1 gas in 40 to 1 engines?

[bendjoseph]

I bought a Stihl chainsaw.  It is 50 to 1.  My Echo backpack blower and weedwacker are 40 to 1.  Is it ok to run the 50 to 1 in them?

[clww]

What model Stihl is it? I run 40:1 in all of my saws.

[bendjoseph]

MS 391

[Ianab]

Personally I would run them all at 40:1.

A little more oil than spec never seems to do any harm.

The mix needed seems to depend mostly on the quality of the oil. Modern oils simply lubricate better, so allow a lighter oil mix.

Ian

[Yoopersaw]

No, just run the 40:1 in the saw.

[Al_Smith]

Ha ha ha ,I'd run it on 32 to 1 so who's right ?

[sawguy21]

Al, you are a stubborn ol' cuss. Technology has come a long way since your 'new' 3-25.   Most engines will work best on 50:1 using modern oils.  Running more oil will mean less fuel resulting in a lean burn.

[John Mc]

Most engines will work best on 50:1 using modern oils.  Running more oil will mean less fuel resulting in a lean burn.

Which brings us to another point: Whatever your mix ratio, adjust your carb for that mix.

My chainsaws all run on 50:1, using a high quality mix oil. A weedwhacker labeled for 32:1 also runs on the same 50:1 mix, and has for several years with no problems (once I readjusted the carb for the new mix). Same thing for an old leafblower labeled for 40:1.

[Cut4fun]

If I wasnt running 32:1 I would run 40:1.     Just to easy to pour 4 ounces out of the bulk bottles to mix 4 8 12 16 get the idea. Plus I feel cheap insurance.
50:1 to me was a epa thing to pass emissions and a way to sale you less for more $$$.  JMO

[Al_Smith]

  I'm not going to start the oil wars again nor debate how running a heavier mix decreases the amount of oil or gas causing a lean burn .I'll only say that a majority of the race saws I've ever seen run at 32 to 1 mixture .I figured if these guys trust that mixture in a 5000 dollar hot saw I certainly can in my 200 dollar specials .Besides that fact I am an old fuddy duddy 

[Cut4fun]

I'll only say that a majority of the race saws I've ever seen run at 32 to 1 mixture .I figured if these guys trust that mixture in a 5000 dollar hot saw I certainly can in my 200 dollar specials .

I even seen ratios of 16:1 - 24:1 in these saws.  

[Paul_H]

Al,
the only time I watched hotsaws working was back in the 70's at a logger sports and those they ran for a few cuts and then they shut down and that part of the show was over and the saws were wrapped up and tucked away.
For day in day out use 8-10 hours a day hard usage we used 40-1 several years back but more commonly now it's 50-1 and the saws have held up just fine.

16 -1 is probably great for cookie cutters but it's hardly real world workaday reality.

[Al_Smith]

 I can't argue on that because it's a preference .Yes the oil is better but I still use good oil but just at 32 to 1 because I'm stuborn .They don't smoke like they are burning soft coal or any thing .The screens don't plug up because there aren't any .

Most of the hotsaw crowd run 32 to 1 in their work saws and several are pro loggers  if that means anything .

[tyb525]

You can argue about more oil leaning out the saw all you want, only real world results can prove anything

[Al_Smith]

  Oh here we go again .As point to ponder subscribing to the theory that using more oil increases the liklihood of causing the engine run lean would then have to assume it would be better to straight gas them . Next !

[Paul_H]

Yes the oil is better but I still use good oil but just at 32 to 1 because I'm stuborn .Most of the hotsaw crowd run 32 to 1 in their work saws and several are pro loggers  if that means anything .

That's what I'm worried about.People not familiar with saws might think that they need to run higher ratios of oil because they read here that it is a better way to go even when manufactures recommend the 50-1.
In our area on the coast,all the falling is/was done with saws burning minimum 2 Imp gallons per day per faller 11 months a year.That's around 10 litres per day gasoline mixed with 200 ml oil for 50-1.Needlessly adding a couple hundred extra mls per day for 200-300 days per year, adds up to a lot of extra coin especially when a company is running 20+ saws.
I was a full time logger for the first 30 years of my working life and that's what I observed,if that means anything

[Al_Smith]

Well yeah it depends on the circumstances for sure .I too can easily burn two gallons a day.More if I run the 100 plus  cc saws .I don't do it everyday though ,obviously .

On the subject though just within the last hour or so I researched this subject with extensive tests regarding several types of oils from several manufactures and the tests were very interesting .The ratios were from 20 to 1 to 100 to 1 and it was surprising with consideration of the operating temperatures ,wear on the engines and other considerations during the full loaded 6 hour tests .

However you'll never run a saw fully loaded for 6 hours straight non stop unless you had a 2 gallon fuel tank so therein lies a fallacy as far as comparrison .

Now as far as ratios or type of oil I really could care less what people run in their own saws .If a person is comfortable with 50 to one or heaven forbid 100 to 1 that's okey dokey with me .

Up until about two-three  weeks ago I could have made a broad statement I never cooked one until a little faux pas occured where I straight gassed a prime by accident and smoked a top end on a classic Mac which annoyed me immensely . As they say and putting it politely "things " happen for want to use much stronger words .

[Al_Smith]

Now just to even things out and to show I'm not one sided a little blurb about oil in general  .

I'm a child of the 60's .The Beatles,Elvis ,leather jackets ,the whole nine yards .

In those days the later 50's cars we drove as teenagers would go like 50,000 miles before they just about needed a major overhaul of the engines or at least a valve job .Fords ,Chevys ,didn't make a difference .

Now by the 80's those same small block Chevys could go 150,000 miles before they needed attention .GM certainly didn't make them any better ,the oil got better and thus it did with mix oil for 2 cycles .

[tyb525]

Al, I'm on your side, not against you

And a side note about auto history, Automakers have indeed improved their engines, and the oil quality has also improved, both going together to produce longer lasting engines.

Maybe I can run 100:1 mix in my truck's crankcase, cause straight oil might cause it to run lean and seize up

[Paul_H]

tyb525,

It seems to me that running two to three times the amount crankcase oil in your truck would be more to your way of thinking.If the dipstick shows full,double or triple her and she'll run forever