DavidsonProprty
ArboristSite Lurker
Hey fellas,
What brand of 2 cycle oil does everyone buy?
I've always had fourth-hand/almost dead tools, and used standard motor oil or automatic transmission fluid in my mix fuel containers. But after purchasing brand new chainsaws this past year, I've been buying Husqvarna brand 2-cycle oil. I should also mention, I never lost a single weed-whacker, leaf blower, or chain saw running those mixes. I mean geez, I even ran some waste motor oil thru coffee filters and mixed with that. Aside from some mixes that were a bit too rich in oil and very smoky...no issues.
Is there really a difference in oil quality between brands? I can tell ya this Husky brand oil is much more expensive than standard universal 2-cycle oil!
I'm going to start purchasing 2-cycle oil in bulk. My local NAPA can get me 1-gallon jugs of Valvoline brand 2-cycle mix for a very reasonable rate. I trust Valvoline, it's what I grew up with!
Aside from that, I can purchase Stihl brand 2-cycle oil from my local saw shop in gallon jugs, 5 gallon pails, or 55 gallon drums. 55 gallon drum would be way too tough to store here, so that's out of the question. I got so frusturated the other day when I was running numbers on 2012 expenses....so I did up a graph of the savings of buying 2-cycle oil in bulk. I'm better with numbers than a computer, so I'll just type out my findings in a way to understand!
The numbers below are coming right off the Stihl website.
One 2.6 oz container of oil will mix 1 gallon of fuel. This 2.6 oz container costs $2.17. It costs you $2.17 to create 1 gallon of mix fuel.
One 12.8 oz container of oil will mix 5 gallons of fuel. This 12.8 oz container costs $7.89. Using this size oil container, 1 gallon of fuel costs $1.58. This is a $0.59 savings PER GALLON. This is a $2.96 savings over 5 GALLONS. For those who only mix up a 1 gallon container for easy-handling daily, you would be able to fill up a 2.6 oz single-gallon measuring container from this larger 12.8 oz container.
A 1-gallon jug of oil will contain 128 ounces of oil. 128 divided by 2.6 (single-gallon amount of mix) is 49.23. Let's call this 49. This 1-gallon jug will mix 49 gallons of fuel, and it costs $74.25. For easy math, let's call it $75. It costs $1.53 per gallon of mix fuel. This is only a $0.05 savings from the 12.8 oz container, but it's a $0.64 savings from the 2.6 oz container.
A 5-gallon pail of oil will mix 245 gallons of fuel. This container costs $366.12. Let's call it $367. It will cost $1.50 to mix 1 gallon of fuel. A $0.03 savings from the gallon jug, an $0.08 savings from the 12.8 oz container, and a $0.67 savings from the 2.6 oz container. Keep in mind, these savings figured are based on a single gallon.
For easy math, let's say you use 5 gallons of mix fuel every week. Let's say you work 50 weeks of the year. That's 250 gallons of mix fuel you use in the year.
2.6 oz container costs $2.17 per gallon.....that's $542.50 in 2-CYCLE OIL for the year.
12.8 oz container costs $1.58 per gallon....that's $395...a $147.50 savings over the single-gallon container.
1-gallon jug costs $1.53 per gallon...that's $382.50...a $12.50 savings from the 12.8 oz container, and a $160 savings from the 2.6 oz container.
5-gallon pail costs $1.50/gallon...that's $375.. .$7.50 savings from the 1-gallon jug, $20 savings from 12.8 oz container, and $167.50 from the 2.6 ouncers.
That's based on 250 gallons being mixed...and those are Stihl prices.
I have come up with a source to buy 1-gallon jugs of 2-cycle oil for $21. So it will cost me $0.43 to mix a gallon of fuel. $0.43 x 250 gallons = $107.50.
So....this math has brought out my question of opinions on using "non-name brand" 2-cycle oil.
Has anyone blown up an engine using universal 2-Cycle Oil? I always ALWAYS use 93 octane fuel in my mixes. According to local gossip, the high test fuel in my area does not contain the dreaded ethanol.
What brand of 2 cycle oil does everyone buy?
I've always had fourth-hand/almost dead tools, and used standard motor oil or automatic transmission fluid in my mix fuel containers. But after purchasing brand new chainsaws this past year, I've been buying Husqvarna brand 2-cycle oil. I should also mention, I never lost a single weed-whacker, leaf blower, or chain saw running those mixes. I mean geez, I even ran some waste motor oil thru coffee filters and mixed with that. Aside from some mixes that were a bit too rich in oil and very smoky...no issues.
Is there really a difference in oil quality between brands? I can tell ya this Husky brand oil is much more expensive than standard universal 2-cycle oil!
I'm going to start purchasing 2-cycle oil in bulk. My local NAPA can get me 1-gallon jugs of Valvoline brand 2-cycle mix for a very reasonable rate. I trust Valvoline, it's what I grew up with!
Aside from that, I can purchase Stihl brand 2-cycle oil from my local saw shop in gallon jugs, 5 gallon pails, or 55 gallon drums. 55 gallon drum would be way too tough to store here, so that's out of the question. I got so frusturated the other day when I was running numbers on 2012 expenses....so I did up a graph of the savings of buying 2-cycle oil in bulk. I'm better with numbers than a computer, so I'll just type out my findings in a way to understand!
The numbers below are coming right off the Stihl website.
One 2.6 oz container of oil will mix 1 gallon of fuel. This 2.6 oz container costs $2.17. It costs you $2.17 to create 1 gallon of mix fuel.
One 12.8 oz container of oil will mix 5 gallons of fuel. This 12.8 oz container costs $7.89. Using this size oil container, 1 gallon of fuel costs $1.58. This is a $0.59 savings PER GALLON. This is a $2.96 savings over 5 GALLONS. For those who only mix up a 1 gallon container for easy-handling daily, you would be able to fill up a 2.6 oz single-gallon measuring container from this larger 12.8 oz container.
A 1-gallon jug of oil will contain 128 ounces of oil. 128 divided by 2.6 (single-gallon amount of mix) is 49.23. Let's call this 49. This 1-gallon jug will mix 49 gallons of fuel, and it costs $74.25. For easy math, let's call it $75. It costs $1.53 per gallon of mix fuel. This is only a $0.05 savings from the 12.8 oz container, but it's a $0.64 savings from the 2.6 oz container.
A 5-gallon pail of oil will mix 245 gallons of fuel. This container costs $366.12. Let's call it $367. It will cost $1.50 to mix 1 gallon of fuel. A $0.03 savings from the gallon jug, an $0.08 savings from the 12.8 oz container, and a $0.67 savings from the 2.6 oz container. Keep in mind, these savings figured are based on a single gallon.
For easy math, let's say you use 5 gallons of mix fuel every week. Let's say you work 50 weeks of the year. That's 250 gallons of mix fuel you use in the year.
2.6 oz container costs $2.17 per gallon.....that's $542.50 in 2-CYCLE OIL for the year.
12.8 oz container costs $1.58 per gallon....that's $395...a $147.50 savings over the single-gallon container.
1-gallon jug costs $1.53 per gallon...that's $382.50...a $12.50 savings from the 12.8 oz container, and a $160 savings from the 2.6 oz container.
5-gallon pail costs $1.50/gallon...that's $375.. .$7.50 savings from the 1-gallon jug, $20 savings from 12.8 oz container, and $167.50 from the 2.6 ouncers.
That's based on 250 gallons being mixed...and those are Stihl prices.
I have come up with a source to buy 1-gallon jugs of 2-cycle oil for $21. So it will cost me $0.43 to mix a gallon of fuel. $0.43 x 250 gallons = $107.50.
So....this math has brought out my question of opinions on using "non-name brand" 2-cycle oil.
Has anyone blown up an engine using universal 2-Cycle Oil? I always ALWAYS use 93 octane fuel in my mixes. According to local gossip, the high test fuel in my area does not contain the dreaded ethanol.
Last edited:
Have some REP
