Echo Power Fuel - Premixed Fuel

[dsavage]

I was curious what the thoughts were on premixed fuel. Waste of time or a must have?

Here is Echo's new one:
Link

Thanks in advance!

 

[KenJax Tree]

If you don't use your OPE a lot its the way to go.

 

[zogger]

I would use it (canned pre mix in general) if I couldn't find non ethanol fuel around where I was.

Yes, expensive, but..good fuel, doesn't go bad for a long time.

some people use e10 all the time, no problems, other people have righteously toasted equipment with it. too many variables there, too many distributors/gas stations, etc out there.

Basically, I don't trust e10 to be just e10, it might well be e20 one day, plus the tank is leaky and rainwater got in there.

The small engine shops around here are heaped up with dead equipment, and most of it can be traced to bad fuel.

Really depends, how much you cut (string trim, hedge trim, leaf blow, whatever...) and how often. Going through gallons a week, and know you will be doing yearly maintenance on saws, new lines and filters and carb kits, meh, doesn't matter, but occassional use, not many gallons a year, I would use the canned fuel, peace of mind insurance.

 

[jus2fat]

I would use it (canned pre mix in general) if I couldn't find non ethanol fuel around where I was.

Yes, expensive, but..good fuel, doesn't go bad for a long time.

Basically, I don't trust e10 to be just e10, it might well be e20 one day, plus the tank is leaky and rainwater got in there.

The small engine shops around here are heaped up with dead equipment, and most of it can be traced to bad fuel.

Really depends, how much you cut (string trim, hedge trim, leaf blow, whatever...) and how often. Going through gallons a week, and know you will be doing yearly maintenance on saws, new lines and filters and carb kits, meh, doesn't matter, but occasional use, not many gallons a year, I would use the canned fuel, peace of mind insurance.

Yeppers..I was down at the local convenience store bottom of hill) last year and State van was there.

Dude inside said the were testing water content in the gas..came up positive..have to have 20-30 gallons pumped out.

I wouldn't buy gas from there anyway..just beer - - but that run-off from up the road leaked into the gas tanks.

Always buy gasoline from a station that is on level ground..!!!!

J2F

 

[KenJax Tree]

Always buy gasoline from a station that is on level ground..!!!!

J2F

Or on a hill

 

[Taxmantoo]

Lots of condensation in those big underground tanks. If the tank temperature is below the dew point of the air, any air that gets in the tank gives off water.

 

[jus2fat]

Or on a hill

Yep...this station is at the bottom of a like 200 yd. 'hill' and was at the bottom...

Then it went back up..so it got pooling from both ways..!! - No Way I'd buy gas from there..!!

J2F

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I bought the Husky pre-mix with both my 550XP and 562XP in order to get the 4-yr warranty extension. I don't use the saws often enough to feel confident that pump fuel won't go bad or do damage. I was replacing the fuel line and filter along with a full carb rebuild at least once a year on my old 162SE because the ethanol just eats the rubber. Well, actually, it melts it into a gunky glob.

In the past month I have since converted all my 2-stroke OPE over to pre-mix (the rest of the stuff gets TruFuel - $30.00/case at Lowe's) because it seems to run better. I've noticed the biggest improvement in my backpack blower which always ran rough and sputtered a lot; now it purrs like a kitten. The older saws seem to like it too. I'm running them much richer with more power than the pump junk.

I figure if it saves me a couple of fuel lines and carb rebuilds over the course of the year, it almost pays for itself (when you include downtime). Plus, I want to make sure the new saws last me a while.

 

[TK]

Echo fuel looks like TruFuel. 93 octane and the same style cap. Husky fuel has that same style cap also but is advertised as 95 octane (not that it makes a difference). I haven't seen any "OEM" canned fuels that appear to use the VPSEF fuel can. I like the VP cans better, they pour better, open easier, and are less expensive here

The only thing that sets the "OEM" offered canned fuels is you get their respective "OEM" oils in the premix - to my knowledge anyway. I haven't seen anything else that sets them apart.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

I haven't seen anything else that sets them apart.

You mean besides the price? :msp_scared:

 

[KenJax Tree]

I like that VP uses Motul oil

 

[TK]

You mean besides the price? :msp_scared:

Yes there is that as well. Not likely a huge difference per can but enough to sway one way or the other. The consumer that uses more fuel doesn't care of the cost of the cans because they aren't buying any of them. The consumer that uses hardly any doesn't care because its cheaper than a dealer replacing fuel system components. The cost of this fuel is irrelevant IMO.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Trufuel at Lowe's is $4.95 a can if you buy a case or $5.95 of you buy single cans and the Husqvarna is $7.88 a can. You can save about $18 on a case of Trufuel.

 

[LarryRFL]

According to a very knowledgeable sales rep I know, Stihl, Echo, Husky and RedMax are all Trufuel based. The oil additive differs as Stihl brand has Stihl oil mix. I'm betting Husky and RedMax use Husky oil mix. Don't know about Echo. They probably spec out their oil mix also. The base however is still Trufuel.

 

[Treespotter]

I have been using Stihl Motomix for about 20 years now. The saws and blowers stay clean and run tops on it.
The advantage is not only the better running of the equipment. It's also better for the user.
Using petrol for cars to mix your own chainsaw fuel is filling yourself up with all sorts of very hazardous chemicals like benzene.
Stihl Motomix, Aspen 2, Cleanlife 2 stroke and Echo power fuel are players on the same level. Do yourself a favour and use it.
For what it's worth, check out the internet on the health issues caused by benzene.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

I buy one can of Motomix in the fall for equipment that's not going to be run for awhile. The rest of the time, E10 91-93 octane gas + Stihl Ultra. Have a Stihl 4-Mix trimmer, so synthetic mix oil is a must.

 

[AuerX]

I like the VP cans better, they pour better, open easier, and are less expensive here

Whats the price on VP?

Thanks

Eric

 

[KenJax Tree]

Whats the price on VP?

Thanks

Eric

I can get VP 40:1,50:1,and 4 cycle for $6.95 a can here

 

[Nitroman]

Local snowmachine shop has a few 16-gallon drums of 112 octane rated gas, and one 117 octane rated drum. For the special price of $250.00 each.

I think I'll stick with AVgas. Gonna need it once Mastermind gets done with one of my toys.

 

[SawTroll]

I would never buy anything that says Echo on it, just out of principle!