If you are in a rural area you are not likely to be any where near a Husky or Stihl dealer. Your little cross road town will have 2 cycle oil,it ain`t likely to be what is considered top of the line stuff. What you will find is oil from various gas or oil companies or private brands. They run the spectrum,but are all labeled 2 stroke air cooled stuff. What are some brands you would use and not worry about it?
What 2 cycle oil would you use in a pinch?
- Thread starter 4pwr
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skwerl
Will Climb for food
Echo oil is some of the best oil out there, and Echo dealers are everywhere. I run Echo about half the time, Stihl black bottle (semi-synthetic) the other half. Can't tell the difference and I've never lost a 2 cycle motor due to lack of lubrication, maybe I'll quit forking out the extra money and just use Echo all the time.
Freakingstang
Doctor Freakinstein
I don't run out, I have loads of good oil from the quads and bikes I used to run. If I am in a pinch, I run to AZ and buy the mobil one XR stuff. I have about two case of my two brands that I keep up on. I take more than enough mix, bar oil and gas when i go out.
Citgo aircooled is Echo oil minus the fuel stabiliser.
In a pinch I would run any two cycle oil for a short time.
In a pinch I would run any two cycle oil for a short time.
sedanman
Just cut the piano!!
I rarely see eye-to-eye with Ben but I have to agree with him here, just about anything is acceptable in a pinch. But then again I am usually better prepared than to run out of oil.
Bob Wright
Addicted to ArboristSite
Echo oil here also, i even supply the neighborhood in the summertime...Bob
buck futter
ArboristSite Guru
I bought a bottle of craftsman synthetic, but haven't tried it yet. The bottle say mix with a gallon for 40:1. Has anyone tried it and who really makes it? Synthetic is hard to find aroun here.
Lucky
Lucky
JohnL
Addicted to ArboristSite
Running for a short period of time. I can't see any name brand oil causing a problem.
I wonder how many factories make oil and change bottles and labels. Like going to a butcher and buying his barbecue sauce with his name on it and go down the road and the butcher has his name on the sauce too. Same factory furnishes ever butcher shop in the state and then some with their own name on it.
sedanman
Just cut the piano!!
If anyone thinks that Stihl or Husky or Dolmar brand oil is a truly unique product made by the factory or to their own "secret recipe" is flat out WRONG. For all we know, Bailey's oil might come off the same exact production line as Husky oil!
asb151
ArboristSite Guru
JohnL said:
Agreed!
luckycutter
Addicted to ArboristSite
2cycle oil does not take up much space so there is no reason to not bring way more than enough. Otherwise you also run the temptation of, "I can run a tank or two without oil to finish the day", in addition to using a different oil than you usually use. Another question is, "what ratio do you mix the "new" oil?" You also run the risk of starting a new post that begins with..." Burned up my saw....." which can be an expensive sob story.
2Coilinveins
Former Member
Some people mix Biodiesel 10:1 instead of 2 stroke oil and don't seem to have any problems........I don't think using an off-brand 2 stroke oil for a couple tanks will hurt anything. I don't see much excuse for NOT having extra 2 stroke oil around, though.
Exactly!
Do a little digging and you will find who makes the OEM stuff. For example Citgo makes Lawnboy oil which is identical to Citgo TCW3 marine oil. They also make Redmax and Echo powerblend which are nearly identical to Citgo air cooled.
In most cases OEM oils are fair quality oils sold for top dollar.
Real bad idea...
West Texas
ArboristSite Guru
My rule of thumb is use any 2 cycle in a pinch; but, mix it richer than 50:1. I would play it safe and put it 32:1 or 40:1 as a minimum.
eyolf
Addicted to ArboristSite
I wonder how many folks out there are still looking for some magic formula that will get them by almost anytime, with almost no fuss. Occasionally it can be a pain to find the "good stuff".
We've talked about this a bunch of times, but look on the label; if you see somethink like TC-W (not TC-WIII), ISO-L EGD, or Jaso FC you're probably OK. "air-cooled" without any of these labels probably means it is good enough for 1972 standards, but is probably suspect for many modern higher rpm, higher output engines. Or it might mean that the oil just hasn't been tested and certified.
I admit to being somewhat of an oil junkie recently; I've started to look around at every place that might carry 2-stroke oil to read labels. A few of the big names catalog a product that is a good choice for tools like modern saws and trimmers, but often local retailers carry the lowest-price option, the lowest spec option. Example, the little Citgo gas station in my little podunk town no longer carries the air-cooled citgo, in favor of some oddball brand stuff. An auto-parts outlet in a neighboring town stocks <a href="http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/products/smallengine.asp">Quaker State</a> products, among others; last year they had all 3 formulations in the two-stroke line, now just the low grade is in stock.
some of us that actually use enough 2-stroke oil to really worry about this get a case at a time from the bulk oil company anyway. the bulk oil company has little interest in providing you a substandard product that burns up your saw or trimmer; whay cause a problem that costs them sales and revenue? I get Citgo oil from the same company that runs the little station in my hamlet; a carton of 12 quarts cost only about $28 last fall, and I still have a couple of bottles left...the stuff has a loooooong shelf life! For that price its cheap insurance!
We've talked about this a bunch of times, but look on the label; if you see somethink like TC-W (not TC-WIII), ISO-L EGD, or Jaso FC you're probably OK. "air-cooled" without any of these labels probably means it is good enough for 1972 standards, but is probably suspect for many modern higher rpm, higher output engines. Or it might mean that the oil just hasn't been tested and certified.
I admit to being somewhat of an oil junkie recently; I've started to look around at every place that might carry 2-stroke oil to read labels. A few of the big names catalog a product that is a good choice for tools like modern saws and trimmers, but often local retailers carry the lowest-price option, the lowest spec option. Example, the little Citgo gas station in my little podunk town no longer carries the air-cooled citgo, in favor of some oddball brand stuff. An auto-parts outlet in a neighboring town stocks <a href="http://www.quakerstate.com/pages/products/smallengine.asp">Quaker State</a> products, among others; last year they had all 3 formulations in the two-stroke line, now just the low grade is in stock.
some of us that actually use enough 2-stroke oil to really worry about this get a case at a time from the bulk oil company anyway. the bulk oil company has little interest in providing you a substandard product that burns up your saw or trimmer; whay cause a problem that costs them sales and revenue? I get Citgo oil from the same company that runs the little station in my hamlet; a carton of 12 quarts cost only about $28 last fall, and I still have a couple of bottles left...the stuff has a loooooong shelf life! For that price its cheap insurance!
Oil threads are always sticky, regardless if you talk about 4 or 2 stroke.
On 2 strokes the oil for the engine is constantly "refueled". There is no "old" oil and therefore long term stability in regards of a running engine is not a factor. For this a good base oil will do it and fancy additives to keep the oil parameters up for a long time in the crankcase are not needed. What is needed are agents, which keep the oil dispersed in the gas. Separation of the oil in the gas is probably the one most common reason, for lubrication induced 2 stroke failures besides running straight gas. Here a good additive will make much difference, but only long term in days, weeks or month. If you mix fresh gas and use it right away, then the chance of separating the oil from the gas is minimal.
If I am forced to use cheap or unknown 2 stroke oil, I would mix it in the morning on the rich end of the spectrum (26:1 or whatever), shake the can several times during the day and spent no more brain on it.
my 2 cents.
Best regards
Christian
On 2 strokes the oil for the engine is constantly "refueled". There is no "old" oil and therefore long term stability in regards of a running engine is not a factor. For this a good base oil will do it and fancy additives to keep the oil parameters up for a long time in the crankcase are not needed. What is needed are agents, which keep the oil dispersed in the gas. Separation of the oil in the gas is probably the one most common reason, for lubrication induced 2 stroke failures besides running straight gas. Here a good additive will make much difference, but only long term in days, weeks or month. If you mix fresh gas and use it right away, then the chance of separating the oil from the gas is minimal.
If I am forced to use cheap or unknown 2 stroke oil, I would mix it in the morning on the rich end of the spectrum (26:1 or whatever), shake the can several times during the day and spent no more brain on it.
my 2 cents.
Best regards
Christian
TC-W = Two Cycle-Watercooled. I think you ment TC, Eyeolf.
