Mixing oil and headaches

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Huntaholic

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After 72 replies in the other thread about the oil debate, I figured I would start a new thread about this since I feel like it may be able to help some of you avid saw users here, sort of a public service announcement:
Not really a debate on which is best but I figured I would throw this info in anyway. I saw a post some time back with the poster asking if the Husqvarna synthetic mixing oil gave anybody else a headache besides him. That set me to thinking, for the last several years now Ive lived with an almost constant headache. Since I use my saws to make a living, theres hardly a 3 day span that passes that I don't use a chainsaw. These headaches were so bad that I was basically living on otc pain meds. In those spans that I might go several days without using a saw, the headaches eased up. So I figured I would switch mixing oils just to see. I couldn't find any husky oil that wasn't full synthetic so I tried stihl full synthetic. No change in the headaches. Out of desperation I picked up a 6 pk of the plain old orange bottle stihl oil, enough to mix 15 gal of fuel. Im on my last bottle now and I haven't had one of those headaches since I switched!! Maybe its all in my head but after 15 gallons of gas burned without a headache, Im sticking with plain old stihl oil from now on. If it burns my saws up by not using synthetic then so be it! I can rebuild my saws a lot better than I can deal with the headaches.
 
This is exactly why quite a few current and ex-fallers recommended to use Amsoil Saber in all my 2-strokes.

So far I've only come across 2 motocross guys who were using the Saber oil. (Possibly due to the number of 4 stroke bikes now, there is only one 2-stroke track near me).

Suppose milage may vary, but it makes your fuel look pretty.
 
Your probably running them at 40:1??? Swap over to 50:1 Lol I run xp oil like you, not a day goes by that I don’t touch a saw, run them 5 days a week, work on them on rain days, look at them on Saturday and Sunday lol. No headaches here...
 
Nope, I was running 50 to 1. Im NOT saying it will cause everybody headaches, Im not even saying it will cause a notable percentage of people headaches. What I AM SAYING is that it did cause mine and I suspect a few other people have the same problem. My post was intended to maybe help those people.
As far as blaming me or my equipment or lack of maintenance, that dog wont hunt. Id be willing to bet that I own more saws right now than the majority of people do in a lifetime unless they use them for a living. I know just a little about saws. LOL. Whoever said their didn't have any exhaust is blowing smoke, pun intended. A 2 stroke engine IS going to have exhaust! BTW pioneer guy, youre running stihl dino oil, that wasn't the oil that caused me headaches, its the oil I switched to that DOESNT cause them.
 
This place is overrun with people who have CAD-- Saws--I would not bet to much If I were You--I have a few says the heavy equipment mechanic that does not use them for a living... Any others out there Speak up now!!!:drinkingcoffee:
 
This is exactly why quite a few current and ex-fallers recommended to use Amsoil Saber in all my 2-strokes.

So far I've only come across 2 motocross guys who were using the Saber oil. (Possibly due to the number of 4 stroke bikes now, there is only one 2-stroke track near me).

Suppose milage may vary, but it makes your fuel look pretty.
the vast majority of my time comes with a backpack blower strapped to me. takes about 90 minutes to run a tank out, and its really unpleasant with some other oils, for me at least. sabre seems to bother me the least. mobil2t was excellent too, but cant get it anymore.
 
I like the smell of TruFuel, but don't like paying for it.
I'll spend $13 for a squeeze bottle of semi-syn Red Armor when I'm feeling rich. Or $7 for a squeeze bottle of full synthetic VP when on a budget.

Heard motomix gives headaches. And I could win the lotto and still never blow thirty-five bucks a gallon on that stuff.
 
I saw a post some time back with the poster asking if the Husqvarna synthetic mixing oil gave anybody else a headache besides him.

First I am hearing of this, but interested. It sounds like you are saying the headaches are related to breathing some synthetic mixes in the engine exhaust, not from contact with the skin when mixing, correct?

Philbert
 
Everyone has a different chemistry to deal with... I do not smoke, very few smells overwhelm me I do not have a sensitive system (Cast Iron Belly) only allergy used to be penicillin Then Horse Radish affected me so I just mind my manners and I am OK .. 10 years ago my wife and BIL and 2 of my friends were Smoking those cheap reservation cigarettes and I caught a 3 day Headache... and after that I noticed unexplained headaches.
I got her on the roll your own and it helps but I still get a clobbering headache with just a whiff of cigarette smoke Cigars don't bother me (and no there isn't any weed in my house) The wood furnace smoke never affects me. Being aware of what your allergies are and how your system is affecting you is the best defense. You will never know how many people your post might influence but some can identify with you.
 
First I am hearing of this, but interested. It sounds like you are saying the headaches are related to breathing some synthetic mixes in the engine exhaust, not from contact with the skin when mixing, correct?

Philbert
That's exactly what Im saying! The actual smell of any 2 stroke mix doesn't bother me, I think its got more to do with the chemicals in the synthetic blends that cause the headaches.
 
I've used several oils, Stihl Ultra among them. Never noticed a noxious smell from any; never had a headache. I really think this is a matter of the individual's physical and neurological makeup, rather than the specific oil. If you get headaches or hate the smell, you've just got to shop around and find one that's right for your body. But pay attention to what others are saying, because there do seem to be some oils that affect more people than others, one of which seems to be Stihl Ultra. I stopped using it, not because of smell or headaches, but because it is specifically formulated for 50:1 and I use 36 to 40:1.
 
Same oils smell different in different saws, I have narrowed it down to the number of transfer ports... call me crazy but go run a quad port saw, they all smell very similar. Dual port saws seem to smell harsher, strato saws seem to be the best. And echo top handles all smell very similar...
 

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