What's with mix oil these days?

[Bret4207]

So I just went to town and checked 2 auto parts stores, Wally World, Lowes, TSC and the local big time operator chainsaw dealer that carries both Husky and Stihl. No one carries any 2 stroke oil in anything larger than a quart and that was at NAPA for Valvolines "do all" oil that I didn't see was marked TWC3 till I got home. I used to be able to buy gallon jugs of non-TWC3 (outboard) oil at Wally World at least, to say nothing of the big auto/farm stores. Now it's all dinky little 2.5 oz. bottles for $3.00 or more. I can get gallons of a variety of TWC3 types, but folks in the know here and elsewhere tell me it's not good stuff for saws at all. Now I've run it in the past, Wally Worlds in fact, before I knew that with no issue, but I kind of want to use decent oil. I guess my question is if there is a national chain carrying decent 2 stroke oil in gallons or am I going to have to mail order it? Am I worrying over nothing and is TWC3 really okay after all? I really can't swing $2.99 for a 2.5 oz bottle of mix oil, that's nuts for the amount I go through.

 

[Slamm]

So I just went to town and checked 2 auto parts stores, Wally World, Lowes, TSC and the local big time operator chainsaw dealer that carries both Husky and Stihl. No one carries any 2 stroke oil in anything larger than a quart and that was at NAPA for Valvolines "do all" oil that I didn't see was marked TWC3 till I got home. I used to be able to buy gallon jugs of non-TWC3 (outboard) oil at Wally World at least, to say nothing of the big auto/farm stores. Now it's all dinky little 2.5 oz. bottles for $3.00 or more. I can get gallons of a variety of TWC3 types, but folks in the know here and elsewhere tell me it's not good stuff for saws at all. Now I've run it in the past, Wally Worlds in fact, before I knew that with no issue, but I kind of want to use decent oil. I guess my question is if there is a national chain carrying decent 2 stroke oil in gallons or am I going to have to mail order it? Am I worrying over nothing and is TWC3 really okay after all? I really can't swing $2.99 for a 2.5 oz bottle of mix oil, that's nuts for the amount I go through.

There is a lot of amish loggers in Wisconsin that used the Walmart Supertech and I did too when I started out, I used the same thing for about 1 year. Never hurt any of my saws. Honestly never knew it was "wrong" until I started reading Arboristsite, LOL.

Now it is plum evil to use it.

I spend about $8 for a quart of Amsoil, so I just get cases of that and make attempts at mixing it at around 50:1, but sometimes I'm a little short when I get to the end of the bottle.

Sam

 

[Kenskip1]

Just look at different oil manufactures

,This is what I use. Ken

 

[mattaggie]

Stihl makes:

1 gallon 7010 871 0208
5 gallon 0781 313 8016
16 gallon keg 7010 871 0173
55 gallon drum 0781 319 8045

The issue is that very few people need or want this much oil, so few dealers carry. We carry the 1 gallon and hardly ever sell it. Once we sell out, we wont re-order it. But you can always ask your dealer to order whatever you want.

 

[o8f150]

There is a lot of amish loggers in Wisconsin that used the Walmart Supertech and I did too when I started out, I used the same thing for about 1 year. Never hurt any of my saws. Honestly never knew it was "wrong" until I started reading Arboristsite, LOL.

Now it is plum evil to use it.

I spend about $8 for a quart of Amsoil, so I just get cases of that and make attempts at mixing it at around 50:1, but sometimes I'm a little short when I get to the end of the bottle.

Sam

sam,,, we need to meet up at fristoes sometime to chew the fat,, you only live a few miles from me and we have never met,, ok,now a question,, how in the heck do you measure out the right amount of oil out of a quart bottle to make 45:1

 

[biggus]

ok,now a question,, how in the heck do you measure out the right amount of oil out of a quart bottle to make 45:1

Get your wife's pyrex measuring cup out and measure out 45 oz of gas and only 1 oz oil then run like heck...

 

[tolman_paul]

Thought everybody that ran two strokes knew about the ratio rite

 

[o8f150]

i have always bought the small bottles for 1 gallon mix at a time,, i ahve never bought it by the quart,, thats why i was wondering

 

[Stihl-Pioneer]

My Stihl dealer has gal jugs of mix oil on the shelf.:msp_smile:

 

[StihlyinEly]

Amsoil guy here, too. When I switched to it a few years back, I bought about half a dozen of the small mix bottles (the kind that give you the right amount of oil to mix 2 gallons of gas at 50:1). I drew a black magic marker line at the high water mark on those bottles. When they ran out, I bought the Saber Pro in quarts because that's what was available. Runs about $7.50/quart where I buy, and I just keep re-using the small bottles and refilling them to the line.

Late last season I switched over to Amsoil HP Injector for all my 2-strokes, from the boat to the snowmobile to the saws to the string trimmer (before that I'd used HP Injector for the snowmobile, Saber Pro Outboard for the boat motors and Saber Pro for the saws), and I can get that in gallons locally for about $30. No cost savings locally for me to go with gallons over quarts, but because it's the only 2-stroke oil I use for all my motors, I go through quite a lot of it, and gallons are easier.

You won't find an Amsoil tech who will confirm it unless you pour a bunch of beer down his throat, but Injector works great for all the applications I mentioned above. Makes it much more convenient as well, because if I see a can of blue gas, I know it's mix oil and good for all the motors I have that take mix oil. Don't have to worry about which specific flavor of Amsoil is in there.

 

[struggle]

Just look at different oil manufactures

,This is what I use. Ken

I see the bottles show 100-1 ratio. Do you still mix it at 50-1 and if so is it mixed at the same amount by volume like stihl HP?

I still buy individual mix bottles and it is $2.88 per bottle so somethign a little cheaper would be great

 

[StihlyinEly]

I see the bottles show 100-1 ratio. Do you still mix it at 50-1 and if so is it mixed at the same amount by volume like stihl HP?

50:1 is 50:1 no matter which oil you used. It's a volume ratio that remains consistent from brand to brand. Those small 100:1 bottles will mix 2 gallons of gas at 50:1. Amsoil actually stops short of suggesting everyone mix at 100:1. They say, pardon my approximate wording, that it can be mixed as lean as 100:1.

But that's a WHOLE different argument that's been beaten and beaten and beaten to death on AS.

Even at 50:1, Amsoil routinely cleans up gunky and carboned pistons and cylinders. I buy pretty much all my motor tools used, and often they are pretty gross with buildup. Half a dozen tanks of Amsoil at 50:1 and they clean up real purty. I've been told Stihl Ultra is the same way.

 

[Kenskip1]

I see the bottles show 100-1 ratio. Do you still mix it at 50-1 and if so is it mixed at the same amount by volume like stihl HP?

I still buy individual mix bottles and it is $2.88 per bottle so somethign a little cheaper would be great

No sir I do not. 3 ounces is near 40/1 Ken

 

[Anthony_Va.]

I've been running Belray H1R. It can be bought online. I can't find any decent oil in quantities around me either. I mix mine @ 40:1. I bought a oil measuring device at Wally World called the "mix mizer". Looks like a big syringe with the measurments on the side. You just draw in what you need and squirt it in the can. Thing cost like 4 bucks.

The Belray oil burns extremely clean and leaves no carbon at all that I can see. I'll probably be sticking with it for awhile. There's alot of good oils out there though.

 

[Slamm]

sam,,, we need to meet up at fristoes sometime to chew the fat,, you only live a few miles from me and we have never met,, ok,now a question,, how in the heck do you measure out the right amount of oil out of a quart bottle to make 45:1

I use the ratio right from Baileys if I'm going to measure closely, which is never, LOL.

I think the side of the Amsoil quart says 13 ounces for 5 gallons. So I just 32-13=19, so I pour until I'm somewhere near the 19ish line on the side of the quart bottom and fill up the jug with gas.

We should meet up sometime. I'm in town this weekend, but very busy. Haven't been home for 1 or more months.

Sam

 

[Bret4207]

Well, at least I'm not in a "mix oil desert". I looked online and see some decent prices. I think I'll check with my local independent auto store and see what he can order.

Thx guys.

BTW- I use a plastic measuring cup.

 

[mrnecsteve]

Just look at different oil manufactures

,This is what I use. Ken

What is that object in the foreground??? It looks like a flaslight designed after a pair of modern day sneakers!

 

[XSKIER]

I know many of you here are well traveled in regards to saws and I'm just a ****** noob. But, why does everyone try to out smart the manufacturers when it comes to fuel? Does any one read the instruction book that comes with their saws?

My local motorsports shop sells at least five different flavors of two cycle oil in gallons, none of which would ever go in my saw. If you insist on running tcw oil, quicksilver or yamalube are pretty cheap.

 

[XSKIER]

Oh yeah, I believe that TC rated oil burns at a lower temperature than TCW rated oil. This helps reduce carbon and sludge. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, my knowledge is mostly here say from the village elders.

 

[El Quachito]

It's a nation wide problem, it looks to me. Same story here on the west coast. $3+ bottles or something like valvoline in a quart for $7. Heck, I can't even find a ratio-rite in my town let alone a gallon of oil.

I have had high hopes for TSC since I run the bar oil, but nothing there but scrawny little bottles for $3.