Is the trufuel even like the alkylate fuels? Like aspen or stihl moto mix? Thats what I consider the engineered fuels.
Price that stuff sometime. Blow the cap right off your head.
Price that stuff sometime. Blow the cap right off your head.
Engineered Fuel vs E-Free Pump Mix
- Thread starter Ethobling
- Start date
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Aspen is a Alki fuel. Stihl is not. Aspen is just too good to be true. Use it in all of my small engines both the Aspen2 and the Aspen4. Switched from Trufuel which is ok just not as impressive as a Alki.
I dont use stihl anything to do with mix or oil. But years back we had a long thread on this.
Stihl dealer showed there is something different with motomix. Here is the chart. They say it is very similar to the alklate fuel.
I think it is an alkylate fuel. I recently read it was somewhere on here and also it doesn't smell like pump gas, but I'm not sure.
They say it is very similar to the alklate fuel.
But hey this was years back. Look at chart above shows the difference on bottom 2. Just like aspen claims too.
picker77
ArboristSite Lurker
This is a site generally pointed toward professional arborists. I understand that, so I consider it a "read only" forum, since I'm one of those non-pro homeowners mentioned above (small wooded acreage). Over time, I've picked up lots of valuable little tips from you guys on saw operation and maintenance. Thank you all for that.
Being a homeowner, I only own a few saws, and I doubt my 20 year old H-372XP (or even its much more heavily used little brother H-435) will ever accumulate 1000 hours between them. Additionally, I'm almost 81 so my chainsaw hours are more limited these days. I have started using TruFuel for its consistent high quality, local availability, and more or less unlimited shelf life. 5 gallons of carefully mixed e-free pump gas with StaBil added would probably last me 2-3 years, and after the first year I wouldn't trust it anyway and would burn what's left in my truck. So for years I've dutifully mixed e-free pump gas, StaBil, and those cute little bottles of 2-stroke oil a gallon at a time like a mad scientist. I discovered that a two-gallon can of TruFuel lasts me a long time at the rate I use it (I only occasionally need the 372XP), so I have no worries about the remainder turning sour, with the nice little bonus of convenience.
As a homeowner, retired engineer, and sometimes customer (I occasionally hire pros like you) I am only mildly offended at the reference to my brain cell count, but will probably get over it. Just wanted to point out that for many "homeowners" like me, engineered pre-mix fuels are a perfect fit.
Back to listen-only mode, and everybody have a safe week.
Thank you for your perspective.
It makes sense for what you are doing. Engineered fuel has it's place (occasional use with homeowners and maybe race saws).
I agree the brain cell count comment was a bit ridiculous. Like I said, my mother used the stuff for a while, but that doesn't mean she's dumb. In fact, she has been tested and determined to have an IQ of 145, or so. She's the smartest woman I know.
P.S. I appreciate your sentence structure and grammar.
The Shooters Apprentice
Addicted to ArboristSite
My comment was meant to be humorous, and I apologize for any offense I caused.
picker77
ArboristSite Lurker
Absolutely no offense taken, Sir. I was just sticking up for us Joe Homeowners. This is a great forum with generally very knowledgeable members, and I enjoy reading it.
Ethobling, thanks for the writing compliment. For years I ran a technical publication shop of about 50 electrical engineers, CAD operators, and electronics technicians under contract to the Defense Department. We specialized in writing and producing troubleshooting manuals for Navy weapon systems, so I was up to my neck for years in technical writing and editing. My own family thinks I write like I still work for Uncle Sam. It's a hard thing to unlearn, so I just chuckle and go with it.
Straight from stihl = That solution is called MotoMix® and Moto4Plus. It's an alkylate fuel which has been formulated by STIHL to run specifically in our machines. What's special about it is that it doesn't contain any of the harmful additives that gasoline does since we are able to pick and choose what goes into it.
Yes that is true according to Stihl thank you. Ran the Motomix as well as Trufuel for years and stopped after I tried the Aspen2 and Aspen4 not just the saws but other equipment especially the Echo PB-9010T which has a bigger engine that my MS 500i (tiny bit), run better and cleaner. The best thing is the Aspen is better at least for me and a lower price point than Stihl fuel around here anyway.
Just showing ya why I said what I said above. I dont run either. You said stihl wasnt alkylate.
Cant afford to mixing 5 gallons at a time. All I need right here for 20-25 for 5 gal. Give or take.
Without driving 45-60 mins for e free a local place started selling it about 6 months ago and it has remained at $6 a gallon. Not worth the travel time to hit the other places. They’re a small local place and it’s 89 octane. Just last week I saw a new sign at a station for e free. I went up there Saturday, 10 mins drive and got 90 octane for $4.59 a gallon. That’s definitely going to hurt the other guy but $46 vs $60 for 10 gallons is much better. Mowing season is almost over and now the splitter and the generator are both full with e free.
Understand your position. I on the other hand will not run pump gas in my equipment period no matter what the cost. We have the blended fuel here in DFW and I learned many years ago that that pump gas is not intended for small engines after a couple of carburetors and some fuel lines not to mention being a pita starting after sitting for a month or two.
I only use the E-free in trimmers, saws, generator and boat. Gen only when in storage for last running and first.
Mowers and tilliers hasnt got me running the e10 yet like Gen did when put away with it. But sure some day they will.
I go through 5 gallon just on a mow a week.
Plus I been using K100 for storage. That other crap dont work.
That's about what I'm paying. About a 1 1/2 years ago, it was $3/gallon, though.
We are blessed enough to have a couple pumps with 89 E0. My 1983 F100 is happier for it.
freeasaburt
ArboristSite Operative
For what it's worth, I find it kind of interesting to compare the States to (western) Europe when it comes to these things. Both the oil and fuel story are quite different (it already became clear that 'Stihl HP Ultra' oil is different here from the States, but I'm gonna focus on fuel now).
First of all, in the States pump octane values are quite a bit lower, standard we (in Belgium, at least) have 95 and 98 at the pump, both with ethanol, 95 usually has 10% ethanol and 98 usually 5 (don't know why it's like that, also 98 with 10% ethanol exists but seems to be way less common)
Pricewise there's also considerable differences, unfortunately for us here; at the moment 1 dollar = 1 euro (give or take), so no conversion needed.
95 (E10) -> €1,8 / liter, that's €6,81 / gallon
98 (E5) -> €2,1 / liter, that's €7,95 / gallon
(Good) bar oil costs some €4 / liter, or €15,14 / gallon.
Motomix costs €26 for 5 liters (€19,68/gallon) , buying it in 20 liter jugs used to be more economical but isn't the case anymore. Aspen is about the same.
Still a considerable price difference, of course. Even though I run my saws 1-3 days more or less every week, I stopped mixing myself (which I did for years) as the exhaust always makes me nauseous after an hour or two. No issues with Motomix or Aspen, and then there's the other advantages... The strongly reduced amount of benzene I (supposedly, at least) inhale makes me more comfortable with the higher price, but it's a personal choice in the end.
EDIT I used the conversion ratio 1 gallon = 4.55 liters, seems that is wrong and it should be 3,785 liters. Calculations corrected.
First of all, in the States pump octane values are quite a bit lower, standard we (in Belgium, at least) have 95 and 98 at the pump, both with ethanol, 95 usually has 10% ethanol and 98 usually 5 (don't know why it's like that, also 98 with 10% ethanol exists but seems to be way less common)
Pricewise there's also considerable differences, unfortunately for us here; at the moment 1 dollar = 1 euro (give or take), so no conversion needed.
95 (E10) -> €1,8 / liter, that's €6,81 / gallon
98 (E5) -> €2,1 / liter, that's €7,95 / gallon
(Good) bar oil costs some €4 / liter, or €15,14 / gallon.
Motomix costs €26 for 5 liters (€19,68/gallon) , buying it in 20 liter jugs used to be more economical but isn't the case anymore. Aspen is about the same.
Still a considerable price difference, of course. Even though I run my saws 1-3 days more or less every week, I stopped mixing myself (which I did for years) as the exhaust always makes me nauseous after an hour or two. No issues with Motomix or Aspen, and then there's the other advantages... The strongly reduced amount of benzene I (supposedly, at least) inhale makes me more comfortable with the higher price, but it's a personal choice in the end.
EDIT I used the conversion ratio 1 gallon = 4.55 liters, seems that is wrong and it should be 3,785 liters. Calculations corrected.
Your 95 octane is roughly our 90 octane. So you have similar gas.
Here is a website describing the differences.
https://hondaswap.com/threads/us-octane-vs-other-country-octane-ratings.59435/
Here is a website describing the differences.
https://hondaswap.com/threads/us-octane-vs-other-country-octane-ratings.59435/
freeasaburt
ArboristSite Operative
Ah, I had no idea... Thanks for the info!
GaryC
ArboristSite Lurker
When I bought my MS462 about a year ago I bought four cans of Trufuel for it. After I ran them through the saw I started mixing my own from the ethanol free 93 octane pump at the local fuel distribution center which I pass by almost every day so I don't have to go out of the way to get it. I mix it a gallon at a time and pour it into the Trufuel canisters, that way I only have to open a quart at a time. In my opinion the plastic gas cans have more to do with fuel going bad than the fuel itself. The used Trufuel cans seal up tight and to me are much better for storage. I don't go through much fuel and I feel a lot better about having it sitting around for a few months in the metal Trufuel cans than in a plastic jug.
