Mix Ratio?

[fishhuntcutwood]

I just happened across a pic. a while back and asked you about it, IK think you got busy and never had time to reply.
The other Andy

Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore ya bro.

 

[motti]

What saw are you running?

I'm using old Poulan 245, 306, and 4400s. I'm running 32:1. Someone once told me that if they don't smoke, you're doing something wrong. From what you guys are saying, if the muffler screen needs cleaning once in a while, I'll stay the way I am. Is there something that would tell me that I need to change the mixture?

 

[sawinredneck]

Sorry. Didn't mean to ignore ya bro.

No biggie!

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I'm using old Poulan 245, 306, and 4400s. I'm running 32:1. Someone once told me that if they don't smoke, you're doing something wrong. From what you guys are saying, if the muffler screen needs cleaning once in a while, I'll stay the way I am. Is there something that would tell me that I need to change the mixture?

If you're running 32:1, and you're not smoking, I'd guess you're fine. Smoke and coke are a little rich if you ask me. You want the inside of your muffler to be a nice, dry brownish color. Black with sludge, in my opinion is a little rich.

 

[GASoline71]

The carb tuning needs to be spot on before you need to worry about mix ratio. A well tuned carb will make all the difference in the world no matter what ratio you run. IMHO.

Gary

 

[Finnbear]

In my day job I sell bearings, power transmission equipment, and industrial supplies including some high end lubricants. Over the years I've had the occasion to quiz a few lubrication engineers on this subject and almost unanimously their take is this:
Your saw dealer is in business to sell saws and they will wear out sooner at 50:1 than at 40 or 32. Less oil = less lubrication - period. Lower ratios of oil like 50:1 have been pushed on two stroke manufacturers by EPA regs which forced the development of better and/or lower smoking oils. Their reccomendation was to try mix ratios that increased the oil amount until the plugs start to foul and the muffler just starts to gunk up and then back the mix off just shy of that. At 40:1 there are NO signs of either with Stihl orange bottle which will make my saws last longer than at 50:1 and that is all I need to know. Having 25% more lubrication available under load with no effect on performance is not a bad thing. Oil is cheap and we all know that saw parts are not. If my logic is flawed then someone please point out where.
Finnbear

 

[GASoline71]

I don't think your logic is flawed at all Finnebear. I have never had a mechanical failure runnin' 50:1, and have done so for years. Maybe I'm srewed in the head for doin' it, but that's my gig. My little 028 has been on 50:1 since the day it was born, and there is no signs of premature wear, and it has excellent compression for a saw that old.

So when one of my saws dies from runnin' my mix at 50:1 I will post it here, and show what happened. I'm sure it will be a very very long wait.

Gary

 

[Bad E]

I don't think your logic is flawed at all Finnebear. I have never had a mechanical failure runnin' 50:1, and have done so for years. Maybe I'm srewed in the head for doin' it, but that's my gig. My little 028 has been on 50:1 since the day it was born, and there is no signs of premature wear, and it has excellent compression for a saw that old.

So when one of my saws dies from runnin' my mix at 50:1 I will post it here, and show what happened. I'm sure it will be a very very long wait.

Gary

Running a quality oil at 50:1 as per oil and manufactuer specs should never cause a problem. I ran a good quality synthetic for years at 50:1 with no problems.
But what Finnebear says makes sense, and at my dealers reccomendation(he sees far more saws than I do) I switched to 40:1. Nothing like building in a little margin for error.

 

[cuttinscott]

the problem I have with 32-1 or 40-1 ratio's are clogging of the spark arrestor screens.. Yea I know someone will tell me to adjust for the richer mix and 5 or 10 years ago I would have. But in todays emission standards with fixed jet carbs especially on trimmers and blowers why not just run quality 50-1 and be safe. no clogged mufflers and no seizures here from 50-1 name brand premix bottles of oil.

Scott

 

[bwalker]

the problem I have with 32-1 or 40-1 ratio's are clogging of the spark arrestor screens.. Yea I know someone will tell me to adjust for the richer mix and 5 or 10 years ago I would have. But in todays emission standards with fixed jet carbs especially on trimmers and blowers why not just run quality 50-1 and be safe. no clogged mufflers and no seizures here from 50-1 name brand premix bottles of oil.

First off, I have never had to clean a spark arrestor screen on any saws I have ran at 32:1. Although in general I toss the screens as soon as I get the saw home. The exception would be a 372 and 346 I muffler modded Ken Dunn style and a Stihl FS 85 trimmer that has a few hundred hours of use on it. None of these three pieces of equipment have had screen problems.
Secondly in light of todays emmissions standards its smart to use a little more lube oil. The push of the standards so far has been to lean out the mixture and to run low area muffler outlets in a effort to make to reduce HC emmissions. The Less fuel ran through the engine the less lubrication you have also.
I believe the reason MFG spec higher numeric ratios is a effort to decrease public perception of two cycles as smoky, dirty engines and to also pacify the EPA. FWIW the EPA does not regulate mix ratios and to the best of my knowledge never has, but if two cycle smoke became a percieved issue they most certainly would and the OEM's want to avoid this.
BTW some of the cleanest engine internals I have ever seen where ran at 16:1. high quality oil does not smoke unless your carb is set very rich. in my expiereance even when using mediocre quality OEM mix oils smoke is non existant after warm up.

 

[lovetheoutdoors]

I agree with bwalker.....i run 32:1 in everything i have and only stihl,or husky oil and 93 octane gas. It makes me feel better after running the saws hard all day.

 

[HickoryNick]

And the Tally Is......

Based on posts to this thread I have devised this score for Mix Ratios......

Ratio----Users
100:1-----1
50:1------3
45:1------1
40:1------8
36:1------1
32:1------2

50:1 and 40:1----2

And we have 1 guy out there with way to much liquid measuring equipment (and time) who is running 39.426584:1 ratio


So...
47% use 40:1
16% use 50:1
11% use both 50:1 and 40:1 (saw dependent)
11% use 32:1
5% use 100:1
5% use 45:1
5% use 36:1


It looks to me like 40:1 is the winner.

 

[bwalker]

Or that only 11% of us are right...LOL.:deadhorse:
In all seriousness with two strokes you can go wrong with a little extra oil and a little extra octane. Both are cheap insurance.

 

[GASoline71]

Well I guess that when I measure my oil for mixing that I add just a tad over the mark for 50:1, that actually makes me at around..... say.... 48.499:1

HA! :hmm3grin2orange:

Gary

 

[carvinmark]

Or that only 11% of us are right...LOL.:deadhorse:
In all seriousness with two strokes you can go wrong with a little extra oil and a little extra octane. Both are cheap insurance.

Right on Ben,32:1 and premium, Just cheap insurance.

 

[bwalker]

I never thought I would run into someone form Frederic on the internet. I spent alot of time at my granpas place off 612 and Manistee river rd. Caught some nice browns on the Manistee.

 

[lovetheoutdoors]

Right on Ben,32:1 and premium, Just cheap insurance.

im with you guys on that

 

[carvinmark]

I never thought I would run into someone form Frederic on the internet. I spent alot of time at my granpas place off 612 and Manistee river rd. Caught some nice browns on the Manistee.

My folks live 1/4 mile up river from that intersection,Browns from the front yard. I moved here from Waterford in 1987 and ain't moving back.

 

[sawn_penn]

Right on Ben,32:1 and premium, Just cheap insurance.

Definitely 32:1 or thereabouts. Around 200ml oil into around 6l fuel.