Mixed gas anxiety

[user 122190]

Over the years, I have mixed gallons and gallons of gas with 2-stoke oil. Yet every time there is some small trace of "Did I make a mistake", or "Will this destroy my saw".

I have a Ratio-Rite cup that has columns for 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 gallons, and down this column is the amount of oil needed to get the right fuel/oil ratio. 60:1, 55:1, 50:1, 46:1, 44:1, etc. After making this careful measure, I put 1.0 or 1.5 gallons into my gas can that is marked for those 2 amounts. Yesterday, what I did different, after pouring in 1.0 gallons, I added 1Qt of Stihl PreMix 50:1 at 93 octane. This premix has been sitting on the shelf now for over 3 year. I grew to mistrust putting it into a saw by itself. Now my anxiety is climbing.

Anybody else have the mix gas fears? Is there an early indicator that something is wrong with the gas before calamity happens?

 

[SteveSr]

Over the years, I have mixed gallons and gallons of gas with 2-stoke oil. Yet every time there is some small trace of "Did I make a mistake", or "Will this destroy my saw".

I have a Ratio-Rite cup that has columns for 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 gallons, and down this column is the amount of oil needed to get the right fuel/oil ratio. 60:1, 55:1, 50:1, 46:1, 44:1, etc. After making this careful measure, I put 1.0 or 1.5 gallons into my gas can that is marked for those 2 amounts. Yesterday, what I did different, after pouring in 1.0 gallons, I added 1Qt of Stihl PreMix 50:1 at 93 octane. This premix has been sitting on the shelf now for over 3 year. I grew to mistrust putting it into a saw by itself. Now my anxiety is climbing.

Anybody else have the mix gas fears? Is there an early indicator that something is wrong with the gas before calamity happens?

The Stihl Moto-Mix is NOT gasoline but 100% alkalyte fuel that is extremely stable. You should be good to go especially if the Moto-Mix was unopened. Check the can it should be good for several years unopened. I would run it.

 

[user 122190]

The Stihl Moto-Mix is NOT gasoline but 100% alkalyte fuel that is extremely stable. You should be good to go especially if the Moto-Mix was unopened. Check the can it should be good for several years unopened. I would run it.

Thanks. I did top off the 400c with the new mix, with the 1Qt Moto-Mix and the 400c ran just fine. I did notice the Moto-Mix had the same greenish tint to it that my mix (with Stihl 2-Stoke oil). I'm now confident that the overall 1.5 gallons of fresh fuel is Okay.

 

[Puffie40]

If in doubt, put it in the farm tractor or lawn mower. If it burns, four strokes don't care

 

[user 122190]

I've put old mix into my Toyota. Just a cup or two at the end of the cutting season, and you're right 4-strokes don't care. In fact seemed to almost run better.

 

[Jonny Quest]

Mixed Gas Anxiety

I believe there is medication and therapy that is quite effective. You can still hope for a full recovery.

JQ

 

[Canyon Angler]

Mixed Gas Anxiety

I believe there is medication and therapy that is quite effective. You can still hope for a full recovery.

It won't help with the parasites, though!

OP, have you tried cutting back on the Adderall?

 

[camel2019]

If in doubt, put it in the farm tractor or lawn mower. If it burns, four strokes don't care

Pretty much all my 4 strokes get old 2 smoke mix the trucks see a good bit too.

 

[ihookem]

I dont sweat it at all . I have run 50/1 Stihl oil, cheap oil at 50/1 and Amsoil 128/1 in my chainsaws and never really noticed a difference . I have run cheap 50/1 in my 25 horse Merc, 50/1 with Merc oil, 100 /1 128/1 with Amsoil. Now days , I just run 50/1 or 64/1 for everything depending on my mood. I have even run 100/1 Merc in my old 25 horse Merc . The manual said you can if you run it in the warmer temps and run it several times a week. I decided it was not worth it though... I have never had a problem in any way shape or form from oil. The only thing I am adament about is running the right oil for air cooled and water cooled cause I think air cooled oil has to be much better cause the engine runs much hotter and twice the RPM's.

 

[ericm979]

I always put oil in the two stroke gas can as soon as I fill it from a larger container of straight gas. That way I know it's got oil in it.

If you're worried that you forgot, you can look in the can and see if the fuel is colored by the oil. Some oils have more dye than others, but that's what the dye is for. The oil I use is a fairly faint red and isn't easy to see inside a red fuel tank.

 

[Sawdust Man]

I just think about what I'm doing.... both when mixing gas, and when fueling the saw..... seems to work for me.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Maybe you could put tape on your gas can when you fill it with gas and then take the tape off when you add oil.

 

[Bill G]

.... If it burns, four strokes don't care

There is no doubt putting mixed gas in a gas tractor is fine. I have done that a lot. Now saying "if it burns,4 strokes don't care" well that is not correct. Whether it be a 2 stroke or 4 stroke they surely do care. Many things burn but engines do care what you feed em.. If you do not believe me then give it a whirl. Take a gallon of old (or new) saw gas (or any gas) and toss it in a Kawasaki 3010 Mule. I will assure you she will care as she prefers diesel. Take a gallon of diesel and toss in in a Honda rancher and she what she says. I will assure you she will care. Both engines are 4 stroke and both fuels burn so why should it matter. Now of course common sense says that was not the intention of your post but sometimes I see humor in many posts.

Now before somebody attacks me and says" I put gas in my diesel and it was fine or I put diesel in my gas and it was fine" of course it probably was because as with most things moderation is key. A lot of folks think just because something is old it will burn crappy fuel or burn whatever you feed it. Once again MODERATION. For years we used the same 120 gallon portable tank in the back of the truck for gas and diesel. You just ran it out and put whatever you needed in it. If we need 100 gallons of gas that was what was in it. In spring or fall the majority of the time it was diesel. Before switching just make sure it was empty. The few remaining gallons in the bottom were irrelevant because it would get dilluted with whatever was going in it. As I said moderation. Now one fall obviously my father did not check to see that it was empty. All summer it was used for diesel. Well we were hauling corn to the bins and the grain truck never went into town to get fueled. We needed gas for it (1975 C60). he ran into town with the pickup and portable tank to get gas but obviously did not realize there was a significant amount of diesel still in the portable tank. He came back and we proceed to fuel the grain truck. Well the fuel would burn but that 4 stroke did care. Thank god she puked out in the field because about 1/4 mile further and she would have puked going up the Mississippi river bluff hill

 

[Bill G]

Maybe you could put tape on your gas can when you fill it with gas and then take the tape off when you add oil.

Good one...I knew someone would bring that up

 

[cookies]

I would suggest not putting mixed or leaded gas into any car/truck that uses oxygen sensors or has cats

 

[Chevboy0167]

Been using these for 4yrs now. Very handy...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162080883152?hash=item25bcc601d0:g:T9cAAOSwvrthdwVM

 

[mbrick]

Been using these for 4yrs now. Very handy...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162080883152?hash=item25bcc601d0:g:T9cAAOSwvrthdwVM

That's a neat idea.

I have a piece of tape on the can and write "91 E0 40:1 2.5 gal 03/2022"
I add oil to the can before going to the gas station. Tape clarifies how much gas to add.

 

[Dudders]

I won't allow gas to go in my can if the oil isn't in there first. Become a habit now. The same with the saws - can't fuel up until the oil tank has first been filled.

Being a bear of very little brain, such little rituals are needed. Memory cells are emigrating faster than ever now...

 

[HLTclimber]

Over the years, I have mixed gallons and gallons of gas with 2-stoke oil. Yet every time there is some small trace of "Did I make a mistake", or "Will this destroy my saw".

I have a Ratio-Rite cup that has columns for 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 gallons, and down this column is the amount of oil needed to get the right fuel/oil ratio. 60:1, 55:1, 50:1, 46:1, 44:1, etc. After making this careful measure, I put 1.0 or 1.5 gallons into my gas can that is marked for those 2 amounts. Yesterday, what I did different, after pouring in 1.0 gallons, I added 1Qt of Stihl PreMix 50:1 at 93 octane. This premix has been sitting on the shelf now for over 3 year. I grew to mistrust putting it into a saw by itself. Now my anxiety is climbing.

Anybody else have the mix gas fears? Is there an early indicator that something is wrong with the gas before calamity happens?

I know a guy that has run 87 octane @ 32:1 in every saw known to man with no issues. Non-synthetic 2 cycle oil. Why walk the 50:1 tightrope?

 

[Karrl]

I buy the 2.5 gal pre portioned mix bottles and always put it in my 2 gallon cans before any gas goes in. Anything other than 5 gallon cans are considered mix gas only, although I still check if I didn’t mix it. If I’m using it in my saws I’ll keep it a few weeks before I toss the rest in a mower, for weed whackers it’s a couple months. We can only get pump e10 here so if in doubt I dump it out. So far so good but I do run canned fuel in my saws in the slower seasons and leave that in for extended storage.