question about using pre-mix fuel in other applications

[NETWizz]

Can I just use 2 stroke gas in all my lawn equipment like a push mower? I mean 50:1 doesn't seem like much oil and it probably wont smoke.

It just seems easier than keeping two different fuels. Yeah I know it's like a few dollars of Red Armor in each gallon, so it's wasteful, but any harm?

Also how to dispose of 2 stroke fuel? For my 4 stroke fuel, I dump it in my car eventually, but no way I am going to dump 2 stroke fuel in. It would probably be ok though at like 4000:1

 

[Brian123]

Can I just use 2 stroke gas in all my lawn equipment like a push mower? I mean 50:1 doesn't seem like much oil and it probably wont smoke.

It just seems easier than keeping two different fuels. Yeah I know it's like a few dollars of Red Armor in each gallon, so it's wasteful, but any harm?

Also how to dispose of 2 stroke fuel? For my 4 stroke fuel, I dump it in my car eventually, but no way I am going to dump 2 stroke fuel in. It would probably be ok though at like 4000:1

No, you cannot, well you can. Your post brings back memories dating back to 1996. I went to help a neighbor finish mowing his yard. He said the gas can was in the garage, well there were 2 gas cans, they both looked exactly the same to me. I used the can that had 50 to 1 2 stroke gas in it. Mower started up fine, then a minute or 2 later the mower felt like it had no power kind of chugging and it started blowing smoke.

The neighbor comes out and says, you used the wrong gas can, I said really, he said I have the gas can clearly marked, I said really both cans look the same here, he said I put a piece of tape labeled 2 stroke mix on the bottom of the gas can. So, I asked a dumb question and said why not put the piece of tape saying 2 stroke fuel on the top of the can. He told me it would not look right.

 

[earlyre]

some folks (including myself at times) add TCW-3 oil to our cars at a ratio of 1oz to 5 gal fuel... which is... 640:1...
far less than 4000:1.

my brother on the other hand takes things a bit far for my tastes...
he adds 640:1 TCW-3, an ethanol stabilizer (Star tron i believe?), and an octane booster to all the gas(87 e10) he puts in his Escape (2.0 EB).

 

[Reggaemon]

I've gotten rid of my 2 stroke oil using it a little at a time. Never just used it straight.

 

[DukeOfFrontenac]

I've gotten rid of my 2 stroke oil using it a little at a time. Never just used it straight.

I've been doing exactly that for decades with stale dirt bike gas, never had an issue.

 

[chainblu]

In the past when I've run out of gas in my mower and all I had on hand was 2 stroke gas, I've used it to finish the mowing job. Shouldn't hurt, just might be slightly smokey.

 

[ctechbob]

I've gotten rid of my 2 stroke oil using it a little at a time. Never just used it straight.

Same here, at the beginning of the season I'll dump last years 2 Stroke into the VTwin mower and start with fresh gas for the 2 stroke stuff. I've never used it straight up full strength though. I can't imagine it would cause a problem. 2-Strokes run a little hotter than your 4 stroke motors, but they don't foul plugs and gum up, I doubt a mower engine would.

 

[fdcg27]

I've used up two stroke mix in the mowers over the years.
No problems at all.

 

[JHZR2]

some folks (including myself at times) add TCW-3 oil to our cars at a ratio of 1oz to 5 gal fuel... which is... 640:1...
far less than 4000:1.

my brother on the other hand takes things a bit far for my tastes...
he adds 640:1 TCW-3, an ethanol stabilizer (Star tron i believe?), and an octane booster to all the gas(87 e10) he puts in his Escape (2.0 EB).

TCW-3 is ashless.

Good OPE 2-stroke oil has metallic additives. It can foil a plug.

That said, I’ve used up some in other engines before without ill effect but I was pretty conservative with dilution.

 

[brianl703]

I heard about a guy that owned a landscaping company that decided to have his employees use pre-mix fuel in everything because they kept ruining 2-stroke engines with the wrong gas.

 

[NETWizz]

I heard about a guy that owned a landscaping company that decided to have his employees use pre-mix fuel in everything because they kept ruining 2-stroke engines with the wrong gas.

That sounds expensive.

 

[brianl703]

That sounds expensive.

Using pre-mix fuel in everything?

Or idiot employees destroying 2-stroke engines with the wrong fuel?

 

[Astro_Guy]

Can I just use 2 stroke gas in all my lawn equipment like a push mower? I mean 50:1 doesn't seem like much oil and it probably wont smoke.

It just seems easier than keeping two different fuels. Yeah I know it's like a few dollars of Red Armor in each gallon, so it's wasteful, but any harm?

Also how to dispose of 2 stroke fuel? For my 4 stroke fuel, I dump it in my car eventually, but no way I am going to dump 2 stroke fuel in. It would probably be ok though at like 4000:1

If you have 2 sroke fuel that is getting old I would suggest putting it in you daily driver ahen it is at or above half a tank. The resulting ratio will be so high that your vehicle won't notice.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

I have used 40:1 in my 4 stroke Ryobi string trimmer without issue. It runs fine when I occasionally do it. I have also used some and mix it in with regular fuel in my Deere LT150 at season's end to get rid of the remaining fuel. I've never had any issues even at full strength in the trimmer. Neither piece of equipment smokes when I use it either.

If you are concerned I'd dilute it by 50% and then not worry about using it.

Just my $0.02

 

[shortyb]

Is it really that difficult/inconvenient to use/store 2 fuels? I get it with having to use different ratios for pre-mix, ie; 32:1, 40:1, 50:1 etc., but use the fuel your equipment calls for if you want to ensure proper running. You've chosen the OPE you have for particular reasons instead of one-size-fits-all scenario like battery, take care of it and it will take care of you.

With old 2-stroke pre-mix at the end of the season, I dump it in the car. Usually ends up being a 1/2 quart or so, and in an 18 gallon tank will cause zero issue. Now running the car (or a 4-stroke mower etc.) strictly on pre-mix? Nope.

 

[Nmr1981]

I’ve been doing it the last two weeks in my Honda mower and I can tell no difference. I ran out of straight gas and wanted to use up my 2T mix.

 

[Slick3914]

I’ve done it for a few years at my beach house. Mix a gallon at a time 64:1 with Amsoil Saber. Runs just fine in my 4 cycle push mower. I don’t need to run the 2 stroke trimmer very hard so this works well for me.

 

[RyanY]

My dad has been adding a few ounces of 2 stroke oil to his tractor/mower gas for 50+ years (50-60:1). His 1971 Craftsman tractor is still going strong, so I don't think it will do any harm.

Likewise, I add an ounce or two to each 2gal can of gas for my Honda mower. It is still working well after 26 years, although some oil appears to get by the rings.

 

[RedSpider]

I have 19 acres to take care of so I have a good collection of mowers, tillers, chainsaws, weed whackers, whatever. Every few weeks I remortgage the house to fill the multitude of gas cans and put them in the various barns, then I add 2-stroke oil to all of them in a 40:1 ratio so that I can grab whichever gas can I have closeby and use it in any of the equipment. Been doing this for years. No problems with fouled plugs, no smoke, no carb issues, and no engine problems in any of the 4-cycle equipment. I honestly dont remember the last time I even had to replace a spark plug in any of them.

Whatever leftovers I have at the start of winter, gets dumped in the Sequoia or either of the two Mazda's. I dont even think twice about it.

If doing this is problematic, I would think I would have seen problems by now, been doing this for way too long now.

 

[oil pan 4]

I never ran straight 50:1 in a 4 stroke mower but I would finish off the last bit of 2 stroke mix by dumping it in my mower or when someone realizes what garbage trufuel I'll burn up free trufuel mix in my mower. My mower probably never has more than about 100:1 mix in the mower gas and it didn't smoke but I bet there's usually always a little 2 stroke oil in the gas and I hardly ever change plugs.