Can somebody explain biodegradable 2-cycle Oil?

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I want to run that Stihl HP oil but it says it degrades to 80% in 30 days or something like that. I go though about a gallon of 2 stoke gas in about a month and a half. Does this mean my last couple pours will be mostly gas and no oil? Am I better off running Stihl's orange bottled dino stuff?

I currently run Opti 2 at the 100:1 and I'm not too happy with it. I've had to lean out my equipment to the leanest setting. (Screw all the way out) for them to run WOT without hesitation. When I called and talked to Opti about this they mentioned this would happen because there is more gas in the mixture vs oil. But still, my Stihl blower would accually like it leaner then I can go so I'm on a quest for a new oil.

I imagine I could run double the opti oil? Smart move or go for the stihl oil?
 
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Does this mean my last couple pours will be mostly gas and no oil?


No, it means that if the liquid 2-cycle oil gets into the environment, UV and bacteria will degrade it into harmless components.

It should not degrade in the closed container.

Have you tried 40:1 or 50:1 and then made adjustments?

A sharp popping sound from the exhaust usually indicates a too lean mixture, while bogging down, too much smoking, or explosions from the muffler indicate a too rich mixture.
 
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IMO, a product that degrades that quickly is best suited for someone who goes through a lot of it in a short time....like a lawn service or someone with a really large yard.

I'm a little confused about your lean setting. It's been my experience that too lean is what causes cutting out at high RPM, and eventually, a burned piston. 100:1 is not very much oil. I'm thinking if you increase the oil ratio, you would be able to richen it back up and lower the risk of a burned engine.
 
Thats what I am thinking. When running WOT on the blower and the leanest setting its smooth as glass. Once I start to richen it even a hair I loose a good amount of RPM's. If I go to half or even regular setting I cant even rev it lol.
 
Are you certain you measured correctly to the 100:1 level?

100:1 means almost a gallon of gas to 1 ounce of 2-cycle lube, or one-gallon of fuel to 1.3 ounces of 2-cycle oil.

I know people sometimes recommend this, but I have never had any luck running this lean.
 
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What model blower? Two cycle or 4 cycle? Yes, Stihl has 4 cycle blowers that require oil in the fuel, they are called 4-mix engines.

You mentioned that turning the screw all the way out makes it too lean? That is actually how you richen the mixture.

Do not try to run Stihl oil at anything but 50:1, that is what it is designed to run at optimally. Many of my customers still have not grasped the concept that the ratio is determined by the oil, not the engine.

Most Stihl equipment has needle limiters ( limiter caps )on the carb needles. This is mandated by C.A.R.B. to make it more difficult to richen the engine, because that puts out more hydrocarbons into the air we breath. Very often I have to remove them in order to richen the engine enough to run, that may be your problem.

Give me more info and I may be able to help you.
 
I have stored the Stihl Ultra Syn at 50:1 over this winter (90 days) and it did not breakdown in the jug and worked fine. It has fuel stabilizers, but does it break down quicker than other mixes? My exhausts and plugs are spotless with it ( and seafoam), and I never push the envelope on old fuel. Molakule hit on what they are talking about.
 
Mola, The pouches I purchased from the local L&G place said one pouch treats 2.5 gallons of fuel for a 100:1 combo. I bought 2 pouches and put them in a 5G jug and filled it up with 5 gallons 89* octane. I did give my father a few gallons for his Toro single stage snowthrower and he says its been working good for him but this stuff still scares me.

The blower and saw is the traditional 2 stroke 2003 BG55 unit, my saw is a 1979 028 WoodBoss, and my trimmer is a 1987 Toro Commercial TC3000 unit.
 
The directions may have said that, but I have never experienced longevity in any 2-cycle engine in which I have used 100:1 ratios.
 
Ah, you've got a handheld blower. I wish I could easily explain to you how to adjust the carburetor, but I'd go nuts trying!

That year they came with Zama carbs, not a bad thing.

We're still seeing some of those old 028s come in the shop, they will run forever if the fuel system stays intact. Yours probably has the magnesium gas tank, right? Don't ever let it catch on fire, you'll never get it put out lol

Yep, turning the carb screw clockwise is leaning it out.
 
Your right on the tank!! I just replaced the weighted gas fuel filter also. It was filthy. This saw is second hand. I love my hand held blower. Before the opti I was running universal Citgo oil and it would fire right up and run perfect with the correct setting and 50:1. I would run it 4-5 hours stright WOT (stoped a few times for fuel) in the fall for leaves with no issues but becoming a member on here I saw the universal isnt so good and I need a regular TC oil. Change isnt always better lol
 
What has happened to the monthly thread on vegetable base motor oils? Doesn't much of the oil in the mix burn? I think this is a product I will skip too. Vegetable oils are inhearently subject to polymerization. Why did I spend 10 years of my life making paint out of them? Yes you can lace them with additives to stop it. I will help the enviroment some other way.

Vegetable based chainsaw bar oil should be OK for saws used all the time.
 
H2Work: I am going to run the Stihl Ultra 50:1 in all my saws & equipment, including Echo, poulan and Homelite sub 50cc 2 cycles.
Do you see any problems?

I love the smoke so much from my lawnboy, that I can't change from the 32:1 dino. It is like a right of summer
thankyou2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Cmarti
H2Work: I am going to run the Stihl Ultra 50:1 in all my saws & equipment, including Echo, poulan and Homelite sub 50cc 2 cycles.
Do you see any problems?

I love the smoke so much from my lawnboy, that I can't change from the 32:1 dino. It is like a right of summer
thankyou2.gif



lol, my first lawnboy - a '78 model I think - had a sticker that said 32:1 for the lawnboy oil, 16:1 for any other brands. Being the obedient guy I was I dutifully mixed that off-brand stuff 16:1. My yard probably looked like a disco with a maple sticking out of it!
 
Todays oils do not need to be mixed at such high rates. 50:1 is more than adequate because of the Jaso ratings that are applied to the oils. If you are using a non-jaso rated oil it very well may need to be adjusted down to what the manufacturer recommended in the 70's but if you are using a Jaso FD oil, 50:1 is where it is at!
 
Oh don't worry; I immediately knew that my mix was rich. Last season I ran Mobil1's 2-stroke oil at 42:1 and that seemed to work very well. The lawn boy engines can live with a more modern, learner mix but the machine as a whole still needs some bulk because some of the mix gets past the bottom end to lube the gear box for the self-propel.
 
Originally Posted by Panzerman
No way. I am out. I would no way use a Biodegradable oil in a engine without worry. What is wrong with this planet.
That is not right, that is crazy stupid.

Any ester based 2t oil is biodegradable....
 
Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Originally Posted by Panzerman
No way. I am out. I would no way use a Biodegradable oil in a engine without worry. What is wrong with this planet.
That is not right, that is crazy stupid.

Any ester based 2t oil is biodegradable....

Ester oil smells cool but us extremely dirty burning.
I hear it's good for your engine just dirty.
Still do many oils out there, I feel Stihl is pandering to a audience that isn't there. Anyone that concerned about the environment is using a electric one or rechargable.
 
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