Toro requires 2 cycle oil with TCW, Is i necessary

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JLawrence08648

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Toro for their 2 cycle snowblowers requires a 2 cycle oil that says TCW on the label. I Googled TCW and it says it's low ash, I guess to prevent ash from forming in the engine?

Is it necessary I use a 2 cycle oil that says TCW? I have a lot of dino 2 cycle oil I'd like to use up and I don't really have the equipment to use it other than a hand blower. The used 2 cycle Toro snowblower I just acquired for free, I plan to use very little, only for light snows as I have several larger 4 cycle 2 Stage snowblowers for deeper snows.
 
I'm assuming you have the rock solid Suzuki 2 cycle engine. I have three commercial walk behind mowers with that engine that I used heavily over a dozen years. I mostly used (GASP!) SuperTech 2 cycle oil for most of their lives. I remind you they were used hours on end daily through the mowing seasons.

One of the carbs came apart and metal was sucked into the engine, grinding it to a halt. Had it rebuilt by a GREAT Toro mechanic (only needed a a piston and rings, plus carb - of course) and it'a as good as new. The mechanic said he couldn't believe how clean it was internally with no carbon build up at all.

Another that he worked on only needed preventive carb work. He said the compression was as good as a new engine. I made it a habit to feed them SeaFoam in the gas/oli mix weekly.

Hope this helps you make a decision.

Oh yeah, NEVER use ethanol blend fuel - straight gasoline only!!!
 
I have 4 Toros, 3 are for sale, 1 CCR-2000 and 2 3650, those have the Suzuki engine. The other is a 2000 year 210-R, Briggs R-Tec engine. The latter is the one I am going to keep because it's the newest.

I like Seafoam, also Berryman's B-12 Chemtool, but I use it to clear up problems. For regular maintenance, I use Stabil and Lucas in my gas can on every fill up so of course any thing I put it in, has it in!
 
The cost to keep 2-stroke oil in the gas isn't much. I'd consider using the correct oil especially if you plan on having that engine around for a while. With a minimum amount of care, most small 2-stroke engines last a long time.
 
What kind and wow old is the supply that you have? Must be fairly old to not have a TCW rating.

Under the circumstances you plan to use the machine, I'd use the oil you have if it's formulated for two strokes. I'd monitor the spark plug and exhaust for carbon build up just to see how it's performing.
 
I have a Toro 2 cycle blower. You can use non TCW rated 2 cycle oil but they recommend
a 40:1 mix instead of the 50:1 for the TCW.
 
Originally Posted By: 2KBMW
I have a Toro 2 cycle blower. You can use non TCW rated 2 cycle oil but they recommend
a 40:1 mix instead of the 50:1 for the TCW.


That is both good to know and I like the idea of making it a richer mixture.
 
I also have the Toro/Suzuki 2 stroke blower. Toro has always recommended the TCW-III 2 stroke oil which is really for water cooled 2 strokes. The recommendation for it in a snow blower engine comes from the fact that air cooled 2 stroke power equipment typically runs at much higher rpms and hotter temps than snow blower engines. Toro recommends the TCW-III because it is less likely to leave deposits than conventional 2 stroke oil might because the TCW-III is low to no ash. I've used Pennzoil marine full syn TCW-III for years.
 
Interesting info I looked at a Tecumseh manual and for their 2 strokes snow engines and they also recommended the TCW-3 two stroke oils, as did Lawn-Boy for their 2 stroke mower engines. I use the 2 stroke for air cooled engines (TC or JASO) Echo oil in the Echo machines and Huskvarna saw.
 
I think the ash content issue in two strokes had to do with exhaust valves. Shouldnt have to worry in a snow blower. Just use what you would in a chain saw.
 
Marine and outboard engines are water cooled and tend to run a lot lower temps than air-cooled 2-cycle OPE. The main difference with the TCW oil is that it's designed not to leave deposits at those lower temps. I guess they figure the snow blower will spend most of it's life running at cold?
 
Yep that's their reasoning. I think the deposit build up problems would be in between piston rings, lands and around the exhaust port. Hard carbon deposits cause rings to stick and clog exhaust ports. I took the muffler off about 8 years ago and it was very clean. So I guess it works!
 
LouC said:
Hard carbon deposits cause rings to stick and clog exhaust ports. I took the muffler off about 8 years ago and it was very clean. So I guess it works!
Click to expand...
And how did piston face look, when you looked into exhaust port? Any scratches?
 
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