I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? Will it ruin anything?

wrote in message
...
I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? yes

Will it ruin anything? No.

Steve

il Tue, 26 Apr 2005 14:33:01 +0100, "shazzbat" wrote:


wrote in message
...
I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? yes

Will it ruin anything? No.

Well if I wanted to keep my machines in good order forever, I'd go by
the rules. What is needed is an easy way to mix the different ratios.
Of course in metrics it is waaay easier to do those ratios.

--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

(3) 1 gallon plastic gas cans = $10
(3) gallons of gas = $7 US
(1) Quart oil = $2
A black market and roll of masking tape to label = $1

Cost to protect $500 worth of power equipment = $20

"Loki" wrote in message
...
il Tue, 26 Apr 2005 14:33:01 +0100, "shazzbat" wrote:


wrote in message
...
I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? yes

Will it ruin anything? No.

Well if I wanted to keep my machines in good order forever, I'd go by
the rules. What is needed is an easy way to mix the different ratios.
Of course in metrics it is waaay easier to do those ratios.

True. but the specified ratio is an ideal. they have tolerance, and are not
as picky as you might think. An old geezer I used to know ran his chainsaw
on 50:1 instead of 25:1 for the better part of two years. I pointed out to
him that he should double the dose for 25:1 and he did, but no harm seems to
have been done. Admittedly he only used it occasionally, but you get the
picture.

Steve

shazzbat wrote:

True. but the specified ratio is an ideal. they have tolerance, and are not
as picky as you might think. An old geezer I used to know ran his chainsaw
on 50:1 instead of 25:1 for the better part of two years. I pointed out to
him that he should double the dose for 25:1 and he did, but no harm seems to
have been done. Admittedly he only used it occasionally, but you get the
picture.

Steve

Hogwash. Using a non-standard ratio is a good way to cook an engine.
Some one with two-stroke tuning experience can tune the engines that
take 50 to 1 to run on a richer mixture but don't go the other way.

Tony

FriscoSoxFan wrote:

(3) 1 gallon plastic gas cans = $10
(3) gallons of gas = $7 US
(1) Quart oil = $2
A black market and roll of masking tape to label = $1

Cost to protect $500 worth of power equipment = $20


I'm with you. I have two two-cycles that use different mixes. Easy
enough to do and I'd rather use what the machine is designed to run
with. That way you're not going to be burning extra oil to foul things
or run it to "lean" and chance burning parts out.

--
Steve

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 13:16:11 GMT, wrote:
I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? Will it ruin anything?

Are any still under warranty? If so, you should put the proper mixture
in that one to avoid any warranty claim problems.

My personal practice is to use the mix with the most oil (e.g. 30:1 in
your case) in everything. If I had problems with carbon fouling or
excess smoke, that would indicate too much oil and I'd have to reduce.
No problems thus far (over 25 years with many brands of 2-cycle engines
both mine and the first 10 years my employer's).

I also _always_ use Stabil in the gas for my 2-cycle engines. And
Stabil in the gas for 4-cycle engines late in the season when they may
not be used again for some time. Never a problem with seasonal storage
since I started that practice ~7 years ago.

sdb
--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com

Thanks...I'll go the extra yard and make 3 mixes.
I also didn't know you were supposed to dispose of old (as in last
year's) mixes. I just learned that from my Mantis manual.

Sylvan Butler wrote:
On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 13:16:11 GMT, wrote:

I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? Will it ruin anything?


Are any still under warranty? If so, you should put the proper mixture
in that one to avoid any warranty claim problems.

My personal practice is to use the mix with the most oil (e.g. 30:1 in
your case) in everything. If I had problems with carbon fouling or
excess smoke, that would indicate too much oil and I'd have to reduce.
No problems thus far (over 25 years with many brands of 2-cycle engines
both mine and the first 10 years my employer's).

I also _always_ use Stabil in the gas for my 2-cycle engines. And
Stabil in the gas for 4-cycle engines late in the season when they may
not be used again for some time. Never a problem with seasonal storage
since I started that practice ~7 years ago.

sdb


This will work if you tune the carburetor to let in more fuel into the
mix. Pre-mix with more oil in it is thicker and results in less fuel
into the engine causing a lean running condition that can lead to piston
seizure.

I agree with 100% with using fuel stabilizer in the off-season.

Tony

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:55:07 GMT, wrote:
Thanks...I'll go the extra yard and make 3 mixes.
I also didn't know you were supposed to dispose of old (as in last
year's) mixes. I just learned that from my Mantis manual.

Use stabil.

Especially if you won't be using the fuel very quickly.

sdb
--
Wanted: Omnibook 800 & accessories, cheap, working or not
sdbuse1 on mailhost bigfoot.com

il Wed, 27 Apr 2005 06:22:10 GMT, Anthony W wrote:

Sylvan Butler wrote:
On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 13:16:11 GMT, wrote:

I now have 3 tools with 2-stroke engines: a mini-tiller, a weedeater,
and a leafblower. They all require different gas-oil ratios. One is
50:1, one is 40:1, one is 30:1 !

Can I mix 40:1 and use it for all 3? Will it ruin anything?


Are any still under warranty? If so, you should put the proper mixture
in that one to avoid any warranty claim problems.

My personal practice is to use the mix with the most oil (e.g. 30:1 in
your case) in everything. If I had problems with carbon fouling or
excess smoke, that would indicate too much oil and I'd have to reduce.
No problems thus far (over 25 years with many brands of 2-cycle engines
both mine and the first 10 years my employer's).

I also _always_ use Stabil in the gas for my 2-cycle engines. And
Stabil in the gas for 4-cycle engines late in the season when they may
not be used again for some time. Never a problem with seasonal storage
since I started that practice ~7 years ago.

sdb


This will work if you tune the carburetor to let in more fuel into the
mix. Pre-mix with more oil in it is thicker and results in less fuel
into the engine causing a lean running condition that can lead to piston
seizure.

I agree with 100% with using fuel stabilizer in the off-season.

My motorcycle had instructions for storing that involved removing all
oil and fuel, but since I never stored it I never read it too
thoroughly. And that was a four stroke. Old fuel gets kinda sticky
I've noticed. And a car left in the driveway for a year or two will
rust in place - those brake linings can suuuure stick!
--
Cheers,
Loki [ Brevity is the soul of wit. W.Shakespeare ]

g'day mitch,

i go with use what the manufacturer recommends, it probably would be
ok if yo ran them all on 30:1 mix just that in the 50:1 machine it may
foul an extra plug in a season.

when i was a mechanic i always recommended to folk not to mix whole
cans of 2 stroke mix as once oil is added the mix then deteriorates
with time. myself i use a calibrated jar and a calibrated medicine cup
and mix my 2 stroke fuel as i need it, no problems then of not having
fresh fuel and no problems with having to dispose of old fuel.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

Loki wrote:

My motorcycle had instructions for storing that involved removing all
oil and fuel, but since I never stored it I never read it too
thoroughly. And that was a four stroke. Old fuel gets kinda sticky
I've noticed. And a car left in the driveway for a year or two will
rust in place - those brake linings can suuuure stick!

Some motorcycle manuals have some rather lame advice in them. If you
store a bike for the winter, drain the carb but leave the tank full.
This way the tank won't rust out.

Come spring drain the gas into a can and put it in your pickup truck.
Then start the bike with fresh gas..

Tony
former motorcycle mechanic
Owner: OregonMotorcycleParts.com

Sylvan Butler wrote:

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:55:07 GMT, wrote:

Thanks...I'll go the extra yard and make 3 mixes.
I also didn't know you were supposed to dispose of old (as in last
year's) mixes. I just learned that from my Mantis manual.


Use stabil.

Especially if you won't be using the fuel very quickly.

sdb

Yup. I use stabil all year in my mower, snowblower, weedwacker, tiller,
and chain saw. When I put them into storage for a season, I make sure
that the tank is completely full. I used to do the same thing (except
constantly using Stabil) with my Corvette's and motorcycles and have
never had a problem with any of them. (Well, that was caused by the gas
anyhow. ;-) )

--
Steve