OT 2 cycle oil

is all 2 cycle oil created equal?? I helping someone clear out an old shop & there is a good pile of older cans of 2 cycle chain saw oil & outboard motor oil. the oil is for 60's & 70's engines so it's mostly for 16:1 ratio engines. my newer chain saws, weed wackers, etc, are 50:1. if I refilled empty 2.6 oz. oil containers which are for 50:1 engines with this older oil would I have the right ratio for my newer machines?
 
I gave away all of my outboard oil to me BIL and gave him the warning that I had four good Stihl machines that I would not risk although using it. He knows everything and says that the more oil the better and it is all alike. If I had a saw only worth a hundred dollars I would use it and mix it about 20 /1 and hope the saw would stay together. he buys non-running trimmers at flea market and makes one from several.
 
I don't think I would risk it. The formulation is probably different for older engines. I think modern 2 cycle oil is a synthetic blend that runs cleaner for newer engines that probably have tighter tolerance.
 

New two stroke is mostly synthetic. An older motor should have no problem with it. I add older two stroke to my old tractors to replace the sulfur.
 
We have about a case of Stihl snowmobile oil from the 70's, we add 1 can to each 100 gallons of ULSD diesel fuel to add a bit more lubricity for the 2-3 older machines with fuel lubed Standyne / Rosamaster / Bosch pumps.
 
I would not let you put it in any of my late model chainsaws or other small two cycle engines,

Years ago I ran a old chainsaw that required 16/1 oil mixture but it's long gone,

I use the name brand gas oil mixture in all my equipment, so far they run good with non ethanol gas

That ethanol gas is rough on small engines that are not used regularly,
 
I have a old 6-pack of Mercury two-cycle outboard motor oil. But, have read do not use outboard oil in chain saw fuel. SO; I'm not willing to bet the cost of proper oil to the cost of a new saw.

Also, if your fuel oil mix is too rich with oil you are running the engine too lean.

Yes, we all think if a little oil is good, more is even better, then too much is just right. But, that is wrong for oil-fuel ratios. The engineers who designed and tested these engines know more about the proper ratio than I do.
 
I have always been told not to use outboard motor oil in a chain saw. Outboard motors are water cooled and run cooler so the oil is different, at least that is what i was alsways told.
 

You are correct. Never use outboard 2 cycle oil in any air cooled 2 cycle engine.

You are correct in that outboards are water cooled and the oil formulation is different. When used in an air cooled engine the outboard oil breaks down preventing proper lubrication.

Saw a guy lock up a weed eater using outboard oil. He thought I didn't know what I was talking about. His loss.
 
Yep most of you guys are right on. The outboard 2 cycle oil is not made for the small air cooled 2 cycle engines that are used in chainsaws and weed eaters. I would not use old dino oil either at todays mix ratio's.

The oil that is used today at 50-1 is 100% full synthetic. I collect chainsaws and have about 50 of them that are running saws. Personally I would not go less than at 40-1. Remember that oil has to provide lubrication for the piston and rings and also all the bearings on the crank and rod. I have seen some early failures of crank bearings due to lack of oil.
 
so what can you run in an older saw these days? I have 2 homelites from the 70's ( when they were still good saws ).
 
(quoted from post at 23:55:36 02/03/17) so what can you run in an older saw these days? I have 2 homelites from the 70's ( when they were still good saws ).

You can run a full synthetic oil at 32-1 or at 40-1. I have some old Homelites myself and run them at 32-1. I do not get a lot of excessive smoke and they get good lubrication, but if you do not like that much oil 40-1 will still be fine.
 
how do you calculate 40:1 & 32:1. the oil for my stihl is a 50:1 mix. if I used 2 of those 50:1 bottles would that be 25:1? with the old oil these saws ran 16:1. I have a super XL 12 & a super EZ automatic. great saws in there day. I actually bought the EZ new in the 80's. i'm trying to sell them because I do not want too many different mixes around. easy to use the wrong fuel in the wrong saw, weed eater. etc. i'm pretty good about checking these things but my stepson is not mechanically inclined.
 

One ounce of oil in one gallon of gas is 32-1.

For 40-1, I do not remember right off hand what it is but just google it and I am sure you will find the answer.

You can also run 40-1 in all your 2 cycle equipment including your Stihls. In fact I would recommend it.

Those factory recommendations that they give at 50-1 are for the EPA so that they can pass those regulations. I have 5 Stihl saws and I run the same Mix in everything I own including the weed eaters with no issues at all. Just use 100% synthetic oil and you will have no problems.
 

[b:541f42e292]"One ounce of oil in one gallon of gas is 32-1."[/b:541f42e292]

actually, four ounces of oil added to a gallon of gas = 32:1

there are 128 ounces in a gallon. one ounce in one gallon = 128:1

40:1 is 3.2 ounces of oil to a gallon.
 
(quoted from post at 17:26:05 02/06/17)
[b:bd2e7cc123]"One ounce of oil in one gallon of gas is 32-1."[/b:bd2e7cc123]

actually, four ounces of oil added to a gallon of gas = 32:1

there are 128 ounces in a gallon. one ounce in one gallon = 128:1

40:1 is 3.2 ounces of oil to a gallon.


Yes you are correct I cannot edit my post and I meant 1oz of oil to one quart of gas is 31-1. Thanks for catching that.
 
(quoted from post at 19:27:42 02/06/17)
(quoted from post at 17:26:05 02/06/17)
[b:548fe65875]"One ounce of oil in one gallon of gas is 32-1."[/b:548fe65875]

actually, four ounces of oil added to a gallon of gas = 32:1

there are 128 ounces in a gallon. one ounce in one gallon = 128:1

40:1 is 3.2 ounces of oil to a gallon.


Yes you are correct I cannot edit my post and I meant 1oz of oil to one quart of gas is 31-1. Thanks for catching that.

Why am I not allowed to edit a mistake in a post I make. I make typo's all the time.
 

the edit button here is a tease, unfortunately. it is disabled for all, i assume due to the nuances of trying to maintain one database of posts for two different forum software packages - "classic" and "modern."
 

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