Trimmers - discussion/pics

I have ASSumed all 2 cycle does. So I look on Stihl's website and don't see anything. Further investigation shows that Stihl has removed stabilizers from their 2 cycle mix! What Da Ef??

I learned today. I remain unaffected as I do not use any Stihl oils. Seems a bit ridiculous honestly as fuel issues are the main plague of two stroke equipment. Maybe they are looking to boost their dealer's repair logs?

 

This is the Stihl Ultra too, my dealer doesn't sell the orange bottle stuff anymore.

I normally run Red Armor but I've had this Stihl mix sitting there for a while. I used it because this rototiller calls for 24:1. Figured half a gallon of gas to the Stihl mix gets me close enough. Mix my Red Armor at 40:1 for all of my other stuff and I didn't think that would be sufficient enough. Maybe I'll drain the 24:1 to out and throw some 40:1 ( non ethanol gas too ) in there to see if she cranks over. I don't think the gas has water in it because I've been running gas from the same can in my zero turn and it runs fine.

 

The majority I've tested don't have stabilizer. None of the motorsports oils have it that I've seen. Some might but I haven't seen any out of 40 +/- oils so far. I put PRI-G stabilizer in every can I empty so it's ready for the next fill. An oil having a stabilizer or not has never been a deciding factor on using it or not, or that jaso rating either.

 

Id keep running that red armor at 40:1 even in that tiller.

 

I don't believe I've ever purchased one without. Not that I looked before buying...the brands I use all have it. Even the K-Tec stuff I got from Kawi recently has it.

Seems absolutely crazy for a 2-cycle manufacturer to NOT put stabilizers in their mix oil. I wonder if that decision is based purely on cost savings? It'd have to be wouldn't it?

 

Have known 'clean' gas cans to have water in them in the past from sitting empty in high humidity environments. Just an easy thing to check.

 

It gets very humid here in the summer and we had some pretty hot / humid weather last week. Thanks for the tip.

Is it winter yet !!!!!

 

X2

 

The larger the engine (and more cylinders) the less they seem to be affected by a lil water in the fuel...or phase separation on efuel.
That lil tiller has a lil carb, and 1 cylinder, so that can equal "pretty finicky"...or it could be that a lil piece of dirt just happened to work its way into the wrong spot now...it doesn't take much on those lil diaphragm carbs! I've had them act up after a rebuild, take them back apart (even 2-3 times!) find nothing, and then all of a sudden its fine!

 

Or, it displaces other more important additives if used in the blending. There's only so much room for additives in the base oil and some companies may want more of something else vs stabilizer taking away space. Its a non issue for me. I use E-free pump and VP racing 94 octane small engine fuel. Ported saws and the gas rc cars get the latter. Everything else the pump fuel. The pump fuel gets 2 ml / gallon of the PRI-G and I know, in my region, year old fuel looks, smells and runs like new fuel. I drain my generator gas once a year and replace with fresh. The old fuel get used in mowers ect.

 

Don’t want to railroad this thread. Tried my 40:1 and it spit / sputtered and ran for a few seconds and then died. $20 ( carb rebuild kit ) lesson learned. I’ll fight with it this coming winter when I have more time.

Back on topic. Here’s my trimmer / brush cutter. It’s got a solid shaft in it so I can run some of the various brush attachments. It’s about 20 years old and I’ve only ever had to replace the fuel lines and carb. I’d say it was due to ethanol. It probably gets 30 hours a year of usage as a rough guess.

 

That is a great unit you've got there.

 

Nice trimmer there!

 

I just did a quick survey of the oils I happen to have:
VP - yes (has stabilizer built in)
Husky XP - yes
Echo Red Armor - yes
Stihl High Performance (orange bottle) - no

Surprised Stihl doesn't. Anyone have other oils to check?

 

No idea. As stated...I assumed they all had it for very obvious reasons. It is something I will look for in the future on any new oils I buy. Almost through first gallon of trimmer mix. Have Makita Synthetic running right now. Gonna give the Kawasaki stuff a try next gallon.

 

Here are all the oils I currently have left from testing. Only one of these says it stabilizes the fuel, and that's Saber.

 

I put star-torn in all fuel cans

 

Crazyness.

 

I think you put to much concern into wether they do or don't. If you treat all your fuel with a stabilizer, or you use it up fast enough, it doesn't matter if the oil has it. If you are using gas with ethanol in it, stabilizers don't help anyway. Phase separation will eventually happen, if it sets long enough, and corrosion will commence. Tarrryl fixes all all on YouTube did a year long fuel additives test. They all fail. Even the ones that claim they prevent ethanol related fuel system problems.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-xkNBjnenDA3DyuEhAL10PgZ19A72rz5&si=UfO5fuXUu8VvEzH2

 

I think many consumers get a false sense of security with an oil that has stabilizer in it and stabilizers in general. Lets face it, the vast majority have no idea about engines, fuel and oil. If they know it has a stabilizer in it they are more likely to think they can let their ope set with gas in it. Often that gas has ethanol. Their stuff doesn't run correctly after a while and they either buy another or go battery. Many shops are no longer working on most hand held equipment because they aren't worth fixing. The vast majority of these issues are fuel related.