Craftsman gas hedge trimmer12/11/2023 There are several quality products available on the market and I’ve already done a lot of the research by comparing the best premixed fuels so have a look at that before buying.Īnd yes, premixed fuel does cost more when you look strictly at price but you have to factor in that you are getting ethanol-free gas mixed precisely with 2-stroke oil and extended shelf life that far exceeds a homemade mix. I made the transition to premixed fuel and have never looked back. In my case, it caused the inner lining of the fuel lines to dissolve resulting in a lot of work rebuilding the carburetor and trying to get the darn thing to run again. Pump fuel contains ethanol which can damage small engines. The gas I was using was from the pump at a local station. In the end, I was being penny-wise but pound-foolish. I spent years mixing my own fuel, priding myself on money saved in the short term. Should I Buy Premixed Fuel Or Just Mix The Gas And Oil Myself?įor ease of use, premium ingredients, and precise gas to oil ratios, commercially-prepared premixed fuel is a better solution than mixing the gas and oil yourself. There is absolutely no reason that you should place your 2-stroke equipment at risk with this unproven theory. Some people have claimed success with using 4-stroke oil but short-term testing does not allow for adequate evaluation of longterm impact. 4-stroke oil will gum up over time when mixed directly with the gas, causing longterm motor issues and potential damage. You should never use 4-stroke oil in a 2-stroke engine. Can I Use 4-Stroke Oil Instead Of 2-Stroke? Using an inaccurate gas to oil ratio means you are either not providing enough lubrication, or you are giving it too much.Įither way, the motor will not run as efficiently as it is designed to if you alter fuel ratio from the manufacturer recommendations. The real issue is the potential damage that can be caused to the engine itself.Ī two-stroke engine requires lubrication directly in the fuel since it does not have a separate oil compartment to draw lubrication from. A trimmer that starts but then dies when the throttle is engagedīut these are just symptoms.Straying from the manufacturer’s recommendations can result in various engine problems and potential damage.Įxamples of problems that can be encountered from inaccurate gas to oil ratios include: Two-stroke engines are designed to run on specific gas to oil ratios. They currently recommend a 50:1 ratio for their 2-stroke trimmer engines ( source). Ryobi, though best known these days for their battery-powered tools, does still maintain a few gas model trimmers. Virtually every model of Craftsman string trimmer that I looked at used 40:1 gas to oil ratios, though I was unable to find a definitive source that could confirm that this is true of all of their equipment. McCulloch equipment uses 40:1 per the Husqvarna website ( source). I did not receive any specific guidance on the year that this change occurred so I recommend checking your owner’s manual if you have an older model string trimmer just to be sure. I contacted Husqvarna for clarification and they verified that newer models all use 50:1 but some older models do in fact require 40:1. ** Husqvarna’s older manuals used to call for a 40:1 ratio. But in 2019 ECHO revised their recommendations to allow for a 50:1 ratio for all ECHO two-stroke engines using their branded two-cycle oils ( source – see page 23). Note that older owner manuals for ECHO products recommended strange, sometimes impossible gas to oil ratios such as 32:1. They maintain a consistent 50:1 ratio with all of their 2-stroke equipment ( source). Stihl doesn’t mix words when it comes to mixing gas and oil. As such, it’s always best practice to check the owner’s manual but these represent the bulk of each brand’s offerings.
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