Mixing gas and 2 cycle oil question...

[benick]

My string trimmer needs 2.6 oz. oil per gallon.(50:1) How does one measure

2.6 oz.? I mean besides using SWMBO's "good" measuring cup... Do you have to be THAT accurate?

[ds549]

yep... use right oil too

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[Liz Megerle]

I bet you have an extra of those cold medicine dosing cups around.

Six teaspo> My string trimmer needs 2.6 oz. oil per gallon.(50:1) How does one

[Edwin Pawlowski]

They sell oil in 2.6 oz. bottles as well as bottles with a built in measure for different ratios. As for accuracy, richer is better than leaner on the oil.

[HeyBub]

Just dump in about 1/50th of a tank and fill with gas.

You should err on the generous side with the oil. Too much oil and you put the planet in peril with white smoke. Too little oil and you prematurely age your engine.

[timbirr]

You don't have to be "space shuttle" accurate, but you should try to be pretty darn close, and, as mentioned, if any, err on side of too much oil.

To make it simple for me, I went down years ago and bought a 2.6 oz. bottle of Stihl oil at the Stihl dealer for some really high price. I also bought a gallon of 2-cycle Stihl oil.

I've kept the 2.6 oz bottle around for years, refill it from the gallon bottle with a turkey baster (makes for GOOD turkey at Thanksgiving...). So, for the past 15 years or so, I fill the 2.6 oz bottle from a gallon bottle of oil. Dump it into the gas can. REFILL the 2.6 oz bottle. Put away the gallon and the filled 2.6 oz bottle.

Head for the gas station. Only have to mess with filling every other time.

tim

[benick]

Great idea Liz...Thanks....

[Anthony Diodati]

Get your own measuring cup!..............................LOL Should be able to get one at the dollar store or the flea market cheap. Either that, or fill SWMBO's measuring cup with a little better than 2.5 OZ of water, pour that in a cup, and mark the level it's at. You now have your measuring cup. Tony

[gfretwell]

You can always buy the bottles of oil but if you have landscapers working in the neighborhood see if they have a few empty bottles on the truck. I managed to collect quite a few and I just refill them from a bulk container. Then I can just dump one in when I am mixing up gas. I keep a couple in my chain saw box and a few more with my string trimmer supplies. I use TCW-3 oil and my machines seem very happy.

[salty]

Too much oil and you carbon up the engine until the rings break and you buy a whole new trimmer. It will also be harder to start and will foul the plug easier.

[salty]

TCW-3 is for water cooled engines that run at lower temps. Yes, it makes a difference.

[DanG]

Ed, I wish that were so. Used a richer mix on a brand new Core Cut cut off saw - wouldn't start or run. The cure - dump out my fuel mix (about 32:1), use 50'1, starts first pull, runs like a champ.

[Bob M.]

You measure it by buying a bottle of multi-ratio oil, or whatever it's called, but it covers 8:1, 20:1, 50:1 all in one shot, no measuring.

[RLM]

I went to the drug store and bought a syringe that is used for giving medication to youngsters. They also make a large rubber bulb dropper like a turkey baster, only smaller, that has measurements on it for the same purpose. I put a little over two teaspoons in an old two cup (pint) measure from the dollar store that I keep in the garage just for this purpose. This fills the tank when mixed.

Two "heaping" teaspoons to one pint of gas for 50/1 mixture. Then I only need one gas can with regular gas that can also be used in mowers that don't require the mixing.

Then there isn't a chance of putting the wrong mix in any engines.

The gasoline is refreshed more often this way. I also dump the trimmer gas into the chain saw through a coffee filter to keep fresh two cycle mixture from going bad or gumming up the small carburetors on two cycle equipment.

One way or the other I use up as much of the two cycle mixture as quickly as possible so it doesn't go bad. I never add the two cycle mix to a mower that doesn't require a gas/oil mixture because it lowers the octane enough to cause ping/knock even if you aren't able to hear it.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Never tried 32:1 but I've used 40:1 in all my two cycles OK. I'm sure there is a limit though.

[Stormin Mormon]

Baby bottle from the dollar store, marked in ounces.

Use more oil, won't hurt anything. I use 4 oz per galon for my chainsaw, and weed whacker. In your case, 3 or 4 ounces of oil per galon will work fine.

[Stormin Mormon]

Try a different brand of gasoline. At my part of the world, Mobil and Hess are good quality fuel. Years ago, I had some Kwik Fill gasoline that simply would not start and run, in small engines. Mobil fired up, and ran fine. Same 87 octane.

[Rudy]

I use a larger size prescription bottle..or small yogurt 4OZ tub..whatever is handy that holds 3-4 oz.

Measure 2.5 oz water in her measuring cup..pour it into the bottle or tub and mark the line with a black felt marker.

[Red Green]

"benick" wrote in news:lbqdnbsp-_ZqjabVnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

- Buy one little bottle of the premeasured which is the 2.6 then reuse from your supply.

- Buy the large bottle that has the gizmo on top and measures it out before you pour. Works neat and no mess.

- For oil & other one time mixtures like say bug sprays, measure 2.6 oz of water in SWMBO's then put water in like a disposable paper bathroom cup. Mark the fluid like with a marker. Dump out water and dry. Fill to line with oil or other toxic stuff. Return SWMBO's measuring cup and show her you only put water in it. Get an atta-boy from her.

[SteveB]

Or just find any plastic storage thingus that usually holds a few ounces. Plastic yogurt containers come to mind. Carefully measure 2.6 ounces using whatever you can. Cold medicine dosers work and you probably have one in the drawer. When you get 2.6 oz. in there, make a line with a black marker. Measure how high that is. If it is say 1 5/8" from the bottom, just remember that number in case you have to use another yogurt container the next time. If you have a permanent small container, you only have to mark it once. If you use disposables, remember the distance to level.

I'd add just a little to make it run oily rather than the hotter leaner mix, just to keep from frying a piston. A fouled plug is much easier and cheaper to change/replace.

Steve