Found a flaw with Echo Red Armor 2 Cycle oil and its not what you think!

[Fordiesel69]

I left my Husqvarna 555 chainsaw locked in the truck overnight, and the ambient temps fell to 15 degrees F. It had a cold soak all night, and the very next morning, the red armor had such excellent film strength inside the engine, I was not physically capable of pulling it over fast enough to start. Not even the decompression valve would do the trick (as I always forget to use it). I used the drop start method as an alternative and that did not improve things either.

With the husky's having the two cog starter dogs, I did not want to continue and shear them off. (these were later upgraded to a 4 cog.)

The solution was to use a hair dryer and warm the cylinder enough that it could turn over fast enough to start.

On one hand i am happy that the film strength is so good that it coats the entire inner workings of the engine. On the other hand I am disappointed that they cannot engineer an excellent oil like this, so it flows good cold. I guess we cannot have both.

 

[kschachn]

Film strength of the 2-cycle oil dissolved in the gasoline did all that? Interesting.

 

[Rand]

I'm suspicious that any 2 cycle oil mixed 50:1 could cause this. Perhaps you have a mechanical issue with the saw..
could you retry with different oil perhaps?

 

[jeepman3071]

I'm suspicious that any 2 cycle oil mixed 50:1 could cause this. Perhaps you have a mechanical issue with the saw..
could you retry with different oil perhaps?

+1

Also suspicious, since I have started 2-cycle machines using 40:1 Echo red armor in below zero weather.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Confirmed it was the oil. I mix everything 40:1. I prefer 32:1 but auto tune does not.

I intentionally left my echo PB-255LN outside the next night as a test and same thing. Pulled over super hard.

BTW, this took place last weekend.

I don't use any other oils so I will have to aquire a different brand to try.

The husky 555 I have is ultra low hours and is like new, and once it got some warmth it fired up in 3 pulls, 2 for it to pop off, and one after choke was release and pulled once more.

 

[kschachn]

Confirmed it was the oil. I mix everything 40:1. I prefer 32:1 but auto tune does not.

I intentionally left my echo PB-255LN outside the next night as a test and same thing. Pulled over super hard.

BTW, this took place last weekend.

I don't use any other oils so I will have to aquire a different brand to try.

The husky 555 I have is ultra low hours and is like new, and once it got some warmth it fired up in 3 pulls, 2 for it to pop off, and one after choke was release and pulled once more.

Amazing, that’s one for the film strength record book.

 

[97prizm]

I'm suspicious that any 2 cycle oil mixed 50:1 could cause this. Perhaps you have a mechanical issue with the saw..
could you retry with different oil perhaps?

2 stroke oil is dissolved into the gas and should be a factor. I'm thinking a grease on the starter or pulley was causing this.

 

[Elkins45]

I had a Ryobi trimmer once that had a leaky needle valve and would fill the cylinder with gas when left sitting overnight. That thing would rip your tendons out when you tried to pull it.

Since it was gravity fed I solved the problem by storing it upside down.

 

[factorytuned2012]

2 strokes need air, spark & fuel my guess air which contains moisture froze over night. Could even be moisture in the fuel mixture. You say you needed a hair dryer to thaw out the engine

 

[jeepman3071]

2 stroke oil is dissolved into the gas and should be a factor. I'm thinking a grease on the starter or pulley was causing this.

This.

 

[kimmillard1]

Bought some Red Armor myself a few weeks ago and left it inside my vehicle overnight when temps got down into the teens. When I returned to my vehicle, I found it somewhat on the gloppy side. However, still can't see that being an issue if it's mixed into gasoline at the appropriate ratio and being used at ambient temperatures above 60 degrees F, which I'm assuming most power equipment is.

 

[joegreen]

Just from experience of tearing down small two stroke engines even though the oil and gas is mixed the gasoline will evaporate and leave behind the oil. There can actually be a surprising amount of oil in the crank case.

 

[Arc]

Both of my STIHL chainsaws start cold or hot with 5 pulls. 50:1 mix.

 

[kimmillard1]

Just from experience of tearing down small two stroke engines even though the oil and gas is mixed the gasoline will evaporate and leave behind the oil. There can actually be a surprising amount of oil in the crank case.

I'm now experiencing a bit of unburned oil when I use the Echo Red Armor at 50:1 myself. Thinking of adjusting the ratio to 60:1 or even 70:1 to account for this. It's a bit surprising considering the flashpoint is around 73 deg C, low in comparison to many competitors, and the viscosity is equivalent to that of a 5W-30 or 10W-30 in a 4-stroke oil.

 

[ARB1977]

I’ve had no issues starting my Sthil combi using Saber at 80:1 in 32 degree weather. Also it boggs down quite a bit in the cold.