Running 40:1 in a 50:1 world.

VP C9 here (special order). I used to run 100LL, but C9 has a much better distillation curve/Reed vapor pressure for a 2 cycle. I used Champion WP-2 Semi Synthetic 2t based on a number of reviews on various different sites. It's not really that well known from what I can tell. Give it a shot if you haven't, you can buy it online at various sites. Also have tried Lubegard's oil, I prefer Champion because its a much heavier visc (how much that really matters for my usage I have no idea honestly). Both of these oils have very low odor when burning.
 
VP C9 users, Do you guys have a better source than online? I see VP C9 online for $99 per 5 gallon jug. That’s crazy. I use E0 91 and haven’t had any issues. Last time I got fuel it was ~$4.50 per gallon in the spring.

Just my $0.02
 
VP C9 users, Do you guys have a better source than online? I see VP C9 online for $99 per 5 gallon jug. That’s crazy. I use E0 91 and haven’t had any issues. Last time I got fuel it was ~$4.50 per gallon in the spring.

Just my $0.02
I have a dealer 3 miles away that has just about any fuel in the VP lineup seriously everything on hand. I have been going to her for years she knows what I'm looking for when I walk in amd treats me good I believe last can was 73.00 dollars. I believe few years ago it was about 63.oo per can.
 
My John Deere chain saw requires 20-1. ( it's 45 years old ) The mix I do, winds up being 16-1. 8 oz of oil to a gallon of gas. I've have run my Stihl weed whipper ( 40-1 ) for a dozen years or so on the 16-1, runs fine. I've just bought a Husqvarna leaf blower and I'm running that on the 16-1. No issues so far.
 
I have been running 40:1 now for a while with regular ethanol free pump gas and red armor oil.
My echo saws smoke a little bit more if I let them idle for say 20 seconds or more then I get back on the throttle.
Biggest change I noticed is the 60cc echo pops on the first pull most of the time and if I'm quick I can get the 40cc saw to start on the first pull. They never did that with 50:1 and I have had the 40cc echo for 12 years and the 60cc echo for 6 years.
 
My John Deere chain saw requires 20-1. ( it's 45 years old ) The mix I do, winds up being 16-1. 8 oz of oil to a gallon of gas. I've have run my Stihl weed whipper ( 40-1 ) for a dozen years or so on the 16-1, runs fine. I've just bought a Husqvarna leaf blower and I'm running that on the 16-1. No issues so far.
At the start of my forestry career we ran our Homelites and McCullochs* at 16:1. Both engine design/materials and 2 cycle oil have changed tremendously compared to 50 years ago. It seems that your new machines might not benefit running at 16:1? Keep us posted on how that goes.

I also wonder what are the differences of the old oils at 16:1 compared to modern oils at 16:1. Does running the modern oils at 16:1 cause any problems? Anyone know?


* Sigh - remember when these were respected professional brands?
 
My +20 year old Echo leaf blower runs equally well on 40:1 and 50:1. I have never done a single bit of maintenance on the thing and it just keeps running.
 
At the start of my forestry career we ran our Homelites and McCullochs* at 16:1. Both engine design/materials and 2 cycle oil have changed tremendously compared to 50 years ago. It seems that your new machines might not benefit running at 16:1? Keep us posted on how that goes.

I also wonder what are the differences of the old oils at 16:1 compared to modern oils at 16:1. Does running the modern oils at 16:1 cause any problems? Anyone know?


* Sigh - remember when these were respected professional brands?
Yeah there's a difference. When the new synthetic based thicc oils came out they had to create a whole new test series.
The old test: they run the engines for some amount of time, tear down the engines and compare them.
The old test on the newest generation of 2 stroke oils: they'd run the standard test and there was virtually no wear and no noticeable difference between the other similar new generation oils.
So to test these new synthetic oils with a bit of detergent they doubled the old test time and came out with the FD standard.
So those old 16:1 McCullochs could run 32:1 FD oil and last longer than the old oil running at 16:1. They could probably run 40:1.

That FD oil is thicc so if I run 32:1 in my saw the exhaust port gets oily and it smokes when I come up on the throttle after it's been idling for a bit. 40:1 is just about perfect.
I'll run 32:1 in the weedeater since it's just held wide open for minutes at a time with very little idle time. Very little smoke, no smoke when warm and little to no exhaust pipe oilyness.
 
Back
Top Bottom