Stihl Motomix vs Trufuel 50:1

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I visited my local Stihl dealer today. I called and asked if they had Motomix, and they said they had one bottle left but had plenty of Trufuel 50:1. They also informed me they were identical products and both were made by trufuel, and I should buy trufuel because it's cheaper.

So I bought both. While I have no doubt in my mind that Motomix is produced for Stihl by Trufuel, They aren't close to being identical. Motomix is green, from the HP ultra oil. Trufuel is pink, from whatever oil they use.

Motomix was $9.95. Trufuel was $7.95.

I haven't used either yet, but I will put each one in different saws and see how it smells/smokes/runs.

motomix1.jpg


motomix2.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: car54
I need to convince my dealer they aren't the same, and to drop the price a bit!


Originally Posted By: car54
I need to convince my dealer they aren't the same, and to drop the price a bit!


I spoke to the owner of the Shop today about Moto-mix, we should be getting some in soon..
They are definitely NOT the same product and as to the cost there is a significant diff in dealer cost/pricing as well..

That big diff in dealer cost is the reason for the diff in Retail.. I'm not saying I like it just noting the reason is all..
 
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I've been using TruFuel 40:1 in my ryobi trimmer with no problems yet. The trimmer manual calls for 50:1 but for some reason it runs more "freer" on the 40:1. Exhaust is clean and not oily.

I get mine for $3.95 at walmart. $7.95 is a little steep. It's also green colored.
 
I worked on an fs80r yesterday that has been run on trufuel most of it's life. The engine did have good sealing numbers, but was fouling plugs by bridging the gap with little round balls of gray carbon. I found nothing else suspect about the trimmer but the red fuel.
These two fuel are both bottled by the same co.(TrueSouth in Shreveport LA), but nothing about there formulas are the same but the ratio.
 
I spent the day switching my equipment from gas to motomix. I used the entire bottle of trufuel in my Echo backpack blower, it's at least 10 years old and the 32oz bottle only filled it halfway.

My MS310 saw and HT70 pole pruner both have carb problems. I bought them both in 2003 and have seen only a few hours a year of use. I added a little bit of gumout regane to the motomix in hopes that it will clean out whatever is causing the carb problems.

I have four other Stihls, a two stroke string trimmer, a fourmix trimmer, and two 046 saws. I will need some more motomix to convert all of them.
 
I find all of this discussion about "designer" fuels to be somewhat confusing.

I have over thirty years of hands on mechanical experience and was formally educated in diesel mechanics. I own and operate numerous small engine machines (probably forty or more) from motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, outboard engines, two and four stroke OPE of several types. I have always done my own work and have rebuilt numerous engines both two and four stroke. My preferred engine is two cycles and I have many of them. In all of my years of experience, I've used nothing but regular pump fuel with conventional two cycle oil. I've never had an issue with either performance or reliability using normal fuel mixed at required ratios.

So, the confusion that I'm experiencing is trying to get my head around why anyone would pay such a ridiculous price for fuel that appears to offer nothing in return for the cost.

Maybe someone can enlighten me regarding the perceived advantages of using these high priced fuels?
 
I'm only using it in equipment that sits more than it is used to prevent fuel from going bad in the carb. The leaf blower will sit for 3-4 months before I use it again in the fall. The trimmers sit all winter. ethanol is a mean substance and if paying out the rear is the only way to avoid it, so be it.

You mention rebuilding two and four stroke engines, but then state you have never had an issue with performance or reliability using conventional two stroke oil?

Ive never rebuilt an engine, period. I use boutique oils and high end fuels. Stuff lasts much longer and runs better.
 
"You mention rebuilding two and four stroke engines, but then state you have never had an issue with performance or reliability using conventional two stroke oil?"

That is correct.

You see, when a person buys old, used and sometimes abused machines as I do (vintage motorcycles for instance), often the engine(s) will need work. Lots of work. That's where the "rebuilding" happens. I also do free work for friends and family who have mechanical problems. Accordingly, there will be a variety of issues that may require intense mechanical work.

I've never had an engine that I purchased new, fail. Some are thirty plus years old and all start quickly and run steady and strong.

I leave equipment at my cottage for six months at a time with regular pump fuel in them. I drain the carbs on machines that have float carbs. Diaphragm carbs are left as is. I've got a 1984 Jonsereds chainsaw and an '84 Stihl brush cutter that are left out there every year since new. Five pulls or so and they
both fire right up every spring. Same with everything else I leave out there all winter. I've yet to have any problems that would be related to fuel or oil.

Maybe I'm just lucky. If I am, I've been very lucky for a very long time.
 
Knock on wood, but I too have had no apparent problems from ethanol fuel in dozens of outdoor power equipment at my workplace using reasonable fuel management practices. Some equipment sits for six months without problems, but I get nervous around that point.

The one difference I could imagine is that gasoline probably does go bad more quickly in the summer heat of the southern states. And, storing equipment overwinter in unheated garages in the northern states likewise causes the fuel to store longer and better.

Just a hunch.
 
I suspect there is a difference in fuels from state to state, as well as seasonal fuels. I also think that the Southern states may very well have more fuel issues then other places?

I see fuel probs everyday, carb rebuilds in both handheld and other equipment is common place for me. Sometimes I can clean the carb sometimes it needs a kit, sometimes I have to replace it.. Heck, I've done a good number of pcs just this week..

While I have no scientific proof I "suspect" that changes in the fuels (NOT just Ethanol) have made them much less stable and and they go bad faster then years ago. I can't begin to tell you how many pcs of equipment I get with fuel/carb issues from the SNOW BIRDS when they return south for the winter?

I've already posted in another thread the issues I see related to Ethanol and have also stated that there are a number of places that blame every conceivable anomoly on Ethanol which of course is just so much B~S..

Ethanol WILL harden the Diagrams in handheld equipment carbs.. It WILL eat the sealant on some of the Welch plugs in these carbs although most have changed to another sealent to keep this from happening..
Ethanol DOES cause BIG issues in the Marine industry which as one can imagine is pretty big here..
However it is NOT the cause of every run problem on earth just oft blamed when the REAL problem is not known/found.

I have 2 Gens of my own here at the house, working in the field I kinda pride myself on my care/maintenance of these and other pcs of equip I have.. These units had fresh fuel in them along with a healthy dose of SEAFOAM added to the fuel.. They were run for 30 min or so, then I shut the fuel off and run them till they die working the choke at the end to get as much fuel out as possible.. I start them every couple/3 months and repeat the process but even so the other day while doing my Pre-hurricane gen runs my Main gen with a 13 H/P Honda would not run at WOT... NO biggy to me as I had it fixed and running in about 10min but my point is these fuels just don't hold up like they used to.. I "DON'T" think this is an Ethanol issue it was just old fuel blocking a few holes in the emulsion tube running through the center of the carb.. I often see MAIN jets plugged as well but not in my case..
While "some" carbs (like this one in particular) can be drained there are a lot of others that can't be without removing and disassembling the carb first..

My 4-Mix Kombi sees a LOT of use, my MS-260 Pro See's occasional use and BOTH start and run perfectly every time..
While some may call the New fuels a Fad or Boutique fuels I can certainly see the attraction to them especially for a Homeowner and occasional user.. I don't see these fuels being cost effective or practical for a Commercial application but that's pretty much a no brainer..
 
Every fuel issue I've encountered is contamination. Usually water or a combination of water and debris. Last year I refueled
one of my outboards with freshly purchased fuel. A half mile from shore, the engine began to miss and sputter then stopped. I lifted the cowl and inspected the transparent fuel filter. The contents of the filter was orange, not blue. I drained it into a bailing can. I tilted the fuel tank onto the corner where the fuel pick up is then opened the fuel fitting to allow me to pump the bottom of the fuel tank into the bailing can. I pumped a good half litre of rust coloured water before I got to clean blue fuel. I reconnected the fuel line, loosened the drain plugs on the carbs and pumped clean fuel through.

Every fuel encounter I've had has been similar. Water in the fuel is worse than dirt. Filters can catch the dirt but water will get past.

If people were more vigilant inspecting their fuel before putting it into their machines, they may find that will solve a lot of problems. When your fuel container is getting low, tilt it to move the fuel to one corner and look for two distinct liquid layers. A siphon hose will easily pick up the water. Siphon off the water until you see clean fuel.
 
boraricus,

sometimes I think your lack of understanding the market for chemical advances stems from not giving yourself enough credit. 98% of boaters would have had to get a toe that day.

Will
 
Originally Posted By: 660mag
boraricus,

sometimes I think your lack of understanding the market for chemical advances stems from not giving yourself enough credit. 98% of boaters would have had to get a toe that day.

Will






Despite your insinuation that I'm chemical knowledge challenged, I'll take that as a compliment and thank you.

Experience is a mighty handy tool to have in one's possession when there's no one to count on but yourself. I've bailed myself and others out more than a few tight spots with a jack knife, duct tape, bailing wire and JB Weld.
 
I'm well aware of what contamination, water, & debris will do to fuel systems.. My comments however were not associated to or related to the above and had they been I would have mentioned it..

That being said YES owners/operators of equipment "should" be more aware of the quality of fuel they use. They "should" use good fuel containers, they "should" know how to check for water and debris as well as applying proper storage methods..

However that's just NOT gonna to happen because in many instances the owner/user of said equipment ain't smart enough enough to do so.. To be honest I'm GLAD they aren't..
"IF" they were I'd have a lot less work to do..
I say most everyday that there quite simply are FAR TOO Many peeps that shouldn't own power equipment/tools.. These types should just PAY SOMEONE to do the work why they watch TV.
 
I agree that there are far too many people who shouldn't be anywhere near power equipment.

I'm related to some by marriage. I've told the story before about a S-I-L and her 20ish year old son who managed to sideline two lawnmowers by filling the fuel tanks with water then proceeded to break the recoil rope on one of them by pulling on it 35000 times rather than figure out what was wrong.

I recall seeing a five gallon gas can with no cap on it sitting in their back yard in the fall, through winter and into the spring of the year they had mower problems. It didn't take me too long to connect those dots.

The son filled the first mower from that very fuel can. It wouldn't run so they borrowed a mower from a neighbour and did the same thing. Thus putting both machines out of service. When neither would run, they loaded them up and dropped them off for me to fix. Nothing but water in the fuel tanks on both of them.

I mean really..... How dense does one have to be to do something as stupid as that? How tuned out is a person that can't distinguish water from gasoline?

What keeps these people alive????
 
LOL, man if we could answer some of those Q's we'd be sittin in tall cotton..
I think it safe to say that LOTS of peeps just don't have any sense. I learned a long time ago that common sense is something you either have or ya don't, it's not something that can be taught/learned..

I've got so many examples and stories about customers it would take me a week to tell them all..
From something as simple as a Mower that won't start because it's OUT OF GAS, to an almost NEW $8K ZTR that needed the motor replaced because the OWNER of the lawn service changed the oil but forgot about the putting it back part..
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I've seen Elederly men come in and buy friggin CHAIN SAWS with EASY START.. HA!! Gramps if'n you need an E-Z Start saw I'm thinkin you ought NOT even have a saw..

Your example of pulling the cord 35000 times is FUNNY but so true.. Peeps just don't get it, if'n it don't start after a couple pulls it aint gonna start.. Now they get to have the run problem fixed and pay for the R/S repair too..
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