Chainsaw Repair
Husqvarna - Stihl - Poulan - Jonsered - Dolmar chainsaws and more => Stihl => Topic started by: Vance in AK on August 17, 2012, 12:57:07 pm
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I've never been particuraly brand loyal on oils & am wondering if I am missing anything.
The 2.8oz bottles of Stihl oil run $1.99 here. Walmart has their house brand (Super Tech) air cooled 2 stroke oil for $1.29 for an 8oz bottle.
It doesn't have a "Conforms to ... standards" on it, but neither do the Stihl or Homelite oils I have around.
I know oil isn't a good place to skimp, but I hate to throw money away if there is no purpose. I don't feel like I have to run more expensive Motorcraft oil just because I have a Ford. BUT, the motor oils do have the nice "Conforms to ..." on them to reassure me.
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Some of the stihl weedeaters and chainsaws that come through me to work on running the stihl ORANGE bottle dino oil always have a lot of build up in their screens to where they are almost plugged up. If I had to run stihl oil it would be in the silver bottle called stihl ULTRA and is synthetic I think.
I know nothing about the super tech brand.
I do know I would run the Poulan dino oils sold at walmart too before I would run the stihl orange bottle stuff. I never had any problems with the Poulan dino oil. Even better is the Poulan oil in the silver bottle that is synthetic and sold at wally world too.
I think the Poulan oils are Husqvarna oils anyways. JMO though.
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Well not only is that a good question but a highly debated subject .Some prefer and swear by synthetic blends like some of the Stihl formulas or Klotz oils .Some run whatever they use at varied mixtures or ratios and everybody swears on a stack of Bibles they are right .
I don't know the answer myself .I usually run either TSC oil that comes in the little jugs or Stihl depending on where I'm at at the time I run out .Usually at a 32 to 1 ratio but on occassion at 40 to 1 and in all these years never had a mix oil problem .I did however cook a piston by foolishly priming with straight gas once by mistake but that was my fault and not any oils because there was none involved .
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Now this brings up an interesting subject which I don't know the answer to .In the case of a weed wacker or blower most of them I've seen if looking through the exhaust is the amazing fact most still exibit the cross hatchs on the pistons .It doesn't seem to make a difference how old they are .
I've never seen one that shows any indication of a scorched exhaust side of the piston .Of course they aren't subjected to the varying loads placed on a chainsaw engine if that has anything to do with it .
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Boy, you guys aren't a lot of help! ;)
Back in the late 70s & 80s when I was working in the woods "Power Punch" was THE oil in my part of Oregon.
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I'm not a oil guy. Here might be some reading to help you out.
JASO reading and JASO oil ratings.
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Here is my thoughts and observations.
I now have ported saws and so I run Klotz R-50 at 36:1 for the (perceived) added protection the synthetic offers.
That being said, Before I knew what a ported saw was, I was heating exclusively with wood and I ran the Wal-mart Poulan (Dino) or Wal-mart Poulan Semi-Synthetic and never had an oil related issue whatsoever.
I personally would go straight back to the Poulan oils tomorrow if I only had stock or MM saws.
I do feel that the synthetic oils provide better protection, I'm just not sure it is necessary and certainly not worth the cost.
Let me put it this way.
If your saw is designed with a working life of 2000 hours and dino Poulan will protect it well enough to last 3000 hours, why would you spend the extra $$$ for an oil that will protect it for 4000?
Mike
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Thanks Mike, & I agree.
Our Walmart doesn't carry the Poulan any more, just their house brand "Super Tech", but I found the Poulan Dino at a local industrial hardware place cheaper than even the Supertech ay wallyworld so I think that's what I;ll stock up on. In stock saws do you run it 40 or 50 to 1?
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40:1
Mike
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Thanks Mike. I know they say 50:1 but I like a little extra oil in there!