VIDEO HERE (21:42 minutes)
*****
I love this woman's channel and have been watching it for about a year. I've learned more about small engines and small engine repair in that year than I have the previous 50.
About the video content: I've ran both Trufuel and VP that I buy at Tractor Supply in my small engines and have had zero issues with it. Matter of fact, my Echo 450 chainsaw runs much better with that than it does my own pre-mix. I haven't noticed any difference in consumption.
The most noticeable difference is the first start after the saw's sat for a good long while, a couple months or more. With my own pre-mix, the saw will start, idle for a couple minutes and die. That goes on for maybe 10 starts and it's aggravating as hell. I know it has to do with the diaphragm in the carb hardening up because it sat, but still.....
If it sat with factory premix in it, it starts and runs perfectly, just like I'd been using it the day before. It's just a good, steady idle after I kill the choke. Not only that, but it's much more responsive with factory premix and the engine doesn't lope like her blowers in the video.
The only downside for me is the cost. That shit is expensive at 24 bucks a gallon. It's fine if I'm doing just a little work such as trimming or if I know it's the last time I'll run the saw for a while, but if I'm going to be using it for a bigger job, I'll use my own premix.
I like the pre mix as well for my small Husky chainsaw. My weed eater is a battery powered one and will do my whole yard on a single charge.
ReplyDeleteSTIHL Premix $30 gallon... sits for freaking ever and never fails to start and run hard. For what it is worth I am a lowsy cheapskate that has rebuilt numerous carbs on chitty fuel. Well worth the fuel and labor to fix it later.
DeleteAlmost 50 years ago, when snowmobiles were really popular here in MI, we used to have a gas station that had one pump designated for a mixed fuel only. They called it Powermix, and that is what we used in all of our 2 stroke engines, including our snowmobiles.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the fastest snowmobiles back then went perhaps 110 MPH, while the new ones can cruise at those speeds. My brother had a snowmobile that could cruise at 70 and then when you punched it, would hit 100 MPH. I only did that a couple of times, because going that fast, exposed to the air, at -10 degrees, is too scary for me. But living in rural Michigan, surrounded by the Manistee Natl. Forrest, it was a blast. We really did get much more snow back then, as well. The last 3 winters, I seldom had to get my snowblower out, I could just shovel my driveway about as fast.
Michigan here as well, and I fondly remember bombing through feet of snow on my old evinrudes, now we're lucky to get a few inches seems like. Still have 50+ antique sleds stowed away
DeleteWe had a couple of Ski-Doo's, an Alouette, that was super fast, and an Artic Cat that would climb any hill, and would plow through any amount of snow.
DeleteThere were Snow Mobile clubs around, that would go together on the weekends, to some of the bars that were around our small town, and just about the perfect distance to want to ride. No more than about 10 miles or so. The trip back after they finished drinking, was the hard part.
My uncle owned a bar out in the country, and my parents would work there on weekends, unless they were snow mobiling. Then they would ride there, and drink and dance, etc. Then the ride back home. Back then the worry of a dui was not like it is now. They always drove with a beer in their hand.
They also floated down our river, in a John boat, with a logging chain dragging behind it, and floated down the river spearing trout. It was a much different world back then.
Can you mix the expense fuel with your mix to help out with the carb?
ReplyDeleteHeltau
That I don't know. I'll try that next time I run my saw when I know it'll sit for for a while afterwards. Sure can't hurt, huh?
DeleteSteve's Small Engine Saloon (YT) recommended Trufuel, too.
ReplyDeleteI like how you use it strategically with your own mixture.
Pricey but spares some futzing around, eh?
Despite the video, I may give it a try this winter.
Yup, I watch him too.
DeleteWith generators down here in hurricane alley, the trick is to run them on regular pump gas as long as you need to. Then before putting back in storage, drain or consume all the pump gas. Pour a gallon of the high dollar pure stuff in the tank. Then run it long enough to displace all the cheap stuff in the carb, then shut it down and store it with the good stuff in the tank. Starts up on first pull next time you need it.
ReplyDeleteThat same trick should work on the 2-stroke engines too.
"The most noticeable difference is the first start after the saw's sat for a good long while"-
ReplyDeleteI second that. What I'll do with a saw that's been sitting is make sure the fuel tank is bone dry by letting it sit upside down in the sun for a couple of days with the cap off, making sure the old fuel is evaporated out of the system. Then I fill it up with the pricey premix and it will generally fire up on the first pull. I'll run that tank out and then switch back to my regular mix.
If I know I'll be shutting a tool down for a period I'll try to do the opposite, that is run the last tank of the season on the good stuff.
If I could afford to run the TSC Husky mix all the time I surely would.
My first three bikes were: Hodaka Ace 100, Yamaha 175 Enduro, Kawasaki 500 Triple.
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of Castrol!!
Me too, have a neighbor that is damn near allergic to the smell, last year he started asking to borrow my riding mower every week, about the 5th time I dumped a full quart of bean oil in the 2gal tank before he borrowed it, suffice it to say he looked a little green when he brought it back bitching up a storm, and he's never asked to borrow it again
DeleteI know I have to either drain or burn off all the gas in the tank for the lawn mower. I know it.
ReplyDeleteBut last June the grass was growing so fast and there had to be almost a half a tank left, so "what the Hell". I left it as is.
It didn't rain again until late August. By Friday I need to start the mower again. Oh shit.
I run non ethonal in all my small engines. Hell, I put it in my truck. I've never had any problems even if my machines set a spell. Every once in a while I put just a shot of Heet in my one gallon mix can for moisture. Most my machines start frist if not second pull. That's Stihl, Husqvarna and a Shindaiwa. Battery fired I have Kawasaki engines on the zero turns.
ReplyDeleteI loaned my power washer to my sister and I think she ran e85 in it. Killed the carb, and even with a new one, it never ran right again. From that moment on, I mix my own and only use ethanol free gasoline in my two saws, weed eater and zero turn. Occasionally I even put it in the car. I always run everything dry before putting them up for the winter. Been working out for the last five years. Only tried the canned stuff once, but it seemed to burn okay. Steele dealer in WV says any ethanol is hard on a two stroke. I tend to believe that. Eod1sg Ret
ReplyDeleteI started buying trufuel because I got tired of replacing the primer bulb on my weed trimmer every year. I've had no issues with either tru fuel or the tsc and box store brands of pre mix.
ReplyDeleteTry 'Sea foam' motor treatment in the gas before you put it away. It does the trick.
ReplyDeleteI've tried a lot of the stuff above(running it dry food r storage, filling the tank full, adding some fuel preservative, etc). Tried some VP on the advice of my local gun store owner. It worked much better, but the price is scary. Elected to roll my own with good 2 stroke oil and premium, no-ethanol. Store it in the VP original metal container, for freshness.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest difference I've noticed, 2 or 4 stroke is after long storage, everything started first pull, first crank. Not false starts.
The price diff regular to premium is worth the cost for better running.
Since I got here to Tennessee (7.5 years ago) I've been running 92 oct. ethanol free in 23hp mower, 13hp DR, generator, echo weed eater and small chain saw, a 290 Stihl chain saw, a medium and lg medium Husky chain saw. The 2 strokes all get 50-1 Husky 2 stroke oil mix. Everything runs great, doesn't eat carbs AND starts after extended down times (except the gen, it needs a shot of starter fluid). Never heard of ethanol free in Cali. after they phased it out for unleaded. First I've seen that gal, seems sharp. Tree Mike
ReplyDeleteI have 2 chainsaws and a Stihl backpack leaf blower. When I purchased the blower I got an additional 3 year warranty if I bought a 6-pack of the add-to-a-gallon mixers. The old chainsaw is a Poulan 2500 and is 30+ years old. It cranks second or third pull on generic mix fuel and will gum up if I don't run it dry. With the Sthil mix with 90 octane real fuel it cranks first or second pull and I can leave the fuel in it at least 10 months. The second chainsaw is an inherited Sthil. It is a POS as I had a new carb put on it and I have used it once and I have never been able to get it to run again. The Stihl is twice the size of the Poulan. The blower cranks on the first or second pull. I think it idles a bit too low but most of the time it is at WOT. I always keep fuel in it as it gets used every two to three weeks. I will be buying more Stihl mixer 6-packs in the future. I need to sell the Stihl chainsaw.
ReplyDeleteMy experience with a Stihl chainsaw mirrors yours exactly, or anyway it used to, because it's somebody else's problem child now.
DeleteI enjoy her channel on YouTube and she definately knows her way around engines.
ReplyDeleteAnother channel to check out "Taryl Fixes All". You'll get a good laugh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0DdGmmFaAs
I wasn't sure, but his trick to fix the bad starting on my BadBoy worked.
DeleteAnd she has big tits! Watch her also. Just saw the TrueFuel video. I started using it because it was easy. None of my Sthils seem to to run full open. Going back to 92 E-free and mix. I bought a Justrite steel can. Dang those have gone up a bit in the last 2 years!
ReplyDeleteI only run ethanol free premium self mix in all my 2-strokes. Husqvarna, Stihl, and Mercury. Haven't had any issues since I stopped running the cheap stuff. Quick starts, even with gas from the previous year still in the tank. I run the same in my 4-stroke small engines, minus the mix...even cheap Chinese push mowers with the Tecumseh clones start on one or two pulls with gas left in the tank over the winter.
ReplyDeleteA sucker born every minute.
ReplyDeleteWho's the sucker born every minute? Those of us that bought the factory premix and who's machines run better on it?
ReplyDeleteThanks Wirecutter for pointing to that Chickanic.
ReplyDeleteI watched her video on repairing a push mower with a $13 part.
Ran over to Ace ($20 for the part there), repaired my mower, and it’s running!
No problem. She's good and she's pointed out a few problems I've had and showed me how to fix them.
DeleteI'm more than willing to point somebody in the direction of an expert.
I was buying a new weed whacker every year until I started using Tru-fuel. I ain't got the patience for something that won't start when I want to use it. The weed wacker I have now is ten years old and still cranks on the first or second pull. That validates the extra cost of Tru-fuel for me.
ReplyDelete