✅Click here for the Borescope ➜ amzn.to/3l3uD8A ✅Click here for Red Armor Oil ➜ amzn.to/3l8jFyJ For more videos like this, check out: 👉WARNING: Never Do This To ANY Leaf Blower ➜ ruclips.net/video/pzcgW6hJgVc/видео.html 👉How To Quickly Repair a Stihl Leaf Blower that Won't Rev Up ➜ ruclips.net/video/XFDvinWIkCY/видео.html 👉How to Adjust or Tune the Carburetor on a Leaf Blower ➜ ruclips.net/video/DWPUYJiF6KM/видео.html 👉Hidden Adjusting Screws On Some Trimmers And Blowers ➜ ruclips.net/video/tlsVcCdzaoA/видео.html You can connect with Steve here too: ✅Visit Steve’s WEBSITE ➜ www.stevessmallenginesaloon.com/ ✅Visit Steve’s PARTS & TOOL STORE ➜ www.amazon.com/shop/stevessmallenginesaloon ✅Follow Steve on FACEBOOK ➜ facebook.com/stevessmallenginesaloon ✅Follow Steve on INSTAGRAM ➜ instagram.com/stevessmallenginesaloon/ ✅Follow Steve on TWITTER ➜ twitter.com/SteveSaloon
In Europe, it is forbidden to use a sparks arrestor, which is awesome to have one less problem and more power. And standards fuel is 98 octane ethanol-free gasoline at a current cost of 1,2€/l
Hey just want to say thank you!! For me growing up without a father and no one to teach me things I have learned tremendous amounts of knowledge from guys like you. And it’s not just small engines I can work on by myself but pretty anything. Guys like you give guys like me something that i can pass on to my kids. Knowledge is everything. So thank you and god bless. Keep up the great work
Hi Steve when i got my STIHL FS55R before i restored it the engine was all carboned up just like that and i ran ECHO Red Armor oil mixed with VP fuel through it for at least 2 months and my piston,cylinder and spark arrestor are near spotless it truly does work as advertised when i shined my flashlight down the spark plug hole it was blindingly clean and it even cleans the spark plug over time except for a reddish tinge and now runs like a champ since.
I've been running red armor for many years and have checked the internals of my engines many times. I can say that all my engines look close to new and I couldn't say that in the past when running other oils
Jason Egan of Egan Performance Saws says he’s never seen carbon buildup in a saw that’s been running Red Armor… great stuff, and thanks for the great test!
If RUclips gets a hall of fame museum that leaf blower is going to be there as one of your greatest tool props. Keep up the great work Steve and keep the saloon well stocked!
I used to manage a small engine shop and we saw the results using red armor right away. And it’s amazing to see how much it improved the longevity of commercial units especially those used by municipalities. It’s a good fix for 2 cycle engines that run bad due to inferior oil.
The Stihl dealer I use actually recommended that I switch from Stihl HP Ultra to Shindaiwa Red Armor. This dealer is highly reputable and said Red Armor was the oil they used back in their repair shop to service 2 cycle and Stihl 4-Mix equipment. Thanks for the video. Keep up the good work. By the way, your video on cleaning Briggs and Stratton plastic carburetors allowed me(along with the help of a neighbor) to resuscitate a Poulan Pro 500 series push mower my brother in law had written off after only one season or less of use. I now have a free lawn mower as an extra as he doesn’t want it back. Thanks Steve!
@@jameswyeth8223 Currently using Stabil to prepare it for winter storage and will burn the gas out of the tank and carburetor before doing so. I'll look into fuel fit though and thanks.
Thanks Steve , I imagine if I used red Armor from new I would never have to worry about carbon build up . That was a great example of the quality of the products that we run through our equipment . I'm a "whatever is on sale" guy, I think you just changed my mind!
I purchased a 1984 MZ 250cc motorcycle brand new. In the first ten or 15 years of ownership I had to burn out the clogged exhaust on a few occasions. Since then I have not had that problem which is probably due to the availability of JASO FC oils. A few years ago the brand of oil I use became JASO FD. Back in 2017 I had to dismantle the engine for the first time to repair the gearbox, odometer was at 128,000km. I was surprized that the piston crown and cylinder head were free of carbon and the piston rings and grooves were in excellent condition.
The spark arrester surprised me after it cleaned the piston as it did and I have been running Red Armor exclusively for over 4yrs. The carbon from the piston had to pass through that spark arrester on it was out of the engine. My 31yr old Suzuki 2-cycle powered Toro Recycler loves Red Armor.
Great test, thanks for sharing it with us. I didn't even run the tank of Stihl Ultra that the dealer put in my 500i. Dumped it out and refueled with Red Armor. Very pleased.
I love this stuff it gives new equipment a noticable run time difference. I just picked up a Stihl br 320 backpack blower I'm about to get some more to see if it'll clean out the fuel filter
Steve, I'm using Huskvarna Saws Big to small, Husky XP oil at 50/1, works Fine, I have Also used Marine Two Stroke oil, for Years, Looking in Cylinder, bore scope ,I think it works as well or better. I'm Talking 395XP, Modern Saws X Torque 372 XP All the way Down, Even Vintage Huskies,40 years old. Ran it by a Tech I knew at Baileys I CA. No Worries, 91 O. pump fuel.
Now do another with your regular fuel mix. I think the extended run time Is the answer. Most blowers get ran just long enough to blow a few clippings. I'd bet 90% never see a continuous 35 minutes at full tilt
I was thinking the same thing. These 2 strokes carbon up the most from idling a lot and the lube oil in the fuel mix just chars and collects instead of vaporizing off into fine ash. Running full throttle heats up the screen until it's glowing really good then the carbon burns off. That's also how spark plugs clean themselves. They have to glow just enough to lift off the carbon. But, this additive probably does work however. I do like how Steve tests these things for us to see if they are BS or not. Definitely thumbs upping this video.
I often do at work, Im a grounds keeper for a retirement village and we often get everything done in one sweep, meaning the blower will run for up to two tanks sometimes three, back to back
Started running it in my equipment and found the same, much cleaner. Stihl chainsaw went through 3 tanks last week and the screen and plug were spotless. Peeked in the cylinder with the muffler off and it was impressively clean. Local small engine shop recommended Red Armour instead of Stihl oil based on what they see during maintenance and repair and I'm sold on it.
For decarbonising i like to run 32 : 1 red armour mix . It made a believer outta me few yrs back when i heard from a friend . Have an old blower was getting tired and hard start , ran coupla tanks thru and continues to run like new . I♥️my 620 an 7310🔥
I agree, Red Armor will clean up your two cycle equipment. I have been using it for almost a year, after using that filthy Stihl Ultra for several years. I now do not have to clean black ash from the muffler and front of my saws, anymore. They are clean as a bell. Spark arrestors are also very clean.
I tore down a 461 engine for portwork and cleaned all the carbon out. New plug, 32-1 red armour. Pulled the plug after 10 tanks, couldn’t barely tell the saw had been run. Nuts.
I agree, Echo Red Armor is great oil. I have been running it for almost a year, now, after running that filthy Stihl Ultra oil for quite a few years in all of my two cycle stuff. I run PNE gas at 50:1 with a stabilizer added to the gas. I have had a problem with my Stihl MS 241CM for several years. It did not like to start and liked to flood itself. I finally decided to check the spark arrester after going through all of my other checks. It was completely blocked. I actually had to remove the muffler and cook it in my ultra sonic cleaner before I could get the spark arrester out of it. I burned the spark arrester screen out with my LP torch, cleaned up the muffler and put everything back together. It started on the 3rd pull and ran, normally. Red armor would have probably cleaned it up if I had been able to get it going. It was probably my fault because I do not use my 241, like I should. It is good oil.
Hi Steve... I've been repairing mower's and small engines for around 37 years now, not any longer I've retired though arthritis has caught up! anyway, I've had my own mower business and been a golf course manager working on Toro's and John Deere machines to name a few so I have quite a bit of experience in this field, based on that I would like to congratulate you on your educational RUclips channel I love the way you deliver content and I'm actually learning stuff.
I have had good luck with the cylinder clearing up, but my spark arrestor clogged and a mps gas torch was unsuccessful at clearing the buildup, after using ECHO Red Armor for a year. Of course my dealer had a quick fix, cut the screen off the spark arrestor, because it is not used in the woods! Recently I saw the often laughed at can of small engine fix it, on sale! So I bought one. Two tanks on an old FC-44 (bought in 1996) edger that had not been startable for maybe 4 years, yay it goes!
I see a lot of folks in here had the same sentiment I did. Do a side by side because running full throttle for 35 minutes at a time should clean off the spark arrestor itself. The Red Armor does work well over time to keep an engine and spark arrestor clean.
Hi Steve. Just heard about Red Amor from a friend. I was as always, skeptical but after watching this video and reading some of the comments I think I will switch over and try it. Now to be clear, I’m using a small Stihl weed trimmer for hours at a time on a private road. The other neighbours that help have larger Stihl and Echo trimmers that help have to stop and clean spark arrestors between tanks. The machines work beautifully full throttle, otherwise, they need TLC. Great video again. Thanks.
Great work Steve! I have a 12 year old BG 55 that I took the spark screen out of years ago because it alwasy clogged. The Red Armor is good stuff. Been running it for the last year . Worth the extra money.
I run 50:1 Red Armor in ethanol free gasoline I get from the pump at my local Quick Trip. My equipment is super clean. All of my 2 strokes are muffler modded and tuned. I keep the spark arrestors in to keep junk out. They all start with a couple of pulls with the choke and I tune them for good throttle response and easy starts. With the good fuel and Red Armour all I do is clean air filters and fuel them up and they run good👍
Thank you Steve! I have come to appreciate your channel as the "Encyclopedia Britannica" of small engine repair and maintenance. Thank you so much for sharing this info with us!! Time for a cold one!
WOW! Tempted to buy a can for myself. I’ve been burnt a few times on spark arrestor a before I figured out what they were and symptoms they emit. I just remove them before I move the machine on. I run Husky Syn Mix with Regular Gas and Cap full of seafoam in the tank.
I was using ECHO power blend with 92 non ethanol fuel and it was leaving a powdery deposit inside the carb and plugging the main jet on my 280T only after 3 months. I switched to the Red Armor with 92 non ethanol fuel for a few years now and have had no problems with a dirty carb even after sitting a year. IMHO it DOES work and I have since then started using it in ALL my 2 cycle equipment.
I use a kitchen chiefs blow torch to clear the spark arresters takes about 3 minutes - and a few gentle taps with a screwdriver . In the past I used a fine brass wire brush. I have to say in Australia the blue sthil 2 stroke seems to be clogging up the spark arrester faster than the shell 2stroke I have switched to. Love ya work Steve 👣🦘🇦🇺🍻
ok next thing to try is steam into the air intake. Coal gasification is the process of producing syngas-a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas (CH4), and water vapour (H2O)-from coal and water, air and/or oxygen. All you need to do is get the engine running without air filter and spray steam into it at a rate that doesnt stall the motor out. ( you can mist water in but its less forgiving) Pistons look like brand new after this treatment. (dont do this too long in a 4 stroke and change oil after this treatment) Youre welcome and greetings from down under
I agree with Jake C. I would like to see a plug spark arrestor ran with regular fuel mix for 35 minutes straight to see if it’s actually the extended continuous run time or if it’s the actual product doing the cleaning.
I agree to some degree. It will clean out a partially clogged spark arrester screen but not a fully blocked screen. I have an ms 241 that had been giving me problems for several years burning Stihl Ultra two cycle oil. I changed over to Red Armor two cycle oil earlier this year in all of my two cycle gas. I run PNE gas and mix at 50:1. All of my saws love Red Armor. My 241 CM was still not starting as it should, if at all. I finally pulled the spark arrester screen from it and it was fully blocked with carbon. I burned it off with my LP torch and it now runs fine. It was partially my fault because I do not use my 241, like I should
I wonder if letting it idle might clean it better since it would take longer to burn a tank but idling may cause even more carbon buildup. That would be an experiment to try though. Or even pour some of the fuel mix in on top of the piston & let it soak.
The effect is from running it at full throttle to get the engine fully hot and keeping it hot under a full load, you can get better results putting a 1/4 teaspoon of 2 cycle oil in through the plug hole to sit over night to soften the carbon before doing this procedure.
It works well The longer you use it the more carbon it will clean out. I haven't had an issue with clogged spark arrestors or fouled plugs since I started using it. We are a commercial company and go through 5 to 10 gallons a week of 2 cycle gas.
I was advised to keep non e fuel and. red armor in all of my 4 stroke seldom used eqpt. I have and have had great success with my generators and Lincoln gas powered welder
Thank you for telling me to turn the Pull Starter around so I can Easilly Pull the Starter rope ( in one of your Videos ) this is a New Generator and is alot easier to Start THANKS alot .... You are worth at least Five stars if not more
I solely use Red Armor Mix Oil, might be a tad bit more expensive however found long ago that it really is superior to other less expensive alternatives. For the amount that you use it only makes sense to go this way in my experience. Cheers.
I have a fair amount of 2 stroke OPE equipment. I've found blowers and trimmers run much better on Red Armor than with Stihl HP2. But can't tell much difference with chainsaws, perhaps it's a RPM thing. I run 3.0 OZ of oil to a gallon at 42.6:1 on everything. One thing is forsure HP2 has a very high flash point for 2 stroke oil.. 432 F.
WOW i just used my first tank of red armor in my echo SRM 2620T I have always used amsoil Saber don’t know if i actually see any difference but it ran nice and smooth
I've Ben using red armor for a wile I like the stuff on saws I tear down it puts a nice coating on all the parts an seems to work great in all my ported saws as well
Hi Steve, that was quite impressive especially the spark arrestor that came up super clean. I suppose with the piston it can’t work miracles but it was definitely a marked improvement. Turned out to be decent stuff which does what it says, even though it was two tanks but all in all I’d give that product a 👍 up. Good video Steve 🙂👍
I locked up a 10hp briggs when I lost track of what I had added to my fuel. “Slight” overdose of stabil marine and seafoam in the same tank knocked every bit of 25 years worth of carbon off the piston and filled the chamber so full it locked the motor. Popped the head off and shop vac the chamber good as new.
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon I think I'm going to start using that red armor two stroke oil, too! I've always heard it was great, but the dealer (farm store/feed store) where I bought my echo chainsaw doesn't stock it! Just found another dealer in town who does! They've been there for nearly two years and I didn't know they were there!
FWIW, many of the entry level Stihl units (BG-56, FS-38, MS-170 etc.) often have clogged arrestor screens because the operator lets them idle excessively and doesn't get the screen hot. I'd like to see the same experiment with whatever oil, but just running WOT for 35 minutes. You know, just to see if it's the Red Armour or the higher exhaust temps cleaning the spark arrestor.
Most synthetic oils very little or no carbon build up. Very expensive oil but worth it. Nice video. Thanks PS: ATF fluid also melts varnish carbon . Don't run on ATF but you can soak it a few days. Then run
I read of the ATF trick when I was into Honda Civics/CRX's 20+yrs ago. A tablespoon or two down each spark plug hole and let in soak for a day or two. I never tried it though. Supposedly ATF is good for cleaning/restoring plastic engine covers too. I never tried that either, I just remember reading it
When I bought my Stihl blower, it came with a 6 pack of Stihl 2 stroke oil. By the time I used all the oil, the spark arrestor got clogged and it wouldn't accelerate. I removed the screen and it runs great. I will have to clean it and put it back in when I feel like it. Right now I don't feel like it. My little blower doesn't shoot sparks out the muffler so I don't feel inclined to put the screen back in.
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon By the way, I have bought some oil at Wally World that isn't a brand name oil. I think it will be okay to use. I have lived long enough that I can tell when a 2 stroke engine is running lean or rich and if it's getting enough oil so I think I will be alright. Thanks for what you do to inform us about such things as well.
Steve All the info online for red armour says 50:1 mix, can it be used for 40:1 mix? Also can red armour be used regularly in the equipment to prevent carbon buildup?
I was also wondering about the fuel mix ratio. I premix fuel for my Stihl chainsaw and use the same fuel for my Echo trimmer. My chainsaw works fine but the trimmer exhaust screen gets clogged quickly. I’m thinking it’s the different mfr specs on the fuel mixture.
Hey Steve..hope all is well..question..my stihl blower doesn’t have that kind of spark arrester. It has a totally different setup. It has little screen that pull out. Should I take that hole thing off and clean? Thanks! Joe
I add some berryman b-12 chemtool to every gas tank before refilling it at the pump - 2 stroke and 4 stroke tanks - and i'm expecting the same results. would be good idea if you wanted to prove that on another machine?
I like the Red Armor oil if for no other reason that there’s no confusion as to if I added it to my mix jug. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve second guessed myself with the Stihl synthetic oil and ended up dumping the jug into my car or mower to mix a fresh one.
Agreed! Just bought a new stihl trimmer and the hardware store put some fuel in it and started it before I left. When I got home the fuel in the bubble and tank looked a little too clear. Looked too much like straight gas to me. So better safe than sorry. It probably was some different mix, but it wasn't blue, purple or red, so rather than trust the hardware dude that was just selling plumbing a minute ago, I dumped it in the mower and refilled the trimmer with the mixed fuel I had just made for the chainsaw. Ethanol free and red armor. I do like the color, cause even sometimes I forget if I added the mix already to the gas or not. Lol
Great advice - lately I have heard negative comments re: Stihl oil. I have a Stihl MS271 chainsaw and 8 Echo power tools. I use Stihl HP Ultra oil in the chainsaw and Echo Power Blend oil in the Echo tools. I want to use one brand of oil for all my power tools. In chainsaw, will it damage anything to go from a fully synthetic oil to a synthetic blend? Do you prefer Echo Power Blend or Echo Red Armor? thanks
Might try a can of that oil mix, also I would like to have seen where that part was located on the blower that you kept taking off and inspecting, It was always on the back side of the blower when you removed it,
The part is the exhaust outlet tube. The wire mesh screen is inside the muffler when fitted. The purpose of the screen is to catch any burning particles of carbon so that they do not escape and set fire to dry vegetation.
✅Click here for the Borescope ➜ amzn.to/3l3uD8A
✅Click here for Red Armor Oil ➜ amzn.to/3l8jFyJ
For more videos like this, check out:
👉WARNING: Never Do This To ANY Leaf Blower ➜ ruclips.net/video/pzcgW6hJgVc/видео.html
👉How To Quickly Repair a Stihl Leaf Blower that Won't Rev Up ➜ ruclips.net/video/XFDvinWIkCY/видео.html
👉How to Adjust or Tune the Carburetor on a Leaf Blower ➜ ruclips.net/video/DWPUYJiF6KM/видео.html
👉Hidden Adjusting Screws On Some Trimmers And Blowers ➜ ruclips.net/video/tlsVcCdzaoA/видео.html
You can connect with Steve here too:
✅Visit Steve’s WEBSITE ➜ www.stevessmallenginesaloon.com/
✅Visit Steve’s PARTS & TOOL STORE ➜ www.amazon.com/shop/stevessmallenginesaloon
✅Follow Steve on FACEBOOK ➜ facebook.com/stevessmallenginesaloon
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i use Amsoil Saber @80:1 exclusively. what say you?
In Europe, it is forbidden to use a sparks arrestor, which is awesome to have one less problem and more power. And standards fuel is 98 octane ethanol-free gasoline at a current cost of 1,2€/l
@@_AndromedaGalaxy_ My stuff requires 50 to 1
@@bobhammond-e8rsame and it all runs better on 80:1 Amsoil Saber. new id mix it heavy but my stuff is all used.
Hey just want to say thank you!! For me growing up without a father and no one to teach me things I have learned tremendous amounts of knowledge from guys like you. And it’s not just small engines I can work on by myself but pretty anything. Guys like you give guys like me something that i can pass on to my kids. Knowledge is everything. So thank you and god bless. Keep up the great work
That is awesome!
Hi Steve when i got my STIHL FS55R before i restored it the engine was all carboned up just like that and i ran ECHO Red Armor oil mixed with VP fuel through it for at least 2 months and my piston,cylinder and spark arrestor are near spotless it truly does work as advertised when i shined my flashlight down the spark plug hole it was blindingly clean and it even cleans the spark plug over time except for a reddish tinge and now runs like a champ since.
Awesome! Thank You...
My Stihl equipment runs great even on the regular Echo Power blend. Gonna try this on my stuff. I run fs 70rs and a couple of echo handheld blowers.
I've been running red armor for many years and have checked the internals of my engines many times. I can say that all my engines look close to new and I couldn't say that in the past when running other oils
Right on
Jason Egan of Egan Performance Saws says he’s never seen carbon buildup in a saw that’s been running Red Armor… great stuff, and thanks for the great test!
In case anyone is looking for this and doesn’t know, Shindaiwa and Echo are the same company. Around here, you’ll only find Echo Red Armor.
Agreed!
If RUclips gets a hall of fame museum that leaf blower is going to be there as one of your greatest tool props. Keep up the great work Steve and keep the saloon well stocked!
Right on Larry! Thank You...
I use the Red Armor mix in my blower and weed trimmer and chainsaw tool. Never had any problems with them. The best I thank.😊
Right on
I used to manage a small engine shop and we saw the results using red armor right away. And it’s amazing to see how much it improved the longevity of commercial units especially those used by municipalities. It’s a good fix for 2 cycle engines that run bad due to inferior oil.
Agreed!
It’s crazy but it works great and keeps them clean 😊
The Stihl dealer I use actually recommended that I switch from Stihl HP Ultra to Shindaiwa Red Armor. This dealer is highly reputable and said Red Armor was the oil they used back in their repair shop to service 2 cycle and Stihl 4-Mix equipment. Thanks for the video. Keep up the good work. By the way, your video on cleaning Briggs and Stratton plastic carburetors allowed me(along with the help of a neighbor) to resuscitate a Poulan Pro 500 series push mower my brother in law had written off after only one season or less of use. I now have a free lawn mower as an extra as he doesn’t want it back. Thanks Steve!
Grey, also Briggs & Stratton do a fuel additive called fuel fit ( here in UK ) it stops the jets from gumming up.
@@jameswyeth8223 Currently using Stabil to prepare it for winter storage and will burn the gas out of the tank and carburetor before doing so. I'll look into fuel fit though and thanks.
Shaindiawa and echo are super similar two very very good companies they may own eachother im not sure. But both very good.
@@jameswyeth8223red armour fuel treatments the best . Its suoer good.
Thanks Steve , I imagine if I used red Armor from new I would never have to worry about carbon build up . That was a great example of the quality of the products that we run through our equipment . I'm a "whatever is on sale" guy, I think you just changed my mind!
I purchased a 1984 MZ 250cc motorcycle brand new. In the first ten or 15 years of ownership I had to burn out the clogged exhaust on a few occasions. Since then I have not had that problem which is probably due to the availability of JASO FC oils. A few years ago the brand of oil I use became JASO FD. Back in 2017 I had to dismantle the engine for the first time to repair the gearbox, odometer was at 128,000km. I was surprized that the piston crown and cylinder head were free of carbon and the piston rings and grooves were in excellent condition.
Always a fair assessment of products. My most trusted "go to guy". Go Steve.
Thank You...
The spark arrester surprised me after it cleaned the piston as it did and I have been running Red Armor exclusively for over 4yrs. The carbon from the piston had to pass through that spark arrester on it was out of the engine. My 31yr old Suzuki 2-cycle powered Toro Recycler loves Red Armor.
I switched over to the Red Armor oil about three years ago. I do use premium fuel. In my trimmers. Great demo……..
Thank you!
Great test, thanks for sharing it with us. I didn't even run the tank of Stihl Ultra that the dealer put in my 500i. Dumped it out and refueled with Red Armor. Very pleased.
Right on
I love this stuff it gives new equipment a noticable run time difference. I just picked up a Stihl br 320 backpack blower I'm about to get some more to see if it'll clean out the fuel filter
Steve, I'm using Huskvarna Saws Big to small, Husky XP oil at 50/1, works Fine, I have Also used Marine Two Stroke oil, for Years, Looking in Cylinder, bore scope ,I think it works as well or better. I'm Talking 395XP, Modern Saws X Torque 372 XP All the way Down, Even Vintage Huskies,40 years old. Ran it by a Tech I knew at Baileys I CA. No Worries, 91 O. pump fuel.
Now do another with your regular fuel mix. I think the extended run time Is the answer. Most blowers get ran just long enough to blow a few clippings. I'd bet 90% never see a continuous 35 minutes at full tilt
I hear so many people running small power equipment at idle with the occasional throttle blip, especially blowers and string trimmers.
I was thinking the same thing. These 2 strokes carbon up the most from idling a lot and the lube oil in the fuel mix just chars and collects instead of vaporizing off into fine ash. Running full throttle heats up the screen until it's glowing really good then the carbon burns off. That's also how spark plugs clean themselves. They have to glow just enough to lift off the carbon.
But, this additive probably does work however. I do like how Steve tests these things for us to see if they are BS or not. Definitely thumbs upping this video.
Does the same in chainsaws so that theory is dismissed
Can't agree there, my backpack blower runs wide open till I can't stand it any more, two three maybe 4 fills at a session.
I often do at work, Im a grounds keeper for a retirement village and we often get everything done in one sweep, meaning the blower will run for up to two tanks sometimes three, back to back
Started running it in my equipment and found the same, much cleaner. Stihl chainsaw went through 3 tanks last week and the screen and plug were spotless. Peeked in the cylinder with the muffler off and it was impressively clean. Local small engine shop recommended Red Armour instead of Stihl oil based on what they see during maintenance and repair and I'm sold on it.
Right on Mikey! Thank You...
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon top notch content Steve, appreciate your work and share it whenever I can, keep it up man.
For decarbonising i like to run 32 : 1 red armour mix . It made a believer outta me few yrs back when i heard from a friend . Have an old blower was getting tired and hard start , ran coupla tanks thru and continues to run like new . I♥️my 620 an 7310🔥
Cool!
I agree, Red Armor will clean up your two cycle equipment. I have been using it for almost a year, after using that filthy Stihl Ultra for several years. I now do not have to clean black ash from the muffler and front of my saws, anymore. They are clean as a bell. Spark arrestors are also very clean.
Right on
I tore down a 461 engine for portwork and cleaned all the carbon out. New plug, 32-1 red armour. Pulled the plug after 10 tanks, couldn’t barely tell the saw had been run. Nuts.
I agree, Echo Red Armor is great oil. I have been running it for almost a year, now, after running that filthy Stihl Ultra oil for quite a few years in all of my two cycle stuff. I run PNE gas at 50:1 with a stabilizer added to the gas. I have had a problem with my Stihl MS 241CM for several years. It did not like to start and liked to flood itself. I finally decided to check the spark arrester after going through all of my other checks. It was completely blocked. I actually had to remove the muffler and cook it in my ultra sonic cleaner before I could get the spark arrester out of it. I burned the spark arrester screen out with my LP torch, cleaned up the muffler and put everything back together. It started on the 3rd pull and ran, normally. Red armor would have probably cleaned it up if I had been able to get it going. It was probably my fault because I do not use my 241, like I should. It is good oil.
Right on
Thank you!!! Try the same thing with AMS OIL at 100 to one ! Saber amsoil
Is saber known for cleaning carbon as well?
I wonder if adding seafoam to other oils would have the same results. This is my channel to watch for small engine repairs.
Hi Steve... I've been repairing mower's and small engines for around 37 years now, not any longer I've retired though arthritis has caught up! anyway, I've had my own mower business and been a golf course manager working on Toro's and John Deere machines to name a few so I have quite a bit of experience in this field, based on that I would like to congratulate you on your educational RUclips channel I love the way you deliver content and I'm actually learning stuff.
Thank You...
Steve your video on how to clean a bunch of different air filters has helped me learn how to clean the air filter on my lawnmower. Thanks!
Glad to help
I have had good luck with the cylinder clearing up, but my spark arrestor clogged and a mps gas torch was unsuccessful at clearing the buildup, after using ECHO Red Armor for a year. Of course my dealer had a quick fix, cut the screen off the spark arrestor, because it is not used in the woods!
Recently I saw the often laughed at can of small engine fix it, on sale! So I bought one. Two tanks on an old FC-44 (bought in 1996) edger that had not been startable for maybe 4 years, yay it goes!
I see a lot of folks in here had the same sentiment I did. Do a side by side because running full throttle for 35 minutes at a time should clean off the spark arrestor itself. The Red Armor does work well over time to keep an engine and spark arrestor clean.
Hi Steve. Just heard about Red Amor from a friend. I was as always, skeptical but after watching this video and reading some of the comments I think I will switch over and try it. Now to be clear, I’m using a small Stihl weed trimmer for hours at a time on a private road. The other neighbours that help have larger Stihl and Echo trimmers that help have to stop and clean spark arrestors between tanks. The machines work beautifully full throttle, otherwise, they need TLC. Great video again. Thanks.
You're Welcome...
Great work Steve! I have a 12 year old BG 55 that I took the spark screen out of years ago because it alwasy clogged. The Red Armor is good stuff. Been running it for the last year . Worth the extra money.
Right on Jeff! Thank You...
I run 50:1 Red Armor in ethanol free gasoline I get from the pump at my local Quick Trip. My equipment is super clean. All of my 2 strokes are muffler modded and tuned. I keep the spark arrestors in to keep junk out. They all start with a couple of pulls with the choke and I tune them for good throttle response and easy starts. With the good fuel and Red Armour all I do is clean air filters and fuel them up and they run good👍
Right on
Thank you Steve! I have come to appreciate your channel as the "Encyclopedia Britannica" of small engine repair and maintenance. Thank you so much for sharing this info with us!! Time for a cold one!
You're Welcome...
WOW! Tempted to buy a can for myself. I’ve been burnt a few times on spark arrestor a before I figured out what they were and symptoms they emit. I just remove them before I move the machine on.
I run Husky Syn Mix with Regular Gas and Cap full of seafoam in the tank.
I was having problems with my new stihl equipment itwas all from the stihl oil I use red armor past year no issues
Right on
I was using ECHO power blend with 92 non ethanol fuel and it was leaving a powdery deposit inside the carb and plugging the main jet on my 280T only after 3 months. I switched to the Red Armor with 92 non ethanol fuel for a few years now and have had no problems with a dirty carb even after sitting a year. IMHO it DOES work and I have since then started using it in ALL my 2 cycle equipment.
Awesome!
Been telling people this for years. Not only is the detergent great but so is the fuel stabilizer in it and the oil itself is great .
Agreed!
Sad to see the FB page go! Broddi do you run the shack Tube page?
I use a kitchen chiefs blow torch to clear the spark arresters takes about 3 minutes - and a few gentle taps with a screwdriver . In the past I used a fine brass wire brush. I have to say in Australia the blue sthil 2 stroke seems to be clogging up the spark arrester faster than the shell 2stroke I have switched to. Love ya work Steve 👣🦘🇦🇺🍻
ok next thing to try is steam into the air intake.
Coal gasification is the process of producing syngas-a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas (CH4), and water vapour (H2O)-from coal and water, air and/or oxygen.
All you need to do is get the engine running without air filter and spray steam into it at a rate that doesnt stall the motor out. ( you can mist water in but its less forgiving) Pistons look like brand new after this treatment. (dont do this too long in a 4 stroke and change oil after this treatment)
Youre welcome and greetings from down under
Hey Steve before I forget, I was told to use red armor in my echo blower, and Stihl oil mix in my Stihl chainsaw.
I like the comments, I'll try that red armor, my saws set for awhile and then use them, they get plugged up and I rebuild carbs.
I agree with Jake C. I would like to see a plug spark arrestor ran with regular fuel mix for 35 minutes straight to see if it’s actually the extended continuous run time or if it’s the actual product doing the cleaning.
I agree to some degree. It will clean out a partially clogged spark arrester screen but not a fully blocked screen. I have an ms 241 that had been giving me problems for several years burning Stihl Ultra two cycle oil. I changed over to Red Armor two cycle oil earlier this year in all of my two cycle gas. I run PNE gas and mix at 50:1. All of my saws love Red Armor. My 241 CM was still not starting as it should, if at all. I finally pulled the spark arrester screen from it and it was fully blocked with carbon. I burned it off with my LP torch and it now runs fine. It was partially my fault because I do not use my 241, like I should
Great experiment
Thank you! Cheers!
I wonder if letting it idle might clean it better since it would take longer to burn a tank but idling may cause even more carbon buildup. That would be an experiment to try though. Or even pour some of the fuel mix in on top of the piston & let it soak.
The effect is from running it at full throttle to get the engine fully hot and keeping it hot under a full load, you can get better results putting a 1/4 teaspoon of 2 cycle oil in through the plug hole to sit over night to soften the carbon before doing this procedure.
Wrong. Cleans chainsaws the same way of carbon.
It works well The longer you use it the more carbon it will clean out. I haven't had an issue with clogged spark arrestors or fouled plugs since I started using it. We are a commercial company and go through 5 to 10 gallons a week of 2 cycle gas.
Right on buddy! Thank You...
Yeah I have to agree with a couple people full throttle is clearing it ,most people don't run them full tilt
I use this every couple tanks and opti mix 2 as regular go to both excellent products
Right on
I was advised to keep non e fuel and. red armor in all of my 4 stroke seldom used eqpt. I have and have had great success with my
generators and Lincoln gas powered welder
Love your "tests". Nice to have a site on the internet that can be trusted! Thank you once again.
Our pleasure!
Thank you for telling me to turn the Pull Starter around so I can Easilly Pull the Starter rope ( in one of your Videos ) this is a New Generator and is alot easier to Start
THANKS alot ....
You are worth at least Five stars if not more
Great to hear!
I solely use Red Armor Mix Oil, might be a tad bit more expensive however found long ago that it really is superior to other less expensive alternatives. For the amount that you use it only makes sense to go this way in my experience. Cheers.
Thank You...
Thanks for this video Steve! Pretty impressive a simple mix oil cleaned the carbon like it did.
You're Welcome...
I have a fair amount of 2 stroke OPE equipment. I've found blowers and trimmers run much better on Red Armor than with Stihl HP2. But can't tell much difference with chainsaws, perhaps it's a RPM thing. I run 3.0 OZ of oil to a gallon at 42.6:1 on everything. One thing is forsure HP2 has a very high flash point for 2 stroke oil.. 432 F.
Thank you Steve. My dad always swore by the stuff I guess he's right!
You're Welcome...
love the test ,shows oil really works
Right on
WOW i just used my first tank of red armor in my echo SRM 2620T I have always used amsoil Saber don’t know if i actually see any difference but it ran nice and smooth
nice demonstration Steve Iam going to pick up some Red Armor for sure
Right on
I've Ben using red armor for a wile I like the stuff on saws I tear down it puts a nice coating on all the parts an seems to work great in all my ported saws as well
Cool!
I have a similar leaf blower Im going to try just high speed running first, Ill let you know
Good luck!
Hi Steve, that was quite impressive especially the spark arrestor that came up super clean. I suppose with the piston it can’t work miracles but it was definitely a marked improvement. Turned out to be decent stuff which does what it says, even though it was two tanks but all in all I’d give that product a 👍 up. Good video Steve 🙂👍
Right on Luke! Thank You...
Well, just imagine if you used it all the time. I get same results from outboard motor oil.
Red armour sales are gonna hit an all-time high. Im buying one.
Try it and I think you will be surprised!
One of the best channels for information
I appreciate that!
I did some research and found that the company Phillips 66 makes red armor. They also make redline oil. I'm thinking it might be the same
Steve, have you ever done a "hot soak" with Seafoam?
It's the best way I know of for cleaning carbon deposits.
Now this was cool to see. I guess there is some honesty in the oil business. Well done.
Agreed!
I run red armor and 93 octane non ethanol gas and every time I check the spark arrestor its clean. Spark plugs last a long time too.
Excellent! Thank You...
I locked up a 10hp briggs when I lost track of what I had added to my fuel. “Slight” overdose of stabil marine and seafoam in the same tank knocked every bit of 25 years worth of carbon off the piston and filled the chamber so full it locked the motor. Popped the head off and shop vac the chamber good as new.
I have that same old blower! I've had it for 15 years and never had the first problem. It even went through a fire in a storage unit.
Cool!
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon I think I'm going to start using that red armor two stroke oil, too! I've always heard it was great, but the dealer (farm store/feed store) where I bought my echo chainsaw doesn't stock it! Just found another dealer in town who does! They've been there for nearly two years and I didn't know they were there!
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon nevermind, I just saw your link. Did some Christmas shopping on bore scopes, too!
Cheers, Steve!
I always find your vids informative and engaging. Keep up the good!
Thanks, will do!
Doing this test was worth it Steve ! Thanks
You're Welcome...
FWIW, many of the entry level Stihl units (BG-56, FS-38, MS-170 etc.) often have clogged arrestor screens because the operator lets them idle excessively and doesn't get the screen hot. I'd like to see the same experiment with whatever oil, but just running WOT for 35 minutes. You know, just to see if it's the Red Armour or the higher exhaust temps cleaning the spark arrestor.
I have an old Homelite XL12 would it be ok to use Red Armor oil in it ? If not what brand would you recommend ?
Question. I have a bv 125 blower. Apparently a bad coil. Tech said not worth fixing because compression is only at 105. Is this true?
I just ordered some red armor through your Amazon. Thanks for the video
Awesome! Thank you!
I want a pouring spout like that for my gas can. Thanks steve
I miss those gas caps on Stihl, I use husky now just for that reason.
real-world test with real-world results. Great video
Thank You...
I use nothing but red armor it's been the best oil I've ever used hands down it's the best
Right on buddy!
What additive would you recomend most for a surging carb that has no screws on it to clean out as in your other videos? I was going to try sea foam.
Most synthetic oils very little or no carbon build up.
Very expensive oil but worth it.
Nice video.
Thanks
PS: ATF fluid also melts varnish carbon .
Don't run on ATF but you can soak it a few days. Then run
Interesting!
I read of the ATF trick when I was into Honda Civics/CRX's 20+yrs ago. A tablespoon or two down each spark plug hole and let in soak for a day or two. I never tried it though. Supposedly ATF is good for cleaning/restoring plastic engine covers too. I never tried that either, I just remember reading it
Great video buddy. I just got myself some and can't wait to use it. Thx again. Great vid 👌
Thank You...and You're Welcome...
Great video Steve - wish you a nice week. Cheers from Sweden!
Hey, Thank you buddy!
Hey steve how are you supposed to break in new weedeaters?
That’s crazy!!!! Gonna have to try it myself.
Go for it!
how did the spark plug look after the first and number 2 tank of fuel used??????
When I bought my Stihl blower, it came with a 6 pack of Stihl 2 stroke oil. By the time I used all the oil, the spark arrestor got clogged and it wouldn't accelerate. I removed the screen and it runs great. I will have to clean it and put it back in when I feel like it. Right now I don't feel like it. My little blower doesn't shoot sparks out the muffler so I don't feel inclined to put the screen back in.
Fair enough!
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon By the way, I have bought some oil at Wally World that isn't a brand name oil. I think it will be okay to use. I have lived long enough that I can tell when a 2 stroke engine is running lean or rich and if it's getting enough oil so I think I will be alright. Thanks for what you do to inform us about such things as well.
Very impressive Steve. Sadly I've never seen that product here in Australia.
Steve
All the info online for red armour says 50:1 mix, can it be used for 40:1 mix? Also can red armour be used regularly in the equipment to prevent carbon buildup?
I was also wondering about the fuel mix ratio. I premix fuel for my Stihl chainsaw and use the same fuel for my Echo trimmer. My chainsaw works fine but the trimmer exhaust screen gets clogged quickly. I’m thinking it’s the different mfr specs on the fuel mixture.
This is a great test. I think running a full tank with this stuff should be a bi annual preventive maintenance. Awesome 👌 and thank you!
Great point!
Hey Steve..hope all is well..question..my stihl blower doesn’t have that kind of spark arrester. It has a totally different setup. It has little screen that pull out. Should I take that hole thing off and clean? Thanks! Joe
Good video brother.. so it does work.. so say every 10 weeks run it with the petrol and it will be a clean as a whistle
I add some berryman b-12 chemtool to every gas tank before refilling it at the pump - 2 stroke and 4 stroke tanks - and i'm expecting the same results. would be good idea if you wanted to prove that on another machine?
Fantastic experiment . Might have to pick some up for our Stihl gear. Ours tend to carbon up the exhaust screens .
Go for it!
Trying it out with the shop gear and home gear . So far no one brought equipment back for starting issues . Home gear running great.
I like the Red Armor oil if for no other reason that there’s no confusion as to if I added it to my mix jug. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve second guessed myself with the Stihl synthetic oil and ended up dumping the jug into my car or mower to mix a fresh one.
Agreed! Just bought a new stihl trimmer and the hardware store put some fuel in it and started it before I left. When I got home the fuel in the bubble and tank looked a little too clear. Looked too much like straight gas to me. So better safe than sorry. It probably was some different mix, but it wasn't blue, purple or red, so rather than trust the hardware dude that was just selling plumbing a minute ago, I dumped it in the mower and refilled the trimmer with the mixed fuel I had just made for the chainsaw. Ethanol free and red armor. I do like the color, cause even sometimes I forget if I added the mix already to the gas or not. Lol
Great advice - lately I have heard negative comments re: Stihl oil. I have a Stihl MS271 chainsaw and 8 Echo power tools. I use Stihl HP Ultra oil in the chainsaw and Echo Power Blend oil in the Echo tools. I want to use one brand of oil for all my power tools. In chainsaw, will it damage anything to go from a fully synthetic oil to a synthetic blend? Do you prefer Echo Power Blend or Echo Red Armor? thanks
That’s very interesting!
I did not know this but have heard of it !
Might try a can of that oil mix, also I would like to have seen where that part was located on the blower that you kept taking off and inspecting,
It was always on the back side of the blower when you removed it,
Check my playlist for a video called wont rev up
The part is the exhaust outlet tube. The wire mesh screen is inside the muffler when fitted. The purpose of the screen is to catch any burning particles of carbon so that they do not escape and set fire to dry vegetation.