I appreciate all your information on using different 2-stroke oils. I primarily cut firewood for our winter heating and had been using Husqvarna oil that went along with additional warranty coverage on a 550 XP MK II and a 562 XPG (the transitional version prior to the MK II). After purchasing a Stihl MS 400C, and listening to your video I have totally switched to the Honda HP2 @40:1. I keep my saws clean and the chains sharp. These saws are too expensive, in my opinion, to not protect them as best I can. Thanks for helping educate me to that degree!
The red stihl oil from the stihl Italy site it's classificated Jaso Fb full mineral. On some group they say it's nice. Hope this information are usefull. Keep up the great work. Best regards Giovanni
I appreciate the looks inside the saws. As someone who purchases and runs them professionally then subsequently fixes them, it is nice to see the insides before I buy. Thanks 🙌
You unwittingly made my day Richard. I have a limited edition 362 that I can longer obtain oem parts for in New Zealand. Now I can add 400 parts to my search if they are as interchangeable as you say they are. I got a quote from my Stihl dealer for a new coil and leads. $280 plus 15% gst tax plus the shops markup. That coil costs 12.5% of the saws purchase value. A coil that is 12.5% of the total purchase price of the saw is just plain ridiculous... Greetings and thanks from New Zealand
Ive switched to Echo Red Armour recently. Burns clean, less coking in the exhaust port. Acquired a newly ported saw, 7310, sticker on it, stating, 40:1 mix. Has been an improvement for me, without a doubt. It definitely improves the cleanliness of older saws using inferior oil.😊
Great video Richard, greetings from New Zealand, I have observed the quality of gasoline here decrease over the years, when we had leaded fuel you could start an old car that had been sitting 30 years, now you can't leave a generator for 2 months and have it start without some new gas and a fuel bowl dump, the aromatics that replaced the lead just well, aroma themselves away in a very short time. As for ethanol fuels, I was washing (chainsaw parts) on a very humid summer day and I watched some E10 fuel go from pink and clear to looking like milk in about 2 mins, I never used fuel from that supplier again, I could literally see the water in the air transferring to the fuel, very sad. Good fresh fuel,and good oil is the key I reckon, don't mix up too much, a screwdriver in your pocket, run WOT whenever you can and keep good and sharp on the chain.
Same here in the States. I believe the additives in the fuel to make it burn cleaner is more corrosive. I'm glad I have easy access to non ethanol fuel where I live. Some States only allow non-ethanol for off road use making it harder to find.
@@nigelallen9072 Yep, Gull Force 10 is a biofuel with 10% Ethanol, and that's the fuel I was using, I stopped using their petrol since. I still get diesel from Gull, as its imported from Singapore, and has been said to be cleaner than the other local suppliers.
Before your videos i used stihl and husky oils ( stihl hp ultra , husky xp ) , but now i use bike oils ( motul 710 , or motorex crosspower 2t) they are cheaper and better , very nice video keep up the good work
I have found Red Armor to work very well when it comes to lubrication and cleaning, but I like Honda HP2 a little better. HP2 is a little cleaner burning. I Run both of them at 32:1, both are great oils.
I used Red Armor for quite a few seasons but made the switch last year to HP2. I run both at 40:1. Both are great oils, but HP2 seems to be a little better running and offers a bit more protection.
As I have mentioned before, I got a ms 250 about 16 years old, have ran the hell out of it, lots of times in wood way to big for it and in SC, temperatures sometimes around 100 degrees, cut saw off and it's just crackling! All I have ever put in it is stihl ultra, but almost always 91 octane and no ethanol. Seems to me, some oils are not really compatible with ethanol. Bought a new 250,and 261 couple months ago, haven't even cranked them yet.
I run the klotz snowmobile oil at 40:1 with awesome results! I talked to Jeff at klotz for about an hour on what oil leaves a good film on the piston and the crank assembly. He immediately told me the snowmobile oil, especially in colder weather. I've been running klotz in my saws with awesome results for 3 years now.
@@richardflagg3084Awesome sounds good I can't wait I'm pretty sure Citgo make the oil for Yamaha I wonder if it's comparable to the Honda pro 2 cycle oil. I also bought a quart of it from a local Yamaha dealer in Windsor Ontario Canada
@@Grayhawk1976I run the Klotz R50 in my 100cc two cycle racing kart engine my buddy swears by it and he's an engine builder he says that's their cleanest burning product and leads very little carbon We also run the engine at a mixture of 20 to 1
I’ve been using Red Armor at 40:1 (corn-free) in my saws and trimmer for a few years with zero complaints. I talked my dad away from Stihl oil and the best I found locally for him was Saber which he’s using at 50:1 (leaves a great film, but may still try 40:1). Ive about used up my Red Armor, so I bought a couple quarts of Belray H1R that I’ll also mix at 40:1. It might not be needed, but I’m obsessive about talking care of my equipment. I’ve considered dropping to 32:1, but haven’t heard a compelling reason to, and my saws run really strong. It’ll be next spring before I get to try the H1R probably.
Have you tested any of the Kawasaki 2 stroke oil? My local small engine shop started carrying that, and it would be more convenient to get oil there than where my current supply of red armor is located.
I have recently switched to some "Blue" oil which is Kinetix Full Synthetic 50.1 Previously used Echo Power Blend or Red Armor. Ever since switching to Kinetix , I have been replacing starter pawls , recoil assemblies and rope rotors out the Wazoo. Definitely seems to be a little harder rope pull as if high compression but will start almost instamaticlly. Not the typical Stihl 2 or 3 rope pull starting pattern. Looking at the piston through the exhaust and spark plug port , there is carbon on top of the piston. Is it excessive carbon ? I don't know , how much is too much. Can't help but think that it's carbon build-up on the piston causing high compression. Any thoughts ? I did replace the flywheel which had wear at the starter pawl contact points which alleviated the recoil assembly problems somewhat but it still has that harder than normal rope pull & instamatic start up. Generally speaking , a quick starting saw wouldn't be a problem , but ???
I was wondering if you could compare the current MS400 to the new Ms400 when it comes out so I can decide if I should buy the current model while they are still available or go with the new model.
I had heard red armor changed their formula and the containers no longer say mixed fuel is good for a shelf life of up to 2 years? Quality of the gasoline is important as well. Here some of the 91 octane pump gas contains up to 10% ethanol but when a small engine shop tested the content, it was more like 20%! So I guess you really never know what you‘re getting at a blended pump. I am fortunate to have a filling station with both 91 and 87 E-free with separate nozzles for each grade that they sell. Great video!👍
I've been running 93 "up to 10%ethanol" in my mx bike and string trimmer for about a decade and never had a problem. I also at least start them and get them up to operating temperature once a month.
hello Richard Thank you for the video, 2-stroke engine lubrication is very interesting I noticed a thing with the alkilate gasoline even a dirty oil as for example the stihl hp ultra burns well and does no carbon deposit? but if I use it with gasoline the carbon pump everywhere? I invested in a small camera to see inside the motor of the cutter without anything disassemble except the candle Are you planning a test with aspen 2? Thank you for the work you do for us
Thanks Richard! Question for you, I just put a Westcoast muffler on a 2511T and the factory muffler gasket was tore up, do I need that? The heat shield was still fine!
One thing that also makes a difference with coming is some guys will leave a saw idling for 5-10 minutes when they should shut it off. They build up badly just idling…
🤣🤣🤣 I have a friend that works for Stihl and they have seen some of the videos. Unfortunately it was the legal department not R&D. Luckily they have not contacted me directly, yet.....
I use premix vp racing but add enough saber to it to get the 50.1 down to 32.1 ... My saw porter suggested 32.1 and since i buy 5 gallons at a time of vp i figure it was my best bet.
Hi Richard to bad that stihl discontinued the ms 400 they come out with a new ms 400.1 the engine is 62cc it is a brand-new engine design I think it is 300g or 800g lighter than the ms362 and stihl does not make the ms362 anymore discontinued thanks! the video channel is Forestry Journal so you can see it run and explains everything and no more bark boxes
Try Motul 710. That’s all I run in 3 different dirt bikes. No “coking” during top end rebuilds, zero tailpipe spooge, low smoke. Of course they’re all jetted appropriately but it runs equally well in all my hand held equipment too.
If coking is normal, I guess I'm doing something wrong as I haven't seen it in any of my 2t equipment that's been rebuilt or started from new since I started caring about the fuel and oil my equipment gets around 2012! Would be interesting if his buddy would run his RA mix for a while then let you, and us have a peek. Would be surprised if it doesn't quickly clean up that piston. As always, thanks for sharing👍🏻
I’m hearing Stihl is doing away with the 391 and 400. Something about splitting the difference with a new 65cc saw. I like the difference between the 362, 391 and the 462 which is the 400. Might be just some bullshit.
By this time next year the 362 will be no more along with the currant 400 and will both be replaced with a new redesigned 400, as far as what else is going away I couldn't tell you but I have heard that some of the cheaper farm and ranch/ homeowner saws might be leaving the Stihl lineup as well. I was told this by a couple different dealers in my market and they said that's what they were told by their sales reps.
Just my .02, the stihl ultra is fine in a STOCK application under IDEAL conditions. Anything other than that and it sux, being able to perform in less than ideal conditions is what makes or breaks 2 stroke oils in my book.
@Super-Dave-Outdoors the last 16 years, all I have ran is stihl ultra. I have a ms250 16 years old, sometimes cutting oak way to big for it, at times cutting in around 100 degrees heat here in SC, I have ran the hell out of it, damn thing refuses to die lol.i know several landscaping crews that run it exclusively. I spoke to two different mechanics at saw dealers, hartsville outdoors and darlington chainsaw, which sells several different mixing oils and both said they have never seen a problem. I think ethanol gas, ran by home owners, at half throttle, ultra doesn't burn completely. Lots of inexperienced home owners use it because they bought a six pack for extra warranty. I have a stihl pruner that refuses to run on any gas more than a few weeks old.
![Eminem - Fuel (feat. JID) [Official Lyric Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/t5H_CewqpKA/mqdefault.jpg)
I appreciate all your information on using different 2-stroke oils. I primarily cut firewood for our winter heating and had been using Husqvarna oil that went along with additional warranty coverage on a 550 XP MK II and a 562 XPG (the transitional version prior to the MK II). After purchasing a Stihl MS 400C, and listening to your video I have totally switched to the Honda HP2 @40:1. I keep my saws clean and the chains sharp. These saws are too expensive, in my opinion, to not protect them as best I can. Thanks for helping educate me to that degree!
The red stihl oil from the stihl Italy site it's classificated Jaso Fb full mineral. On some group they say it's nice. Hope this information are usefull.
Keep up the great work.
Best regards Giovanni
Thank you for the information.
I'm guessing full mineral means phosphorus and zinc?@richardflagg3084
I appreciate the looks inside the saws. As someone who purchases and runs them professionally then subsequently fixes them, it is nice to see the insides before I buy. Thanks 🙌
You unwittingly made my day Richard. I have a limited edition 362 that I can longer obtain oem parts for in New Zealand. Now I can add 400 parts to my search if they are as interchangeable as you say they are.
I got a quote from my Stihl dealer for a new coil and leads. $280 plus 15% gst tax plus the shops markup. That coil costs 12.5% of the saws purchase value. A coil that is 12.5% of the total purchase price of the saw is just plain ridiculous...
Greetings and thanks from New Zealand
Wow!! The wiring harness and coil are the same on the 362/400.
Ive switched to Echo Red Armour recently. Burns clean, less coking in the exhaust port. Acquired a newly ported saw, 7310, sticker on it, stating, 40:1 mix. Has been an improvement for me, without a doubt. It definitely improves the cleanliness of older saws using inferior oil.😊
Great video Richard, greetings from New Zealand, I have observed the quality of gasoline here decrease over the years, when we had leaded fuel you could start an old car that had been sitting 30 years, now you can't leave a generator for 2 months and have it start without some new gas and a fuel bowl dump, the aromatics that replaced the lead just well, aroma themselves away in a very short time.
As for ethanol fuels, I was washing (chainsaw parts) on a very humid summer day and I watched some E10 fuel go from pink and clear to looking like milk in about 2 mins, I never used fuel from that supplier again, I could literally see the water in the air transferring to the fuel, very sad.
Good fresh fuel,and good oil is the key I reckon, don't mix up too much, a screwdriver in your pocket, run WOT whenever you can and keep good and sharp on the chain.
Same here in the States. I believe the additives in the fuel to make it burn cleaner is more corrosive. I'm glad I have easy access to non ethanol fuel where I live. Some States only allow non-ethanol for off road use making it harder to find.
@@richardflagg3084 Its just not fulfilling the actual definition / expectation of what fuel is, were getting ripped off right here.
@@rakersdownnzwe Have E10 fuel here in NZ🤷♂️
@@nigelallen9072 Yep, Gull Force 10 is a biofuel with 10% Ethanol, and that's the fuel I was using, I stopped using their petrol since.
I still get diesel from Gull, as its imported from Singapore, and has been said to be cleaner than the other local suppliers.
Before your videos i used stihl and husky oils ( stihl hp ultra , husky xp ) , but now i use bike oils ( motul 710 , or motorex crosspower 2t) they are cheaper and better , very nice video keep up the good work
Thank you!
I have found Red Armor to work very well when it comes to lubrication and cleaning, but I like Honda HP2 a little better. HP2 is a little cleaner burning. I Run both of them at 32:1, both are great oils.
I used Red Armor for quite a few seasons but made the switch last year to HP2. I run both at 40:1. Both are great oils, but HP2 seems to be a little better running and offers a bit more protection.
Rich lots of good info 😊😊😊
The impressive Richard Flagg!
Hope y’all are recovering OK there in your HomeTown, Richard. Take care! 👍🤝🇺🇸
I'm interested in the "blue oil" mix type. These observations are fascinating. I've been using VP 40:1 premixed and it seems to do very well.
Same brand here. I mix VP synthetic at 32:1 for everything with no issues.
Your definitely the expert, when it comes to Oil and Chainsaws , 😅
Love your Videos, content.
Ratio Richard knows some stuff ! People using crap oil, ethanol fuel and EPA ratio would be better off with a saw that requires an extension cord.
Once again; love your informative videos .
As I have mentioned before, I got a ms 250 about 16 years old, have ran the hell out of it, lots of times in wood way to big for it and in SC, temperatures sometimes around 100 degrees, cut saw off and it's just crackling! All I have ever put in it is stihl ultra, but almost always 91 octane and no ethanol. Seems to me, some oils are not really compatible with ethanol. Bought a new 250,and 261 couple months ago, haven't even cranked them yet.
Nice video Rich, thanks.
Red armor looks good I wonder how Klotz R50 would do at 40:1 or Yamalube 2R ? Thanks for the video Richard
I run the klotz snowmobile oil at 40:1 with awesome results! I talked to Jeff at klotz for about an hour on what oil leaves a good film on the piston and the crank assembly. He immediately told me the snowmobile oil, especially in colder weather. I've been running klotz in my saws with awesome results for 3 years now.
I bought a quart of Yamalube 2R last week. I'll mix some up when I run the Ms400 and include it in the video.
@@richardflagg3084Awesome sounds good I can't wait I'm pretty sure Citgo make the oil for Yamaha I wonder if it's comparable to the Honda pro 2 cycle oil. I also bought a quart of it from a local Yamaha dealer in Windsor Ontario Canada
@@Grayhawk1976I run the Klotz R50 in my 100cc two cycle racing kart engine my buddy swears by it and he's an engine builder he says that's their cleanest burning product and leads very little carbon We also run the engine at a mixture of 20 to 1
@ExpediteTravels
R50 is awesome oil!
I’ve been using Red Armor at 40:1 (corn-free) in my saws and trimmer for a few years with zero complaints. I talked my dad away from Stihl oil and the best I found locally for him was Saber which he’s using at 50:1 (leaves a great film, but may still try 40:1). Ive about used up my Red Armor, so I bought a couple quarts of Belray H1R that I’ll also mix at 40:1. It might not be needed, but I’m obsessive about talking care of my equipment. I’ve considered dropping to 32:1, but haven’t heard a compelling reason to, and my saws run really strong. It’ll be next spring before I get to try the H1R probably.
Another great video. Looking forward to the follow up!
Great information. Thanks for the video
What do you use to cut the squash band it dose a nice job
Nice work . Richard do you do performance work if the saw is shipped to you? Thanks in advanced.
Im ordering some red armour now for sure.. thanks man
Nice Job Rich 😀
Have you tested any of the Kawasaki 2 stroke oil? My local small engine shop started carrying that, and it would be more convenient to get oil there than where my current supply of red armor is located.
Please do a video on porting the ms400. I did some port work on mine and a gasket delete. But I know I can push it further.
Thank you Sir.
I have recently switched to some "Blue"
oil which is Kinetix Full Synthetic 50.1
Previously used Echo Power Blend or Red Armor.
Ever since switching to Kinetix , I have been replacing starter pawls , recoil assemblies and rope rotors out the Wazoo.
Definitely seems to be a little harder rope pull as if high compression but will start almost instamaticlly.
Not the typical Stihl 2 or 3 rope pull starting pattern.
Looking at the piston through the exhaust and spark plug port , there is carbon on top of the piston. Is it excessive carbon ? I don't know , how much is too much.
Can't help but think that it's carbon build-up on the piston causing high compression. Any thoughts ?
I did replace the flywheel which had wear at the starter pawl contact points which alleviated the recoil assembly problems somewhat but it still has that harder than normal rope pull & instamatic start up.
Generally speaking , a quick starting saw wouldn't be a problem , but ???
I was wondering if you could compare the current MS400 to the new Ms400 when it comes out so I can decide if I should buy the current model while they are still available or go with the new model.
I really like this version for what it's worth.
Buy the current one while it has a few more CCs.
I had heard red armor changed their formula and the containers no longer say mixed fuel is good for a shelf life of up to 2 years? Quality of the gasoline is important as well. Here some of the 91 octane pump gas contains up to 10% ethanol but when a small engine shop tested the content, it was more like 20%! So I guess you really never know what you‘re getting at a blended pump. I am fortunate to have a filling station with both 91 and 87 E-free with separate nozzles for each grade that they sell. Great video!👍
I've been running 93 "up to 10%ethanol" in my mx bike and string trimmer for about a decade and never had a problem. I also at least start them and get them up to operating temperature once a month.
That said if it's 20% and they have it listed at 10, report them.
I always start filling my car with 93 or 94 when I can find it and then switch to my tanks, to make sure I clear out the gas in the pump hose.
hello Richard
Thank you for the video, 2-stroke engine lubrication is very interesting
I noticed a thing with the alkilate gasoline even a dirty oil as for example the stihl hp ultra burns well and does no carbon deposit?
but if I use it with gasoline the carbon pump everywhere?
I invested in a small camera to see inside the motor of the cutter without anything disassemble except the candle
Are you planning a test with aspen 2?
Thank you for the work you do for us
I haven't got around to testing Aspen 2 yet.
Thanks Richard. Can you pls explain the advantages of forward fed transfers and how they work?
I'm not that smart. I do know that they run stronger tho.
Thanks Richard! Question for you, I just put a Westcoast muffler on a 2511T and the factory muffler gasket was tore up, do I need that? The heat shield was still fine!
It should be ok. The gasket will seal the exhaust up tight. Just keep an eye on it and see if any of the plastic gets discolored from an exhaust leak.
Thank you!
It’s simple to me, oils like Red Armor have better detergents. Good video Richard👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
One thing that also makes a difference with coming is some guys will leave a saw idling for 5-10 minutes when they should shut it off. They build up badly just idling…
I must've gotten lucky with my 362, it's a beast with just a timing advance and bark box
Looks like Stihl is using Red Armour at the factory…they’ve been watching your videos 😜👍
🤣🤣🤣 I have a friend that works for Stihl and they have seen some of the videos. Unfortunately it was the legal department not R&D. Luckily they have not contacted me directly, yet.....
@ 🫣😬😂👍
02:51 Only JASO FB. If you click the 'Show more' button you can find it: 'Performance standard: JASO-FB, ISO-L-EGB, oil/fuel ratio 1:50'.
Thank you
I use premix vp racing but add enough saber to it to get the 50.1 down to 32.1 ... My saw porter suggested 32.1 and since i buy 5 gallons at a time of vp i figure it was my best bet.
Hi Richard to bad that stihl discontinued the ms 400 they come out with a new ms 400.1 the engine is 62cc it is a brand-new engine design I think it is 300g or 800g lighter than the ms362 and stihl does not make the ms362 anymore discontinued thanks! the video channel is Forestry Journal so you can see it run and explains everything and no more bark boxes
The standard carburetor version of it is called the MS363 in Brazil from a recent video I saw from there.
I saw that and I'm disappointed to hear the news.
Try Motul 710. That’s all I run in 3 different dirt bikes. No “coking” during top end rebuilds, zero tailpipe spooge, low smoke. Of course they’re all jetted appropriately but it runs equally well in all my hand held equipment too.
If coking is normal, I guess I'm doing something wrong as I haven't seen it in any of my 2t equipment that's been rebuilt or started from new since I started caring about the fuel and oil my equipment gets around 2012!
Would be interesting if his buddy would run his RA mix for a while then let you, and us have a peek. Would be surprised if it doesn't quickly clean up that piston.
As always, thanks for sharing👍🏻
If that happens, I will.
Coking is more related to the fuel used than anything else. If you have to use pump fuel or 10%E run Techron small engine with it.
👍👍
The difference between the two 362's is the type of oil/fuel mix being used.
The 362 and 261 are similar in their lower transfer design
Could the Blue be Saber?
Not a chance. Saber burns cleaner than Red Armor if you can believe that.
@@richardflagg3084saber is just fantastic, it’s what I run in everything
Motul 710 oil meyk test 50/1
@Okinawa1914
Absolutely agree on Motul 710!!! It burns so clean in my kx 250, and I am now using it in all my hand held equipment with zero issues
I don't like coaking I like a clean piston!
I use nothing but echo, red armor, ethanol, free fuel
I’m hearing Stihl is doing away with the 391 and 400. Something about splitting the difference with a new 65cc saw. I like the difference between the 362, 391 and the 462 which is the 400. Might be just some bullshit.
By this time next year the 362 will be no more along with the currant 400 and will both be replaced with a new redesigned 400, as far as what else is going away I couldn't tell you but I have heard that some of the cheaper farm and ranch/ homeowner saws might be leaving the Stihl lineup as well. I was told this by a couple different dealers in my market and they said that's what they were told by their sales reps.
The standard carburetor version of the 400.1 is labeled MS363 and for sale currently in Brazil.
Would love to see the ms400 test cuts after porting, that is a strong saw right off the shelf.
@@tonymiles3106 That will be out in just a couple of days.
Just my .02, the stihl ultra is fine in a STOCK application under IDEAL conditions.
Anything other than that and it sux, being able to perform in less than ideal conditions is what makes or breaks 2 stroke oils in my book.
@Super-Dave-Outdoors the last 16 years, all I have ran is stihl ultra. I have a ms250 16 years old, sometimes cutting oak way to big for it, at times cutting in around 100 degrees heat here in SC, I have ran the hell out of it, damn thing refuses to die lol.i know several landscaping crews that run it exclusively. I spoke to two different mechanics at saw dealers, hartsville outdoors and darlington chainsaw, which sells several different mixing oils and both said they have never seen a problem. I think ethanol gas, ran by home owners, at half throttle, ultra doesn't burn completely. Lots of inexperienced home owners use it because they bought a six pack for extra warranty. I have a stihl pruner that refuses to run on any gas more than a few weeks old.
@@Super-Dave-Outdoors 👍🏻