TRUFUEL put to the TEST and IT FAILED AGAIN! DO NOT adjust you 2 cycle until you watch this!
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- Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024
- Today we tested Trufuel canned fuels. The results will SHOCK YOU!
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My name is Bre. I took two years of small engine repair at the local college. When I left school, I fell into a wonderful job at a local small engine shop where I worked the counter for a couple years. In 2010 my husband and I opened up our own small engine shop in central Arkansas where I am able to work alongside my family and best friends. We see over 2,000 pieces of small engine equipment every year, and answer 1,000's of small engine questions. We specialize in brands such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, Echo and Shindaiwa, but work everyday on MANY other brands like Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, Craftsman, Remington, Red Max, Troy Bilt, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, World Lawn, Poulan, Mantis, Etc.. Hopefully, my experience I share, will save you Time, Money and Frustration in the future!
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Hi everyone. I was a fuel system design engineer for Rochester products/Delphi for 38 yrs. Out of curiosity I tried to cc my stihl ms270 saw and in my crude measurements I found that the engine has better than a 9 to 1 compression ratio. In my opinion that qualifies for a min of 90 octane fuel. And I never use ethanol enhanced fuel. The ethanol will increase octane but the available btu is reduced and the ethanol can have detrimental effects on the engine. I find using 90 octane non ethanol fuel with Stihl's better 2 cycle oil mix has served well.
Heads up though , I read somewhere that the government is considering making E15 available. My Briggs engine has a warning not to use any fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol. Good luck to all!
Maybe you’ve noticed a pattern..
They cut the fuel with dirty ‘additives’ which work short term but kill the machine eventually.
Can you think of others circumstances where an industry has done this?
Hint:USDA
I had worked in the offshore oil and gas industry for yrs - they call true fuel synthetic fuel -
As far as we could tell it's benzine - in our case we refered to it as drip gas that come off the natural gas wells -
On land wells gaugers often used it for there older tractors that were 5:1 and 6:1 compression due to the lower octane -
Some would crack it by adding propane to it for easer starting - my grand father would put the drip gas in a thank and pressure it with butane - then heat it for a while to crack it to raise the octane and make for easy starting -
I think this "premixed" fuel is for lazy or wealthy people who don't want to bother with mixing fuel & oil.
Most vehicles prior to the 90’s had warnings in the owner’s manuals not to use more than 10% ethanol period
@@richardlahan7068Right because prepaying exactly 1 or 2 gallons requires a ton of math. The sign says $4.099/gallon and 1 need 2 gallons. How would I ever figure out to prepay $8.20?
Bought TRuFuel just after a tornado hit my house in Tallahassee Fl, this past May. I bought a 2.5 gallon can of this and ran it exclusively in my brand new Echo chainsaw. No problems. I didn't tune anything. Thank you for ALL OF YOUR VIDEOS!!! love you and your work. I didnt think to check the plug to make sure its not burning it up though. THANK YOU for this. Really. Now I think I'll just mix my own from now on. Again, THANK YOU.
Had a customer come in Friday with brand new Echo hand held blower, bought two weeks earlier, no start, no run. Asked what fuel he was using. Tru Fuel or the Husqvarna equivalent. Educated the owner on the pre-made fuels, drained tank and filled it with our ethanol free 50:1 made using Echo Red Armor and second pull it fired and ran. Customer made remark that it had never sounded that way or revved that high. Made a believer and sent him out the door with a bottle of Red Armor.
Hey Scotsman!!! I have seen it many times!
@@Chickanic he was all ready to exchange the blower but left much happier.
Odd, I've never had an issue with all of my gear running 89 octane with Stabil. Backpack Stihl Magnum blower, starts first pull. Stihl KM-131R starts after first or second pull. My MS-271 kicks right up on one pull. Even my tiny 10 year old FS-40 starts on the first or second pull. Sounds like the problem isn't the gas, it's the user.
Echo red Armour is the best.
@@Jagg2305 So... you never watched the video.
Dear Chickanic:
I have about 20+ small engines around my place and most only get run once or twice a year. I put them up with empty fuel tanks and run out of fuel and that helps but sometimes I come dangerously close to losing my religion when it comes time to crank them up. So many of your tips have helped me maintain my equipment and my sanity. Thank you
had a weed eater i stored with good 91 no corn..... had a BIT of gas in it
new gas, new oil... .no high RPM, but would run if choke was opened a bit (got it nice and hot, tried adjusting jets)
.
let it sit for 3 days.....now it works
dissolved whatever residue was in their
.
just pump 91 from the local gettin spot
If it’s available, use non-ethanol fuel and Echo Red Armor oil in the appropriate ratio for the machine you are running. You will save a lot of money and have better lubrication for your 2 stroke OPE.
I prefer the pure gold myself
@@archiedentone5950 True Fuel does produce bad batches or cans rarely but they do. I got a bad can once and replaced it with aother can and it ran ok again.
That's a great idea there Brian
IF I go out about 40 min, I can get 91 octane ethanol free from the pump. I love that stuff. I only use premium and echo red armor in my echo string trimmer, echo blower, echo chain saw, and stihl hedge trimmer.
Exactly what I run
Been running this stuff for about 5 years now. Residential use. It’s awesome, my 2-cycle equipment never ran better.
Lean is mean.😅
We never had any problems with using canned fuel at the shop where I worked. It burns clean and leaves a lot less deposits on plug. Much like fuel injected vehicles burn clean and little deposit on plugs. We felt it was best fuel to use if not cost prohibitive. Could save occasional use customers lots of money by avoiding fuel related repairs.
I've been using it for years as well with no issues. Once you remove the limiter plugs on the carburetor you can readjust the high and low as needed.
@@mikeshay6614you wouldn't know the difference that the proper fuel makes if used to readymix and been using so many years. In my experiments I suspect the octane rating is down on these ready mix fuels as I've seen the RPM differences
Buy the 4 stroke version, and add oil to the 28:1 or so level? (For Zenoah-powered emergency DC generator.)
Your experience covers sooo much more in every area of small engines that I could never argue any of your statements.
I’ve used trufuel in my echo power attachment head used for edging trimming and blowing for 6 years. No problem. I always give the can a good shake and shake the tank before use. Two or three pulls and it fires right up.
Good point. Fuel that has been sitting around a long time before it's sold will tend to separate. You will not get the correct mixture if the fuel is not consistent. People will end up chasing the right adjustment on their equipment and possibly cause damage.
I used the SEF fuel that you can get from Walmart. After seeing the last video I made a mix the old way (adding oil to gas) and noticed my equipment was running way better! So a lot of those comments were wrong. I’ve been working on small engines for 10 years and still learning
Would like yuo to read contents of can also include pix of cougar 68??
I did the same thing after that video. never going back to the pre mixed stuff
@@jcindestin8611 you can definitely tell a difference when you the fuel you use
We're always learning. Just sometimes a professional shares her/his experiences like this and we're lucky. :)
Have a Stihl string trimmer that I’ve had for 9 years and have only used TruFuel in it, minus the dealer putting the first tank of fuel in it. The trimmer has never failed me, always starts within 3 pulls
Trufuel has been good for me. I use my chainsaw once or twice a year only. With trufuel, it starts every time, no carb issue or fuel line issues. In the past, mixing my own using pump gas, caused fuel lines to crack and carb issues. So trufuel is good.
Same here. 10+ years with zero problems, not about to switch now!
Same here. It's all my echo has seen since new and it starts in 3-4 pulls no matter how cold.
Would be a different story if you were running a company, but I burn less than a gallon a year.
I went m18 for my trimmer, so no gas there!
A lot of problems can be attributed to end of season maintenance. Empty the implement and then RUN IT DRY. No problems come next season.
@@melanieinsaskatchewan7964 I used to do that, but don't anymore. You can never get all the gas out simply by running it out of fuel. There's always some left, and the little amount left makes it easier for it to evaporate, leaning behind traces of ethanol (white sediment).
I've had terrible luck trying to run something dry. Best bet is to leave it full and start it every month.
I trust Trufuel. I run ethanol free (recreational 90) from the gas station, mixed myself through the season and the last fill gets Trufuel. I never run all the gas out anymore (old school of thought). All my small engines fire right up, run better, and give me no problems, sometimes after sitting for months on end since I adopted this method many years ago.
I have used Trufuel for years now in all my gas powered equipment and I absolutely love it.
Very nice video Chickanic, I have never used true fuel , I have always used 93 octane mixed with a good two stroke oil , I have never had any problems with fuel , , ran two strokes for about 45 years, maintain your equipment you will never have a problem
Why are you use 93 octane ?
Ethanol free is avaliable at some gas stations
@@jamesgibson5876 burns hotter and cleaner
I live in one of the great plains states and literally every small town gas station has no ethanol unleaded. I made my living for 10 years logging with large stihl saws such as the 076, 056, 084 and 066 I used no ethanol regular gas with stihl oil. I went thru 5-10 gallons of mix a week and NEVER had an engine failure. This was 30 years ago. 76 years old now , heat with wood and a 362c with a 28 inch bar is my saw
@@warrenstevens7091 That is not true in any way. The higher octane rated fuel resists detonation more than lower grades. That is all. The reason they use premium fuel is so that they don't get ethanol with it.
I bought a brand new Husqvarna 435 last year for home use. The first time I used it I filled it up with TruFuel 50:1. It ran for about 5 to 7 seconds and cut off and never ran again. I took it to one repair shop and they said it needed a new carburetor, When I got it home it still wouldn't run more than a few seconds. I saw your video about how many saws don't like Tru Fuel. Thought about changing but figured I'd used it for a couple years. Took it to a Husqvarna shop and they got it working, The guy said all they did was pour out the Tru Fuel and put in some of their gas. I told them I'd heard from you about the stuff being troublesome. I guess we live and learn.
Loved the last Trufuel video! Lol I also have a landscaping company and I can confirm that if I exclusively used motomix and/or Trufuel, I would own a bankrupt landscaping company.
Great job calling out the armchair dimwits. I've worked on my own stuff for years. By that I mean from before high school and still doing it. I'm now 72 so that covers a lot of machines. You are absolutely right. Too lean of a mixture runs WAY too hot and will fry the rings, rod bearings and over heat the cylinder wall as well as the piston... better to run too rich... might foul a plug more often but at least it isn't melting down the engine. Better to take your advice about fuel, mix and tuning!! Love your videos Bre and I hope you've reached everyone who read the bad advice so NO ONE will ruin their machine.
ya have to watch out for too rich mixtures too as you can get the fuel washing the oil film off your cylinder walls which leads to increased wear as well. also long term carbon buildup can lead to detonation on small engines run hard.
@@benjaminowen6181 Yes, but we're talking about a "too rich" fuel/oil MIXTURE, so you'll be getting MORE oil : )
Reminds me of a '74 Kawasaki H2 (750 triple two-stroke) I had back in the late '70s. Bought it used, and realized real quick that the oil injection system was hardly using any oil. Assuming a weak pump, and being poor, I blocked the lines going to the carbs (hopefully directing more oil to the crankshaft), and began mixing the fuel. Ran like a scalded dog for YEARS, with the exception that you had to do a burnout as soon as you started it, or it would foul a plug : )
@@kentuckybowl-o-sticks Now I realize I'm stupid lol. Thanks!
Thanks for being truthful about the product. I never used it too expensive. Rather just replace ethanol damaged carb. parts if it happens!
Thank you so much for these videos on True Fuel! It basically comes down to laziness. I will empty out my machines today and forever more by good gas and mix my own fuel . Awesome videos and thank you for educating me and saving my machines
You are so right about Trufuel. I have used it for years in all my 2-stroke equipment with what I thought were great results. Recently I bought 2 gallons of Trufuel and immediately started having trouble with my trimmers. They stalled and failed to reach adequate RPMs to cut heavy grass. I changed the air filters, fuel filters and adjusted the carbs, but nothing worked. I knew it COULD NOT be the fuel but decided to get fresh ethanol-free gas and mix my own just to be sure. What a difference. My equipment ran perfectly. I have a 365 Husqvarna chain saw that is very difficult to start and keep running. I dumped the Trufuel and put in the fresh mix and it started on the 2nd pull and idled perfectly. I have never gotten this thing to start without pulling 10 times or more. It may be a bad batch but I would rather spend 15 bucks for fresh fuel and mix than waste 50 on this stuff. By the way, both fuels were the same octane. One more thing, my Husqvarna 445 chainsaw kickback device locked, thanks to your excellent direction I was able to unlock it and it is working great. Thank you!
Glad you figured it out!
My 435 absolutely hates TruFuel. Runs great on most fuels but the second I try TruFuel it starts giving me all kinds of issues. I always notice a significant power loss too. I learned to stay away from it a long time ago. My 450 runs ok on it and I've never run anything but canned Husky or Stihl in my 572xp
I’m happy you said something. I started running this instead of mixing my own fuel & I’m now having issues starting my stihl blower. I think I’m going to go back to running my 50:1 mix.
A neighbor recently put a 2 year old push mower and a Stihl MS250 saw out with the trash. I ran over and grabbed both of them. The mower had a full tank of fuel and a new blade, a Honda powered Craftsman rear bag, self propelled model.
The chainsaw looked new. I gave both a quick look and tried to start them, neither one would so much as make a pop. Both had good strong spark. Figuring the old guy put something other than fuel in them I dumped the fuel and refilled with fresh fuel. Both fired right up. I chocked it up to bad gas at that point. A week later, he's got his hedge trimmer, leaf blower, and two trimmers out by the curb. I grabbed them all. Again, bad gas, each one ran fine.
Feeling bad for the old guy I went over there and asked why he tossed all his equipment, and saw he had replaced it all with new. He then tells me he must be on a run of bad luck, because the new mower ran fine at first and now, a week later it won't start. I tried it, it did nothing.
I told him all his old stuff ran fine, it just had bad fuel. He tells me 'That's not possible, they told me to run 'canned fuel', the stuff can't go bad". He then shows me a shelf full of True Fuel. I dumped out his new mower, put some plain gas in it and it fired up on the second pull. The same with his other equipment. I offered to let him have his old stuff, but he wouldn't take it.
Two days later he asks me if I wanted 'all that canned fuel', it won't run in anything' he says.
I took it thinking I'd use it in a gas lamp or something but found its even hard to light in a lamp.
It smells funny compared to regular gas too.
I even tried it in an old flat head Briggs mower that runs on anything, its been my trail mower for 20 years, it flat out refused to start in even that mower. I regularly burn old, unknown fuel in that thing that I get from a buddy who works on boats. I've even run fuel through that thing with water in it and it runs on it. But not the True Fuel.
I have run canned VP fuel before and had no issues but this is the third time True Fuel was a problem in the past few years.
The fact that it doesn't seem to give off vapors like pump gas makes me think they did something to it to make it safer to ship and store that's hurt its volatility
Never had an issue with trufuel
My question would be... when did he buy it? It's only good for a couple of years
Hello from Australia
I use 100 octane Avgas for my two stroke fuel mixed with the Stilhl oil. I purchase the fuel from our local airport. It can be stored almost indefinitely, no issues in over two decades using this mix,
Cheers
I used truefuel out of laziness and my machines run. Always started. After watching these videos I decided to mix non ethanol with red armor oil.
My machines have twice the power now and sound so much better. I'm so glad I decided to follow your advice. It may have saved my machines.
I work for a small engine shop. Stihl is our lead brand. We only sell the Stihl brand oils and fuel. My 2 cycle specialist of over 20+ years experience will not use pre blended fuels of “any” brand. We only mix our own because of this. We also all love your content.
I prefer plain old Orange bottle Stihl HP(Castrol) with Non-E fuel at 42.5:1. What does your Guru advise ? I do hit my engines with a De-Carbon product injected directly into the Carb with engine running 3-4 times a year.
@@shannonwhitaker9630 I wouldn't run a de-carb product through a two stroke, it will wash the oil and cause more damage than good. Also 42.5:1 is pretty specific, why not not just 40:1? That's what I run with good oil, all my equipment runs just fine and has lasted 10+ years.
@@shannonwhitaker9630 We sell both Orange and Silver. We sell the most of the Silver. It’s what we recommend. Also 93 Octane low ethanol fuel ⛽️ and 50:1 ratio only for Stihl. I have a 40:1 mix hole driller and keep separate fuel ⛽️ for it.
@4ceof5pades…the De-carbon product I use has a light oil base and it has not hurt a single engine since 1982.
42.5:1 is kinda funny to me for being very specific but if you plug in that Ratio into an on-line calculator it simply means 3oz of oil per gallon. I find it to be the happy medium between 40:1 and 50:1…….So 42.5:1 it is.
@Dennis Weatherspoon….I quit using Ethanol fuel in anything but vehicles a long time ago. All the issues I was experiencing with various 2-cycle and 4-cycle small engines magically went away. I’ve had zero issues using 3oz per gallon (42.5:1) Stihl HP(Castrol) with my Stihl equipment.
Great video! You didn't just talk the talk you proved your point and showed us the facts. Awesome!! I like to see what the other small engines guys have to say sometimes but you I enjoy and always come back for more. You are the only one I subscribed to.
What a beautiful day seems 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Just about to finish my last can of TruFuel, and I'm all set to mix my own. I've got a lot of trail clearing to do now that the weather has cooled down. Looking forward to getting the chainsaw out and making trails. Thanks for the great info/videos.
Are you married you are acool. Lady
I use the empty cans to mix my own..
I have always used non ethanol premium and good oil 40 some to one in a container with a tight lid, no problems, no plug changes, just dump it when stale, most 2 strokers are 30+ yrs. old. Good Video. Those fuel lovers like paying $30. for bottled water also lol!
I burnt up a string trimmer 20 years ago with 50:1 mix, I have mixed 40:1 ever since and will continue to. Love your videos!
How do you know the fuel to oil mixture was the fault? Trimmer could of had vacuum leaks, the engine was overloaded, or was running lean from carb issues which caused it to burn up.
Is there any appreciable difference between 50:1 and 40:1??
@@offrodnolefmr7445 10.
I'm assuming it's just an emissions thing.
@@offrodnolefmr7445 The ratio of fuel to oil. 50:1 50 parts fuel to 1 part oil 40:1 40 parts fuel to 1 part oil it makes a difference.
@@offrodnolefmr7445 I've had some 50:1 equipment, it's all gone. But I do have a 32 year old Kawasaki jet ski, which (Kawasaki) always specified 40:1 ratio. Still runs.
Guess 40:1 is a better ratio if you want equipment to last. ?? YMMV.
Came for the Chick stayed for the anic. The beginning of your test runs was amazing!
I have a couple of cases of trufuel in my basement. It is all I have used and I have no problems in my newest equipment. Now my older equipment does not run on it well. Also the Stihl cans work well on all equipment!
Thanks for your original TRUEFUEL video. I have a Stihl hand held blower and for the last 4 years, since new, I have used the TRUEFUEL and thought it was running well. Changed plug last year, just thought it was time, it would start on the 4th or 5th pull every time, thought this was good as well. After watching your video I switched to gas and oil mix and now it starts on first or second pull, seems to run better as well. Who knew. TRUEFUEL in Canada sells around $8.00 per quart can and gas is around $1.70 per litre. Factor in the two stoke oil and fuel stabilizer and there is still quite a difference. Will be mixing my own fuel going forward. Thanks again.
Changed over to Red Armor and will never go back. You previous video was the best advice I have received about small engines. Thanks for the suggestion.
Red Armor will help your unit last forever.
I used to use the Husqvarna canned fuel, but then started mixing my own. I add two ounces of Stabil stabilizer to my 5g can and fill with 5g of fresh non-ethanol gas. For two cycle I mix 20-25ml of Husqvarna two cycle oil to 1 liter of gas and store in a reused Husqvarna can. Has been working great for me. 🙂
I’ve been running trufuel for years in my stuff. Works great as is. My trimmer is a 3 pull start after sitting in the garage for the winter.
Thank you so much for these videos. I was someone that went the easy route and after just one time with gas and oil as you recommend it totally noticed the difference. I appreciate it. Keep up the great videos.
Wow an eye opener! I used true fuel thinking I was saving time and less waste since I’m a home owner. Thanks for the info!
Ikr, it takes so long to add 3 ounces of oil to gas and shake it. Plus all that waste from a quart of oil I go through once every 3 years. Bruh, really? Only thing that pre-mix fuel does it help lighten your wallet.
I only used TF or equivalent for winter storage and have never had a problem, knock wood! Used to drain carb & tank for storage and figured it would save time, etc. Won't do it again!
My father was using TRUFUEL 50:1 in his Poulan WildThing Chainsaw. He never ran the tank dry for storage and the fuel lines degraded into pieces. I replaced the fuel lines and it runs, but runs rough, with TRUFUEL. The spark plug is fouled with carbon from using TRUFUEL. I hear that mixing 2 stroke oil with ethanol based pump gas regardless of the octane, will last 90 days in storage, or about 1 season of 3 months. We will be switching back to 92 octane ethanol pump gas and mixing with 2 stroke oil at 50:1. Higher compression engines need higher octane to avoid detonation at higher temperatures or risk damage. Grest video❤
Here in the UK I use Aspen 2 for my occasional home use 2 cycle machines, because I don't want to smoke out my neighbours but it's far too expensive for commercial use.
I'm one of the people who has not had problems with Tru Fuel, and I did use it all up. {only had about 3 quarts around for emergencies} I get most of my gas for small engines at the gas station, ethanol free and make my own batch. Thank you for this info :)
I recently gotten a bad batch of 91 octane from a gas station. That batch was 4 gallons that made 3 chainsaws run terribly; an Echo CS490, Husqvarna 455 and Husqvarna 572. Not only canned premixed fuel that sometimes can cause problems but also there can be bad batches from the gas pump.
I have just recently found your channel, and I thank you for this video. I bought a home lite blower 3 yrs ago, and the second year, I had to start running 1/2 choke to get full throttle. I put a carb kit in... No change. I had only used this fuel since it was new, but after seeing this video, I got some gas, treatment and oil, and started it up. After 5 min, it was running like it did when it was new. THANK YOU
Nice touch framing the shot with the Cougar rear quarter.
and with her rear quarter as well .. nice daisy dukes ,,
The one with the blower?
I’m losing faith in humanity. These comments should be every other comment with Levi’s like that.
Great advice.... Thank you!
I've been using Trufuel on my husqvarna weed eater and have replaced the carburetor twice and just recently ordered another one. I couldn't figure out why it kept stalling until I found your video. I bought a gallon of gas, a cap full of ethanol shield, and a small container of stihl 2-cycle engine oil. I have to admit i was skeptical until I started it. 😂 what a difference.
Keep up the great work.
Undoubtedly one of the best tutorials on RUclips, great knowledge and brilliant on camera, 👍👏
I run VP 50:1 premixed. Works good so far. Always use to mix my own, but they say ethanol in the fuel is bad for the carbs. Anyway plug looks good and my machines are running good. VP is pricey, but I only use it for home yard work.
Great points regarding liability associated with carb adjustments and limiter caps. I do think a slight adjustment is helpful if you alter the fuel/oil ratio.
I had a brand new trimmer that would not idle or run right. I took it back to the store where I purchased it and the man adjusted the carb and it ran much better. I learned how to fine tune it myself and now it runs fine. So yes, the factory setting are not always correct and a different fuel does affect the performance. Gasoline and alcohol have different BTU values and different octanes of fuel burn at different rates.
Thanks for looking so good
I’ve been running Trufuel in all my Craftsman (Pulan) lawn and garden equipment for years without any problems after having to replace all the rotted fuel lines for mixing my own with ethanol pump gas. I did have to slightly richen up the high end this year because my leaf vac wasn’t taking throttle but all it needed was an 1/8 of a turn. A whole set of the specialized screw drivers are about 9 bucks on Amazon. While diagnosing that problem I pulled the plug and it wasn’t white at all. The only problem is the 6 buck can is now 8 bucks thanks to you know who.
I have always used my own mix and have never had an issue I'm a homeowner not a lawn care professional and I use Ryobi equipment for the most part
I strictly run non ethanol gas (the sell it locally at the gas station along side the other gas pumps) and the Stihl/Echo oil depending which machine I'm using (my backpack blower and weedeater are Echo, my handheld leaf blower and chainsaw is Stihl). I have dedicated gas cans for each.
Greg, I think that's a wise way to do it.
Sweet. Do you get online and try to force others to do that? To get non-ethanol fuel here in Illinois is extremely NOT GUNNA HAPPEN.
You will Google it and send me to a gas station 60 miles away that sold non ethanol 8 years ago but not today. Argue with me. 😉
@@mikeries8549
Back it off a notch or two.
He has no way of knowing where you are or what’s available.
Most states have it, at least at some places.
What is the point of seeking out an argument?
Matching the oil brand to the machine brand is a completely unnecessary burden, but not harmful so do what makes you feel good. I use whatever good quality two stroke oil I have on hand for any machine that needs fuel, from weed whackers to high power engines. Being in Commifornia we haven't had non-E gas at the pump for decades and it's never been a problem for my 2 or 4 strokes of any size. The ethanol "problem" is way over played, it really isn't a problem.
@@mikeries8549 I live in central Illinois and find non ethanol gas at several places 👍
There's nuance to every situation that I think a lot of people overlook. I have run non ethanol in my ATVs for years, no issues, start everytime. I run ethanol fuel and even 50 mix boat gas in my rider with no issue. It all comes down to frequency of use and how you put the equipment up, with or without gas. I run the gas out of anything that will sit for any length of time. Point is find a system that works for you. I feel like true fuel is for those that want to try and avoid equipment issue from old gas but here it seams like even that is different for everyone.
Honestly the sthl brand of pre-made fuel mix has never let me down. That being said 40:1 is my go to mix for any 2 stroke, I personally believe the 50:1 is just not enough lubrication.
Well. My Stihl chainsaw warranty requires a 50:1 mix, and if I bought their brand of premix oil, already in tiny bottles for 1 gallon of gas, they extended my warranty. So the 50:1 works for them. Modern technology dude..
Agree
Some 2 cycle boat engines run up over 250 to 1 with oil injection. That is when the engine is under light load.
@@karldettling5981marine 2 stroke is different due to water cooling.
@@rediron44Nope 2 strokes haven't changed much since inception. Oils have with synthetic blends etc. The EPA pressured the manufacturers to make it 50.1. Run all your small 2 cycles at 32.1. Boat 40.1.
This is actually the most helpful video I’ve watched in a long time. I’ve been using TruFuel since it came out. I’m planning to start mixing my own again with Red Armor. Especially since ethanol free is easily available in my area.
Truefuel Schmuufuel, I'm old school and mix my own fuel.
That's what did when I had my Stihl chainsaws. No issues and it's not like it's that hard to do.
Who wants to pay the massive price for the canned fuel? It's for people that no very little about engines and keeps things simple so that homeowners won't foul up the mixture or not even use oil at all.
Been using trufuel for years never had a problem great stuff
I'd be interested to see the results with the VP Racing pre-mix. This changes things for me though thanks for the information and great stuff
I use the VP canned 40:1. I find it onsale more often than trufuel
i switched to redarmor and the results were amazing ! i thought pump gas would destroy my engine boy was i wrong ! now that trufuel i was using for years in my hitachi blower and trimmer had them running so bad i thought the tools were shot and time to replace them,well they run like new thanks to you chickanic ! now the blower is 10 yr's old and the trimmer is 7 yr's old but they keep going strong with the redarmor and high test pump gas very happy .
i had worked on a few chainsaws usually they ate my lunch, by watching youre videos I have learned tons more about chainsaws and trimmers, thanks.
Love your videos, always super helpful, I've been using stihl oil, and my ms 271 loves it. And I like how you run tests to give evidence and your not just talking out your ***.
I bought my Husqvarna 535LS Trimmer about 18 months ago and it came with a can of Trufuel 50:1, at the time it sounded great to have a premixed fuel, I haven’t had any problems during the dry season when I wasn’t using it for a while, added trufuel and it fired right up. Then I saw your other video where you used trufuel and SEF. Well today I took 2 cans of trufuel back to Lowe’s and bought ethanol shield, Red Armor and a 1 gallon gas can. Wasn’t long before the trufuel ran out and I refilled it for the first time with the same mixture you used and you can hear the rpm’s have increased, runs great, thanks!
The suggested idle speed for the BR 430 is 2400-2500 RPM. It would be interesting to see the idle set in this RPM range using the (L) adjustment as close as possible (engine running) as measured with the Tachometer. Once specified idle has been achieved it would be interesting to see the engine run up and held at WOT using the cruise lever. Once at WOT it would be interesting to see the (H) adjusted to maximum revs and then stroked back to point where RPMs drop. Correct high speed Revs and mixture would be achieved in the middle of this RPM range. It is imperative to set the (L) low speed setting correctly (as a function of idle speed shown on Tachometer) as the (L) speed setting controls mixture from 0-80% of the normal RPM operating range. The (H) high speed setting controls mixture from 80-100% up to maxium RPM’s. What does all this mean ? It means that in order for mixture to be set correctly (L) must be set correctly (as shown by proper idle speed) in order to be able to achieve proper mixture and best RPM’s using the (H) adjustment. Basically get (L) correct otherwise you can’t get (H) correct.
You are 100% correct but I think she was close enough for this demonstration.
I used that 4 cycle trash in my generator, $113 later, my mechanic told me to use premium gas. Ive been looking around and this is proof not to use 50:1 in my Troy Bilt tiller. Thanks for the video.
Now that i think about it, i spend 30 minutes yanking on it before it gets going. Going to check the spark plug now
Chicken ice can I make a suggestion to you and others, when reinstalling a screw into plastic, always turn the screw counter clockwise first so that the threads of the screw will find there original " home ". You will feel the screw fall into its original threads.
This will keep one from cross threading the plastic threads from when the screw was originally installed.
We were told this at OMC ( original factory for Johnson evinrude ) school years ago.
I hope this helps everyone
I've been doing that for decades. I was never taught to do it, it just seemed logical to not forcibly create new threads. This is the first time I've heard of a manufacturer suggesting it, glad to know I wasn't being crazy/paranoid.
Works good on metal threads too, and in multi fastener parts (like water pumps or covers) start all the screws before you begin to tighten. 👍👍
I have used TruFuel around the house and farm on my Stihl and Echo units. I don't use the 50 to 1 but the 40 to 1. I am going to look at my plugs. Hopefully no burning. Even so, I think I am going back to making my own. The good thing about the premade is the longevity and that is why I started using it.
If you are running 40:1 when 50 is called for you are running the engine lean.
One more comment that might be helpful for anyone who doesn't already know... To clean rancidified gasoline out of a machine and remove the stinky gummy deposits, just rinse with 91% isopropyl alcohol. It cuts through the gum almost as fast as water dissolves sugar. The gum just wipes away. Soak a disassembled carb overnight in a jar of alcohol, or give it an ultrasonic treatment, and all of the tiny passages will come out clean.
Been cleaning things with denatured alcohol for years. It works very well.
Is that not hard on the Rubber in the Carb
@@dusty1498 No. You gently blow out the passages and let it dry out before reassembly.
@@larryspiller6633 Isopropyl alcohol doesn't evaporate as fast as denatured alcohol (ethanol) so it is a little easier to use, but either will work fine. Isopropyl is cheap and available at almost any grocery store. The small amount of water doesn't matter: it is an azeotrope so it evaporates along with the alcohol leaving a dry surface.
I know a tree cutting company owner, he only runs vp110 with(I can't remember the exact brand) a high end synthetic 2 stroke oil. He buys both by the drum, said he has had no issues with his saws since switching from pump gas, he also tried ethanol free and said it as inconsistent as the pump gas.
Chickanic excellent video just wondering if you could do a test using the 40:1 mix to see what difference it would make? At Eliminator we only use the alkylate fuels either Aspen or Kinetics and have not had any issues yet. Actually just fired up a two stroke single stage snowblower after 3 years of sitting and it had the Aspen 2 (50:1 mix) installed. 2 primes and fired first pull and ran fine, just waiting for snow to use it then refill with Kinetics alkylate fuel to trial run the following year.
If an engine requires 50:1 and you run 40:1 you will be running it leaner than it was tuned for.
@@suzukiman650 Lean and rich both relate to the air fuel ratio and Chickanic tried to adjust the carb but i believe left it as it was set and when she ran the 50:1 TrueFuel the electrode turned white thus lean. She has emailed me and said she would be trying out the 40:1 mixture as a test just to see what it does to the electrode with the same settings but carb as is and with a new plug. With more oil just wondering if there will be a difference.
@@waynestefinashen239 Yes I should have said the AFR would be slightly leaner. With engines these days being tuned lean to begin with for emissions I would be hesitant to just change the oil mix without planning to tune the carb for the slightly less fuel available.
I just go to the local gasoline and purchased non-ethanol fuel a little more expensive than regular but way less expensive than the can products, just mix and go.
Good stuff (as usual). I wonder if sometimes the "TruFuel" doesn't get enough mix or a quality mix and causes it to burn lean/hot. Ethanol really mucks things up, I'm thinking High Test (93 or whatever it is) pump plus good mix oil (echo red, Stihl Ultra) a little heavy (extra cap per chainsaw tank) is probably the best bang for the buck.
Thanks for the testing and I bet your neighbors are jealous of how clean your driveway is.
Nice wheels.., thank you
...I have been using Trufuel in my Husqvarna trimmer/tiller for going on 10 years and the only repair has been to replace a dry-rotted fuel line and one new plug when I changed the line.
It works for me.
School District in Upstate SC with around 1500 acres. Used mix by the staff and had issues all the time due to improper mixing. We went to the stihl pre-mix and we have a lot less breakages/down time of our trimmers and blowers.
I use non-ethanol gas and Husquvarna 50:1 oil. Great combination for all my 2 cycle equpiment.
I just watched your video, WOW the “fines” you referenced are incredible! They must be due to your business license? If I were running a business like yours, I would definitely switch to a Private Membership Association, no more fees, fines or taxes. You run your business the way you want to as long as your customers are happy, everyone is happy! Great videos.
I work at a home improvement store. The benefit of Trufuel is that it can last a few years sealed in the can. I am glad you told me it isn't getting the proper amount of oil.
I will have to start mixing my own gas. Thank you
I just bought a new husqvarna leaf blower. I have always mixed my own fuel. I remembered one of your other videos on canned gas so I did not buy any. I did check the price and found it was 32.95 a gallon. That is some very expensive gas that would likely burn up my new leaf blower. Thank you for this and all of your other videos.
Totally enjoy the information/knowledge that comes out of you,
We're all "richer" for the experience.
55 years as a journeyman mechanic. There is a difference from one can of fuel to the next. You can remove the alcohol from pump gas very easily. That leaves pure gas. I mix Amsoil synthetic oil and yes you will have to readjust the mixture screws. Pump gas can have as much 20-25% alcohol which makes it run hot and burns up your engine. You're good at making videos.
Great and interesting video. I've been running true fuel for years and all of my equipment and I haven't had these kinds of issues. Unfortunately where I live ethanol free fuel is not sold nearby. For the amount that I use my two-cycle equipment true fuel doesn't leave any deposits in the fuel system, and they start up every time.
I'm just a regular homeowner with multiple pieces of 2 stroke equipment. I've always mixed my own fuel. E10 89 midgrade octane (because E10 is all i can get around here) with either the Echo or Stihl oil. One gallon at a time... never have issues with my Stihl fs trimmer, my Stihl kombi unit, my Echo backpack blower, my Husqvarna hand blower or my cheap little Ryobi chainsaw. I empty them out and run them dry come storage time.
I work for a multi line power equipment dealer with Stihl being our handheld line. I see 2 to 3 machines a a month burned up with trufuel in them. I talked to someone just today with a Poulun Pro burned up thanks to Trufuel. We are a VP SEF dealer and we have never had an issue including in my own equipment.
For those who dont know SAE30 is 4 stroke engine oil not 2 stroke
They both have different properties and viscosities so you should never substitute one for the other
I used to mix my own fuel until the ethanol ruined my carburator in my weed eater so I switched to True Fuel and so far after 2 years of using it I haven't had any problems. I do check the spark plugs in all of my small engine tools. I put tune up kits in all of them every spring.
I own a small engine repair shop in pnw, your assessment is right on, good vid
I bought a basic $110 trimer that I bought 3 years ago and canned fuel , not sure of the name, is all it's ever had and I've done nothing but clean the air filter and change the plug. It runs great. Before this I mixed my own fuel and was buying a new weed trimmer about every 2 years.
The trimmer is just for my yard and obviously not intended for commercial use but 3+ years out of a cheepie trimmer is a record for me. If I've been burning it up I didn't know it.
A few years ago when I went in to pick up my (4 cycle) generator from the shop the mechanic told me all he did was change the fuel. He said it's a common issue and that I might try it before bringing power tools into the shop for repairs. Thanks for the video Bre!
Yes our modern gas does not last long . The ethanol in it turns to gunk if you leave it in too long . Generators drain and run dry before storage . Or get a propane powered one .
@@txrick4879 I run my genny dry before storing. Just as the engine starts to die I give it full choke. This will suck the fuel bowl dry. Then, just for good measure, I give the carb a shot of starting fluid and crank the engine for one more burst of runtime to totally dry the carb out. Make sure there's no gas at all left in the tank that could slowly dribble down to the carburetor. I pull the fuel line off the carb and tip the genny to get every last drop out of the tank, and then put the line back on. If the fuel line has a shutoff valve, close that before storing.
I don't keep gas sitting around for long in the gas can. If it isn't used in a few weeks I dump the can into my Jeep, and then refill it next time I fill the Jeep up.
@@PeteForester1 That will work the new gas don't last long . I got a propane gen just turn the gas off and let it run out in the engine and propane can be stored for long time . The last freeze and black out lasted 4 days . Be well and hope for the best .
This was a great video to watch. Thanks for the advice on mixing fuel! 🎉🎉🎉
Great video girl!! I bought a 171 stihl saw 6 years ago have only ran stihl oil and no ethanol fuel so far haven't had no problems starts first pull. My son went got fuel and bought that stuff in can I told him not to put it in my saw chicanic said don't use that crap. I went ahead n mixed mine as normal. Told a RUclips guy other day not to use that in his new huskavara
He said they told him to run it in his saws for free 2 year's warranty said his runs fine I said good luck. You're videos are great enjoy them and learn a lot from you. Like the cougar sittin there. Thanks for sharing be safe have fun enjoy
I owned a landscaping business for 19 years and there is no way I would have sprung for TruFuel. I did and still do use RedMax Pro two stroke oil. I have a RedMax EB6200 (60cc) from the 1990s and it STILL RUNS fine. The owners manual said to run it at 20/1 but since new oils came out, I've been running it at 50/1 with no issues. Thank you for the content!
Diy homeowner here. My one and only gas powered tool is my Hitachi leafblower that I purchased in 2015. Because 1 gal of gas will last me an entire year, I decided to buy 1 quart cans of Trufuel from Home Depot. For 7 years, it ran perfectly! Zero smoke. Zero bogging and runs at idle and WOT perfectly fine.
Then this year (summer of 2023), my blower decided to smoke and at WOT, I can tell the RPMs were dropping.
I figured it was the intake filter that needed a cleaning or the spark arrestor needed a cleaner (which cannot be done on a Hitachi/Metabo/Tanaka handheld since the muffler cannot be separated to expose the spark arrestor).
Then I started googling small engine bogging down and saw this video. I didn't believe it because I've been running trufuel for 7 years and it's been fine. But I decided to grab a can of VP 50:1 at the local TSC.
Poured out the Trufuel, poured in VP and guess what?! Zero smoke! Zero bogging down! The blower runs perfectly again.
Is trufuel bad? Nope. I've been using it for 7 years. But maybe they changed their formula in 2023 or maybe there was a bad batch that was distributed? Regardless, I'm going to run VP going forward even though it costs a lot more.
I also have a Stihl br 350 but I run premium gas or recreational fuel and I have great success. Mark Tangent. Quality lawn care
I use 40:1 true in my weedeater and plug looks good, runs perfect. i have 55 years experience in working on small engines
VP for me. 40:1 have used it in all of my yard equipment for over 4 years with no problems at all.
Thankyou very much. Yes the performance on my stuff is limited while I use this premix fuel only for short periods. Then I add my normal mix or required mix. I've noticed that each equipment has a different mixture. I've become marking fuel can mixtures: 32:1, 40:1 and naming the equipment.
This all you mentioned is very serious. Thankyou again.
My 2 cycle’s get 93 and 50:1 2 cycle oil and run very well. On another note replaced the coil on the Echo PB 250ln following your previous video. Thank you. One note to myself is to tighten the spark plug before putting the spark plug boot on. Took the boot off and walla the wire came off and the spring was on the plug. So, it took two successful tries to get the spring in the boot. A little dishwashing soap help get it back together the 2nd time. Great name for your channel.
Wow, nice Cougar! Never noticed it before. I like the tach you use too, looks much more convenient in many cases to use than my photo tach. Great points about liability as a tech too...even my employers have sometimes needed to be reminded of my responsibilities and obligations as a licensed HET.
Cougar with a Cougar! 😄 Not intentional at all. But really, thanks for the advice 🙏
@@mikemooseman5354 yeah, I know hey? I tried to make sure I phrased it quite carefully, lol!!
Love your videos !! Here's a tip for phone users looking for links under the video. Click "more" next to the title of the video and again "more" under the description. 😅
Great video, born and raised on Stihl products, only use Stihl mix or Stihl premixed fuel hereditary thing I guess. Problems with my Stihl products usually operator error. One thing I can say here in the Midwest is condensate in any fuel can..... thoughts??..