4 mix NIGHTMARE! DON'T make this mistake 🚫

[@stevencutler9327]

As a Stihl dealer with many years of experience I think I can address your two main concerns regarding the 4-mix blower models plus add some insight into Stihl's reasoning you may be overlooking. I've sold hundreds of 4-mix blowers over the years ever since they were introduced following the success of their 4-mix line trimmer engines in the early 2000's. This engine design was forced out of Stihl as a result of governmental regulations and Stihl was unprepared at that time and had to source first generation RedMax strato-charged engines for a few years until their engine was ready. Stihl's 4-mix blower engine is a low RPM/high torque hybrid design combining two and four stroke technology and plain bearings are common to four stoke engines. I have never seen a caged roller bearing used in the small end of a con-rod in a Briggs, Honda or Tecumseh four stroke engine. The wrist pin bearing doesn't rotate thousands of RPM like the big end bearing. It only rocks back and forth about 30 degrees. The wrist pin bearing in Stihl's 4-mix line trimmer engines probably is some kind of needle or roller bearing because those engines are lower power and higher RPM. Now on to the cost factor, the MSRP for the 4282-030-0411 crankshaft is currently $443.99. This price does not reflect their 2.5 % bull!#*t charge which we would first add to our cost and then use a multiplier to achieve a resale price of $455.08 resale price. This is a complete rip off rendering any repair uneconomical. However there are complete engines available for all 4-mix blowers, BR600 uses part number 4282-020-0201 which has an MSRP of $199.99. Unfortunately this is not a full margin part and we would have to add 2.5% to the cost and use the same multiplier to achieve a resale price of $247.69 plus tax and about one hour labor. At this price we will make a reasonable profit and economically repair the customers blower. Stihl came out later with their version of the Strato-charged two stroke but they can't use that name because Husqvarna acquired the rights to that name by buying RedMax from Komatsu-Zenoah. Stihl instead uses the name "low emission two stroke" which they use on all their blowers smaller than the BR500. That design of engine does require a roller wrist pin bearing. Next year both of these low emission blower engines will be come obsolete in our area in favor of battery electric tools that are underpowered, heavier and double the price of their gas counterparts. Our shop is located in goo goo land where unelected eco nazis fine you for watering your lawn, ban the use of barbecues and fire places on days they deem as poor air quality, force you to use all electric (no natural gas) in new construction. And on and on, they won't be satisfied until commercial landscapers and home owners are using all hand tools like the Amish. Getting back to the main issue, Stihl 4-mix blowers will run trouble free for thousands of hard use hours if synthetic oil is used with fuel rated 89 octane or higher and it does not have to be Stihl's ultra oil it can be Echo red armor for example. I hope this clears up some questions or maybe raises more questions.

[@dony.9014]

So you are blaming the gov. regulations that STIHL put a cheap ass bushing instead of a roller bearing in? I don't buy that shame on Stihl. I think Stihl is just like Mercedes Benz they are killing themselves. I do believe you that gov. regulations will force us all to use hand tools again maybe the internal combustion engine should never have been invented as in the end it might kill us all.

[@mikewisdom7728]

(Wiss) Thanks for teaching me about this one thank u.Taryl .

[@emort6]

I can't speak for the br600 and above but I can say that my br430 has worked flawlessly for over 8 years. I also have 2 stihl backpack blowers at work (15 to 20 years old) for cleaning the parking lot and none of them have ever had a problem. We always use 89 octane with stihl or echo oil, I really believe this makes a difference. I also agree that those communist dems need to get voted out.

[@Steakholder01]

Please comment on Amsoil 2 stroke oil? Not affiliated, but just wanted mechanical or engineering take on it.

[@andrewdonohue1853]

im sick of this eco-nazi BS. i will NOT be buying electric outdoor power equipment. i guess if my gas sthil FS90R quits and i cant source a replacement unit, i just wont be weed wacking anymore. the electric outdoor power equipment are more expensive to buy, the batteries are expensive. you WILL spend more to do the same job, the equipment wont last as long, and it wont have the same capabilities or run time. my FS90 is 14 years old but it can still clear out heavy brush. it is starting to get old though

[@dannybowman7792]

I am a Stihl Tec. and I am thunder struck that Stihl would use a brass bearing there. I work at a hardware store that is a Stihl dealer. We have sold these models. One had a failure were the shaft bearing failed and punched a hole through the bottom plate. I have had two crankshaft bearings to fail. But, no roller bearings at the piston! I am beyond words. Thank you for the video! You saved me a lot of time with this info. Thanks again.

[@jmaxim80]

I worked as a small engine mechanic for 10 years and 99 percent of major failures was because of cheap or improper lubrication. It amazed me everytime, that people spend good money on the equipment and then would buy the cheapest oil they could find. And then argue with you about the oil until they came back with a failure.

[@davidaix5771]

Yeah it's best to run what ever the manufacturer recommends the engineers that made it knows better then the people buying it always go OEM for engine components

[@williwonti]

@@davidaix5771 Or OEM equivalent that's mysteriously at least a third less in cost

[@raydioz]

Motul 800? Ester Core supposedly sticks to metal surfaces ensuring lubrication.

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

@@williwonti OEM equivalent lmao, do you even know what that means?? It means someone decided to slap an "OEM equivalent" label on the cheapest product they could possibly make.

[@williwonti]

@@bobbygetsbanned6049 Oh, bless your heart

[@FishFind3000]

I’ve had a BR600 for over 10 years and it’s been flawless. Use the right grade of oil and mix it correctly. That’s all these need. If your gonna be cheap and use the wrong stuff this is what you get. All I’ve ever used was Stihl hp Ultra oil or amsoil saber. Good oil isn’t cheap and cheap oil isn’t good.

[@13panda13]

Lol, y is cheaper oil no good genius??

[@FishFind3000]

@@13panda13 cheap oil doesn't hold up and doesn't handle heat like higher quality synthetic oils can. You can see that engine was carboned up bad on the piston where all the heat is located. That's a sign the oil couldn't handle and stated to degrade and fail.

[@Boobtube.]

@@13panda13 you get what you pay for. If something is cheaper, there is a reason for it.

[@charlesangell_bulmtl]

@@Boobtube. I think that's BS con the consumer, make them your DUMB-ASS mentality .... I'd say they're no longer designed in Germany, but they pull the same S*it

[@jonhutchinson2902]

Yeah ive been using these br 600s for 10+ years commercially and have never seen this. Infact ive had zero issues with my blowers. The clutch on the fs 111r and 131r line trimmers i have had issues with. After 2 years of solid use the clutches start to seize up .

[@billstmaxx]

I’ve had many many of the stihl equipment over the years. Never ever ever had an issue with anything I’ve ever owned. Chainsaws, blowers ,weed wackers. Etc. always used their 2 stroke oil. And good gas too. Pay the extra (Pennie’s) and save later. Also always starts better.

[@baileyhatfield4273]

For ANYTHING at home, we use premium gas, treat it some wih seafoam or some other stabilizer ect, and then if its 2 stroke or 4 mix, use a quality oil. Aka Sthil stuff. If we go through 20l of gas in ayear that's it. Spend another single dollar on good oil and gas and don't have problems. Yeah its not commercial we don't run through thousands of litres of gas, but id think reliable dependable machines is worth more than breakdowns ect, expensive repairs and replacements.

[@FishFind3000]

@@baileyhatfield4273 I’ve only been using stihl platinum oil and recently changed to Amsoil saber since I started to use a lot more fuel. My Br600 has been flawless for the last 10 years. Apparently people don’t realize when the manufacturer says you’re supposed to use a specific grade of oil they mean it. When the cheap asses use the cheapest oil that they can find and their equipment fails. They blame the manufacturer instead of themselves, so they saved a couple pennies on their maintenance and now they have to buy an entire new unit.

[@backspace4093]

I have a fs 250r 2 stroke and fs 90r 4 mix. Both are at least 16 years old maybe older bought them new. I’m not a commercial land scaper Just a home owner with a lot of acreage. I’ve used motomix or truefuel. I’ve never had any problems with starting or carburetor problems. Same with my blower and chainsaw. Use a good oil and the right mix and you will have less problems. Always enjoy your video’s Taryl .

[@jeffreyyeater1780]

Me either . My fs76 trimmer is 26 years old . Been used horribly hard . Runs like crazy.

[@bluejene2146]

​​@Bailey Hatfield dont use premium gas in small engines... READ YOUR MANUAL. More expensive does not mean better.

[@guyina4x499]

I worked small engine at a farm store that sells stihl. I thought all their new stuff was junk. We had to start every new stihl when it was sold. 20% of brand new stihl right out of the box would not run properly or not at all. I was constantly fixing brand new stihl equipment. We also sold echo and i don't recall a single problem with any of their stuff. Rarely even had any echo stuff in for repair and echo has a much better warranty.

[@rogerstlaurent8704]

Thank you for saying that It was the same way at my former Shop and a good 20% came back in a few days not working rough running and the sad part all the blowers chainsaws trimmers and so on they were all had the same problems.... as for echo not one problem right out of the box they were ready to work with no issues

[@OtisFlint]

My buddy manages a major landscape company. I'm not even sure how many guys they're up to but it's got to be 50+ at this point, so they have a huge sample size. They switched everything (hundreds of pieces of equiptment) from Stihl to Echo and have been much happier. Far fewer repairs, less downtime, and less issues with carbs especially.

[@bluejene2146]

Carbs need adjusted out of the box, thats nothing unique to stihl. I have to adjust brand new echo carbs straight out the box too. If its a 2 stroke carb with removable jets than it needs to be adjusted even when brand new. It takes 30 seconds if you know what youre doing. This is not a stihl problem; this is how all 2 stroke carbs are. You do realize these are shipped everywhere in the world and geography impacts how an engine runs? More or less oxygen in the air due to elevations can make an engine run different. This is why big box stores like ace hardware should not be allowed to sell stihl equipment. Their "techs" do not know what theyre doing.

[@bluejene2146]

​@BigBeansM3 you know whats funny? Stihl owns Zama corp. Zama makes all stihls carbs. Zama ALSO makes echos carbs. So one manufacturer (owned by stihl) makes the carbs for both echo and stihl. Yet you want to pretend like echos carbs are better? Lol. Just lol.

[@guyina4x499]

@@bluejene2146 yes a little adjustment out of the box is normal. What isn't normal is all the brand new Stihl that needs parts ordered to make sellable

[@sonicdewd]

I have to comment on this - this engine was run with no oil at all for a tank. There is no way that a wrist pin could heat up by friction and dry off like that if there was oil present. Any oil present. Bad, cheap oil, or magical good oil. What happened here for sure was that the owner ran that dry tank, then ran a tank or partial tank after that with oil, or didn't run it at all and just squirted oil in through the spark plug hole and took it to the shop. It makes NO SENSE that "bad oil" ruined a bushing. Bad oil will get to the bronze bushing. Good oil will too of course. Hell, you could even put motor oil in the gas and run it (but you'll have to deal with a bunch of ash in the cylinder - don't do this) but that motor oil WILL get to that bronze bushing which does not require any kind of *special* lubrication, it just needs *some kind* of lube at all times. Again, this motor was run without oil for a tank. Scored cylinder, dry wrist pin, and a very oily piston (which tells me the owner squirted oil in the spark plug hole before he took it to Taryl) all scream no oil in the gas for a tank or two. To be clear: There is nothing wrong at all with using bronze in the wrist pin location; in fact it is recommended from an engineering AND a practical standpoint. "Plain" or "sleeve" (bronze in this case) bearings MUST have lubrication at all times, but they take cyclical pounding without having to turn like nothing else, and do this for thousands of hours. But sleeve bearings are unforgiving when they run dry. I should add here that technically, needle bearings used in a wrist pin is an ill-specified use. Rolling type bearings (needle, ball, roller) do best if they are rolling (like in the crank bearing location). A needle bearing in the wrist pin does nothing but sit there and get only a couple of needles pounded on again and again and fret at those point loads at each of those couple or three of the needles - which is really stupid. The wrist pin is MUCH better served with a sleeve or plain bearing. It just has to be oiled and KEPT oiled. By the way, the crank bearing survived without oil because it has rolling needle bearings (no sliding) so it had a chance. But a few more minutes and that needle bearing would have bit the dust also. It just didn't yet in this case. In summary: The general assessment in this whole video and the discussion herein where a needle bearing not being in the wrist pin location was the cause of failure *is incorrect*. The cause was no oil for a tank. Bronze bushing in the wrist pin SHOULD BE a bronze bushing.

[@wesavelawns2406]

I've been using the Walmart super tech 2-stroke oil in all my echo equipment going on 20 years I never had any problems with any of my echo equipment I had two Stihl blowers I bought in the past and they both died within one year I will never ever buy a Stihl Blower again they are junk and designed to fail with that being said I do have a stihl power pruner that I've had for years with no problems. Thanks for all the videos best mechanic on KZbin

[@serious2204]

A good way to break in the new year with a Taryl video.

[@tobylou8]

15:24 I LOL'D so hard!!! I moved away from Stihl almost a decade ago when I had a couple of 4mix products. Didn't last too long so I moved to Echo. Stihl is vastly overrated even if Slippers uses the right oil and shakes it up! LOL

[@akdenyer]

Having made engines, there is nothing wrong with silicon Bronze bushes for a wrist pin. However it does have to be lubricated and as you and many others have said modern engines require the correct oil or you are gonna pay. As Scotty says oil is cheap engines are expensive. Very good advice we should all heed.

[@JosephPPreston]

"Having made engines" Were these "engines" loaded, running at 10,000 rpm, and share the rotating weight seen here? I build engines, and I would never use bronze bushings for anything that has ANY linear movement. Physics.

[@akdenyer]

@@JosephPPreston Yes and they worked for 50 years and still going today. not 10,000 RPM though. I was chief design engineer at RN Diesel Engine Company Ltd. and also at Cosworth Over the road they built 1000HP racing engines and they did 8-10,000cRPM and they also had silicon bronze gudgeon pin bushes. I also knew Fletcher Jones of FJ Engineering that had designed most of the pistons for todays engines like Toyota, Peugeot, Rolls Royce, Gardner, Lister BAE systems. Cosworth made forged pistons and put a lot of development work into design and testing. There was not much they did not know about pistons. You are probably using one of their designs and most manufacturers copied everything.

[@donutdan1508]

Rev up your ENGINES!!!

[@13panda13]

"Need the right oil" - said another dumb sucker...

[@13panda13]

Mixing ratios are more important than any brand of oil will be.

[@yaahme]

From what I discovered during some research is that the Stihl ultra oil is synthetic and the older 2 cycle oil is not synthetic. The synthetic oil will not gum up inside the engine as seen in the video and because it is synthetic and very slick and very thin, it lubricates the areas as designed by Stihl...it gets to where it needs to be inside that bushing etc. Use what they recommend and save yourself the headaches of downtime and YUGE costs in repair. Thanks for the video, direct and blunt information for the thick headed.

[@freedomisntfree_44]

Been running these for over 15 years, new plugs and filters, good oil, good fuel and adjust the valves…. Never had one quit. Same I’m with the trimmers. Also use the blower at the farm tank after tank.

[@freedomisntfree_44]

@Jeff Rust or they are the same that don’t change their oil 🤣

[@benryzebol8349]

Used to be a Stihl owner no more, all my power tools are now Echo, never an issue, two chainsaws, backpack blower, hand held blower and a mutli head trimmer all get a fair bit of use and have never had any repairs done to any of them. I use quality oil and premium fuel, love my Echo tools.

[@randallcarney1216]

Mini 4 stroke with oil sump and splash lube is the way to go! My 4 stroke troy Bilt weed wacker is still going after 15 years!

[@jamestaylor8043]

Same here. 13 years for mine.

[@tonysheerness2427]

They know that, this is designed to fail as soon as the warranty is up. Built in obsolescence

[@MazichMusic]

Stihls page on this engine states it has no pump or sump. I'm not a mechanic, but it seems to me if you're expecting the intake system to live the bottom end, it's not going to work for long.

[@FishFind3000]

@@tonysheerness2427 I’ve owned a br600 for over 10 years without fault. Good oil and the right mix is all it takes…

[@craiglittle7367]

My Honda mini 4-srtroke weed eater is 23 years old. Run like a champ. Starts 1st pull.

[@mmarciniak]

I have a BR 600 purchased new in 2010, and I use it at least weekly year round every year. It still starts on the first or second pull every time and runs like it did when new. I only use the synthetic Stihl two stroke oil (HP Ultra in the silver bottle) per the advice of my local Stihl dealer, plus non-ethanol pure gas. These are great units when taken care of, and the landscapers use these more than any other brand.

[@bc65925]

Needle bearing up there will wear out also if it's not getting oil. Good to know about the special oil.

[@twistedwrench490]

Simple u said it ! Why fix it when it’s cheaper to replace it! That’s these manufacturers goal

[@RyCorp77]

Wow learned something new today. I've never heard of the 4-Mix. Crazy. A 4 stroke that takes premix? What's the advantage? Usually the advantage of four-stroke is not having to mix gas. And a two-stroke being lighter/better power to displacment ratio.

[@1djbecker]

It's easy to source inexpensive needle roller bearings with outer shells e.g. a HK0810. They are used in exactly this application. It avoids needing a hardened connecting rod, which allows cheaper, lighter alloys and problems with cracking. It's also possible to bore for a hardened chrome steel sleeve and plain needle bearing, but that combination tends to be larger diameter.

[@jdboy9]

We use mostly Stihl equipment and their silver/grey oil. Have never had an issue with lack of oil problems. There is another channel that swears Stihl oil is junk. The stuff he pulls apart is usually all gunked up like this blower you pulled apart. I am starting to wonder myself if that could be true.

[@michaelhowell7275]

A couple of channels are against that Stihl ultra crap.

[@bluejene2146]

​@Michael Howell that stihl ultra crap is amazing actually. It will break up carbon from valves. It has decarbonizer in it. It is actually really nice oil.

[@tadmckinley7740]

I am a commercial guy I have had Stihl blowers from the the Old 420 to the 800 I currently have two 800 that are on the 5th year 700 and 600 all have been good blowers I have no complaints when they finally died it was do just being wore out I use just Stihl oil.

[@kikbob8766]

Happy New Year Boyz- this is the first thing I did this year is watch this video and now I know the year will be great! All the the to you all!

[@wildefox1478]

Happy New Year Taryl! I bought a BR600 used a few years ago from a lawn care company and have never had any problems like that and it's been used commercially and abused from commercial use. I do use premium 2 cycle oil though, only major repair I had to do on it was reseal the engine because the seals were leaking bad causing it to run like crap but after resealing the engine it runs like a champ now!

[@davidbrennan5]

I just wanted to say Thank You, I learned a lot from your videos. I think showing some of the homemade tools you use and how you take things apart has helped me the most. I am a machinist but I work on a lot of small engines. Happy New Year from Canada.

[@stevewarner8880]

I’ve had a BR600 for 12 years. Never had a issue in homeowner use. In all my 4Mix products I always use the silver bottle Stihl oil.

[@danieldarby7]

And Slippers has a Kawasaki hoodie on! Excellent dig on Stihl for going cheap.

[@daryleduardo7055]

I run Amsoil in all my vehicles small engines equipment big and small, 2 stroke and 4 stroke, i am always impressed with performance! Taryl: its all da same! Oils all the same lmao love it

[@OldCarAlley]

I have a 10 year old BR600. I ALWAYS use Stihl 4mix in it.... I buy it by the case. It has thousands of hours on it and has given me zero trouble. I also use Stihl's combustion chamber cleaner in it a couple times a year to keep the valves clean.... recommend by Stihl. It's one of the best blowers I have ever owned. It always starts in one pull.

[@fukhue8226]

Maybe the case but the bottom line Taryl is saying and I agree, Stihl should have NEVER changed the fact that a Needle Bearing is used in this application on every 2 stroke engine ever made. It's a standard. Stihl changed it for 2 reasons and you have proved it. Stihl engineers and management know that if you don't use their oil in the exact amount this bearing will fail. Then they blame the failure on the customer when in fact they knew and purposely designed this failure into the product. A bad way to treat a good but not perfect customer. I worked with an EX GE Engineer. I asked him why he quit. They told him a part he designed lasted too long and he needed to do something about it. He told me he didn't become an engineer to design junk so he took immediate 100% full retirement.

[@OldCarAlley]

@@fukhue8226 I get what he was stating and it should have a needle bearing.... It's just the I have had zero issues with mine..... so far.

[@train1962]

Have a Stihl FS110 trimmer/brush cutter. Apparently it doesn't have a needle bearing on the small end of the connecting rod. I have been using Husqvarna XP 2 cycle oil mixed at 40:1 in it for at least 9 years without any problems.Just my experience.

[@jimbrewer2893]

What about the BR549?

[@jeffa847]

My 800x is finicky starting sometimes. Usually when it is under 32 degrees or so (no problem those same times starting my old Stihl 350(?) two stroke) But today it is 50 degrees and it is not starting. I stopped using the Stihl oil because the exhaust makes me nauseous and it also seems to really clog up the spark arrester. I run my blower almost exclusively on less than half throttle so I think that is part of the problem on clogging.

[@JeffinTD]

Interesting. I’ve noted in RC gas engines larger engines generally use roller bearings and around 50:1 oil. Smaller engines might use bushings, but might call for 20:1 synthetic oil mix.

[@davidaix5771]

Some of the small rc airplane engine don't even have that some just have a a ball joint which connects the Piston to the connecting rod and then on the crankshaft side there's just nothing

[@JeffinTD]

@@davidaix5771 Yeah back in the glow days Cox .049, 0.010 and the like used a ball on the end of the rod and a socket in the piston. More recently nitro/glow fuel has become obscenely expensive, while electronic spark ignition became smaller and gasoline engines quickly took over giant scale. Less oil all over everything, no need for a glow plug driver, no need for an electric starter. Then they started making inroads into smaller and smaller scale. Typically a 55cc engine or larger has roller wrist pin, but smaller ones down to 15 or 17cc seem to often have a bushing. These days there are few left in the hobby in my neck of the woods, and Li-Po packs and brushless motors are becoming more common even in large scale.

[@davidaix5771]

@Jeff in TD yeah I have a few coxs engine laying around some baby bees and I think one or two surestarts

[@JeffinTD]

@@davidaix5771 Yeah, me too. I still fly glow, but not the little Cox engines. I did start one a while back, and kicked around building a vintage kit…

[@Luigi-pk8mk]

The whole idea of using a premix lube system on a 4 stroke design seems questionable to me…

[@felixferia6091]

thank you for being straightforward and honest.

[@harryshector]

1. Reduces production costs. 2. Sells a lot of oil. 3. Punishes those who don’t buy their oil. 4. Increases resales among those dumb enough to buy another one. 5. By the time the company’s reputation has been destroyed, those responsible will have moved on to other jobs, destroying other companies, in service to increasing short-term, bottom line gains.

[@ItsMrAssholeToYou]

Certainly plausible, except for the last point. Stihl is family-owned. The people making the decisions aren't going anywhere and probably want the company to remain successful for their kids.

[@turtlesturtlesturtles]

I just started replacing all my Stihl with Shindaiwa/Echo. Used to run all Stihl, (3)Saws/(2)Edgers/(4)Blowers/(2)Hedge Trimmers (2) String Trimmers but this is bull$#@& and I'm never buying another Stihl product again. Just bought a $600 Shin EB910/RT today.

[@hokehinson5987]

Wonder if you could use another con rod with bearings from another Stihl product? There was something about needing to order a crank rod assembly?? Some of these company do some weird experiments on the customers wallets....by trying out cost cutting changes...BMW motorcycles do this....the old stuff from R50 thru R100/7 were pretty solid. Each manufacturer always has its percularities....the oil heads newer designs had some flakey stuff...push rods on certain years would loosen where the ball end was pressed into the hollow tube. Make a clatter like loose valve clearence. Another was the cam chain oil pressurized adjuster would leak down after 15k causing chain slap eventually knawing into case ... Both items had good aftermarket replacements .... it is what it is....

[@rogerharvey1698]

I’m a multi decade urban forester/climber. For the vast majority of that time I’ve only run Stihl chainsaws. A few years ago I picked up an Echo cs355t top handle saw when I just couldn’t justify paying nearly $800 for a Stihl trim saw. Now I doubt I’ll ever buy another Stihl. After three years of daily use that Echo has not given me a single moments headache. Not even so much as a recoil cord replacement, in fact I’ve never even removed that cover.

[@northerniltree]

I bought Stihl's best top handle saw in June for almost $900. A week later, it was in for warranty work, as it wouldn't stay running. After 3 warranty returns in 3 months, it was now out of warranty and stihl not running as it should. The dealer had the saw in his repair shop during most the warranty period. So, he said I was now SOL with the saw.

[@rogerharvey1698]

Yo’@@northerniltree. I had a similar experience with an early generation Husquvarna 540, when I first tried to find a replacement for the 020’s and 200t’s I tired of cobbling together. My business associate at the time made it a personal mission to make the owner of the retail dealer and the regional representatives lives hell. We eventually received a full reimbursement, but it was an endeavor. Hence years later that retail outlet no longer carries Husquvarna.

[@stevewhite7649]

Echo makes high quality shit.

[@JFF261]

I've been buying Husqvarna products, Backpack Blower, Chainsaws, Weed Wacker for years with out any problems. Had one Stihl Blower,that was enough.

[@talldrummer1]

OH, BTW, they have changed the cam gear a few times over the years. They seem to hold up fine now. There is also a compression release built into it which was occasionally failing early on.

[@JeremyKinney-n6r]

I am a Stihl tech and after watching this I started doing some of my own research and I found that most of not all 4 mixes have the bushing instead of the bearing in the connecting rod. I don't comment on videos often but thought I would on this one.

[@huntnfishnuts5880]

Lack of lubrication is a killer. In the automotive world they will deny you warrenty on internal engine repair if you don't have service records showing you used the correct lubrication. Happy new year guys 🎉

[@skreebduchank1501]

The Stihlch engineers were probably thinking lower Revs mean they thought they could get away with a bronze bushing.On another note I asked the Stilch dealer service dept when should I adjust the valves and there answer was as needed!These 4 mix equipment will drop valves after a while and it's the same deal the motor is ruined.

[@ZAPATTUBE]

They sell crap

[@joe78377]

Great as always. Wishing you and entire cast a healthy, prosperous, and safe new year.

[@johnwehunt4305]

Where did Slippers get the Kawasaki Engines hoddie?

[@rodneybrand8521]

That blower is over 500.00 at the stihl dealers where I'm at.. Glad i have a older blower..thanks for the info Taryl.. Happy New Year everyone..🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@hunterchartrand6646]

We have two BR600 blowers and 2 FS90R weed eaters at work that get used heavily almost ever other day, I also have a FS90R at home, all have been great units with minimal maintenance. They work just fine when you put the oil that STIHL recommends in them.

[@garny3766]

Ever since I first touched one of these 4 mixers I thought they were junk. Low reving vibrating junk. Give me a 2 cycle blower/trimmer/ pole saw anyday. Reminds me of early Polaris 4 stroke atv engines 425/500s cam failures. Company/ techs tried blaming it on operator and bad oil and come to find the cam and rockers were not heat treated correctly.

[@ZAPATTUBE]

They sell crap

[@MrShasta50]

short block???? Have you seen the bronze bushing on thefan cracking ? never mind the bolts snapping on the muffkin..list goes on with them brs....echo has its own problems also

[@davidfrank2824]

As long as I can remember I alway shake up my two stroke gas can. It really just became habit for me to make sure my oil and gas is mixed. I've seen that oil for that backpack blower and really never knew what you would use it in. I would hope if you bought this brand new there would be some kind of warning tag to let you know what you must use.

[@busybeezlawnservices4125]

Mine gets mixed just riding around/ sliding around in the bed of the truck, same as normal gas that gets sloshed around so its always mixed ready to go lol

[@bluejene2146]

When you buy stihl equipment the dealer will tell you to use stihl oil and if you buy a case of stihl oil at purchase of unit the warranty is extended by several years. People know.

[@brentsmith5647]

Love watching and learning thank u👁️♥️👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@davidh.8513]

Great job Taryl! I sure hope Stihl sees this video. NO reason to not use bearings in this.

[@Laser3303]

Do you really think all that black crap would properly lube a needle bearing??? WHY did they not use a crankcase and oil, with all STEEL parts--no plastic?? Cheap to make, and expensive to repair!! Junk? YES!

[@carrollsanders9376]

Actually there is a reason Thermal expansion effects needle Bearings more than solid Bushings. Solid bushings can conduct heat better than needle Bearings. The Emisions system is designed on these blowers to burn Fuel more Quickly at higher temperatures, to reduce Carcinogens in the exaust.

[@bevis226]

I have had problem with Stihl oil gumming up the muffler, exhaust port and rungs really really bad especially if you mix it a bit rich. I switched to Klotz R-50 synthetic.

[@bluejene2146]

To much idling not enough full throttle. Which is also bad for these engines.

[@jordansdad1221]

Taryl, can you do an experiment with the blower? You try doing the heat treatment on the connecting rod & try to find a needle bearing that will fit. Get oversized rings & bore the cylinder out & see how long it'll last. I think that would be a GREAT experiment. Take us along for the ride.

[@aprilgeneric8027]

might be easier to just find a rod that is close to fitment that needs boring out or using one from a chain saw since most manufacturers use the same parts for as many applications as they can, like john deere does with their lawn and garden stuff used in farm implements.

[@danw1955]

That rod looks like aluminum, so probably no way to modify it (as well as the cylinder, which is most likely nickasil coated).

[@brianquigley7336]

Can't bore a Nikasel coated cylinder.

[@chuckb9867]

I've been running Echo oil in mine no problems yet I hope it didn't hurt it I've been using echo in my echo machines for years

[@carsandguitars7064]

I had this happen on a BR600 in October

[@twintriode]

Oh I have a BR600 so I have a bushing I guess. Well its expensive, but since all my Stihl is for home use I buy the motomix. I just need to get in the habit more of shaking it up.

[@mikespain8655]

Did not know that the piston wrist pin uses bushings in these larger Stihl blowers, good to know. My Still BR600 blower is running strong after 15 years.

[@FishFind3000]

Mines been going good for over 10 years without a single problem. Good oil and the right mix, that’s all it takes. Apparently some people don’t understand. Oil is important.

[@jarridcockey3810]

I have a 2 cycle motor and I've only mixed the incorrect ratio maybe once but luckily it didn't do no damage to the engine. Once I burned up the 1 gallon I mixed incorrect I went back to using the correct oil mixture. The only thing I done to it was put in a brand new autolite 2974 spark plug in it last month for the upcoming season.

[@carabela125]

Makita 4 strokes have oil in the crankcase, works great.

[@paulteirney3587]

I have a Victor lawn mower that is 33 years old that still runs like new. I used castrol 747 2 stroke oil as this was what I used in the Yamaha KT100 karts, It was expensive but then Castrol stopped making it so I had to find another oil , tried other brands of oil but finale started to use 2 stroke chainsaw oil although the mower does not rev as high as chainsaws it has been a very reliable mower. Oil is so important in any engine. Cheap or incorrect oil is expensive in the long run.

[@13panda13]

How many refineries or oil testing facilities u own "oil expert"?

[@WNCworks]

Good info. I'm glad my Stihl blower is a 2 stroke model. Happy New Year!

[@fergusonto-2032]

Slippers is one of my favorite characters on Taryls videos , if I was there I’d not let Taryl talk down to him like he does , lol , however on a more positive note , I love Taryl’s videos , very helpful & Taryl is always very meticulous in showing how to repair everything , he is a great teacher . This is another great video & very informative , Thankyou Taryl & Slippers .

[@Hubjeep]

Do you suggest going 40:1 ratio (in everything)?

[@snoopfurlow1275]

50:1

[@prenticedarlington2720]

I had the same problem with my fs 91. Stripped it down, and had to lubricate and free up the same bearing. About to see how she runs again.

[@phillipparker8947]

Hello and happy New Year my friend. The only reason I can think is that the bushing is probably about $0.23 cheaper than the bearing,go figure huh. Have a great new year and I look forward to seeing more videos

[@Grinlathak]

Actually my theory would be that they did this to *Force* grass rats to buy their oil.

[@robertp7209]

24 cents 😲😳😂😂

[@mikeolson7188]

I've Been Rebuilding Motorcycle,Atv and Marine crankshafts for many years Taryl,If Stihl offers a connecting rod kit then that crankshaft could be rebuilt,you would still need to either re-plate or replace the cylinder but then ur going to be getting into another 250 or so on the re-plate cost and all the other gaskets,seals,ect so now I can see where it's just not feasible to repair,even if you can do the majority of labor yourself.its a shame these companies are producing equipment that's kinda a throwaway deal when a major repair needs to be performed.

[@jdclay1547]

Finally someone else who seen the issues the 4 Mix has. I get Echo because of the quality control at Stihl.

[@kevinsbackyard]

Its always about the fuel/mix my friend!

[@jdclay1547]

@@kevinsbackyard Partly true but also Quality DESIGN is the major part.

[@alexstromberg7696]

Only reason stihl is the topdog at blowers is the harness is very good and they dont vibrate so much.

[@tonysheerness2427]

It is called the worst of breed, having the worst of both 2 and 4 stroke engines combined.

[@tonysheerness2427]

@@kevinsbackyard 4 stroke engine should have pumped oil to lubricate it, not 2 stroke oil mixed with gas. 4 stroke engines outlast 2 stroke engines because of their superior oiling. This is an abomination.

[@Maz-2393]

Oh wow! Did I wake up this morning thinking I’d be going to bed after learning which oil to use in my Shitl, opps Steal darn! All these typos! Stihl blower? Thanks guys for the detailed explanation. I shall continue to use their oil. Before it was out of habit, now you’ve empowered me with the reason. Thanks guys.

[@goaheadmakeourdayscooterpe9644]

The high mix rate of gas to oil these days don't leave much room for errors. That's why I still use 40:1 or less even with good oils.

[@jesserousseau2481]

This is great information

[@kevinkosh8935]

what a shame. this is why I do Echo now.

[@kennyFF033]

Echo Red Guard for the win! My local dealer/parts store gave me the low-down on oil... you can run echo in a Stihl and warranty OK, but you can't run Stihl in an Echo. Echo has the highest rating and strict requirements on their oil. I think it's also a full synthetic oil as well.

[@patrickmcdevittjr4087]

As always the working men and women getting screwed again by companies excellent video taryl thanks.

[@powderriver2424]

That's partly true, but it still doesn't change the fact that knowledge about oil and spending the extra money for the right oil.

[@lawnmowerdude]

@@powderriver2424 that’s just an assumption.

[@vintagerc9173]

Milwaukee did this with their best 1/2 impact at least they replaced the poor redesigned new one with the old model “A”

[@baileyhatfield4273]

@@lawnmowerdude Not really an assuption, we all seen the video, no engine should look that sludged up, rather gritty looking using good oil. Bad design, plus bad oil, 2 wrongs don't make a right.

[@davemills3734]

If they made them idiot proof they would be four times more expensive 😢

[@daveknowshow]

so what large blower do you recommend? make / model?

[@themowerman]

Man them Stihl guys crapped out on us.. send blade man and throttle round to open a can of whoop arse .

[@markcole6475]

Owners manual says 50:1 mix fuel …all my equipment gets 40:1 and a good synthetic 2 stroke oil…..no problems with any of my stuff for 10-16 years depending on how old …..I got a stihl BR600 three years ago and has been fine so far…just got a BR800C so we’ll see how that holds up.

[@scott6499]

Happy New Year Taryl and family !!!!! And to all my fellow grass rat !!!!!

[@josecora1917]

The bronce bushing is better that the needle bearing, BUT NEED LUBRICATION. Use stilh 4 mix or a good sintetic mix.

[@Hoaxer51]

Is there a chance that they thought it was a four cycle and didn’t use a mix in the gas? Man, that’s a crank, piston and a new cylinder. Plus a gasket kit? That baby is toast, the hand cleaner you had to use was worth more than a Stihl backpack blower. Hard to believe until you see a plastic cam and lifters. Thanks Taryl, I hope you and the guys and everyone watching to have a great New Years! 🎉

[@bluejene2146]

The lifters are not plastic and that cam gear basically never wears out. Ive seen the cam worn out once in about 1000 pieces of stihl equipment. Ive seen wrist pin bearings and bushing fail far more often. The one with worn cam had been used all day every day for years and years on a farm.

[@rusted5408]

They did use some kind of oil in the gas. Just look at the sludge on the piston and crank shaft

[@gonzorig1]

Thanks Taryl . Have this same blower in shop . Owner said he was using it and it made a weird nose and shut off. Checked it and its that bushing that went . So now i have a parts blower . Thats for the video . Happy New Years from your neighbor just east of you .

[@barrypettit3668]

Great video Taryl. Keep up the great work.

[@Briandswinford]

I have been using the Stihl blowers forever, several 600's, 700's and I currently have 3, 800's. Never had an engine failure. The only issue was one of the 600's had a rocker arm that worked loose and fell off. Which is an easy fix. I have been running lucas oil and mix it at 50-1. I run this mix in blowers, chain saws and trimmers without issue. It doesn't seem to be a design issue, since countless people run these blowers and there does not seem to be issues with engine failure. I do sell these after 2 or 3 years, but that being said, I'm probably around the 600-800 hour range at that point.

[@TonyButchT]

Looks like they used old drain oil from a car for mix. Thanks for the video Taryl. Happy New Year to you and the crew!

[@laurapalmerTDGE]

In any case, their choice was the wrong one. I keep repeating it over and over: Aspen or Stihl four stroke fuel in combination with Amsoil Saber. Or the Stihl mix. You get a filthy but healthy screamer with this fuel and oil. It is also important that the engine reaches operating temperature. And you have a beautiful engine that will continue to work cleanly for years. Quality quality quality.

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

Exactly what I was thinking. The rod and crank are so sludged up it's like they were running the highest carbon oil they could find, aka used engine oil.

[@MUUKOW3]

That's what they look like inside no matter what oil is used and why they don't last long.

[@em4703]

@@laurapalmerTDGE I dont like Saber oil, burns dirty. I use Motul 800 offroad 32:1 mixed with the Aspen fuel for storage, and regular gas for long use. Everything is clean and burns with no smoke. The lifespan of my top ends is unmatched with this oil.

[@em4703]

A good synthetic 2 stroke oil of any brand doesn't cost a fortune. He just lost hundreds of dollars by saving pennies on oil. I hope it was worth it for that cheap azz 🤡🤡🤣🤣

[@tonysheerness2427]

An engine that has to use special oil is a monopoly. Happy New Year.

[@baileyhatfield4273]

I wouldn't say that...i'd say its a fussy or TIGHT tolerance ect design where you NEED quality oil to have it run reliably for a long time. Not a monopoly. Dumb design? Maybe. Dumb that you need to only use their oil? Yeah. In terms of companys or manufacturers not letting you use anything else, their oil isnt a big probem. Any other brand you can't even change brakes without screwing around with scan tools, can't do this or that, very restricted. Oil is cheap.

[@tonysheerness2427]

@@baileyhatfield4273 Not if you have run out and can not get more and need your machine, The wrong oil in this machine is catastrophic. As for special tools etc for working on equipment I blame the government as all machines should be open to repair by any competent person, not dealers with all the specialised tools. As most cars now come with a tablet why do you need a special tool to read breakdown codes?

[@FishFind3000]

@@tonysheerness2427 what’s the wrong oil? Anything that isn’t Stihl branded oil? Which is just rebranded oil from someone else? You need good quality oil and the right mix. I’ve owned a br600 for over 10 years and it has been flawless… only oil I’ve used was Stihl platinum and amsoil saber. If your gonna be a cheap ass and use the cheapest oil that doesn’t meet the manufactures specs and then complain that they made a bad product your an idiot.

[@grandpajim329]

😏TOP NOTCH INFO !!! THANKS and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all !!! 🎉😍😍😍😍😍

[@jonmyers8046]

I'm guessing they used a bushing on this engine because it's a 4 cycle and not a 2 cycle. 4 cycles tend to run at a lower rpm. I'm just guessing, but they may have considered that. Great learning video Taryl, thanks bud

[@human1513]

In the motorcycle world 4 cycle 600 to 1,000 cc street sportbike engines red line at as high as 17,000 rpm and higher off the stock showroom floor.

[@sonicdewd]

They run at the same speed. They just have an exhaust note that is exactly half of a two-cycle (because, of course, a 4 fires every other revolution).

[@16jan1986]

Hey brass bearings are used a lot on 1950ties moped and small motorcycles for the wrist pin and they last a long time on 4% premix and the can be exchanged by you average machinist

[@chatrkat]

Exactly why I still have my BR420 blower. Interesting seeing the new Stihl units apart. Thanks Taryl!

[@freeflight4ever]

Stihl BR420: most reliable blower ever made!

[@chatrkat]

@ it’s big and heavy but absolutely I love it. Easy to service too if needed. No interest in replacing it. I also have 2 BG-86c

[@mustang2433]

So what back pack blower would you recommend

[@richb.4374]

They use a bushing because it's cheaper to use and it increases their profit margin. Thank some company bean counter for that mess.

[@ZAPATTUBE]

They sell crap

[@tcorris]

Economies of scale would argue against going to a completely different process than what you use for every other product your company makes.

[@Onwaxwings]

We only use this at work all the time. The main issue I've had is the lower crank case bolts loosen and falls out, crank seals always need to be replaced, and exhaust cracks.

[@bentullett6068]

Big reason they made this engine like this. Its a big seller for many lawn care contractors, local authorities and if they can manufacture a fault it means more sales of the high end blowers. Most contractors and local authorities tend to by cheaper oil because of cost and especially in the UK we get loads of issues with any two stroke equipment using cheaper grade two stroke oils from starting issues to engine wear issues. As it shows here buying cheap oils in a two stroke mix can cause expensive issues.

[@FishFind3000]

I’ve owned a br600 for over 10 years and it hasn’t had any issues… 10:25 he literally says he doesn’t work on or see much of these. So his sample size is small. I’ve never heard of this issue before today. This looks to be a failure of the owner and not of the equipment. If you use the wrong oil and then complain that the manufacture made a shitty product that’s on you.

[@13panda13]

As if, prove it failed because of the oil, u cant! It could have been a hundred reasons. Pull the caps off, any scoring?

[@JoshuaAndMom]

My mcculloch super airstream iv had ran for 30+ years and it’s still going strong. New is definitely not best not just with STIHL, but with every single brand you buy from big box stores nowadays. I miss the good old FS80R days. I have a 94R and a BR430. And if something happens to my 94R, I will look for an FS85R.

[@JohnSmith-kz1ll]

I’ve replaced bushings on rocker arms that they said were not replaceable. You press out the bushings put a new one in don’t forget to drill oil passage hole. Then ream it to the correct size. I would have bought new rockers but they weren’t cheap on this rare engine.

[@richardhuff8201]

Encountered this 2 years ago. I work on them at my work and thought the same way. Garbage! Why they didn't put a wrist pin bearing in is beyond me. The BR 450 has the bearing in it .

[@stephensarkany3577]

Actually it is a bearing, it is called a plain bearing.

[@quickturn66]

The whole chain saw con rod is heat treated, it’s purple on the end from running hot. Dirt bike con rods are the same and when they are new the color is consistent.

[@dony.9014]

Thanx again for the excellent informative video Taryl sure glad I got the B-440 unit. Do you have any videos on why my Stihl KM 130R wacker has air bubbles in the primer bulb and blow fuel out of the air cleaner?

[@blacksmokematters4521]

They do this stuff so you go out and buy new Same with vehicles

[@Pinhead_larry265]

Presisly

[@calholli]

Planned obsolescence

[@pdevonport7266]

Probably had straight petrol instead of two-stroke mix. These engines always get quite dirty in the crankcase because unlike two strokes the crank case is not evacuated every cycle.  Lubrication of the cylinder and conrod relies on air fuel mixture from the carburettor in an atomised form and circulate it inside the crankcase with the action of the piston returning back into the motor for combustion and leaving a residue of oil. The oil fuel mixture has to be atomised to lubricate the piston and conrod.

[@warddc]

I would have like to see you drop that piston back in the cylinder and check the rocking out it was doing.

[@13panda13]

Ru blind? U could see the play down the sparkplug.

[@meTimetraveler]

A guy down the street does landscaping. He put 8x BR600's out on the curb. 2 I got running within a week, just carb stuff/fuel lines. the others more serious. Ebay a year ago had brand new BR600 motors for 125 dollars. it's an art just getting the blower fan off. A piston stop is the only way w/o breaking anything, never use air tools.