Which 2-stroke oil is safest for your small engine? Temperature testing 6 of the most popular oils!

[@jaygee999]

Dave, we all needed your in depth video --- I don't know why no one hasn't ever made these tests public-- Thanks Dave !

[@brianeastman3547]

I recommend the Echo Red Armor

[@johnbuck6685]

Just get any of the maxima oils and be done with it

[@Carlos.Rivera]

Which one you recommend? Link will be appreciated

[@andrewchernenkoff2611]

Maxima are good oils for sure but the saber was actuaslly supposed to be used at 100:1 which no other oil in those tests can do. Also the heat ids within spec of the engine and a couple of degrees isnt saying anything as the oil is to lubricate the piston, rings and bearings of the engine. All those other opils including Maxima, tends to leave some carbon deposits an d scoring and doesnt lubricate and engine better than Saber Amsoils does. Lubrication is what the oil is for, not keeping it a few degrees less in temperatures, lol.

[@joepiker]

Very interesting...I have been running the Husqvarna XP oil, exclusively, for a long time, maybe 20 years in professional chainsaws ( Stihl, Huskie) and professional weedwhacker/brushcutters,,Always use 89 octane, California fuel. Never had a single problem with it...Never wore out an engine , Probably they are all good as long as you remember to mix in the oil!

[@nightmare69metalmatt52]

Red armor all day been using it for years equipment never fails and runs strong

[@thatairplaneguy]

I like it best as well

[@freedomisntfree_44]

It’s second best after Amsoil

[@saywhen1976]

Need a dealer for amsoil. Amazon doesn't sell but has others. I don't like going to a guy's home to buy amsoil. Have you tried Royal Purple or Redmax?

[@freedomisntfree_44]

@@saywhen1976 that’s why you order it straight from their website and comes with a sticker. It’s no different than ordering on amazon

[@chrisshepherd4159]

I've used nothing but the husqvarna brand in my 323l string trimmer. Bought it brand new in 2005 and it still runs like new. I like hooskvarna!

[@sundogtune]

well my dad has a 40 year old echo backpack blower and it still works just fine. he used EVERY type of oil you could think of in it. i also have a 25 year old hus.145 bt and just llike the echo have used all kinds of different oils in it and it STILL STARTS ON THE SECOND PULL! just bought a new hus. 570 bts ( wanted the job done quicker, 1.5 acres, i also do 2 other lots, cause i am a nice guy , lol, older ladys). seems to me it is MORE ABOUT HOW PEOPLE TAKE CARE OF THEIR EQUIPMENT THAN WHAT OIL IS BEING USED. i always lean towards using a SLIGHTLY richer mix. 1/32 to 1/16 oz. per mix more. depernding on the machine. that little bit means MUCH LONGER LONGEVITY OF THE MACHINE!! JUST MY 2 CENTS WORTH

[@NoNORADon911]

I am 53 and have been mowing since I was 16, I thought Echo making a blower 40 years ago was baloney but my search said they made the FIRST backpack and handheld bower in 1975, amazing.

[@sundogtune]

@@NoNORADon911 i might have been off by maybe 2-3 years on the echo it was just a guess. but i have since given my dad my 145bt as it is lighter than the old echo and he is 85, lol what a strong old man!! i do not mix my 570bts richer as it has a spark arrestor.and i use a straight echo gold blend .i might try a different oil, but it seems to work ok so far.might change after i use all this oil up. it does take 3 pulls to start from cold, but seems to work fine so far on year 2. and this thing is beast at blowing leaves just super heavy on your back . you will be happy when it runs out of gas about, 1.20 hours to run out.

[@powrguy1696]

That was well-designed, and pretty intensive fair comparison. I know it took a good amount of time, and the big thing for me in my small engines, is the use of non-ethanol fuel only, and good 2-stroke oil in the pre-mix engines. Good stuff, Dave. Great job.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Thanks Powrguy! Appreciate the kind words.

[@halcampbell1384]

For your next test, run the same test but with a 40:1 mixture. It will really be interesting to see how much cooler the engine runs under this condition.

[@miloskovacevic2311]

40:1 will have less fuel and would probably be hotter. Because actualy it’s leaner mixture. But we’ll see if this gets tested.

[@kellybuzzelljr.3439]

Agreed - he just did a 25:1 vs 50:1 and more lubricatation = less gasoline making it's way into the cylinder. This does stand to ask though: If you're trying to be super safe and go with a 40:1 or even a 25:1 BUT you open-up your High and Low Needle Valves to get back to that perfect 14.7:1 Air/Fuel mixture, do you accomplish both goals? Less Temperature AND More Lubrication?? 🤔 Makes me wonder...

[@jeremydawkins8399]

@@miloskovacevic2311 40:1 versus 50:1 is a minuscule amount of fuel and will not really affect mixture but it makes a massive improvement on longevity of the saws internals. 50:1 is recommended only to satisfy the EPA not for the health or performance of the engine.

[@garrettstevensen2467]

@@kellybuzzelljr.3439 While he previously did test at 50:1 and then 25:1, he didn't retune the saw, in the older video. Ask ANYONE that mills for a living, and they all run at either 16:1, 25:1 or 30:1. I've never heard of anyone milling wood with a chainsaw, at 50:1... I suppose you could, but your saw would be toast very quickly. Way too much heat, not enough oil, when held wide open all day, ever day...

[@miloskovacevic2311]

Well you made a point. Some manufacturers sugestions are based on different basis than yours. Anyway, too much oil can produce more heat. But I agree with you that 1:40 is not too much in this case. Also, Ipone is premium French oil manufacturer. If you look at the bottle they sugest you can mix it as low as 1,6%, which is below 1:50. I wonder what do they benefit from low oil. Maybe less carbon build up.

[@christopherhamm1574]

Correct me if Im wrong. You measured the temperature of the muffler? A more accurate comparison would be to measure the cylinder temperature and the crank case temp. Added temperature due to friction would determine which mix is doing its job lubricating the internals. Just my opinion.

[@mikefisc9989]

Indeed.

[@gaylebarrett8728]

I use Amsoil Saber Professional at 100 to1. There is no carbon, no smoke from my two-cycle equipment. I use it in non-ethanol gasoline. I have no issues. I liked your test. I like to think that the higher exhaust temps mean it is getting rid of more engine heat. Thank you for your test. I will always use Amsoil over the others.

[@Winger2325]

I do the same and use the same, also agree with heat dissipation.

[@TheBeatenPaths]

Likewise, with the saber at 100:1 for me! I get better fuel economy with the Amsoil too. No surprise really, considering I get better fuel economy in my vehicle with their oil and driveline fluids.

[@williamwalter4882]

Been using Opti2 for 30 years at 90 to 1. Never had a failure on any 2 cycle engine I've used. No smoke, no carbon. 50 to 1 with the sabre is a waste.

[@robsolo4024]

Did you find that you get a longer life out of your equipment

[@AnarchAngel1]

I run it at 80:1, no problems here

[@jefframsum8386]

Great video, excited to see how the stihl premium compares with its competitors. Thank you Dave.

[@driftlesshunter9200]

McCulloch string/brush blade trimmer (1994), Husqvarna 257 chainsaw (mid-1990s), Poulan 2900 Farmhand chainsaw (2000), & Jonsered CS2152 (2006) - Since the McCulloch & Poulan recommend a 40:1 gas/oil mix, I just use that ratio for all four items (one gas can/always non-ethanol). My grass trimmer is 28 years old, & my newest chainsaw is 16 years old. I use a 40:1 mix of cheap Poulan or Super Tech 2-stroke oil in all of them. The Husqvarna was my dad's saw, & I don't know what he used before he gave it to me 10 years ago. I would rather run a 40:1 mix of cheap 2-stroke oil over any of the oils tested with a higher ratio. My stuff may smoke a bit more than some, but I've also never had to replace a 2-stroke piece of equipment.. My previous 2.5 acre home was mostly woods. My current place these past 20 years includes 70+ acres of woods, & I burn firewood. I don't consider myself an occasional chainsaw user, but I am not a professional logger either.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Do you ever have issues with spark arrestor clogging?

[@driftlesshunter9200]

@@DavesSmallEngines No

[@laserflexr6321]

I guess the moral of this whole "which oil" question is which is a lot less important consideration than if. In case that was a little too cryptic, it dont matter much which oil, but never forget oil. I never put gasoline in my mix tank unless I have the proper dose of oil in hand and add it right on the fuel island. Let the gas pump measure exactly 1 gallon (the pumps are routinely tested to make sure they are metering properly) is close enough. With all the different 2 cycles I've had over the years, all but the first one of which I still have, never have I had an engine failure. Used lots of oils but mostly brand names, and mostly Stihl. it is accumulation of other broken/worn parts that cause it to be parked. I've never put a new plug in any of them. I finally lost count of the carb kits I've done, lots before I discovered NO ETHANOL. Put the walbro spiral in my saw last carb rebuild last spring, so far it runs like a champ! Keep your trimmer line soaking water in a plastic coffee can and you will have a lot less string issues from jambed heads and the line lasts a LOT longer. I'm tired of the stank of Stihl Ultra and I finally had to clean the spark arrestor screen on my 094r line trimmer this year (6yrs?). BTW I know lots say it's a bad idea but about the only time I'm at full throttle is with a blower, and occasionally with my saw, part throttle and cold running are known risk factors for carbon buildup leading to clogged screens, so I was expecting the clogged screen eventually. 10 minutes and a propane torch once every 6 years is not too bad. Leaning heavy toward Saber and would already be running it if it was on the shelf locally. I'm out of the last batch of Ultra so it is time to switch. So I am back to listening to what you all prefer.

[@AnarchAngel1]

​​@@laserflexr6321 It does matter. I wouldn't use any oil that isn't FD rated in stuff personally. Try finding a rating for the cheap super tech stuff. Order some Saber. I run it 80:1 in all my saws and it works absolutely fine. It burns super clean at lean ratios like that. It lubricates well and it's clean. Can't ask for much more. I like the way XP+ smells better but that's a small thing. Either one of those oils has never let me down

[@garrettstevensen2467]

@@DavesSmallEngines Remove the spark arrestor. We run conventional premix anywhere from 32:1 - 40:1 as well, and we stopped throwing away equipment every year, in a commercial environment. Spark plugs don't foul either. We remove our spark arrestors since concrete and asphalt doesn't usually catch on fire in an urban environment.

[@NordicDan]

I run the AMSOIL Saber in all my 2-stroke stuff at a ratio of 90:1. I have a Husqvarna blower that calls for 50:1, my old Ryobi string trimmer (with interchangeable tools, one of which is a lightweight tiller that I use a lot in the early spring and late fall) that's 32:1 and my 1980 Homelite 150A that I restored which uses 16:1. All three of these get the AMSOIL mix and run beautifully, and have noticeably more power with this versus the cheap 2stroke Walmart oil I had to use once in a pinch, and the Castor 927 that I've used for years up until I switched to AMSOIL. Most impressive was my old chainsaw which I ran through its paces last weekend and it didn't even flinch. Something I did not do was do any temperature comparisons between the Castor, the AMSOIL, and the cheap Wally oil. So this video was an interesting one to see. I'm surprised the AMSOIL (given the mix ratio you used being consistent through all oils) ran the hottest. I could see it running hotter when going off the recommended mix ratio, given there's so much more gasoline going through the combustion cycle than with other ratios, but again, surprised to see it running hotter with consistent ratios. Great work!

[@skualpascal6684]

with modern 2S oil brands ( 1/2 or full synthetic) u dont need to go w/ 32:1 or 16:1. !!These hi ratios were needed w/ old designed mineral lubes. 50:1 is ok for early & late engines (even motorbikes, snowmobile & mariners ...), then 66:1 or 90:1 is recommended for certain modern 2S. w/modern 2S oils, 50:1 is a maximum, if u mix more it'll smoke & spit a lot of exost oil it will flood the plug inducing a shorter life, flooded muffler, & put much carbon deposits on piston top, exost port & muffler ^^

[@daveirwin9124]

Thanks for the time you took to do your awesome test. I would have been curious to see the results with a real crapy oil just to see the difference.

[@donyboy73]

good video Dave!

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Thanks buddy!

[@gamebredduramax71]

I’ve used amsoil Sabre for 10 years on new and old equipment 80:1 for everything. I have a husqvarna chainsaw that is going on 10 years old and still runs great

[@matthewknowles2607]

Thanks Dave, great comparison, always wondered if the premium synthetic oils were that much better. I use Penrite here in Australia, readily available and never had an issue.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Thank you! Appreciate the kind words. Haven’t heard of Penrite before, I’ll look it up!

[@34dawgsgo]

Glad to know I've been using the Stihl Ultra in all my Stihl equipment. 93 octane non-ethanol.

[@BOBANDERSON5150]

Thanks, Dave for your in depth real world testing on the 2-Stroke oils. I have always used AMSOIL on my 2 Stroke Quads (Yamaha Banshee 350) 100:1 without any issues. I'll be doing the same with my small engines. I would appreciate it if you could keep up with the informative videos. Subscribed for sure!

[@TsunauticusIV]

I was an OG Banshee owner. Ran nothing but Klotz and Golden Spectro through my banshee for YEARS. I raced that bike hard. Did hill climbs. Did woods racing so much that I’d melt plastic impellers regularly. Finally a compa started making metal impellers and that saved the day. Oh and water wetter too. But even with all the abuse I put my Banshee through… wear was never an issue. I tore it down when it was 10 years old to do a power build. It didn’t even need rebuilt yet. Still had great compression. I was a little nervous on the teardown because everyone was starting to hate on Klotz and that was what I ran every other tank. I rotated oils. Did Klotz one mix and then Golden Spectro the next. Not sure why I did that but I did. Anyway, I tee the engine down and there was no wear at all. Crank and pins and bore looked amazing. Piston and rings were golden too. I was impressed. I rebuilt it and sold that bike not long after. I miss it. Keep riding that banshee for me! 🙏

[@nashguy207]

Good testing with interesting results. I would like to see the same test in warmer ambient temperatures and see how that would effect the engine temperatures. I used to Stihl synthetic but i had issues with carbon build up and the screens getting clogged on mufflers. I switched to the Echo Red Armor and it does a great job of cleaning and preventing carbon build up. I run a Landscaping company we go through 10 to 15 gallons a week of 2 cycle mixed gas and I am sold on the Red Armor been using it for a little over 2 years now.

[@rellmonger7935]

Yes, I love the red armor. But truly a Redmax fan. Red Armor cleans the inside better. Stihl must was clogging because I couldn't get full power until I use redmax, then got better with a can of red armor.

[@samuelbonacorsi2048]

It seems to me that all these oils perform the same within statistical variance, at least for temperature. There might be a winner when it comes to protecting the piston particularly under different conditions.

[@Hambonebodi]

Protect the piston, Yeah, running whatever oil you use at 20 to 1 .

[@olefugle]

The mix in the left over gas container must be awesome!

[@DavesSmallEngines]

It’s a party in there!!!

[@johnlong7504]

Thanks for your informative effort$, take care and stay safe!

[@conmanumber1]

Stihl here in New Zealand is branded from Castrol. I prefer Amsoil which has been selling its 100-1 oil for way over 40 years. It's not as you say a claim, it actually can be used way leaner.

[@robertfuqua-i5b]

Great advice - lately I have heard negative comments re: Stihl oil. I have a Stihl MS271 chainsaw and 8 Echo power tools. I use Stihl HP Ultra oil in the chainsaw and Echo Power Blend oil in the Echo tools. I want to use one brand of oil for all my power tools. In chainsaw, will it damage anything to go from a fully synthetic oil to a synthetic blend? Do you prefer Echo Power Blend or Echo Red Armor? thanks

[@tedneitzel]

I really like the husky oil. I just had to slip a new ring in my 55 husky and it looked new still inside. Very minimal carbon build and just clean. Back up to 170 compression and runs great!

[@t9358]

Nice work Dave! Thank you for your time. Now you got me wondering if the higher temperatures burn cleaner

[@67697072]

Great test Dave! Thanks for taking the time and effort to produce it.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Thanks Ger!

[@punterjac8695]

I recently purchased a new 52cc line trimmer (this is actually a 4 in 1 tool) that recommends using 1:25 oil to fuel ratio. I purchased semi synesthetic 2 stroke oil and was wondering if it was ok to use a different oil to fuel ratio, say 1:32 or 1:40 after 20 hours of initial use at 1:25. The machine has powered on ok when I have used the oil with 91 petrol (non ethanol) and some fuel stabilizer. Thanks for your input.

[@CuriousKL]

Been running Amsoil mixed at 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces) to 1 gallon of gas for over 25 years. Never had any issues of any kind with ANY 2 cycle equipment.

[@robsolo4024]

Have you noticed using Amsoil for the two cycle your equipment lasting longer my Weedwhacker’s and blowers I use them commercially only last two years and then I throw them in the garbage I was wondering if I used Amsoil if it were you would get another year out of it

[@tonycolca2241]

Thank you I love testing have heard a lot of good about the red armor

[@goodmanboattransport3441]

I wonder if ambient air temperature has any effect on the temperature readings, colder air is more dense, would influence the combustion Temps in my opinion, but all in all, a very well conducted test

[@TJ-je5mb]

Amsoil 100%. It’s all I use and recommend.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Why do you say that? It was hot!

[@oneninerniner3427]

@@DavesSmallEngines by what 5 to 10-15 degrees? That's nothing. Run it for a good amount of hours, like 20-50 hrs or more, heck run it at 100 to 1 mix ratio, I dare yah! Then tear it down and see how clean it is with lack of piston scuffing & scoring, providing it has a good air filter of course. Dirt will score pistons too.

[@oneninerniner3427]

The Saber is not prediluted so it's not really right for two cycle oil injection systems tho, it's all oil. We used to run AMSOIL 100 to 1 in our full mod race snowmobiles at between 60 & 80 to 1 ratio with up to 116 research octane race fuel, worked great. Have used it at 100 to 1 in many small two cycle engines. Spark plugs & spark arrestors stay clean, I've seldom ever replaced spark plugs. I had to finally replace the plug in my 20 year old el cheapo string trimmer, it shorted internally but still looked great. Heck some loggers out west tested it and it worked at a 200 to 1 ratio.

[@christianbriix7098]

Nice work man! I enjoyed every bit of detail you added to make sure everything was consistent. I loved to see fluctuations in Temps between all the oils like lu

[@JAWjaw-hl9xs]

Thanks Dave for your work putting all this together, the first thing I noticed is there were no red flags on any of the oils, that is, they all do the job well and that’s encouraging to know

[@georgedavall9449]

Dave you sum gun!!! Outstanding job, and appreciate the effort and hard work! Ya know, you sounding more and more like Don! 😆 IMHO, Husky and Red Armor, rest are garbage! ‘Richard Flagg’ has torn down engines, and says stay far away from Stihl ULTRA! My smallest Husky 345, is about 17 years old, and I recently pulled the Muffler, and the piston looked factory fresh! NO Joke. 90% of the Fuel run through it has been Husky oil, mixed at around 45:1. Rest has been PreMix. Well done Dave! 👍✌👊😊

[@shannonwhitaker9630]

45:1 is 2.84 ounces of oil per gallon. 50:1 is 2.56 ounces of oil per gallon. So is .28 ounces of oil going to make any appreciable difference ? Lets test that lol

[@georgedavall9449]

@@shannonwhitaker9630 I dont know Shannon, why don't you check out other channels, that advocate running saws on a little richer mix!? Maybe try running a saw for almost 17 years, and pulling the muffler, and seeing a pristine piston side, then you tell me! As with everything in life, there’s no cut and dried rules, to each their own. YMMV. Some run them at 100:1 with that AMSOIL stuff. A lot of variables to take into account. Now run along, and have a Merry Christmas! I hope Santa is good to you. 😆 🤩✌

[@shannonwhitaker9630]

You run along MF’R. You don’t know wtf you talking about.

[@peteschiavoni]

Very cool test. Personally in the summer I run Maxima 927 castor oil. In winter Maxima K2. I had good luck with these for years in dirt bikes so just put it in my power equipment. Thanks for sharing

[@Bungi81]

Hey Dave. Great video and thanks for your work. I never thought about different temperatures by using different oil-brands. Awesome results. Greetings from germany, Stefan

[@pracakosaipilarka4301]

In my country Motul 800 Road Racing and Ipone Samourai Racing 2t are considered the best.👍

[@grzesiek1487]

Witam i gratuluję wszechstronności.

[@1d1hamby]

That is a very good oil recommended by some long time engine modders.

[@Derek-tk4wf]

I've been using Opti-2 for over 20 years now with no issues at all in any equipment.

[@8xlaxx]

Nice test. I use, feel comfortable with, and don't mind paying up for the Stihl Ultra HP synthetic oil.

[@mattwaters6987]

I'm the same.

[@ThomasOdeyemi]

13:36 Please can we use the oil for motorcycle to mix the mower fuel?

[@mikecolligan2829]

nice job. personally i use red line synthetic 2-stroke oil in my chainsaws.

[@brianeastman3547]

I like the Red Armor 2 cycle engine oil 🛢 from Echo the best.

[@jimjusta7859]

Nice video. I would take the temps while engine is still running and ambient air temp is the same for all. Metal cools so rapidly that a few degrees difference can happen in fractions of a second. Think of a welding bead and how doing a slight side to side movement while welding allows the metal on each side to cool enough to help prevent burn through.

[@jbbolts]

yup... appreciate the effort but considering the length of the test the ambient temperature may have changed enough to affect the results for all we know. Im convinced that red armor does a good job of cleaning and that stihl ultra does a good job of clogging stuff up with carbon build up, that seems to be the most consistent feedback for each respectively

[@Slane583]

Neat test. I've ran the Amsoil Saber in my MS251 with good results since I bought it new back in 2015. Though I've kind of cherished the one quart bottle I bought as it's hard to come by. I still have enough left for mixing two or three gallons of fuel. The store I originally bought my bottle from no longer has it as they're having a hard time getting it supposedly. One of the other stores I shop at frequently sells Amsoil's two other pre-mix oils I'm going to test. According to Amsoil's own website they support the same oil qualifications as Saber does for hand held power equipment. They're just not directly advertised for use in power equipment. I've read a lot of positive reviews of people using Interceptor and Dominator in their equipment as well as their dirt bikes so I have a quart of each to test. Those are both in store so I'm testing out what can be easily grabbed off shelf before I resort to ordering off the internet. :)

[@MrPIEKNYPAN]

What ratio?

[@Slane583]

@@MrPIEKNYPAN I run everything at 40:1. With modern 2-troke oil I feel it's a good middle ground. You're not using too much and you're not starving your equipment of lubrication. I've read some old-timers still swear by 25:1, but they don't stop to realize 25:1 was used when non-detergent SAE-30 automotive oil was used in 2-stroke engines. When 2-stroke specific oil got better they upped the rating to 32:1. Since all of the high-end 2-stroke oil on the market is all full-synthetic they support 50:1 for the "richest" mix due to EPA regulations for running cleaner. But since my pockets aren't bottomless and good equipment is expensive I can't just freely replace something if it breaks. So I feel 40:1 is good a spot even if others don't agree. AMSOIL is still cheaper than buying a new chainsaw.

[@JohnHansen-c2h]

Great job man! Especially putting all that into a short 20 mins, that would have taken forever. One thing I wish you would have added would be having a new spark plug for each test to show what the plug looks like with each different oil

[@tomthomas9910]

Old timers used straight 10w40 motor oil for pre - mix especially when they ran out of 2 smoke oil" like to see what that compares to the mix & or full synthetic

[@blakestiehl6814]

Can you make a video about amsoil at 50:1 vs 100:1?

[@markpontes4457]

Would have been Nice to get cylinder temperature too, that would show more of how well it's lubricating..

[@michaelowens944]

Great video I wish you would of showed celendar temp also.

[@twocrazyhens]

I use regular grade ethanol gas with marine stabil added for all my 2 cycle equipment. Just fired up one of my Stihl saws that has been sitting for about 3 years with old fuel mix in it. Cranked and runs well with no carb problems. I usually have some fuel mix that is a year or more old and never have any problems. Type of oil I have been using is a no name synthetic multi purpose oil mixed at recommended ratios. In 30 years of using saws, weed trimmers and even a Suzuki LJ20 2 stroke jeep I have never had any failures whatsoever using cheap oil as long as I mix it according to manufacturers recommendations. I use saws regularly and do not consider myself a novice. With all that said, i do believe the oils you tested are very good oils, and there are several others out there like Honda HP2, schaeffer's, Maxima, etc. That are really good as well.

[@dandaly7305]

I'd like to see a temp comparison of any of the oils 40:1 and 50:1

[@jameshegeman5660]

I would be careful of drawing any conclusions from temperature differences for fuel mixes of different viscosities. I would *expect* 40:1 to run a few degrees hotter than 50:1, since it’s more viscous. That doesn’t mean that 50:1 is “better” for your engine; probably the opposite.

[@dogprowilhelm7630]

I like AMSOIL'S versatility for different ratio mixes, great video, Dave.

[@mikecorrado4971]

Thank you for all that work Dave. It was a good test and I think the results are valid. Thank you again.

[@garyalensr]

This test was awesome!! I've been asking donyboy73 and several other channels on what the running temp of a blower should be and no one really knew the answer. Thank you so much Dave for taking the time to do this test. Now I'm not worried because I thought my blower was running to hot😆😆 your awesome, I hope you and your family have a great Christmas and wonderful New year. 🎉🎊🎉🎊🎉

[@erike7297]

Any name brand 2 stroke oil preferably synthetic blend. I’ve used Red Armor.. I’m currently using Husqvarna XP cause it’s been the cheapest on Amazon for a while bought by the gallon. I just eyeball my mixture cause I’m so familiar with the color as a landscaper. Measuring cups in my truck is a pain in the ass cause they get dirt stuck to them unless you keep them wrapped in a ziplock which could also get dirt on it. I’ve been doing it this way for the last 100 gallons or so.

[@NoNORADon911]

I use Lucas semi synthetic for 15-20 years now commercially, no issues with it.

[@rogermcdonald1607]

Nice test comparison Dave. I have 3 pieces of Stihl equipment and only use the Ultra Stihl oil in all of them with no issues. I think any of the oils you tested are fine when mixed properly. I also only use premium non ethanol fuel and i add Seafoam to all small engines whether it be 2 or 4 stroke. Great video Dave!! ✌👍🎥🇺🇸🇨🇦

[@gadgethunter5732]

I agree , especially on the seafoam .

[@J.R.F.23]

I use (1) oz for STA-BIL Marine 360 (stabilizer) and (1) oz or SeaFoam (in every two gallons of premium gas) for ALL of my small engines. I have been doing this for over 10 years with no carburetor or engine issues. The marine formula combats moisture and ethanol the best.

[@markharris4260]

Mercury Quicksilver 2 cycle mix 40/1 it's good enough for a full tilt outboard running wide open throttle under heavy prop load and yes it shows a lawn mower on the bottle ! I have ran it for a while now and absolutely no issues even with a handheld leaf blower running wide open till I ran several tanks of gasoline through it !

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Interesting. Maybe it really doesn’t make much of a difference after all!

[@cogentdynamics]

The outboard isn’t a great analog as the infinite water source provides a regulated and stable coolant temperatures. Air cooled high powered 2 strokes are harder on oil and lubricant performance and even necessitates different manufacturing clearances. Having said that, none of these companies refine and blend oil. We are witnessing more marketing than science.

[@halflife82]

Been a small engine mechanic for many many years and rebuild a lot of small engines, landscaping equipment, dirt bike engines & even RC airplane gassers included. None of the oils you tested outperform Redline Racing oil for ring & cylinder cleanliness & possibly longevity. None. The large ester base-stock they use removes contaminants much better and lubricates in extreme temp conditions (like lean runs on our RC engines) much better than other oil too. Now I haven’t thoroughly tested the Husky or Echo brands, but the others I sure have. I can speak from many many years of experience. I used to be 100% all in on Stihl Ultra Premium oil for small engines until I started noticing a trend in my own personal engines during rebuilds; way too carboned up. For example, we retune these gas 2T gas RC carbs on every single use, unlike the landscaping equipment which the needles are rarely ever touched. Even then, too much carbon buildup over time, unless ran extremely rich & under low stress/load conditions to continually wash out the combustion chamber. Ever since switching to Redline, my engines, and the rebuilds I do for customers have noticed a massive difference in consistent running due to lack of carbon buildup. The top-ends look nearly new! I’ve never gotten the hours on any engine that we get from Redline synthetic oil. There’s a reason even Desert Aircraft (DA) now only warranty their engines & military drone engines when used with Redline Racing oil. No one has more rebuild data than those guys. Period. 👍 All these oils are great and beat the Dino oils of yesteryear, but a couple of them are still the reigning champs. An no, I have affiliation with Redline but the results have spoken for themselves in my own experience of small engines. Thanks again for a great video. I’ve always been curious in exhaust temps between the brands. Head temp data above the exhaust port or under the plug via telemetry sensor would be the way I would have done it as some oils extract head heat better than others, but should show-up in exhaust temps like you’re doing here. Thanks again!

[@donvoll2580]

Good day So how expensive is Redline? is it in Canada? Thanks

[@halflife82]

@@donvoll2580 Yes it’s available in Canada, (I’m in Alberta) from a few speciality shops like Mopac, and some of the racing shops. I often just order it online from a few places, but I’m sure Amazon carries it now. Used to buy it Canadian Tire (the main distribution stores) but it’s hit or miss if they still carry it. Hope that helps!

[@northdakotakid8787]

Thank you for posting your experience with Redline Racing Oil. I’ve never heard of it but your experience with it sounds amazing thus the reflection of its price! About $1 per oz unless you buy it by the gallon which would last me 2 lifetimes 😂. What would be recommended mixture for good protection & non carbon buildup? Will it “erase” current carbon if I switch over?I’ve ran Husqvarna oil in my saw for 20 years now & I’m not complaining but I’ve never opened up to see what carbon deposits or what wear is evident. From your response, I’m assuming there’s a difference between Redline synthetic & Redline Racing oil? I’m going to purchase a 16 oz bottle to check this out. Thank you again!

[@halflife82]

@@northdakotakid8787 All Redline Racing oil is synthetic, there’s not two versions. Good luck! 👍

[@mikefisc9989]

@Eganwp. Excellent commentary. Thank you.

[@michaelfarrell6448]

A lil ir temp gun trick i use is to get a sheet of aluminum foil and put it in front of exhaust in this case then temp the foil to get a air temp reading make sure you set the emissivity on ir gun and i do a few control temp reading with any ir gun i have to determine exact emissivity setting

[@dimos5422]

from personal experience working with a weedwacker i always felt the husqvarna oil was the coolest running

[@braddeyoung8701]

Great test but how much variation did you have in ambient air temperature? Was the air temperature 40 degrees at the start and later in the day the air temperature raise to 60 degrees? I would think ambient air temperature would have an effect on your temperatures that you we're measuring.

[@DH-mf2lv]

Which one do you use in your STIHL 2-stroke backpack blower? Ever tried Klotz? Thanks for sharing. That is alot of work.

[@earlunderwoodjr.6766]

By reading exhaust temperature, is a good indicator of fuel combustion rates, not necessarily the anti wear quality of the mixture. Crankcase lubrication, and piston wear would determine the oil’s ability to lubricant. It is my opinion, that a slightly richer mixture of oil-to- fuel ratio would extend the service life of 2-stroke engines. Non ethanol fuel @ 89 octane, with 40:1 mixture of synthetic oil. I have a brand favorite but, that’s not as important as the mixture ratio.

[@chriscalderin6677]

I could be wrong but I do not think exhaust temperature is a good indicator of the oil protecting the engine! Also a thicker film of oil left behind could raise the temperature of tool as moving fluids do heat up! So a higher temperature could mean the tool is better protected?

[@1d1hamby]

Maybe another test with some other equipment and different ratios would be necessary? Thanks for the video and keep up the great work. 👍

[@redlywaxer]

I read that Amsoil 100:1 was tested at 200:1 during development with good results. Hence when I use it, I mix it at 100:1 for a blower or trimmer, and maybe 80:1 for a saw if I'm working it hard. Always ethanol-free gasoline, and I've never had a clogged exhaust or failed carburetor or bad fuel lines. I'm still using some equipment I've had for 20+ years! Well... I did have to replace a fuel hose on an old McCoulloch trimmer that is 40 years old😂

[@theslingandjacket2337]

Interesting test but there are quite a few other variables that should be considered before drawing any conclusions from your test and that coolest oil equals the safest oil. The question you actually answered was what is the muffler / exhaust temp of a given oil blended at 50:1 with a fixed fuel to air ratio (i.e. the same carburetor setting). This tells us very little about a given two stroke oil’s lubrication and anti-wear performance. Each of these oil blends likely has a slight difference in viscosity. This in turn affects mix viscosity and the fuel to air ratio of the charge going into the engine if the carburetor settings remained constant for all samples. The fuel to air ratio directly affects the exhaust gas temp to a large degree and it takes relatively small changes in the mix viscosity and air temps to vary the fuel to air ratio. For this test to give conclusive results, the fuel to air ratio and the oil to fuel blend ratio (the mix) would both have to be held consistent. This in turn would tell which oil actually results in the coolest muffler temps. Does this leaf blower have a catalytic muffler? If so, that would also another variable affecting the exhaust temps as excess oil in the exhaust gas burning off in the catalyst would cause an increase in muffler/exhaust temp not related to internal friction of the engine components. The amount of excess oil in the exhaust would be a variable affected by the exact properties of each oil. The real purpose of the oil is to lubricant which in turn reduces wear of engine components. Just because one oil give a cooler muffler temperature at a fixed fuel to air ratio doesn’t really mean anything in terms of that oil’s lubrication, anti-wear, or deposit formation performance.

[@jameshegeman5660]

I second this comment. It was a nice thought for a video, and I appreciate the effort it took to run all of those tests, but at the end of the day these small temperature differences don’t really tell you anything at all about how the oils are doing at protecting components.

[@shannonwhitaker9630]

But you did learn something…right ? This engines that day with those oils run about the same temperature lol

[@ethanmiller3935]

Great video, but l would run the saber at 80 or 100 to 1 like amsoil recommends. They have tested that oil at that mixture and it works. You can see their results on their website. As for which oil is better, a long term test will be more conclusive to see the amount of buildup on each piston, exhaust port, and combustion chamber. Motors that l use and/or work on with saber and red armor are super clean inside. Motors run the stihl orange bottles and ultra are dirtier (piston has deposits, exhaust are dirty etc). I run some of my equipment on saber 80:1 and others get red armor.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Hey Ethan - how do you decide which equipment gets each fuel?

[@ethanmiller3935]

@@DavesSmallEngines l run the equipment l got new on the saber @ 80:1, Echo PAS2620, hc2210, pb9010. On the 9010 and the 2210 l ran a few tanks of red armor in them first then switched to saber, while the 2620 got saber from the start. I also run my cub cadet trimmer (cc2000) on saber as well because l started using saber in it before l got my echos. I have had my 2620 for 2.5 years. I use it more than most residential users, but less than comercial guys. So it has some hours on it, l am guessing in the 50-75 range. As for the equipment that gets red armor: fs55, echo cs4400 and Es210, because of age. (These three have ran saber also but l try to mainly use red armor) We have a limited edition echo pb580 that gets red armor because we arent taking any chances with that blower. My brother uses red armor in his m262 shindawia (same as my 2620 except red) for warrenty reasons. I dont care to screw a warrenty up if something comes up l will fix it myself. And we are currently using red armor in a echo srm225 because we bought it used and l am testing a couple things on it and want a baseline using what echo recommends. Running different oils this way gives me a way to see how the oils preform over the long haul. Also our church has a shindawia t262 and it gets red armor and the motor and exhaust are spotless. (Its about 4 years old and gets used 15-20 times a year for roughly an hour a time.) And most of the equipment l work on (all except 2 trimmers l believe) leave with a full tank of red armor, because l dont want to scare the owners using 80:1. Also the red armor is really convinent for them to get.

[@2010stoof]

I still love my red armor. It cleaned a 10 year old backpack blower to almost new. Was gull of carvon from using cheap oil and ethanol gas and ran it for one season eirh ethanol free and was almost perfectly clean. Cant beat it. Theres fanboy everywhere. I like that you put the gas you didnt use in one tank haha. If use that all day.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

Hey! Yes, I still have that gas. It’s the “party mix”

[@jameswatson4110]

Would like to see a comparison of 50 to 1 and 100 to 1 temperature check on the Amsoil saber

[@shannonwhitaker9630]

@James Watson….My thoughts exactly. Why compare the oil at 50:1 if they advise 100:1 ? I see a future video idea here.

[@TheBeatenPaths]

@@shannonwhitaker9630 They don't advise it. They advise you to mix it at whatever you want to. And that it's safe, down to 100:1.

[@shannonwhitaker9630]

Nearly no oil in my mix will never be “safe” to me but hey we can all do what we like ! HaaHaa ! I’d run any of those oils in my machines but it’d still be mixed at 42.5:1.

[@DaveBennett]

Great video and thank you for doing this comparison.

[@oakiewoodsman]

Interesting video. Good effort on trying to keep consistency. Obviously too much heat is bad but what if the warmer ones were actually getting more complete combustion? Could that make them hotter? I myself have beaten my head against the wall researching and watching these videos (the reason I am here). I have seen the videos Richard Flagg puts out. The scoring with Ultra looks concerning however the very Interesting thing is the lack of oil in the bottom end. I run echo red armor in my stuff that is OEM newer equipment Husky 545, echo cs310 and echo string trimmer. My Holzfforma saws all run the stihl ultra @ 25:1. I want to get rid of it all and will not run it in my nicer equipment. Alot has to do with the lack of color it has but also nervous because of what I have seen. I recently took the top end off the Holzfforma g372 just because and it looked brand new on the piston and cylinder. There was a ton of oil in the bottom end and there was not a lot of carbon up top mostly running ultra 25:1. Also no screen in the Chinese saw. Plus it has been run slightly rich as well. Good video thank you.

[@prestonfreeman8443]

I like using Stihl mixed with SuperTech but both full synthetic

[@michaelweatherhead9470]

Thanks Dave for the video great information. Take care of yourself 👍👍❤️❤️

[@raymondthompson4222]

Great job. Stihl weed eater fs55 not sure which # to adjust the H speed 10000rpm or 8400rpm.

[@ronaldwalker1009]

Keep sending more like this 💯🧠 keep up your good work 💯👍

[@ThomasOdeyemi]

Please can we use the oil for motorcycle to mix the mower fuel?

[@brokenujoints3811]

Brp (ski doo), amsoil, polaris, cat..etc...any of the snowmobile 2 stroke oils and youll never go wrong. They make turbo 2 strokes of near 200 stock hp in sleds thrive so good enough for small stuff. I personally use the Bombardier mineral oil (50 bucks or so, 4 liters, synthetic is more) in all my old professional McCulloch chainsaws, one going back to 1971. Never even foul a plug. Pretty much 40:1 mix with no ethanol premium.

[@stevendeitrich6933]

Thank you so much for these comparison vidios . Subscribed 😊

[@RUSTY-A-L]

How about the same test with a Castor Bean lubricant like Klotz Super Techniplate, Blendzall or Du Monde Tech? Thanks good job!

[@dudestuff1557]

Great test! Did the machine seem to prefer one over another?

[@ThomasOdeyemi]

Please, can we use the engine oil that we use for motorcycle to mix for 2 stroke mower

[@pirahnalasagne]

Would it not have been better to test the temperature after the cooldown to determine a baseline?

[@Gordon_L]

It would be a good test to check oil mix ratios on just one of the oils , e.g. Stihl Super @ 25:1 , 33:1 , 40:1 and 50:1 and see what temperature difference there might be .

[@phyllismacevicius8821]

I have a customer who added sea foam to his 2 cycle mix fuel. His sea foam had ethanol in it. After three returns of me emptying his fuel and it running right and him bringing it back I finally asked what he was adding to his fuel. I ask if a machine has had additives in it.

[@rileyjohnston8393]

Yea seafoam works great to clean out a varnished carb of something that’s sat for a while but it’s essentially just a mix of ballistol and rubbing alcohol, same as letting ethanol sit in your tank.

[@danm8662]

I could not decide which oil to use, so I mixed them all of them together in the same can of gas.....the blower runs great!

[@cs967]

Great job Dave. Would love to see how Redline would compare. Maybe consider a similar test with some of the popular synthetic fuels...Stihl Motomix, Trufuel, etc. When I ran Motomix in my planes, the exhaust was far cleaner and cylinder temps notably cooler. Would be a pricey test, but would be interesting especially against a gasoline control.

[@dennisyoung4631]

Good to know that. I bought some for testing on a (two stroke) DC. generator, and added a small amount (10-12 cc) of silver bottle Stihl oil, as the Zenoah desires rather more oil than 50:1.

[@danshouseofsmokeandoutdoor7119]

There all fairly close. Not sure make that much difference. With that said looks like don’t need to spend the money on the ams oil. Nice job on the test.

[@johnclarke6647]

If I want to run a JASO FD oil in a certain saw, especially my vintage Homelite and MAC saws, I run Husqvarna XP at 50:1 with PNE gas and stabilizer. My primary oil is 77ml of Stihl Ultra with the same gas and stabilizer.

[@zazijn]

As I seen in a n other KZbin test , AMSOIL had a lower burning point. So measuring the exhaust temperature indicates how well it burns. Higher exhaust temperatures would indicate more power end less pollution by more complete combustion. So measuring the temperature of internal components would give a idea if it lubricates well.

[@martinschulz9381]

Funny to read the comments, some people will defend their oil regardless what the results. Any brand name oil is fine, your engine won't know the difference. Many people use Walmart Super Tech oil with many years of service and amazing testimonials.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

It is funny, isn’t it! I’ll see if I can get my hands on some Super Tech. Cheers!

[@jamesrichardson559]

I would like to see SuperTech full synthetic in the test.

[@runtimmytimer]

It’s one data point about the oil’s flash point. While important, I think it’s more important to know how much oil is on internal parts. There’s other videos that do tear downs of the engine to inspect the internals which I think is far more valuable for determining which oil is “best”.

[@mikefisc9989]

I have to agree. As an owner of several Stihl products the one concern I have with Stihl HP Ultra is that it is not JASO-FD rated. Mixed at 50:1 it has been shown, through testing, to be inadequate in lubricating the upper cylinder. It is too bad that Stihl HP Super, which is JASO-FD rated, is not available in the US. Unfortunately, I believe this may be due to EPA regs.

[@andrewchernenkoff2611]

I fully agree, the engines were run in the specs of the engines ability and a few degrees difference is nothing. Oil is used to lubricate the rings, pistons, cylinders and bearings. Also, the oils should have all been run at the manufacturers recommended ratios. Amsoil Saber is supposed to be run at 100:1 and its flash point is far superior to a lot of those others and will also protect the internals of the engine better than any other oil in that test, they do the testing all the time. Im sorry testing temps is nothing and doesnt compare the oils for what they are manufacturered to do, and thst is lubricate and engine preventing wear!

[@waynestefinashen239]

Dave Merry Christmas from Jake and i at Eliminator Performance and may you have a prosperous New Year.

[@DavesSmallEngines]

You too Wayne and Jake!

[@jgbelmont]

There is a channel that the guy burned the oil. The one with the most char/carbon smoke was Stihl and the least was Husqvarna. May want to do that test also. I use stihl saws i was a bit surprised.

[@chadteter9486]

What is the flashpoint on all the oils?

[@ravensbude8076]

In Germany we don't have blue Stihl oil.

[@johnashton1737]

You should keep the pre-mixed fuels and do another test a year later.