Is there much difference in 2-stroke oils?

NIMAN

I have just bought a new Stihl blower and would like to run it using good oil/petrol to keep it in good nick.

The seller recommended I use Stihl own brand oil, which comes in Standard, Super and Ultra, the latter being fully synthetic. It does seem to get great reviews, but is expensive.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stihl-Ultra-Mixing-Oil-Dispenser/dp/B008BG2U7Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464175921&sr=8-2&keywords=stihl+ultra

I was wondering am I able to just buy a good branded 2-stroke oil like this Castrol one, which is also fully snythetic? Its half the price.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Castrol-Power-Racing-Engine-Oil/dp/B004I5R35S/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1464175707&sr=8-6&keywords=full+2+stroke+oil

Is there much difference in 2-stroke oils?
Would I be best to stick to ones aimed at garden equipment rather than motorbikes, or are 2-stroke engines the same across the board?

Oldtree

you could go for somthing like this Aspen 2T, it already has the 2 stroke added and I use nothing else in my blower/chainsaw/etc. I use the 4T version in the mower. virtually no exhaust fumes, but it is more expensive sadly.

http://www.mower-power.com/shannonside/product.asp?P_ID=776&strPageHistory=search&strKeywords=aspen&numPageStartPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=any&PT_ID=all

NIMAN

Where do you buy your Aspen 2?

monkeynuz

NIMAN wrote: »

I have just bought a new Stihl blower and would like to run it using good oil/petrol to keep it in good nick.

The seller recommended I use Stihl own brand oil, which comes in Standard, Super and Ultra, the latter being fully synthetic. It does seem to get great reviews, but is expensive.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stihl-Ultra-Mixing-Oil-Dispenser/dp/B008BG2U7Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1464175921&sr=8-2&keywords=stihl+ultra

I was wondering am I able to just buy a good branded 2-stroke oil like this Castrol one, which is also fully snythetic? Its half the price.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Castrol-Power-Racing-Engine-Oil/dp/B004I5R35S/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1464175707&sr=8-6&keywords=full+2+stroke+oil

Is there much difference in 2-stroke oils?
Would I be best to stick to ones aimed at garden equipment rather than motorbikes, or are 2-stroke engines the same across the board?

I only use Stihl oils in my equipment and always have, the Stihl ultra is very good, you can get it from Donegans for €29 or 5l for €85, bearing in mind that the 1litre bottle will make 50 litres of petrol then it should last you quite a while.

The aspen is supposed to be very good but it is very pricey in comparison.

Do you have a 4mix engine on the blower?

NIMAN

Not sure about what engine it has, its this model:
http://www.stihl.co.uk/STIHL-Products/Blowers-and-Vacuum-Shredders/Petrol-vacuum-shredders/21381-430/SH-56-C-E.aspx

No mention of engine in that information.

I'll probably just order the Stihl Ultra online.

Oldtree

NIMAN wrote: »

Where do you buy your Aspen 2?

from the people in this link in Shannon,

http://www.mower-power.com/shannonside/product.asp?P_ID=776&strPageHistory=search&strKeywords=aspen&numPageStartPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=any&PT_ID=all

but I understand it can be bought in most Husquevana shops, or ordered there.

before using aspen I used only Stihl branded products in my Stihl equipment and couldn't fault it.

NIMAN

Just found a supplier in NI that can deliver 5 litres of Aspen 2 to me for £19, is that a decent price?

I read that is has alkylate petrol in the mix, would this be much better for garden equipment than buying standard unleaded and adding Stihl HP Ultra oil?
Or negligible difference?

Oldtree

Thats not a bad price delivered.

The petrol in Aspen is top totty stuff and burns very clean, here's the bit of blurb:

http://www.joomag.com/magazine/enaspense-consumer/0579760001394457946

http://en.aspen.se/

NIMAN

Thanks, think I'll buy 5 litres and see how it goes.

Oldtree

NIMAN wrote: »

Thanks, think I'll buy 5 litres and see how it goes.

I can't use ordinary petrol any more in the garden as I just choke on the fumes, you're gonna love this stuff. I ran out just the once and got ordinary petrol for the mower and nearly died , that won't happen again. IMO anyone with breathing difficulties who uses ordinary petrol should give Aspen a go, see if it makes a difference and then have fun mowing and blowing their garden.

I got put on to it in early 2012 from a thread in forestry and have not looked back.

Hocus Focus

Oldtree wrote: »

NIMAN wrote: »

Thanks, think I'll buy 5 litres and see how it goes.

I can't use ordinary petrol any more in the garden as I just choke on the fumes, you're gonna love this stuff. I ran out just the once and got ordinary petrol for the mower and nearly died , that won't happen again. IMO anyone with breathing difficulties who uses ordinary petrol should give Aspen a go, see if it makes a difference and then have fun mowing and blowing their garden.

I got put on to it in early 2012 from a thread in forestry and have not looked back.

Try cleaning your air filter, or check that the choke is not partly on.

Hocus Focus

Oldtree wrote: »

you could go for somthing like this Aspen 2T, it already has the 2 stroke added and I use nothing else in my blower/chainsaw/etc. I use the 4T version in the mower. virtually no exhaust fumes, but it is more expensive sadly.

http://www.mower-power.com/shannonside/product.asp?P_ID=776&strPageHistory=search&strKeywords=aspen&numPageStartPosition=1&strSearchCriteria=any&PT_ID=all

@ 4- 5 per litre? You must be joking!
There is thread drift here as the OP was asking about 2T oil, not expensive petrol.
For my part, my Ryobi has been quite happy for many years, with no maintenance other than an annual plug-change, on a diet of Topaz Unleaded plus the recommended percentage of B&Q Garden Two-Stroke.

Oldtree

Hocus Focus wrote: »

Try cleaning your air filter, or check that the choke is not partly on.

Hocus Focus wrote: »

@ 4- 5 per litre? You must be joking!
There is thread drift here as the OP was asking about 2T oil, not expensive petrol.
For my part, my Ryobi has been quite happy for many years, with no maintenance other than an annual plug-change, on a diet of Topaz Unleaded plus the recommended percentage of B&Q Garden Two-Stroke.

I get the mower serviced ever year, and keep my other equipment serviced, still a huge difference in the exhaust funes/smoke between ordinary petrol and aspen, try it I dare ya!

thread drift

ya mod ya

NIMAN

As the OP, I did originally ask about difference in 2T oils, but I was interested in hearing about the Aspen.

I too have been putting ordinary Topaz unleaded and Halfords oil into my strimmer, but its a generic Chinese job from eBay and I wasn't too bothered about it, but having just bought a good quality blower I was interested in better quality oils.

To be honest, £19 might be considered very expensive for 5 litres of Aspen, but in the great scheme of things, its going to last a long time, and if it was to mean never having to buy another blower again I would consider it money well spent.

fryup

why are 2 stroke engines so bloody hard to start??

is it down to the quality of oil or bad mix?

TTTT

fryup wrote: »

why are 2 stroke engines so bloody hard to start??

is it down to the quality of oil or bad mix?

Ethanol in your petrol.
Use Aspen or a fuel stabiliser. Otherwise throw out your mix after 3 weeks.
The ethanol destroys the diaphragms in he carb.

fryup

Aspen ??

johnb25

fryup wrote: »

Aspen ??

See second post...