The 2-cycle oil I swore by for 15 years turned out to be the wrong stuff

For the longest time I was using a generic brand of 2-cycle oil I picked up at a farm supply store outside of Lincoln. Figured oil is oil, right? Well I started noticing a lot of carbon buildup on my saw piston after a big oak removal job last spring. Talked to an old timer at a tree service meetup in Omaha who told me to switch to a synthetic blend specifically rated for air cooled engines. I was skeptical but tried it on my Stihl MS 260 and the difference was night and day. Less smoke, smoother idle, and the plug stayed clean after a full day of cutting. Now I stick with the stuff that meets JASO FD standards and won't go back. Anyone else have a favorite oil brand that actually made a difference in their saws?

2 comments

2 Comments

blair_butler473d ago

Boy do I feel this one. I bet that old timer at the meetup felt like a hero telling you what you already should have known. Nothing like 15 years of burning through the wrong stuff to make you appreciate a clean spark plug.

christophermurray3d ago

Funny thing is I'm pretty sure I've burned through a set of plugs that looked like charcoal briquettes. Could've grilled burgers on them. Old timer probably looked at me like I was trying to reinvent the wheel with a square. Now I triple check everything before I even touch a wrench. At least my mistakes smell like gasoline and regret now instead of burnt oil.