2 Stroke fuel mix

[greenhead]

Gwiz - care to comment!  My Ryobi Strimmer (RLT30CET) recommended mix is 50:1.  But I have read that people have suffered engine damage using this ratio.  My experience with other 2 stroke strimmer type engines- their recommendations is 25:1.

Should I increase the oil content to preserve my engine?  and put up with starting difficulties this change may/will cause.

[BostonInbred]

Shouldnt make too much difference to starting, itll just run a bit more smokey.

[Slowgrind]

Always err on the generous side with two stroke oil!
Add a little more not less. 

[Gwiz]

most two stroke engine makers now recommend that you use 50:1 nowadays.
Stihl have recomended that ratio for some years!, and in point of fact, if you are using a modern machine of theirs with the new "four mix" engine, you should ONLY use that ratio with their "ultra" oil to avoid damage.

In other cases, I'd always go between 25 and 50:1, say around 33:1. Only because I don't like dissapearing in a blue haze whilst out cutting the hedge or strimming!

I've come across engine damage from 50:1, but that's usually down to excessive use in one go, and/or on a hot day. It's always a good idea to let the machine cool down for a bit every now and again. You can get on with something else. Say, Tea for example........

[Slowgrind]

Gwiz, don't you think that a decoke is cheaper than a pot and piston?
I've used Stihl two stroke engines for years with the 1:50 mix with few problems.
What are your thoughts?

[greenhead]

Oil - I use Halfords garden machinery 2 stroke oil  but they also sell a synthetic oil at twice the price, should I be using that at 50:1. 

My Ryobi strimmer came with a sample bottle of synthetic oil - is that telling me something?

[Rangerkris]

I run my Ryobi the other day with my chainsaw sthil mix and i thought the Ryobi was gonna run off down the street it was running so fast while i tillered the garden. Will stick to The proper stuff from now on i guess.

[Gwiz]

With the volume of equipment that the company I work for owns, and coupled to the fact that we have so many different operators, we have tended to err on the caution side as well. most of our guys run their Stihl equipment ( the non Four-mix engines ) on 25:1 "any old two stroke oil" whilst some others stick to the 50:1 ratio using the Stihl oil.  We tend only to keep our two stroke power equipment for a maximum of three years, so decoking doesn't, as a general rule, become a problem, but over-heating and pot/piston damage can be (mainly, I think, because of prolonged use and lack of operator basic maintenance---dirty air filter and blocked air vents) We do have to do a decoke every now and again on equipment that has "slipped through the replacement program".
As for cheapness, with the way the company operates, my time is charged out internally against the job that the equipment comes from, plus the cost of the parts. When you keep in mind that we have considerably more buying power than the average man/woman in the street, and so we tend to be able to source the equipment at a discount in the first place, we very often get to a point when a repair isn't economical (from the companys point of veiw), but would be economical, and make perfect sense, to decoke/repair it, if it belonged to you or me.......
I like fully synthetic oil, I think it's wonderfull stuff.
I sure as Hell don't like the price though, and always use the "El-cheapo" oil on my own power tools, thats why I always go in between with the oil mix, belt and braces type of attitude..

It all comes down to personal preference in the end, as slowgrind says, "err on the generous side"