You can use different chainsaws in your work - for three to four thousand rubles, purchased in a hypermarket at a discount, or for 15-20 - from an official dealer. Their quality, performance and resource will be different. But there is one component without which it is generally impossible to use this tool. Without the correct fuel mixture. Seemingly simple instructions turn out to be not so clear in reality, and an incorrectly prepared mixture can cause dire consequences.
Why mix oil and gasoline?
Most people are used to handling four-stroke engines.
Even in motorcycles, this type of engine is now more common than two-stroke engines. The requirement in itself to pour oil into gasoline does not lead to an understanding of the process. After all, in conventional car engines there is a whole system that prevents the mixing of oil and fuel. The whole trick is in the design features of low-power internal combustion engines with two cycles of operation. They are very simple in design and do not have an oil pan and a pump that would pump liquid lubricant to the right places. The crankcase contains only the cylinder and the crank mechanism with the crankshaft.
To ensure lubrication, the designers took a different route: they arranged the channel system in such a way that the fuel not only penetrates the combustion chamber, but also washes the moving components on the back side of the piston. Since the lubricating properties of gasoline are clearly insufficient to reduce friction, oil is added to it. By the way, due to these features, the rings on the piston are exclusively compression rings, there are no oil scraper rings.
Proportion for chainsaw Friendship
The pedigree for the Druzhba chainsaw began in 1953 with development at the Progress ZMKB. The production of goods was entrusted to two enterprises - the Siberian Instrument-Making Plant and the Perm Machine-Building Plant. Mass production of the mechanized product began, which is still the trend of the day, since the unit was systematically modernized.
Engines use low octane fuel. The unit shows the highest performance when filling the internal combustion engine with AI-76 and AI-80 gasoline.
It is recommended to dilute gasoline and oil according to the following algorithm:
Take 2 clean containers, dried from moisture with volume marks. Then the fuel is diluted with two-stroke oil in a ratio of 1:50. That is, the fuel is diluted with 20 milligrams of oil.
Proportions of gasoline and oil
Very little oil is required for normal engine operation. Its quantity is always determined as a percentage, since the gas tank of saws can have different capacities. In addition, many operators prepare the mixture with a small reserve, especially if there is serious work to be done. After all, one tank of modern tools, despite all its efficiency, is rarely enough for more than 1 cubic meter of firewood.
1/50
This is a standard due to the high quality of manufacturing of modern engines. Characteristic of most modern saws made in German, Swiss, American, Japanese and Italian production. In a word, all saws released no more than 10 years ago by world-famous brands - Husqvarna, Shtil, Oleo-Mak, Makita, Echo and others - will require exactly this proportion. You can find out about this from the instructions.
However, many purely Chinese saws are also influenced by improved processing and assembly technologies. Thus, many saws of domestic brands assembled in the Middle Kingdom also work on a 1:50 mixture. For example, on recently released Bison models, the proportion marking label appeared in the form of a cardboard flag directly on the handle of the starter cord, apparently for those who do not like to look at the instructions.
1/40
This ratio is often called “break-in”. This means that after purchasing a new saw, you will need to pour a more oil-rich mixture into the gas tank. At this time, the moving parts of the cylinder-piston group are ground in; the process requires a larger proportion than usual. After burning a couple of tanks in a gentle mode, you can switch to the ratio recommended by the manufacturer.
Also, the 1/40 proportion is generally accepted by some manufacturers, for example, in Partner chainsaws. Considering that there is slightly more oil here than in the previous version, a slight excess of the norm will not harm any engine. When using high-quality fuel and lubricants, another question arises - the price of rather expensive consumables.
1/25
Today it is considered obsolete. Widely used in domestic chainsaws of old designs like Druzhba or Ural. Today it can still be found in some Chinese chainsaws of the “no-name” class or branded by retail chains. However, every year the number of such products is decreasing and constitutes the most budget and low-quality niche of gas-powered tools. In addition, for such products it does not matter how expensive and high-quality oil is poured into the gas tank - the engine life is still shamelessly short in any case.
Shelf life of ready-made fuel mixture for chainsaws
So, pure gasoline can not be stored for very long, and the finished fuel mixture can be stored even less. Some manufacturers indicate that, in a diluted state, storage is allowed for up to one month.
But experts recommend storing no more than 8-10 days.
It’s just that as soon as you mix, the oil immediately begins to gradually lose its properties. As a result, after a few days this fuel mixture is no longer the same as it was originally. What can we say about storing it for more than a month?
Therefore, do not prepare the mixture for future use. You need to cook as much as you are going to use for the upcoming work. Only experience can tell you how much you need to prepare. If you still don’t have enough, then prepare no more than one liter of fuel mixture. If it’s not enough, then cook more - it won’t take long. If it remains, it will not be such a large amount that you will regret it.
The prepared fuel mixture should be stored in a closed, opaque container. Or, if the container is see-through, then place it in a dark place. The container must be petrol resistant. For example, plastic bottles for various drinks (“one and a half bottles”) are not suitable. Their plastic is corroded by gasoline and all this crap gets into the engine.
You can use special metal or plastic canisters for flammable materials. Or simply use an empty canister of any used oil, after rinsing the inside several times with clean gasoline. Glass containers will also work, but keep in mind that they are easy to break.
Consequences of incorrect dosage
Many chainsaw users don't pay enough attention to proportions. 50 grams more or less - does it matter? But in vain: often the cause of saw malfunctions is operation with an incorrectly prepared fuel mixture. Moreover, you can make a mistake or intentionally violate the ratio either up or down.
If there is a lot of oil...
There is an opinion among chainsaw owners that “you can’t ruin an engine with oil.” But it’s not for nothing that they come up with the necessary parameters for the finished mixture. Excess oil can also be harmful and cause inconvenience. Indeed, despite the improved combustion characteristics without residue, some hydrocarbons still turn into soot and carbon deposits. At low concentrations there are few of them, but if you enrich the mixture with oil twice as much as the norm, then coking will result. This is especially dangerous for cheap mineral oils that do not have a “washing” effect.
It is also highly likely that you will find oil in the air filter when the carburetor is overfilled. The candle will also be sooted - it will need to be cleaned, rinsed and dried. Also, vapors from unburned oil will settle in the muffler, and during intensive operation they will burn out, forming a trail of soot and sparks.
After such refueling, almost all the insides of the saw will have to be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed. The funniest “surprise” will be the “dying” of the piston rings - but this is only in the case of systematic abuse of oil overflow and work under heavy load.
...or little
“Greed” when preparing the fuel mixture has ruined more than one piston.
This is where it really is better to be “overcautious” than to be “underdressed.” After all, if in the first case you are faced with a thorough “washing” of the unit, then in the second you will have to change the CPG, and this is generally unprofitable on many saws, but for others it costs quite a lot of money. Conclusion: saving is pointless. If there is not enough oil, the piston begins to rub strongly against the cylinder, since at high temperatures gasoline is too fluid to act as a lubricant.
Sad result: scuff marks on the piston, ruined saw engine. If the owner comes to his senses in time, he will find that the piston and cylinder are cast in a beautiful blue. No master can give a guarantee how long these will last.
The best oils for chainsaw chains
You can find the highest quality oils on the market, which are recommended to be used by almost all manufacturers of chainsaws and companies that manufacture saw accessories for them. These products have high adhesive properties, which makes them effective when working in difficult weather conditions. These lubricants include:
- Stihl ForestPlus oil - this composition is best used at an air temperature of at least -15 ⁰ͦC. The material is supplied for sale in containers with a capacity of 1 or 5 liters;
- Stihl SynthPlus lubricant - has high adhesion to metal coatings. The composition shows high efficiency when working in conditions not lower than -25 ⁰C;
- Husqvarna Bio Advanced oil performs equally well in both normal and extreme conditions. The product has a balanced composition with increased adhesive properties;
- Makita Biotop lubricant is one of the top products. reliably protecting the sawing parts of the tool from increased friction and premature wear. The price of this oil is an order of magnitude lower than Stihl products;
- Oleo-Mac Polar Lube oil is a budget lubricant that stands out for its low price and excellent viscosity and adhesion parameters.
To lubricate each of these products, manufacturers advise using no more than 5 mg of lubricant per cycle of operation.
Recommendations for ingredients
Even a chainsaw owner who observes the proportions down to the gram can harm his tool if he uses low-quality or inappropriate components. The general recommendation is to use special fluids.
Two words about oil...
Oil for two-stroke engines is produced primarily for gasoline-powered household tools. It is always painted in some bright color - blue, green, red, pink. This is done so that when added to gasoline, it becomes clear that this is a ready-made mixture that can already be poured into the gas tank. Large manufacturers, such as Stihl, have several types of oils that differ in color.
If you have a saw that recommends oil from the same manufacturer, follow this recommendation if you are a beginner. Only through trial and error do experienced “pillars” find the very oil that suits them best.
Do not pour car motor oil into a two-stroke engine! Although the Internet is full of reviews from those who say “Lew, and the flight is normal,” believe me: they have not yet shown the piston of their instrument to the master. And the smoke from the muffler is unlikely to please you.
... and about gasoline
To say that in oil-producing and refining Russia gasoline is mostly of poor quality means repeating the obvious. You can get caught with bad fuel not only at nameless gas stations, but also at large gas stations with a big name. High-quality gasoline is very important for modern high-tech chainsaws - it allows them to work with maximum efficiency and minimal wear. The general requirement today is to use gasoline with an octane rating of at least 92. It has optimal performance for chainsaws.
It was possible to pour 76 gasoline into old Soviet units. Today you shouldn’t do this even with cheap Chinese saws - you will only speed up its “death”. It is also not recommended to go to the other extreme - pouring 95 or even 98 into an expensive instrument, thinking that it will be better for it.
Arkady, 39 years old, Moscow, consultant at a petroleum equipment store
We recommend pouring 92-octane gasoline into two-stroke engines, purchased from trusted places, the quality of which you have no doubt about. Buyers come and ask: the better the gasoline, the better the saw? Why not pour 95 then? After all, more advanced cars require only it.
Answer: most of the Russian 95 gasoline is the same 92, but with additives that reduce detonation. This parameter is not important for a chainsaw; it needs the purest gasoline possible, since additives are completely unnecessary. Therefore, the logic is simple: pure 92 is better than the more expensive 95, but with unnecessary additives.
— Arkady, 39 years old, Moscow, consultant at a petroleum equipment store
What oil should I use?
The oil, as I already said, should be for two-stroke engines. Moreover, it must be suitable specifically for chainsaws, as indicated on its packaging. It’s just that there are also two-stroke oils, for example, purely for outboard engines or scooters. They should not be used, since the operating mode of such equipment is not so intense, and therefore the requirements for oil are somewhat lower.
At the same time, there are oils that indicate that they are suitable for both chainsaws and boat engines and scooters. This oil can be used. But if it is only for outboard motors or scooters, then it is not possible.
Oil manufacturers
One of the best oils, as generally accepted by most experts, is produced by Stihl, the same company that also makes chainsaws very well. Therefore, if you have an expensive chainsaw, then it is better not to save money by buying cheaper oils.
Another serious global manufacturer of chainsaws, Husqvarna, also produces two-stroke oil of the same name. But many users noted that when used on equipment from other brands, it leads to excessive smoke, and in general chainsaws do not operate at full capacity. At the same time, Husqvarna equipment itself works perfectly with this oil. Therefore, if you have a Husqvarna chainsaw, then buy the same oil for it. It is better not to take it for other equipment.
There are also well-known world brands that produce various malas, including two-stroke ones. For example, Ravenol. You can also buy oil from such manufacturers without fear.
There are oils produced in Russia. In principle, they are not bad if the saw is used for domestic use. That is, it will, of course, somewhat reduce the life of the chainsaw, but in everyday life you won’t even notice it, since the chainsaw engine, in any case, will serve for many years under such gentle operating conditions. For professional activities, I do not recommend using this oil.
But the most important thing is not to run into fake products. To avoid this, buy oil in reliable, serious stores and retail chains, and not in some obscure markets.
Oil color
Two-stroke engine oil is usually red, blue or green. This does not affect the performance properties in any way. The dye is added only so that in the future you do not confuse the gasoline-oil mixture with pure gasoline and do not pour it somewhere where it is not supposed to be poured.
Mineral water or synthetic?
Yes, just like for cars, there are both mineral and synthetic oils for chainsaws. Due to its lower price, mineral oil is used in most cases. However, synthetic provides a longer service life for the chainsaw, since it does not leave carbon deposits on the cylinder walls.
But don't be afraid of mineral oil if you can't get synthetic oil. Although there is carbon deposits with it, there is not much of it. However, the service life of a saw with such oil will be slightly lower (but not catastrophically).
What you just definitely cannot do is start using synthetic oil after you have previously used mineral water on your chainsaw for a long time (more than 100 operating hours). This is due to the fact that synthetics will wash away the accumulated carbon deposits and it can end up in pieces where it is not needed. Therefore, if you initially started using mineral oil, then use only that.
Instructions for preparing the mixture
When high-quality fuel and good special oil are prepared, all that remains is to prepare the mixture:
- Take a suitable measuring container. Many saws come with one free of charge. The main thing is that it has divisions and a tightly screwed lid. The volume should be two to three times larger than that of the gas tank. This will allow you to prepare the mixture with a small margin.
- Using a funnel, pour gasoline into a suitable container. Do not add four fingers to the edge, so that there is still room for shaking.
- Draw the appropriate amount of oil into the syringe with the needle removed. It is most convenient to use a 20 cc syringe - for a liter of gasoline this exactly corresponds to the proportion of 1/50. Squeeze the oil from the syringe into a container with gasoline.
- Screw on the cap and shake the container. Once you open it, the mixture should be a uniform pale shade of the same color as the butter. After that, you can safely pour it into the gas tank.
What is the correct way to breed?
It is not for nothing that the numbers of dilution proportions are given with such accuracy. That is, it does not say that “take approximately this amount of oil.” It is impossible to maintain the exact proportion by eye, so you will have to use something that will allow you to measure the exact amount of oil and gasoline.
Some inexpensive chainsaws usually come with a measuring tank with marks. As a rule, there are several scales on it for different proportions. Or one, if the manufacturer implies that this tank will only be used with the saw with which it comes with. There should be two horizontal marks on this scale. The lower one shows the level to which you need to fill gasoline. Upper is the level to which the mixture should reach after adding oil to gasoline.
To measure the oil more accurately, you can use a medical syringe. Preferably no less than 20 ml.
Basically, pour gasoline into a measuring container, add the required amount of oil measured with a syringe and shake.
Preparing the mixture must be done in a separate container, and not directly in the tank of the chainsaw. Otherwise, the oil, without having time to be diluted with gasoline, may get into the carburetor, which will complicate starting, up to the need to remove the carburetor and clean it.
Advice from experienced people
Bogdan Mikhailovich, 51 years old
14 years of chainsaw ownership experience
Now there is a lot of oil, it is very easy to run into a fake. The point here isn’t even that it’s somehow wrong, it’s just an ordinary mineral water, and you buy it at the price of branded, famous synthetics. Therefore, it is better to buy from official dealers - at least they have normal supplies. Among the companies I can recommend Shtil, Oregon, Husqvarna is also good, but in my opinion, a little expensive. Recently, Zubr began producing its own oils. I tried it - it seems ok, and cheaper, but it’s better not to use it in professional equipment. And for household ones it will do.
Anton, 37 years old
6 years of experience using chainsaws at home
I am surprised to see how not only newcomers to gasoline technology, but also quite gray-haired guys prepare a whole canister of the mixture so as not to have to do it all over again every time. Come to your senses, people, this is a mixture; over time, it separates a little, sediment falls out, and the properties change. it must be fresh. Its maximum shelf life is less than a month. And it’s even better to chat a new one before each session, your hands won’t fall off, it’s a matter of minutes. And then they complain about problems, that the saw is sneezing and all that. Of course, the oil peeled off, the cylinder was rubbed dry, it turned out to be a burr, and then a scuff. For repairs.
What kind of gasoline should I put in my chainsaw?
When choosing the right fuel, each tool owner should take into account the brand and country of origin of the model in the household. Old saws of domestic production called Ural and Druzhba are best refueled with AI-80 gasoline. It contains exactly those additives that are necessary for the stable operation of unpretentious domestic engines. More modern domestic models are designed to run on 92 gasoline.
Things are a little different with imported chainsaws. The engines of all these models are designed for more gentle fuel, so German, Swedish, American and Japanese chainsaws must be filled exclusively with AI-92 gasoline.
When choosing gasoline, its condition plays an important role. Many novice gardeners are confident that the fuel tank of the saw can be filled with fuel, which will remain in the canister for a long time. Some believe that the tool already works in conditions of constant dust, and it is because of this that manufacturers have provided a special air compensator in the carburetor, which is activated when the air filter wears out.
This opinion is fundamentally wrong. As a result of a long stay in a canister, gasoline loses its main properties, and its composition, depending on the material of the container, is replenished with molecules of plastic or metal rust.
Due to the long stay in the canister, gasoline begins to lose its vapors, which are what ignite when the chainsaw is started. It is because of this that gardeners face a number of typical problems, including:
- difficulty starting the engine;
- rapid drop in engine power;
- accelerated wear of tool elements.
To prevent this, you need to regularly use only fresh fuel from trusted gas stations. It is best to buy 2-3 liters of gasoline every morning before starting work in the garden. Using fresh gasoline will make it easier to start the chainsaw and significantly extend its service life.
Why do you need to dilute the lubricant?
At the very beginning, it is necessary to understand the reason for the dilution of fuel. The mixture used for a chainsaw is diluted primarily to extend the service life of its owner. The instructions for it strictly prohibit operation without diluting gasoline.
The basis of the chainsaw motor is a piston internal combustion engine. It consists only of a cylinder, so it does not have additional systems for lubricating parts. The mixture enters it, settles, lubricates the piston rings and walls. In tools such as chainsaws , oil and gasoline act as a unique lubricating fluid. The mixture extends the service life of all parts.
Mixing technology
In addition, it contains additives that are beneficial for engine performance. It has antioxidant, preservative and other properties, which are also useful for the engine and its parts.
How to refuel a chainsaw
Let's look at how to refuel a chainsaw. If the saw is not threaded correctly, this may pose a threat to the life and health of the operator of the device.
There are rules that must be followed when refueling the saw:
- Do not spill oil or fuel mixture;
- the place where the saw will be refueled must be level;
- the place must be more than 2 m away from the area where the device will be used;
- the area should be located away from fire; Smoking is prohibited in this area;
- while the fuel tank is being filled, you need to fill the oil tank, which is designed to automatically lubricate the chain; You can distinguish containers by special icons;
- Before pouring, wipe the necks of the containers with a rag;
- During operation, lubricant and gasoline should not be allowed to spill, so you need to be careful when unscrewing the canister lids; When refueling, it is better to use a funnel;
- Care should be taken when tightening the lid with a lock;
- Experts advise not to fill the container completely, but to leave a little free space.
When operating a properly fueled chainsaw, you should regularly check the tightness of the containers and the operation of the motor. If the chain gets very hot, or the gas is being consumed too quickly (faster than oil), this should cause concern. Before starting work, the chainsaw is run in.
When the chain saw operates correctly, 1 gasoline tank should be enough for 30 minutes of operation of the device at maximum load. When the gasoline runs out, the lubricant still remains in the second container, but in small quantities.
