Mixture rate on strimmer?

Shefwedfan · 06-10-2017 11:27AM #1

I got a second hand strimmer of a friend. Checked it out and works(well after 10 mins of trying to start).

Anyway no indication on it at all what mixture rate is. He has no idea as it was years ago since he used it.

Any idea's?

It is ProCut but no model numbers or anything left on it?

Pic attached

Shaunoc · 06-10-2017 01:09PM

on the stihl strimmers i have used it is 50:1
i have never accurately measured what i put in, just use the marker guide on the fuel mix

leeside11 · 06-10-2017 05:10PM

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I got a second hand strimmer of a friend. Checked it out and works(well after 10 mins of trying to start).

Anyway no indication on it at all what mixture rate is. He has no idea as it was years ago since he used it.

Any idea's?

It is ProCut but no model numbers or anything left on it?

Pic attached

Have a Tanaka Petrol Strimmer. Was told by guy servicing it - 4.5 litres of petrol to 100 mil oil if that helps

my3cents · 06-10-2017 11:08PM

Older stuff and a lot of cheap chinese 2 strokes would be 25 to 1 but that leaves a lot of unburnt oil in the cylinder and fouling the plug and exhaust so I use 40 to 1 in older no name equipment and 50 to 1 in decent newer brand name equipment.

fryup · 07-10-2017 09:28AM

Pro-cut..is that the woodies own brand?

Shefwedfan · 08-10-2017 07:50AM

fryup wrote: »

Pro-cut..is that the woodies own brand?

After a bit of looking it seems to be Ryobi Pro-Cut

Woodies bought I would guess

CJhaughey · 08-10-2017 07:57AM

40:1 you can't go wrong, they used to promote 50:1 for environmental reasons but many manufacturers are now moving back to 40:1 because of hot seizures when the machine is working hard.

Hocus Focus · 09-10-2017 07:12PM

They generally seem to operate on 40- or 50-to-1. I have two strimmers, one of which works on the former mixture and the other works on the latter.

Shefwedfan · 25-01-2018 02:41PM

Sorry to pull up old thread, never got chance to use the strimmer.....fired it up and used 40:1 ratio. It is a bit smokey but that could be because it is sitting up all year. It is working perfectly anyway so thanks for advice

Hocus Focus · 25-01-2018 03:24PM

The smokiness is probably an indication that your mixture may be too oily. My Ryobi Pro-Cut runs on 50:1 and there is a moulded-in reminder of that (somewhere!) on the machine, have a careful look all around the engine/tank. Most large hardware,/garden centres will be able to sell you a mixing bottle, to make up the mixture accurately.

Shefwedfan · 25-01-2018 03:27PM

Hocus Focus wrote: »

The smokiness is probably an indication that your mixture may be too oily. My Ryobi Pro-Cut runs on 50:1 and there is a moulded-in reminder of that (somewhere!) on the machine, have a careful look all around the engine/tank. Most large hardware,/garden centres will be able to sell you a mixing bottle, to make up the mixture accurately.

I had a look at a friends Ryobi and his was 50:1....

I was going to use that but a friend said a little but too much oil would not hurt it. I have a set of tools for the mixture rate so no issue with that.

Hocus Focus · 25-01-2018 03:37PM

New stiff machines need plenty of lubrication until they are run-in, but an old, well used one such as yours would be fine on the 50:1. You would be breathing in less smoke while using it.
"...tools for the mixture rate.." I don't understand?

Hocus Focus · 25-01-2018 03:40PM

P.S. The manufacturers err on the side of caution when prescribing mixture rates, so that they don't get seized-up new machines returned as guarantee repairs. You could probably go 60:1 on an old one.

Shefwedfan · 25-01-2018 03:46PM

Hocus Focus wrote: »

"...tools for the mixture rate.." I don't understand?

I bought a set from internet so it is very easy to measure out mixture rates...can't find it online now

Supertoucher · 29-01-2018 11:18AM

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I had a look at a friends Ryobi and his was 50:1....

I was going to use that but a friend said a little but too much oil would not hurt it. I have a set of tools for the mixture rate so no issue with that.

And I have a Ryobi (for all my sins) that is 30:1. I wouldn't go by perceived brand similarities, each engine is different. Especially as Ryobi use horrible cheap Chinese engines/carbs.

I'd really try and find a model number or match a picture off google and go by that, rather than make an educated guess off the brand.

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I bought a set from internet so it is very easy to measure out mixture rates...can't find it online now

If you don't have a mixing bottle, really all you need is a mixture table and a small measuring spoons or a measuring syringe.

Shefwedfan · 29-01-2018 11:32AM

Supertoucher wrote: »

And I have a Ryobi (for all my sins) that is 30:1. I wouldn't go by perceived brand similarities, each engine is different. Especially as Ryobi use horrible cheap Chinese engines/carbs.

I'd really try and find a model number or match a picture off google and go by that, rather than make an educated guess off the brand.

Of course my preference and I wouldn't have posted here if a model number or anything was visible on the unit. normally even on fuel cap it has it but nothing....it is running at 40:1 so I will up it to 50:1 to see if it removes some of the smoke....

Supertoucher wrote: »

If you don't have a mixing bottle, really all you need is a mixture table and a small measuring spoons or a measuring syringe.

Mixture table on web :-)

my3cents · 29-01-2018 12:30PM

Supertoucher wrote: »

And I have a Ryobi (for all my sins) that is 30:1. I wouldn't go by perceived brand similarities, each engine is different. Especially as Ryobi use horrible cheap Chinese engines/carbs.

....

I'd run that at 40:1 using good quality 2 stroke oil. Most of the old 25:1 and 30:1 recommendations assume that you are using 4 stroke SAE 30 lawn mower oil.

Too much oil tends to clog up the exhaust and cause plug fouling.

CJhaughey · 29-01-2018 02:39PM

I run 40:1 with Good Oil in everything, it doesn'd need to be full synthetic for everything good semi-syn stuff is fine in chainsaws and the like.
But buy a brand name, I have seen too many bottles of unnamed unspecced 2t oil to be confident that its good or indeed even OK.

_Brian · 31-01-2018 09:41AM

I was flicking through sthill manual and they recommend 50:1 using their mix oil, however if using other substandard oils they recommend 25:1 to ensure lubrication.
I wonder what is behind this or is it just to spur in sales of their own mix oil

my3cents · 31-01-2018 10:31AM

_Brian wrote: »

I was flicking through sthill manual and they recommend 50:1 using their mix oil, however if using other substandard oils they recommend 25:1 to ensure lubrication.
I wonder what is behind this or is it just to spur in sales of their own mix oil

The traditional all purpose small engine 4 stroke oil is SAE 30 the conditions its designed to work in are very different to that of a 2 stroke engine.

Look at it the other way around would you put 2 stroke engine oil even if it was cheap in a 4 stroke?

btw I can first remember reading that Stihl recommendation about 40 years ago so not much has changed. Back then I can remember using Stihls own brand of 50:1 oil commercially (iirc it was 25p a one shot bottle) if a cheaper oil would have been as good we'd have used it.

CJhaughey · 31-01-2018 11:54AM

_Brian wrote: »

I was flicking through sthill manual and they recommend 50:1 using their mix oil, however if using other substandard oils they recommend 25:1 to ensure lubrication.
I wonder what is behind this or is it just to spur in sales of their own mix oil

Its to cover themselves in case of warranty claims. They know that their oil is OK, (BTW there are semi and full synthetic Stihl oils) so they can specify that its OK to use at 50:1 but if Joe Soap goes down to the local shop and buys a one shot of no name no spec oil it may not be good enough.
If you buy decent 2t oil with a spec on the bottle I like (JASO FC or FD) then you know that the oil you are buying is decent.
I like Active 2t but I can't find it in 4litre bottles so I usually buy the Fuchs Titan which has a blue dye that is easy to see in mixed fuel.

Supertoucher · 08-02-2018 05:39PM

my3cents wrote: »

I'd run that at 40:1 using good quality 2 stroke oil. Most of the old 25:1 and 30:1 recommendations assume that you are using 4 stroke SAE 30 lawn mower oil.

Too much oil tends to clog up the exhaust and cause plug fouling.

Not in this case i'm afraid. From the manual:

If anything, the problems I have with it (surging if used for longer than 40 mins) suggests it is running lean.

As mentioned, from talking to my lawnmower guy, he won't touch them as they are cheap chinese engines and carbs. An example is that you can't adjust the carb without dremeling a notch in the adjustment screw, and even then, there is only a single screw when on most reputable engines, there are two.

I've learned my lesson and will most likely only buy from the likes of Tanaka, Stihl and Efco in the future (indeed I bought a Tanaka hedgetrimmer at the end of the season)

my3cents · 08-02-2018 09:35PM

Supertoucher wrote: »

ROTFL is it just me or did the chinese guy that wrote that have a problem with maths?

Edit> For those that didn't spot it 2% is 50:1 not 30:1 so the manuals wrong.

Shefwedfan · 09-02-2018 12:21AM

Supertoucher wrote: »

Not in this case i'm afraid. From the manual:

If anything, the problems I have with it (surging if used for longer than 40 mins) suggests it is running lean.

As mentioned, from talking to my lawnmower guy, he won't touch them as they are cheap chinese engines and carbs. An example is that you can't adjust the carb without dremeling a notch in the adjustment screw, and even then, there is only a single screw when on most reputable engines, there are two.

I've learned my lesson and will most likely only buy from the likes of Tanaka, Stihl and Efco in the future (indeed I bought a Tanaka hedgetrimmer at the end of the season)

You do realise in most situations the Tanaka/Stihl/Efco is build in the exact same plant as the no-name brand version. They just get a compay badge and head out another door......

The cheap cheap stuff is crap I do admit

CJhaughey · 09-02-2018 08:13PM

Shefwedfan wrote: »

You do realise in most situations the Tanaka/Stihl/Efco is build in the exact same plant as the no-name brand version. They just get a compay badge and head out another door......

The cheap cheap stuff is crap I do admit

Efco is Italian, they build a lot of 2t stuff in Italy maybe the lower end stuff is Chinese but I don't think they are all Chinese made.
Stihl have a Chinese plant but again its only some of the engines made in that plant.
Tanaka now Hitachi is Japanese and still build engines in Japan.

There are good Chinese engines as well like anything it depends on what kind of QC they have.

Mixture rate on strimmer?

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