Stihl saw premix MS290

[Highbeam]

So I have to come clean here. I bought a new MS290 this year and used premium fuel with Poulan synthetic 2 stroke oil at 40:1 in it. The owner's manual wants stihl 2 stroke oil (of course) at 50:1. I know some people get pretty religious about lube oil and brands and such but what is your opinion on the oil to use? I've gone through many quarts of the poulan synthetic premix over the years and never had an issue, I rather like it.

Is it really that important to use stihl oil? Is it really that important to use 50:1 vs. 40:1? What do you use in your stihl?

 

[smokinj]

I broke mine in with the stihl oil but now just use the quart jug of anything good and use my old one shots that I saved to make it easier. Gooserider trick if I rember right? 50-1 all the time

 

[Flatbedford]

50:1 of what ever name brand 2 stroke oil I grab for 12 years now in my 029.

 

['bert]

Did they not provide some stihl oil when you bought it? Around here they always get you to buy some and double your warrenty to 2 years with the purchase of the oil when you buy the saw. After buying my 2 saws, 2 leaf blowers, weadeater & hedge trimmer (all stihl) I have no shortage of their oil so that is what I run at 50:1. They "claim" they can tell if you burn it down, weather or not you were using Stihl oil. Everyone will have an opinion on this one.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

So I have to come clean here. I bought a new MS290 this year and used premium fuel with Poulan synthetic 2 stroke oil at 40:1 in it. The owner's manual wants stihl 2 stroke oil (of course) at 50:1. I know some people get pretty religious about lube oil and brands and such but what is your opinion on the oil to use? I've gone through many quarts of the poulan synthetic premix over the years and never had an issue, I rather like it.

Is it really that important to use stihl oil? Is it really that important to use 50:1 vs. 40:1? What do you use in your stihl?

No and No.

I use all sorts of stuff: Royal Purple TCW3, Klotz R50, Mobil MX2T, and I've used straight 30w in a pinch.

EDIT: and 40:1 will neither hurt nor help. I do it cuz that's what I run in my bikes.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I simply mix up 50:1 and use it in all 2 cycle engines. At present I have some Stihl oil but I also have some McCullough and some Amsoil that I can use too. I won't have to buy any 2 cycle oil for quite some time.

 

[ROBERT F]

Highbeam, reading your post you seem ashamed. What I can't tell is if your ashamed of using poulan oil, or for mixing the oil a little heavy. Well I am almost positive that that poulan oil is somebody elses oil in a green bottle, and a little more oil never killed anbody. ok maybe a few mosquitoes and some bad asmatics. 40:1? use it. 50:1? use it. 100:1? if your oil says its ok, and you want to deal with them when/if your saw burns up? use it.

 

[docwiley]

I have used opti-2 synthetic oil for years in my saws. We have 3-026's and a 361 and have never had any problem whatsoever with it. we have run the 026's for I think about 8-9 years and the 361 for 3years. We cut probably about 40-50 full cords a year and and the saws are still as strong as the day we bought them. Just started running a 180 on this mix this year also.

 

[Highbeam]

Thanks guys, you put me at ease. I guess I am most ashamed for not following the manual on the pretty white and orange saw. I like the poulan oil since it has the cool squeeze to measure dispenser deal so I don't need to mess up a measuring device, it is cheap, and it burns cleanly with no smoke or stink. I use too much oil to buy all those little bottles and all of my other two stroke equipment wants 40:1. I kinda thought that the extra oil might lean out the mix but maybe that was a motorcycle issue. I was then a bit worried that the stihl oil was special.

Oh and they gave me the tiny bottle of stihl oil when I bought the saw but I didn't want to run my other stuff at 50:1 and risk underlubing it. No offer of extended warranty.

I use gallons and gallons of the walmart super tech TCW3 in my diesel truck but I wouldn't dare use that stuff in my air cooled engines.

 

[polaris]

I think I read on Bob is the oil guy that walmart Tcw3 is repackaged vavoline. It's not like Walmart or Stihl has a refinery somewhere, they all buy it from some major refiner.

 

[kevin j]

Isn't TCW-3 the two cycle water cooled formula? the old outboard motor formulation? That was not for air cooled or high rpm. Had a lot of additives for cold running and deposits typical of outboards but not high temp high rpm wear additives.

If so, how do you use in in the truck?
Or is that a walmart part number nothing to do with the old BIA TC-3 designation?

 

[polaris]

Not sure on the designation but I use it in my Dodge p/u w/Cummins diesel as well as in my diesel tractors. You add it to fuel to lube pump and injectors and it helps offset the lack of lubrication found in ulsd.

 

[Highbeam]

TCW-3 is an ashless 2-stroke lube oil meant for water cooled and outboard 2 stroke engines. I would not use it in an air cooled 2 stroke small engine but maybe the stihls can take it?

It works extremely well to restore lubricity to the current ULSD diesel fuel which was lost by the desulfering process. The sulfur didn't lube the diesel but their process for desulfering it removes major lubricity from diesel fuel which makes the fuel components dependent on this lubrication get unlubed and noisy. There was this study (something BTOG would do) that compared most of the available diesel lubricity additives and compared their performance using some standardized friction test. Well the supertech 2-stroke oil beat out all but the most obscure lubricity additives. I use it at a rate of 1 oz per gallon with my diesel fuel and it immediately took my powerstroke injectors from rattly noisy things to much much quieter. Like on the drive home from the fuel station quick and so much quieter that the wife even noticed. I buy it by the gallon and fill up 14 oz containers for use at the fuel depot.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Isn't TCW-3 the two cycle water cooled formula? the old outboard motor formulation? That was not for air cooled or high rpm. Had a lot of additives for cold running and deposits typical of outboards but not high temp high rpm wear additives.

If so, how do you use in in the truck?
Or is that a walmart part number nothing to do with the old BIA TC-3 designation?

Yes.

Water cooled two strokes run with tighter tolerances and higher compression than air cooled two strokes, so the lubricity and film strength of these oils is better. It's above and beyond what any chainsaw requires.

 

[ikessky]

I'll admit that I only use the Stihl pre-mix bottles. I bought a six pack last time I was at the dealer to get a chain. I run that and 92 octane fuel only for my saw. Actually, I only use 92 octane for all my lawn equipment also.

 

[Flatbedford]

I refill the little premix bottles with whatever 2 cycle oil I happen to have handy. Works for me.

 

[North of 60]

TCW-3 is an ashless 2-stroke lube oil meant for water cooled and outboard 2 stroke engines. I would not use it in an air cooled 2 stroke small engine but maybe the stihls can take it?

It works extremely well to restore lubricity to the current ULSD diesel fuel which was lost by the desulfering process. The sulfur didn't lube the diesel but their process for desulfering it removes major lubricity from diesel fuel which makes the fuel components dependent on this lubrication get unlubed and noisy. There was this study (something BTOG would do) that compared most of the available diesel lubricity additives and compared their performance using some standardized friction test. Well the supertech 2-stroke oil beat out all but the most obscure lubricity additives. I use it at a rate of 1 oz per gallon with my diesel fuel and it immediately took my powerstroke injectors from rattly noisy things to much much quieter. Like on the drive home from the fuel station quick and so much quieter that the wife even noticed. I buy it by the gallon and fill up 14 oz containers for use at the fuel depot.

Same here on my inline Bosh pump and injector's for my 97 5.9L Cummins.

 

[anjell]

I don't know why they didn't provide you with the stihl oil when you bought it. That thing usually comes with it.


Regards,
Anjell
(broken link removed)

 

[Highbeam]

They did, one bottle. I haven't used it since I don't want a whole gallon of 50:1 oil that I can't use with my other 40:1 equipment.

 

[smokinj]

They did, one bottle. I haven't used it since I don't want a whole gallon of 50:1 oil that I can't use with my other 40:1 equipment.

I went through 2 gallons yesterday sure didnt think it was a 2 gallon job

 

[ROBERT F]

why not just dump that little bottle into a less than a gallon and get your 40:1 ratio? I buy my oil in larger containers and use a premix bottle to make the ratio. much cheaper than 2.6 oz bottles. but i do have a few of those lying around to.

They did, one bottle. I haven't used it since I don't want a whole gallon of 50:1 oil that I can't use with my other 40:1 equipment.