see and snow or chain saw oil ? I can't decide

[towtruck]

chain saw oil at Fleet Farm- $2.99 quart- sea and snow -7 bucks a gallon with rebate- so sea and snow is about 40% less- I don't think my chain saw cares what oil it gets-why not use sea and snow?

 

[old abe]

I have used a lot of Sea and Snow in our saws, and trimmers. Specs are good for that use. Actually Citgo/Mystik market the same product under 2 different names. Sea&Snow, and as Air Cooled 2-Cycle oil. Same product, check the product # on the back of the container. Neither has a stabilizer for storage.

 

[jebjk1]

Bar oil, or engine oil?

 

[maddogg]

That's what I was going to ask. Bar or engine? I use s/s for everything. as long as there's oil in it I don't think it'll care. One tip I do have is to put your bar oil in a dish detergent bottle. Makes it easier to get it in the hole without dumping it all over.

 

[ibendwire]

Maddogg- great idea. I like to think I have a steady hand when filling the bar oil but seem to prove myself wrong most of the time.

 

[srt20]

Just a thought,

Air cooled 2s oils are thicker than liquid cooled 2s oils. Probably not a huge deal on lower performance or rpm air cooled engines. But if you have a higher dollar chainsaw, I might be inclined to use an air cooled 2s oil. And of course I would use the cheapest I can find.

I use S&S in all my 2 stroke engines except my chainsaw. Weed hacker, leaf blower, etc, I don't care. But my chainsaw gets thicker 2s oil.

 

[towtruck]

strictly bar oil,I am a tight wad but I would never use bar oil in my 2 stroke at any price !
I just can't believe a good stroke oil could be cheaper than chain saw bar oil- but it is

 

[snobuilder]

Bar oil has a sticky viscosity for a reason.

I use stihl oil in the premeasured containers . One six pack is going on 3rd year.

 

[elf]

Thanks for the heads up on the rebate. Just ran up and got 3 gallons. $14.99/gallon with a $8/gallon rebate make for inexpensive oil. Too bad they limit you to 3 gallons.

 

[towtruck]

thanks snobuilder, I didn't know bar oil was sticky and that makes sense - I thought it was basically cheap motor oil-so if I use sea and snow it will prob fly off the chain faster -I don't need that

 

[zltim]

I buy the little, 1 gallon size, synthetic oil for my chain saw, leaf blower, weed whacker. Its not the cheapest but with todays crappy gas, why add another reason for those little motors to fail.
My dealer also suggested to drain the gas out of the tank if the machine isn't used at least a couple times per month. I agree since its usually the reason I have to take it back to him because it is running crappy. Mine all have primers that really push the old gas out of the carb, not just prime a full bowl so I get newer gas in it.

Chain oil is for chains not motors and vice versa. Its a real sticky oil, almost like honey.

 

[snocrazy]

use S&S - never ethanol gas. Premium here has none. If you cant get ethanol free at station..... Buy race gas.
They even sell it a Menards in cans pre mixed. (93 octane and higher) Never an issue ever. 6 months storage. For light occasional use engines I highly recommend higher octane.

 

[snobuilder]

Trufuel is a product that makes sense for seasonal use small engines. Offered in both premix and straight fuel it lasts 5 yrs unopened and 2 yrs opened. Quart sized cans about $5.00

It comes in it's own can.

It says ethanol free right on the label so you know you can trust it.