# I need a weed eater



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

What's better. Redmax or echo. I need a new commercial weed eater. which one should I get?


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

hello??
you are wasting your money, you dont need commercial stuff, besides that you have a perfectly good homelite unless you screwed that up, that will last fo years, use pennzoil outboard 2 cycle oil, get a measuring thing in the automotive section at walmart and mix it at 3.2 ounces of oil for every gallon of gas
that will work with your poulan blower, your featherlite blower, and your homel.ite trimmer, if it calls for 50:1 then you are still good because thats only .2 ounces more oil than what it says to use, its not going to kill it or harm it, it wont smoke with the pennzoil outboard oil unless you use a whole bottle of it, it doesnt come in the little pre measured bottles
your sparkplugs will look like new for years with pennzoil


----------



## hankster (Jan 1, 1998)

Sorry, I have to disagree here. Never use outboard 2-cycle oil in your air cooled engine. The requirements of an air cooled engine are far different then an outboard motor. These differences in oil are from the huge difference in operating temperature. One oil has an additive for lube at high temp. Yeah yeah, I know some people out there have done it for years, but that don't make it right. Just because their engine is still running, doesn't mean its life hasn't been shortened. And it will void your warranty of any manufacturers air-cooled engine.

Straight out of the Husqvarna manual (you'll find the same statements in all air-cooled L&G equipment manuals):
Two-stroke oil
• For the best results use HUSQVARNA two-stroke oil, which is especially developed for chain saws. Mixing ratio 1:50 (2%).
• Never use two-stroke oil intended for water cooled outboard engines, so-called, outboard oil.
• Never use oil intended for four-stroke engines.

Best bet is to follow the recommedations of the manufacturer. I use a good quality synthetic 2-cycle oil.


----------



## bbnissan (Nov 7, 2004)

I would cough up the money and get an Echo. They make excellent trimmers and they have alot more power than a Red Max in my opinion. The only thing that even compares is a Stihl or Sindawa trimmer.

I also have to agree with hankster about using the outboard 2 cycle oil. If you want proof I can send you a picture of the pile of trimmers, blowers, and chainsaws that were burned up on outboard 2 cycle oil.


----------



## scrench (Dec 8, 2004)

i will agree with both bb and hankster echo 2601 is probally the best trimmer of all and the parts for echo are alot more easy on the wallet


and on the oil ,,, well there is alot to explaine there but to keep it short and sweet ,, an out board engine will never come close to the rpm's that trimmer engines see and the time periods period ...... anyone that uses the pennzoil outboard oil is asking for it , besides pennzoil is the wonder oil i wonder how long my engine will last on it , the heat is caused by not enough lube ,, and over mixing oil will cause as many problems as not enough ,, go with the echo 2601 , or maby a fs 55 stihl trimmer , i dont really care for shindiawa but i kinda got sideways with the rep one time over a warranty deal on a 488 saw lol


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

yeah and if you want proof of using the right oil but using more oil mixed to gas, doesn't smoke and well it still runs and i've tried to blow it up from using it hard.


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

hankster said:


> Sorry, I have to disagree here. Never use outboard 2-cycle oil in your air cooled engine. The requirements of an air cooled engine are far different then an outboard motor. These differences in oil are from the huge difference in operating temperature. One oil has an additive for lube at high temp. Yeah yeah, I know some people out there have done it for years, but that don't make it right. Just because their engine is still running, doesn't mean its life hasn't been shortened. And it will void your warranty of any manufacturers air-cooled engine.
> 
> Straight out of the Husqvarna manual (you'll find the same statements in all air-cooled L&G equipment manuals):
> Two-stroke oil
> ...


its a multipurpose 2 cycle oil for aircooled outboards and outdoor power equipment :tongue: 
i pulled the muffler on my blower this morning and the bore still has the cross hatch on it


----------



## scrench (Dec 8, 2004)

roperdude91 said:


> its a multipurpose 2 cycle oil for aircooled outboards and outdoor power equipment :tongue:
> i pulled the muffler on my blower this morning and the bore still has the cross hatch on it


yea but just think if you were using the right oil and knew you were you would not have to anything but run it no working on it @ all


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

yeah i've been using mine all of five years hardly and well. i havn't done any work on it yet, starts first pull!!!!!!!!!


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

scrench said:


> yea but just think if you were using the right oil and knew you were you would not have to anything but run it no working on it @ all


i dont have to work on my 2 strokes(other than the old(90's) blower motor that was gotten from the dump)
i clean and re oil the air filters, change the sparkplugs every other year and all i did was check the cylinder bore on them by pulling the muffler :tongue:


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

I use univerisal 2 stroke precision mix. It shows hoew much to put for 50:1 40:1 and 32:1. The homlite is 50:1 and the blowers are 40:1. I like echo and will get one. They have them at hd. The I'm looking at is 200.


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

u use the walmart supertech 2 stroke oil lol
pennzoil is better, and the stuff you are using is tcw3 like the pennzoil lol


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

yeah as long as its tcw3 rated. i'm about to get me a new one myself. not because of my old one but because i want a straight shaft


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

i use the pennzoil cuz it dont smoke and its tcw3 and my plugs look like new


----------



## hankster (Jan 1, 1998)

Data Sheet for Pennzoil Permium Plus Outboard Motor Oil
http://www.pzlqs.com/Tech/Pdsheet/DomesticMarketing/EngineOils/pdf/PennzoilMarinePremiumPlusOutboard.PDF

Data Sheet for Pennzoil 2-Cyle Air-Cooled Motor Oil
http://www.pzlqs.com/Tech/Pdsheet/DomesticMarketing/EngineOils/pdf/2-CycleAirCooled.PDF

Note the different specs of the oil. The OB oil says it's for engines requiring TC-W3 spec oils. Air Cooled engines require API spec oil... as in the second link. Yes, there are some multigrade oils available... I wouldn't use them as they are comprimizes for either engine. Use the oil that is designed for the type of engine you have... syntetic is best. In any case, no matter if it was the right oil, I would let Pennzoil come near any engine I run


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

ahem youve got the wrong outboard oil sheet lool
thats not what i use


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

Can I use the pennzoil that I use for my mowers?


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

no dude, pennzoil oil for 4 cycle engines is made for gas powered 4 cycle engines. if you even could and tried it in a 2 cycle it would either smoke like hell or blow up. you use the right 2 cycle engine oil specified by the equipment maker and your sure not to screw up. either that or use a oil made for 2 cycles made exactly for that size engine. hense if it takes 40:1, use 40:1 oil designed for it. most will say for chainsaws or weed eaters


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

you asked me that too and i told you know
actually you asked me that alot of times
thats 10w30 oil scott, not for trimmers and blowers, for mowers and cars lol
use a 2 stroke oil damnit


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

learn this
if its labeled MOTOR OIL its motor oil for a 4 cycle, nothing other then that
if its labeled 2 CYCLE motor oil its made for a 2 cycle. use the correct type for your model. hense if it uses 50:1 use a oil specified by the equipment maker for that engine. if it uses 50:1 oil, get a 2 cycle oil made specifically for trimmers, chainsaws or blowers. what i call idiot pictures come on most of them for people not to screw up. if you want to blow it up go ahead and use pennzoil motor oil in it. also i wonder whats everybodys stand on quakerstate?? mainly i ask is because its pennzoil, and roper don't down syntec, if it was bad, why the hell would drag strip racers running high strain high hp engines use it? it is good oil. i don't care if its class 3. its better then conventional oil.


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

Okay. So what kind of 2 cycle oil should I get?


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

the type specified by the maker of the equipment!! either that or a 2 cycle oil made for trimmers


----------



## bbnissan (Nov 7, 2004)

I agree with bugman. If you are going to buy an Echo you better run the Echo oil in it (or at least a decent substitute like Stihl oil). You can run the Supertech crap that Roperdude always talks about, but I wouldn't even run that crap in my 10 year old Ryobi trimmer.

The only oil I would use other than the manufacturer's recommended oil is Opti-2 synthetic 2 cycle oil. The Opti-2 will work for any fuel/oil ratio and it burns so clean that it won't smoke at all. If you do the math, the Opti-2 oil is actually about a 32:1 mix, but it will run in a trimmer that requires 50:1 just fine since it burns so clean. I have been running my Ryobi trimmer on that stuff for about 7 years and I've been running it in my Echo on it for about 5 months. Another thing I like about the Opti-2 is that it has fuel stabilizer already in it so all you need to do is just add gasoline and the mix is ready to go for up to 2 years.


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

i'm use to using that ashless oil mix from ace hardware. that isn't that bad, that supertech crap i just bought for that featherlite, its a featherlite i really don't care about it, use that crap at maybe close to 32:1 and well it smokes a little but i havn't had any trouble yet for some reason. weird i was expecting for it to burn the engine up. though that ashless oil from ace ain't bad, they have a cheaper low ash oil too. you buy it in 32:1 bottles ready to go in 1 gallon of gas or 50:1 to 40:1 type bottles, thing of it is its something you have to go back when you need more unless you buy more bottles


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

Okay. I'm getting an echo. So just use the echo oil in it.


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

yes!!!


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

Okay. Solved this weed eater problem.


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

it may come with synthetic weeder oil, mine did so buy synthetic weeder oil if it is.


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

I bought the super tech 2 cycle oil that has the ratios marked so you don't screw up the amount of oil.


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

that stuff it utter crap man, get some synthetic weeder oil, what you bought isn't good but for maybe weed killer poured on weeds


----------



## roperdude91 (Nov 10, 2004)

ahem you said you tried it in your feahterlite trimmer, and it still runs great
guess what? synthetic oil isnt really useful in a 2 stroke, you get new oil on every stroke anyway


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

no crap. you need to read up more outboard oil boy, you have something against synthetic or something. synthetic oil is better in every way to regular oil. and another thing i was using it in a stronger mix, that super tech crap. it was a featherlite, who cares about em any way.


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

oh one thing i would like to add, since you think that outboard 2 stroke oil that costs maybe 2 bucks a big bottle is the best. synthetic burns cleaner, oils better, and it prevents way more friction then just regular oil. yeah i used the walmart crap in my featherlite but guess what, its a featherlite i payed 25 bucks for 5 years ago, and on top of that its got alot of hours on it, p.s. i just switched to the walmart crap for it too about a couple months ago right before the grass stopped growing, i was buying the ashless ace hardware 40:1 2 cycle oil for it the rest of the time. i have that walmart crap basically now for when i store my weeders, you know the oil down the plug hole trick to prevent startup wear. not much else other then that


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

Oh come on! It's just oil!!!!!!


----------



## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

no its not just oil, regular 2 cycle oil is regular oil, it'll smoke it'll not be as good as oiling under extreme temps as synthetic oil, which burns cleaner, that means no clogging or anything and the engine lasts longer, if it was oil for a 4 cycle engine, you'd be dumn if you said its just oil, if it was just oil, then use crude oil if its just oil. little roper there has a problem against anything being better then what he says it is.


----------



## Scott15 (Nov 11, 2004)

Bug. Go to lawncafe.com. Register. It's a lot better than gardenweb.


----------

