Logo

Air Cooled vs Water Cooled Two Stroke Cycle Oil

tboltmike

Regular Contributor
My new weed trimmer calls for

My new weed trimmer calls for a 50:1 mix just as my outboard.
Sure would be nice to save on gas inventory if the O/B oil could be used in the trimmer.
I'm hoping that the O/B oil can cover both.
What's the difference in the two?
Do you think it would be safe to use?
 
I think this is safe. The othe

I think this is safe. The other way is not. outboard oil is high perfoemance oil and using the common 2 cycle oil will result in a melted piston. I would not hesitate to use outboard mix in my weedtrimmer or chainsaw.
 
"Hopefully I'm not too lat

"Hopefully I'm not too late on this one.
I wouldn't use TCW-3 on a Trimmer/Chainsaw engine. TCW-3 is for a cooler running Liquid cooled outboard motor. 2 cycle oil designed for air cooled engines is designed with the extra heat they run at in mind.
I don't think that your trimmer would blow up instantly the first time you used TCW-3 oil in it, but I wouldn't chance using it.
I do feel your pain about having to have an inventory of different fuels. I have to keep straight gas for my lawnmower and snowblower. 40:1 mix for my grass trimmer, and 3 different mixes of TCW-3 outboard oil for my old outboards. Thank goodness I have a very forgiving old Ford truck that I can dump the different mixed fuels into when the engine that the fuel is used for is out of season."
 
"Robert and Wayne, Thanks for

"Robert and Wayne, Thanks for the posts. I had sent a message to Echo. Their response went so far as to say that their oil (synthetic) was superior and that any air cooled, 2 cycle mfg'ed after 1997, regardless of recommended ratio (even as high as 16:1) could be used with a 50:1 with mid grade gas and thier oil."
 
"Google "bob is the oil gu

"Google "bob is the oil guy".

I posted same question here somewhere and found out a truck load of info on his site.


From what I've read, heard and seen, keep them separated.

I don't have answers for all the questions, but Bob covers it well.

Has a lot to do with temp's, bearing pressure and load, RPM range and throttle opening & durations. Also corrosion issues...


Good luck!"
 
"tc-w3

stands for

2 cycl


"tc-w3

stands for

2 cycle, watercooled, 3rd generation

do not use water cooled oil in air cooled motors!!!"
 
"What is the difference betwee

"What is the difference between water cooled and air cooled oil, viscosity, additives?

Interesting how a year old post gets resurected!"
 
"Additives for corrosion in ma

"Additives for corrosion in marine conditions. Also, marine engines run much cooler than the air cooled ones.


Google bobistheoilguy, "bitog"


Yip, some things tend to come back when we least expect it..."
 
over the past years i have use

over the past years i have used 2 cycle oil in any 2 cycle engine with no ill effects from racing outboards to cutting cord wood. of course i never let the ratio get any higher than 30/1
 
Re: over the past years i have use

I realize this is an old thread, but the importance of the issue super-cedes the age of the thread: I am a firm believer in the 32:1 ratio with Premium NO ETHANOL gasoline. Now... I believe that the differences in 2 cycle oil are very real. Cenex at one time (maybe they still do) sold 2 different types of 2 stroke oil TC501 and TC502. One was low ash content for air-cooled engines and the other was no ash content for liquid cooled engines. A Cenex petroleum sales spe******t once told me that the low ash oil for air cooled engines provides a way for a very thin carbon deposit to adhere to the piston and maybe the rings...this deposit would act as a heat insulator & friction inhibitor to protect the life of these two vital components. Is it true? Well I'm a believer...you see, I cut fire wood..like a 10 loggers cords every year and a half (32.5 face cords) or the equivalent of a semi-load. I use a Stihl 044 and was using TCW3 2 cycle oil for outboards and a 40:1 ratio. One day the saw quit. When I tore it down I couldn't believe the wear in the cylinder / piston. Was it the fuel/oil ratio or the type of oil...well, I believe the reason was the type of oil, more so than the ratio. Since the rebuild, I'll only use a 32:1 mixture and only Low ash oil in air cooled engines. I use only TCW-3 in my liquid cooled two strokes.
 
Back
Top