Gas mixture for the husqvarna 3120xp

[yarnammurt]

What should I run. I;ve heard 50:1 all the way down to 33:1. What should I run.

[jd_odell]

Is it under warranty?  If so, what does the manual state for the mix? 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I run 50:1. You can also call where you got it and they will know. 

[sealark37]

The professional users of Stihl and Husqvarna saws have been using the various 100:1 mixing oils for thirty years.  Less smoke, less maintenance, more power.   Regards, Clark

[thecfarm]

I will add to it,40:1,husky oil mix I don't care what the book says about 50:1. I burned one saw up at 50:1. Or that's what the dealer said I did.  : I dropped down to 40 and nothing but Happy,Happy,Happy. I do use the highest grade I can buy too,just to stir things up just a little more.  ;D

[Jay C. White Cloud]

Synthetic Oil at 40:1

Yes this is a rich mix as recommended by manufacture technicians.

We have about 8 chainsaws currently, they all get this mix, (as does any machine that takes mix.)  Though we only mill and run capstan winches on a few of them.  The H 3120 might often be run for 3 tanks of gas at full open throttle without a break cutting through 400 mm (~16") wide oak for 9 m (30'), you can't do that with a lean mix or your burn the engine up.  I know we have seen it happen many times by novices trying to chainsaw mill with a leaner mix.  Do we get more smoke, not often.  We use high octane and fuel additives plus the synthetic mix at 40:1

Regards, 

Jay

[mad murdock]

I have milled over 6,000 bd ft with my 372XP, plus cut 7 cds of firewood/year since 2006, and logged about 100mbf of sawlogs with it, all using cheap walmart 2 cycle oil and good gas mixed at 32:1.  No engine issues, no fouled plugs, and no clogged muffler.  I have run 32:1 since I have been running saws, (1977) and have never burn up a saw.  I have logged professionally for umpteen years, and cut many hundreds of cords of firewood, + milling.  You can follow the manufacturers recommendations on 50:1 or 100:1, They will be glad to sell you new parts to fix the saw when it craps out.  I will stick with my 32:1, plus it keeps the bugs away during bug season.  ;D

[Jay C. White Cloud]

I was going to amend my entry but Mad M. beat me to it. If you don't use a synthetic oil go to even a richer mix like 30:1... :D...M.M. mix sound perfect for the none synthetic oils. 

It does keep the buggies away!!!   ;)

I have to agree, I have never seen a saw foul or burn up with this mix ratio, but have seen plenty "bite the dust," on 50:1 or leaner.

[Al_Smith]

Oh goody the oil wars have resumed .100 to 1 Amszoil people line up on the left ,50 to 1 synthetic in the middle and us old coots with 32 to 1 one on the right . Let the games begin . 8)

[martyinmi]

Jeeesh Al,

Now you're making me feel kinda semi-old.
I've been mixing full synthetic at 40:1 with 110 octane all winter.

Guess I'm too old to be considered young and not wise enough to be considered old. :D

I'd be a 'tweener, right? (In betweener) :

[thecfarm]

I wondered where you was Al.  :D  I had to get the high grade in there too. I'm helping out the War effort.  ;D

[mad murdock]

I'm not old, just old fashioned. I R a mechanic for my day job, and definitely the high priced synthetic "bean" oils are good, and you can mix leaner with those, I guess in keeping with Al's credo, I am cheap too, or as I like to think of it "practical". I like to save a buck where I can, if the cheap oil works, I will use it.

[lumberjack48]

Stihl dealer recommended i run 32:1, because of the way i had the carb adjusted, full throttle, peak rpm. I never scrod a cylinder on a Stihl, i can't say that for Husqvarna.

I wounder if these new Stihls are the quality they had 25 yrs ago.

[AdkStihl]

Stihl dealer recommended i run 32:1, because of the way i had the carb adjusted, full throttle, peak rpm. I never scrod a cylinder on a Stihl, i can't say that for Husqvarna.

I wounder if these new Stihls are the quality they had 25 yrs ago.

You might have had it tweakin RPM's, but you werent makin the most power.
Definetly not recommended in my book. But hey.......it worked for you.
Let me guess......an 034 right?

[yarnammurt]

32-1 It will be, dropped it off at the shop to have carb cleaned and tuned up.Will be milling next week 8)

[Al_Smith]

You might have had it tweakin RPM's, but you werent makin the most power.
Definetly not recommended in my book. But hey.......it worked for you.
Let me guess......an 034 right?

I'm not exactly certain but I think that model was the fore runner of the 036 -360-361 .Which was before the EPA stuck their big fat noses into it .

[tlandrum]

ive owned several 3120's that had a sticker on them from the factory that stated 25:1. personally i run 32:1 with a good synthetic blend.

[John Mc]

The professional users of Stihl and Husqvarna saws have been using the various 100:1 mixing oils for thirty years.  Less smoke, less maintenance, more power.   Regards, Clark

I know a few pros who use amsoil, but I don'know of ANY in my area who are running it at 100:1. Mix oil has come a long way since 20 or 30 years ago, but they are just not comfortable pushing things that far.

I run 50:1 with the higher-end Husky or Stihl oil (full or semi-synthetic).  I've had good luck with this, but I'm not doing any chainsaw milling.

[lumberjack48]

Stihl dealer recommended i run 32:1, because of the way i had the carb adjusted, full throttle, peak rpm. I never scrod a cylinder on a Stihl, i can't say that for Husqvarna.

I wounder if these new Stihls are the quality they had 25 yrs ago.

You might have had it tweakin RPM's, but you werent makin the most power.
Definetly not recommended in my book. But hey.......it worked for you.
Let me guess......an 034 right?

In 12 to 16 inch wood i could cut with a 066 set by the book. If the 034 was set by the book, i wouldn't have used it, it was just a everyday saw, no pep. The way i set it, and sharpened the Stihl sales man [ Dale ] was so impressed how fast it was, he asked me to set a saw up for guys to try out at the shop. He gave me a new 034 Super to break in for a demo saw.
I never set any saw i ever owned to run in there power zone [book settings] i was always 3 steps out of the box.

[shinnlinger]

I typed out a much longer response that vaporized for some reason, but here is the cliff notes.  I run amsoil 100:1 and it works good.  Others run amsoil 100:1 and have sawed thousands of cord of wood BUT lots of folks who have never tried it will tell you it is a bad idea.

Well if you have never done it, I'm not sure your in a position to comment.  It works for me and many others.

Dave

[Al_Smith]

It's not a bad idea if you trust it .They brag up Royal Purple too for that matter .

I'm just a cheapskate I guess ,use TSC branded at 32 to 1 ratio .Maybe I'm lucky but since about 1973 I've never managed to cook a top end yet with one exception .That was my fault. Primed a saw  with straight gas from grabbing the wrong squirt bottle .Oops !

Before about '73 we ran them on outboard mix oil at 16 to one and in spite of what some might say about it somehow never managed to cook one .Smoked a bit but it did keep the mosquitoes at bay .

I know a lot of hotsaw jockeys with 5000 plus dollar cookie cutters and have met nary a one that runs Amzoil at 100 to one .Fact I'm not certain if I know anyone that uses it at any mix ratio in anything .

[CTYank]

Quality 50:1 synthetic at 50:1 since the day it was available over the counter (around 1979.)

Mixture adjusted for peak power & 4-stroking on lifting, with regular unleaded.

Never the slightest indication of mechanical "unhappiness," clean chamber, port, muffler.  ;D

Any extra oil reduces octane rating, enables more deposits, ain't good for your lungs.  :

[shinnlinger]

Al,

You have given me ( and many others) great advice, I absolutely respect you and think you are a great asset to this forum and frankly I don't care if folks run amsoil 100:1 or not, but your post is exactly what I am talking about.  People who have never tried it condemn it with such authority that it doesn't get much chance.  Folks can do what they want, but please don't knock it (or anything for that matter) until you have personal experience with it.

If you actually mix it at 100:1 it isn't that expensive and never fouling a plug is a plus!

For the record I do NOT own stock in Amsoil or benefit from it's sales in any way.

Dave

[Al_Smith]

 :D Well I did rattle some cages on this oil wars business so I must have done my job . 8)

Nobody,repeat nobody can agree on the mix ratio ,what brand  , if it fouls plugs and burns up lungs .I don't care if it's outboard boat motors  ,two cycle motorcycles .chainsaws or Lawn Boy mowers .

Some think it makes for a lean fuel mix .Why I never figured out ,fact I quit even trying on that one .

Experts like Gordon Jennings had tests on oil ratios and he recommended 20 to 1 on snowmobiles ,but conversely leading MC gurus recommend 32 to 1 .

You think this oil war is something  get on a MC site or a sled site .Then try an RC site if you really want to see the fur fly .

Just recently a gent who builds hotsaws told about what he uses for the blowout mix after a run on rocket fuel ,WD -40 .Take a pole on that one some time . ;)

[John Mc]

Shinnlinger -

I didn't see Al claiming that Amsoil won't work at 100:1.  I also did not say that it wouldn't work.

I can't speak for Al, but my comment was posted in response to a statement that "The professional users of Stihl and Husqvarna saws have been using the various 100:1 mixing oils for thirty years.  Less smoke, less maintenance, more power." 

I read that to mean that it's generally accepted by pro users to run oils like Amsoil at that mix ratio (or at least by the pros in the poster's area). My comment was not that it doesn't work, it is just that it is NOT generally accepted by the pros in my area, at least not at that ratio.

It may well be the best thing to happen to chainsaws in decades, but the pros around here have just not adopted it at this point. 

I am not knocking Amsoil's claims, and I am not saying I'm right in running my saws at 45 or 50:1 with a good quality mix oil, or that anyone else is wrong for running their saws at whatever ratio they find works for them.

[HolmenTree]

Shinnlinger -

I didn't see Al claiming that Amsoil won't work at 100:1.  I also did not say that it wouldn't work.

I say the same. I see Amsoil is still strong in business and I remember way back in the early 1980s when they came in little plastic bag pouches. Some dealers had them sitting on the shelf for years, you'd see a stain on the shelf where they laid for so long , makes you think of all the important solvents that evaporated away.ha ha

I know at the time in the late 1980s some Husqvarna dealers were selling the 100:1 with their saws, but Stihl never accepted it, no warranty with that ratio.
The trouble with 100:1 is there is very little room for error and alot of folks were doing just that not mixing the safe ammount of gas.
With the old Castrol Super 2 Stroke [excellent dino oil] I ran 40:1 if I added a little too much gas by accident , not a problem.

[Al_Smith]

I've got some kind of pink stuff made by Amsoil which is supposed to be an additive to counter act the effects of ethanol . I really was going to use it on some long term storage of saws but I neglected to for some reason this winter .

Probabley not a big deal because I've became almost an expert in rebuilding carbs,ethanol ya know . ;)

Now then again stirring the pot you can get on any web forum or site that talks about mix ratios and the only one that will advise 100 to 1 ratios is Amsoil .Most bike or sleds sites don't even recommend anything leaner than 40 to 1 ratios .

Now there's some pretty good oil out there besides Amsoil so it stands to reason if that ratio would prove best somebody else would get on the band wagon but nobody has .Not even Purple Royal .

I don't think there is any big secret method how they make the stuff unless maybe it's rendered whale blubbber or something .For decades caster oil was the mix oil of choice for racers.Still might be and it smokes to beat the band but you don't burn up engines with it .Smells bad .

On the other hand I'm not sure what would happen if you breathed the fumes .Might give you the scoots just like a tablespoon full fed to a little kid by a sadistic spinster aunt ,spring tonic they say .Indeed, it'll make you spring allright .

[shinnlinger]

Well Im sorry if I upset anyone by being mildly annoyed and it was unfair of me to place my annoyance with you guys on this post.  I'm sorry.

I run it 100:1 and it it works well for me but I only use my saws to support my sawmill and timberframe "hobbies" with a couple cord of wood a year thrown in, so my experience shouldn't sway you.

Why I run it might be more convincing.  I have a family friend up in Maine who is a semi retired logging/construction type.  I was up visiting and we started talking chainsaw.  He got really serious and  went into a bit of a rant himself "I've run Amsoil 100-1 since 1972 and cut over 40thousand cord of wood.  In that time I have never had ANY engine problems with ANY saw, not even changed a spark plug.  I run Amsoil in all my equipment as well and never had any problems"  About a year later I saw him running a Kobelco 200 excavator with over 12,000 hours on it.  He started it up and ran it WOT the whole time.  He said it loved it at WOT and the Amsoil was how he could get away with it for so many hours with no issues.  It convinced me so here I am. 

I just leave it with works for me and a family friend.

[Al_Smith]

Well you didn't upset me. I just view it as lively conversation ,no harm no foul . ;D

Spark plug fouling is another topic but quite truthfully if the thing is tuned correctly they won't foul because I too have some I've never changed out .Some are pushing 40 years old to boot .

As a point of info on the old boat motors ,Evinrude twins or Mercury 4s' they fouled at trolling speeds .Reason being they mostly were tuned for high speed and an hour or so at low speeds with a rich fuel mixture .It wasn't the 16 to 1 oil ratios .

That was about a 5 minute fix,lean them down and flog them for a few minutes real soon they were hitting on all cylinders .Find another good trolling run and catch more fish .

[mad murdock]

I think that running 32.5:1 is the best ratio ;) Seriously, whatever works for you is what you use.  I am of the 32:1 school.  I have tried the more expensive oils, and like I stated in an earlier post on here, I graduated from C.H.E.E.P. too 8)

[Ianab]

Both times I've bought new saws (Stihl and Dolmar) the local dealers have specifically told me "Ignore the oil mix instructions in the manual, our fuel is different. Mix at 25:1" The part about the fuel being different I can also believe. I can pull a saw out of the shed after 6 months and it still fires up fine.

As far as I can tell this is actual written policy from the local distributors. At least the free oil that came with my Dolmar 7900 had this label.





I actually mix all my 2 stroke at ~ 33:1 for all my tools, with a good quality convention oil. Never had a failure, or a fouled plug. Good quality oil should burn cleanly in the engine anyway, so you don't get excessive smoke.

That's my plan and I'm sticking with it.

I can accept that the top quality synthetic lubricants are better, and so you can probably get away with running a lot less, and still get reliable lube. As long as everything else is perfect.

But I've had NO problems from running a bit more oil, as per local dealer recommendations, so I'll take the peace of mind that a bit more oil provides.

Ian

[HolmenTree]

Well said Ian.
Back in the day when we still had leaded gas we had a little extra protection with the lead. And yes our logging camp ran 40:1 with Castrol Super 2 Stroke which is Stihl Premium today.
I remember once in the late 70s or early 80s when I accidently ran my Jonsered on straight gas on a hot summer day, the engine slowed right down and stopped. Tried to pull the cord but was very tight. I realized my problem put some fresh mix in and a little inside the cylinder and the engine loosened and fired right up, saw ran for another year.
If that was todays unleaded gas in that Jonsered it would be a different story. ;)

But having said all that from the information I hear today about the health hazards of leaded gas.......

[Al_Smith]

Hmm reading between the lines it might be assumed who makes Stihl branded oil then . ;)

FWIW I ran Castrol in the Harleys when I owned them .

Slightly off track but interesting .A few years back I think it as Car and Driver or Hotrod magazine did a test of name brand oils and store brands like Autozone etc .The results were surprising as it seems the discounted store brands did just as well or better than name brands in a lot of instances .

I would find it rather amusing if tests were done and it was found out this highly touted pink stuff or the plum colored stuff is no better than say Mobil or Klotz .Maybe not any better than TSC ,now that would be a hoot . ;D