Castrol Super Snowmobile oil

[lledwod]

I have been buying the premix size bottles of chainsaw oil (Husqvarna) for years. I switched to Castrol Super Snowmobile oil 3 months ago, after I realized I was paying about 5 times as much for the Husqvarna oil. I have an Ultralight aircraft with a 503 Rotax, and the preferred oil for the Ultralight guys is Castrol Super snowmobile oil  I figured if it is good enough oil for an engine that is run as hard as an aircraft engine and hanging my a$$ out in the air I'll trust it in my saws. I run in the neighbourhood of 25 gallons of fuel through my saws per year.

I am not trying to convert anybody or prove a point, just sharing my experimental ways. I will report back as time goes by. The 1st guinea pig is my new Stihl ms261c. I expect to put quite a bit of fuel through it this summer (building the 1st of 2 to 4 log buildings with it right now)

[sawguy21]

It should be fine, Castrol is a very good product. Let us know how it goes.

[mike_belben]

 Ive run saws on mercury outboard just fine and that includes my 395xp chainsaw milling oak with a full comp for hours in the baking sun.  

If everything exploded the way the experts claim id have nothing left to put gas in. 

[ehp]

ran the castrol oil back in the day for years and never had any trouble but back then we ran abit richer on oil compared to most people today and no ethanol in the gas like today 

[Southside]

In my old life I spent all winter on a Ski-Doo, 583,617, 670, etc.  Many years 5,000+ miles on the sled and had many of the white "Injection Huile" jugs left over when we moved - it all got mixed into saw gas.  Like you said - 100 HP, idle to wide open in every turn, running to the bar, -40F cold start - and those engines just run - Brrrttt, bruttt, all day long.  :D

When that was gone I went to Wal-Mart and bought marine injection oil and have been using that for years now, never blew anything up.

[lledwod]

Well there ya go . I have also run many (must be hundreds) of gallons of regular gas through my saws. This is my one concession to my nice new saw; I am mixing premium fuel. And I am a 40:1 guy.

[YellowHammer]

I'm on the other side of the fence.  I'm not trying to change your mind, but I believe you paid about $500 for the new professional grade saw?  

Stihl extends their warranty significantly when using their Ultra Silver oil. So they believe it works, even better than their Orange oil

The Silver, which is specifically blended for chainsaws, can be bought in gallon jugs for about $100 per gallon (128 oz) which is enough to mix 50 gallons of fuel.  Your nearest John Deere dealer would carry it by the gallon jug.  It may cost $125 per gallon there.  

Castrol Super Snowmobile oil is about $35 per gallon.  It's specifically blended for snowmobile engines.  Also, with a heavier mix, means more oil used.  

The difference is maybe $70 per 50 gallons of fuel, and you mentioned you normally burn 25 gallons per year.  So if you used the oil that is designed specifically for chainsaws and shown to increase the warranty of your new saw, rather than using an oil intended for snowmobiles, it would cost about an extra $35 per year. Around here, that's about the price of a single chain.  

I love good experiments, but personally, I wouldn't conduct it on my new chainsaw.  Just my two cents, nothing more.  

[Al_Smith]

I just buy the little six packs .Varies could be TSC stuff or Stihl ultra but at a 32 to 1 ratio as usual .I don't really use that much mix gas so a buck or two for the little bottles isn't going to break the bank .Saying that I did use 50WT Castrol  oil in a my old Harley chopper plus Cam 2 fuel when I could find it .
That's the difference. A chainsaw is a tool a Harley is for enjoyment ,you can baby it .

[Mooseherder]

I go thru a lil six pack every year.  The dealer I got my saws at said their oil only for warranty.  My saws aren't on warranty anymore but they're still running and I like making one gallon mix at a time with 90 non ethanol.  

[duffdav]

I have been using Polaris snowmobile VES Extreme Full Synthetic in 372XPs and my new Echo cs-7310p.
The red dye is a little light to tell if it is mixed.   $57/gallon

[barbender]

Straight 30 motor oil, 16:1 is the only way to fly. Really wakes up the current breed of autotune saws😁

[Southside]

#6 Barbender, cut it with a little K-1 in the colder (non-August) months.  :D

[btulloh]

Oil wars!  I think it's been quiet for six months or so, but shots have now been fired!  

[mike_belben]

 :D


Ive bought a few new stihl products in my life and those get the silver bottle until warranty is over.  My old stuff gets whatever it gets.  

Atleast 40:1..  For milling ive gone as rich as 24:1 with outboard but itll make ya sick huffing it.  I dont mill at 50:1 with anything.  You can hear the jug clinking hot.  

Ethanol really hasnt caused me many issues

[YellowHammer]

Not my battle, not my saw.   :D :D

I'm pretty conservative about these things, especially during break in or under warranty. 
 
My diesel truck gets Rotella diesel oil (Regular motor oil does not work for long, big oops on that)
My wife's truck gets Mobile synthetic.
My Mercury outboard gets Mercury Optimax Oil.
My New Holland tractor gets Master Gold New Holland oil.
My Kubota zero turn mower gets Kubota oil.
My Stihl Chainsaws get Stihl Ultra Chinsaw oil.
My chicken fryer gets peanut oil.

In a pinch, any might could be substituted, even the peanut oil, but I prefer to stick with manufacturer recommendations.  

[btulloh]

You might want to try some used 10w-40 in the chicken fryer. Imparts a distinctive flavor, but will not affect your warranty. I'd stick with your list on all the other stuff. 

[mike_belben]

My kubota drank a hodgepodge of filtered waste motor oil all week. Savin the peanut oil for a rainy day i guess 

;D

[Southside]

@YellowHammer What did you feed your babies if I may ask?  :D

[donbj]

Not my battle, not my saw.   :D :D

I'm pretty conservative about these things, especially during break in or under warranty.

My diesel truck gets Rotella diesel oil (Regular motor oil does not work for long, big oops on that)
My wife's truck gets Mobile synthetic.
My Mercury outboard gets Mercury Optimax Oil.
My New Holland tractor gets Master Gold New Holland oil.
My Kubota zero turn mower gets Kubota oil.
My Stihl Chainsaws get Stihl Ultra Chinsaw oil.
My chicken fryer gets peanut oil.

In a pinch, any might could be substituted, even the peanut oil, but I prefer to stick with manufacturer recommendations.  

Yes in a nutshell. I'll run Husky/Stihl oil only. I don't bother with the who makes what for who. If their name is on it it's approved. I know, this can drift sideways in a hurry! 

[barbender]

Southside, what with global warming we now have 3 months that we don't have to cut our mix oil with K-1 up here👍

[Spike60]

As an actual Husqvarna dealer, it's pretty clear to me that you guys running all those different oils are sitting there with a bunch of blown up saws and empty woodsheds and you're just too embarassed to admit it!

Any top quality oil is gonna be fine. I don't even have to pay for the Husky oil, because I own the store, but I'm currently running Legend ZX2 at 40:1. Customer told me about it a couple years ago. Said he likes it cause it was the only oil that he found that the exhaust never gave him a headache cutting in close quarters. Gave me a sample to try and I mixed up 2 gallons for saw gas. Worked great, liked the smell, and ordered a case of four 1 gallon bottles and split it with him.

Chainsaw oil and the high end motorsports oil may be engineered for their specific targets, but most of that overlaps and it's fine to run it in saws. Don't get me wrong, there are low end oils in both of those groups that should not be used. And personal use as opposed to full time pro use could be different also.

Much of the OEM hype about "you better run their oil" is simply to ensure that the proper oil is being used. Many people that would buy "something else" would just buy the cheapest oil they could find and ruin equipment in short order. Not everyone has the brains to make sure that an alternative oil is of equal quality to the OEM stuff.

[thecfarm]

Hmmm, I bet that Legend would be better for my lungs too? Would help out on my breathing when sawing a tree down in the summer heat.

[YellowHammer]

@YellowHammer What did you feed your babies if I may ask?  :D

Only the finest!  It must have worked, they turned out much better than me!

[Southside]

Olive oil is from crushed up olives
Sunflower oil is from crushed up sunflowers
Ever wonder where baby oil comes from?  :D

[Stephen1]

Straight 30 motor oil, 16:1 is the only way to fly. Really wakes up the current breed of autotune saws😁

BB I want to hear more about straight motor oil in a 2stroke. My daughters boy Friend was to lazy to go to town for 2stroke oil for my little 9.9 and used 10w30. They only used it for 20 mins that day. I came back and found out, lost my S@#$%T big time. More so on being to lazy to drive 20 mins to get the proper oil. I poured it out and remixed the with proper 2 Stroke oil.  Reading this is making me feel a little guilty for loosing it!
I am like YH in that I only use what the Manufacturer Recomends. I have owned Mercury outboards all my life and only ever used thier oil and lower end fluid. I have never had an engine blow up. (touching wood on that comment)