Fuel Mix

[GardenKit]

This may sound obvious but I'll ask it anyway. We have just bought some unleaded petrol about 4 weeks ago and have it mixed with 2 stroke oil. As we have about 2.5 litres left rather than throw it away ( not sure how) would it be OK to top up with Aspen and run the machines on an unleaded 2 stroke mix with Aspen in it. I assume its OK to use Aspen in any 2 stroke engine (not motor bikes as far too expensive !!). Thanks.

In theory, 4 weeks old petrol has turned stale. In practice, many people use petrol of this age with no detriment at all.

 

If you can use your 2.5l in the next few weeks then do so, it wont hurt anything.

 

I can see no point in mixing it with Aspen, it will happily mix but Aspen will not turn stale petrol fresh.

 

Alternatively, mix it with some fresh, neat, unleaded, and put in your 4 stroke lawnmower. It may smoke a little but will do no harm.

 

Do not put it in a petrol car, it may harm the cat. Do not poor it drown the drain, it may harm the neighbours cat.

[teepeeat]

When I asked about mixing aspen with petrol, they said they would not recommend this. They also recommended not switching back and forth between petrol and aspen. When converting a machine to aspen they also recommended running the petrol dry and draining the tank as best you could.

 

On another note - I asked a stihl rep at an arb show a year or 2 ago about using aspen in their machines and he commented that Stihl were coming out with their own alkylate fuel. He inferred it might even be available in Europe already, but I have not bothered to check.

 

Thanks to Garden kit and others for the useful technical info.

[Pedroski]

Stihl Motomix

[Steve999]

Got some Aspen today, stihl ms211 ran straight away, no adjustment required. The difference in exhaust fumes is brill, stinks to high heaven with forecourt stuff, Aspen is so much easier on the nose, if not on the wallet !!

[GardenKit]

Stihl Motomix

Motomix is very similar to Aspen.

 

Aspen has been adopted by Husqvarna as their preferred alkylate fuel, but is not available in huskie packaging in the UK.

 

Motomix is Stihls equivalent, but is also not available on the UK market.

 

When demand for Aspen increases and they see a large enough UK market I expect both Stihl and Huskie will be offering their product.

 

Sales of Aspen have increased quite dramatically in the UK in the past year.

[GardenKit]

You can swap back and forth if you need to, and dont need to run the tank dry. If, like Steve999's saw, no adjustment is needed, then this will fine.

If the machine is one of the few that need a slight retune then it will be a PITA to change to and fro.

 

Any problems caused by swapping to and fro will be down to the time spent on pump petrol, so probably best to stick to Aspen for that reason alone.

[Pedroski]

I will give Aspen a go but would like to maybe split the cost of a pack of several 5 litre containers. By the time I've driven out from Brighton to my nearest supplier I would have burnt so much unleaded and inhaled such a high amount of exhaust fumes that any benefit will have well and truly been negated! Is there anyone close by who would be happy to split a pack to save on the postage?

[Hodge]

I will give Aspen a go but would like to maybe split the cost of a pack of several 5 litre containers. By the time I've driven out from Brighton to my nearest supplier I would have burnt so much unleaded and inhaled such a high amount of exhaust fumes that any benefit will have well and truly been negated! Is there anyone close by who would be happy to split a pack to save on the postage?

 

I buy 30 or 60 litre's at a time. Postage is 20 quid. Just get it direct off Anglo American oil company and it's cheaper.

[Pedroski]

I buy 30 or 60 litre's at a time. Postage is 20 quid. Just get it direct off Anglo American oil company and it's cheaper.

Just looked at doing that... BUT 6 x 5litre containers is £108.96, then they want £23.94 for postage. Ends up working out just over £22 for one 5 litre container. I was hoping for £18 each

[Stubby]

You can swap back and forth if you need to, and dont need to run the tank dry. If, like Steve999's saw, no adjustment is needed, then this will fine.

If the machine is one of the few that need a slight retune then it will be a PITA to change to and fro.

 

Any problems caused by swapping to and fro will be down to the time spent on pump petrol, so probably best to stick to Aspen for that reason alone.

 

If you have an " auto tune " saw like a 560 or 550 Husqvarna then you should re set the auto tune when you change between fuel types by cutting continusly for 3-5mins and do it heavily , full length of the bar .