Old Homelite XL-12 Chainsaw - Oil Mixture

[hotajax]

Inherited one of these from my father. I can only guess what he mixed in with the gas. He believed oil was just oil. The saw is still running, but that's probably a miracle. So, I'm sick of having 4 different gas cans in my garage for each 2-cycle machine I have and would like to find a universal oil mix for obvious reasons. Homelite calls for a 16:1 ratio in this saw. QUESTION: Is it safe to run a 50:1 full synthetic oil in the mix for this saw? Or are these old saws at risk if you cut down on the amount of oil? Remember, there was no synthetic oil at the time this saw was manufactured, and there is no doubt that the synthetic does offer superior lubricating ability.

[30yearTech]

You take your chances, mixing at a ratio other then what is recommended. Synthetic may provide better lubrication, but when you switch from a fossil oil to a synthetic, the cleaning process of the synthetic can cause issues if there is a lot of carbon build up within your engine.

[goball]

30yearTech is probably correct "at least in theory" and is no doubt speaking from experience but I've been quite successful (or maybe lucky) in running every 2 cycle machine I have or have had on Optimal synthetic oil at a mixture they recommend of 100:1. Just got finished refurbing three grass trimmers that seem to work well on the Optimal. Your choice and depends on how much or how hard you plan to use the old Homelite. I have two old Homelites (a Super2 and XL2) that I use for cutting firewood at the cabin. They seem to be happy with the Optimal at 100:1 ratio. Good luck.

[30yearTech]

Originally Posted by goball

30yearTech is probably correct "at least in theory" and is no doubt speaking from experience but I've been quite successful (or maybe lucky) in running every 2 cycle machine I have or have had on Optimal synthetic oil at a mixture they recommend of 100:1. Just got finished refurbing three grass trimmers that seem to work well on the Optimal. Your choice and depends on how much or how hard you plan to use the old Homelite. I have two old Homelites (a Super2 and XL2) that I use for cutting firewood at the cabin. They seem to be happy with the Optimal at 100:1 ratio. Good luck.

Way back when we first started selling Opti oil mix, there were literally several dozen chain saws that got trashed when the customers switched over to the 100:1 ratio oil, not from lack of lubrication mind you, but from the carbon that had built up in the engine. As the synthetic oil cleaned out the carbon, pieces of it would come loose and get between the cylinder and piston and cause severe scoring. I think the synthetic oils are fine, if you start with them and stay with them, it's the switching over that I am suspect of.

[goball]

Now that you mention it, I think I recall reading somewhere about switching to the OPTI oil on a unit that had not originally started on it. Seems to me they said to start with a a ratio of say 40 or 50:1 for a tank or two and then work up slowly with each tank of gas with ever leaner ratios until the 100:1 ratio was attained. Not sure what the OPTI people would say about that but maybe that would be the place to start. Cheers.

[Deathrite]

could tear the engine down clean it well then put it back together and start the synthetic then.