Stihl Chain Saw Oil Requirements

Put the proper oil in your Stihl chain saw so it won't break down during a job.

Stihl chain saws require a certain kind of oil. If it isn't used, the saw's motor will break and stop working. Specific amounts of oil must be used, too, or the motor may become flooded and stop working. Mixing, storing and loading the motor with the proper oil-gas mixture is simple and, at most, will take a few minutes.

2-Cycle Oil

All Stihl chain saws require 2-cycle oil. This means that the oil must be mixed with gasoline before being put into the engine. Adding automotive motor oil, which is 4-cycle, to a chain saw motor will cause serious damage, possibly even destroying the motor.

Where to Buy 2-Cycle Oil

Home improvement, hardware, discount department, farm supply and specialty stores will have 2-cycle oil for Stihl chain saws. The price ranges from $2 to $4 for a small bottle. You'll find cheaper per-bottle prices buying multiple-bottle packs.

Combining the Mixture

Buy a 50-to-1 oil container. This means that for every 50 parts of gasoline, there is one part oil. About 2.5 ounces of 2-cycle oil would go into one gallon of gas. Mix the oil and gasoline in its own gas container.

Storing the Mixture

Keep a special gas container just for this mixture, so it's not accidentally used in other machines requiring different blends of oil and gasoline. Store the container in an area with low humidity. The oil-gas mixture is flammable and humidity can make it worse.

Fueling the Motor with Oil

Add about one-quarter gallon of the gas-oil mixture to the Stihl chain saw fuel tank, found in the center of the motor housing. Top of tanks that aren't full before using the saw.

References

• Stihl: Chainsaw Safety
• Stihl: 2-Cycle Engine Oil and Lubricants