Hi. We’ve got a weedwacker lying around that we’d like to start using. Unfortunately, we no longer know the correct way to fuel it. We know it uses a mix of gas and oil, but we’re clueless as to the correct ratio. I think weedwackers probably use a pretty standard setup, but if not, this thing is from sometime in the early to mid 80’s, specifically model GT-1100 of a brand that could be either Iecho, Lecho, Iiiecho, or something odd like that. It’s kinda hard to tell what the letters on the damn weedwacker mean. In any case, does anyone know how to run these things? Thanks very much!
two popular choices: Oil at 40:1 ratio and 50:1 ratio.
Echo is a popular brand. Most popular small two stroke engines are 40:1 Gas to oil. (40 parts gas to one part oil)
Buy some two stroke oil, and read the label for the amount of oil that equals per gallon of gas when doing 40:1.
50:1 is less common…was more common in bigger engines, like 50CC or more (weewacker is prob 22-30) and 50:1 was more common when leaded gas did some lubing as well.
Mostly, it’s 40:1 now and instrucions are on the 2 stroke oil containers.
30:1 should work. Go buy a small bottle of 2-stroke oil at any big harware store or Sears and it will tell you the proportions. The gas will be the cheapest standard unleaded gas you can get in a can. Even if this is a little off, it won’t hurt the engine until you have a chance to lok it up on the manufacturers web site.
Since four-stroke weedwhacker-size engines are rare, you’re probably correct in assuming it’s a two-stroke. Similarly, few, if any, engines that size use an oil-injection system, meaning you have to mix 2-stroke oil in with the fuel. You can double-check that by looking to see if the 'whacker has a seperate oil reservoir.
However, the ratio is not as critical as one might think. 50:1 is fairly common, 30:1 gives you a little more “margin of error” and won’t hurt a thing except possibly foul the sparkplug a bit more often. Older motocross bikes and outboards are typically 20:1.
Glunk some oil in there in the ballpark of thirty-to-one somewhere, and you’ll be fine.
It’s “echo” (very good manufacturer) and it was probably designed for a 50:1 mixture. 40:1 shouldn’t hurt it one bit, though.
Just go to your local hardware store, buy a 1 gallon gas tank and one of those prefilled bottles of two-stroke engine oil. If you go to a place that sells echos, such as Home depot, they will also have the echo brand oil (Not any different than the “universal” oils - just 50:1 instead of 40:1, a different label, and probably $0.50 more). Add the contents of one bottle to one gallon of gas, mix well, and there you go. If you can’t find the echo brand, just use the 40:1 universal stuff.
Note, Sears may still be selling oil mixtures for the old 16:1 Craftsman models. Make sure you don’t use that stuff - you will kick out so much blue smoke you won’t be able to see. Also, since it sounds like the thing has been lying around awhile, it’s probably a good idea to go ahead and change the spark plug and air filter.
It is probably a two stroke, but there is a ridiculously easy way to tell if it’s not. Does it have a cap marked “oil” and a cap marked “gas” or “fuel”? two caps. four stroke. One cap. two stroke.