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Small engines need the right fuel

Special fuel for garden equipment

“Petrol” is often too vague for powered garden equipment. A two-stroke engine may require a precise oil mixture, while a four-stroke engine typically needs a different fuel arrangement.

Reading time: 9 minutes
Before choosing the can: identify whether the equipment needs a two-stroke mix, four-stroke petrol or another approved fuel. Then choose the container and reserve size.

Do not confuse two-stroke and four-stroke fuel

Many chainsaws and brushcutters use a specified petrol/oil mixture. Four-stroke lawn equipment normally does not use that same premix. The equipment manual takes priority.

“Special fuel” is not one single grade

STIHL MotoMix is a defined 1:50 premix for specified two-stroke engines, while Moto4Plus is a special petrol for small four-stroke engines. Their names sit in the same product family, but their intended engines are different.

Storage claims are product-specific

STIHL quotes storage periods for MotoMix and Moto4Plus under stated conditions and separately gives a much shorter recommendation for self-mixed E10 two-stroke fuel. This is a useful reminder not to generalise a special-fuel claim to every petrol product.

Keep cans dedicated to one fuel

  • Label the actual fuel and, where relevant, the mixing ratio.
  • Do not combine unknown leftovers.
  • Keep equipment-manufacturer approval easy to find.
  • Use smaller stocks when annual consumption is low.
  • Follow the equipment manual for seasonal storage.
No universal winner: special fuel may offer practical advantages, but it is appropriate only where the equipment manufacturer permits the exact fuel.

Frequently asked questions

Is MotoMix the same as ordinary petrol?

No. STIHL MotoMix is a defined premixed 1:50 special fuel for specified two-stroke engines.

Can all special fuels be stored for five years?

No. A storage-life statement belongs to the exact manufacturer product and stated storage conditions.

Can E10 be used in a lawn mower or chainsaw?

Only where the equipment manufacturer permits it. Car compatibility tables are not a substitute for the equipment manual.

Sources for this guide

The following authorities and documents were used for this guide. Where rules change, the current original source takes precedence.

  1. STIHL MotoMix – premixed special fuel for two-stroke engines [German]ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KGPremixed 1:50 fuel, ethanol statement and manufacturer storage-life claim under specified conditions
  2. STIHL Moto4Plus – special petrol for small four-stroke engines [German]ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KGSpecial fuel for small four-stroke engines, ethanol statement and manufacturer storage-life claim
  3. STIHL guidance on E10 compatibility [German]ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KGE10 use in STIHL equipment and a specific manufacturer storage recommendation for E10 two-stroke mix
  4. Section 3 of Germany’s 10th Federal Immission Control Ordinance – petrol requirements [German]Bundesministerium der Justiz / Gesetze im InternetRequirements for petrol marketed in Germany and availability of E5 alongside E10