How important do you think it is to use the exact mix ratio for a two stroke engine. The reason I ask is I have 3 Stihls (50:1), 2 McCulloch's(40:1) and 1 IDS(recommended 32:1, although the owner's manual says 40:1 is ok) . I have started buying only one brand (Stihl) to avoid this problem but the older equipment is still working ok. If I run 50:1 in a product rated for 32:1 am I just shortening its piston life span by 50% or is it going to seize after 2 tanks of gas. I've never known anyone who used a two stroke engine enough to wear out a piston; something like a carb or such usually seems to die first and ends up being more of a pain to fix than just buying another unit.