How to keep chain saw running good?

[turnkey4099]

Other than the fuel recommendations, just routing maintenance. Clean the filter often, keep the trash blown out from all the nooks and crannies, keep the chain sharp and tight.

Fuel: Never use from an old batch. I use stabil but any old fuel gets dumped. Old as in I haven't used any out of the jug in a couple of months.

Yes, running dry before putting one away for an extended period (a month or more) is best.

I am surprised that a 361 that was run dry became hard to start just sitting there. I suspect something other than fuel is going on.

For the real expert advice ask over on www.arboristsite.com, or, if that link doesn't work www.new.arboristsite.com (they are both the same site) in the 'chainsaw' forum. You might try a search of the archive. I think there was a discussion of that problem back aways.

Harry K

 

[scott_vt]

Afternoon Stumpfield,
One other thing comes to mind on gas operated equipment. All my two stroke stuff is the same mix to begin with, and on top of that I only mix a gallon at a time. That way the gas mix never really gets old. This might not work for some guys using two stroke equipment more frequently but for the amount of chainsawing, weedwacking, and backpack blowing it works for me !

BTW, Stabil would accomplish the same thing, albeit slightly more money

 

[Highbeam]

I use the highest octane fuel available bought in a 5 gallon jug, I use sta-bil in all gasoline year round, and only mix up a gallon of 2stroke premix at a time. The 2-stroke oil also claims to be a preservative but the stabil helps it I suppose.

Rather than running the saw dry I actually keep it full of fuel and oil with a decent chain on it so that the saw is ready to use in an emergency. I don't need to be fiddling with these things on a dark stormy night while a tree is blocking my driveway.

Even after several months of sitting unused my saws always start up the same way. Within a few pulls. Mine are Poulan wild thing type saws.

 

[gemini5362]

I have a friend that can fix anything says this is what he does for chainsaws that have carbs that need cleaning. He emptys out the all the gas. puts a bottle of sta-bil in the gas tank pulls the starter rope a few times with the ignition off so that it will get the stabil into the carbureator. Lets it sit a week like that then emptys out the stabil from the fuel tank and refills it with gas and starts it then. He says that has worked for him when he has had carb problems.

 

[GEB]

Running a 2cyl engine dry anit the best thing for it, and for the most part
it most likely still has a small amount of fuel to gum up.
These things get there lube from the fuel, running them dry.......
I never let any of my saws run dry.
Keep the air filter clean, dirty air filter leads to a hard start, flooding!
Good fuel, clean filter, sharp chain = happy saw!
BTW I'm always cuttin trees so my saws dont sit long.
As we speak I have 3 Poulan saws, all of them have been pertty much hassle free.
I have been knowen to use a shot of starting fluid sometimes.
Gene

 

[JJT]

I screwed up and let the carb in my big saw gum up. I changed the plug, dumped the fuel, gave it a healthy dose of sea foam and fresh fuel and it's run like a champ ever since. It smoked like heck and ran crappy for a few minutes, but the sea foam cleaned out the carb. (and it now starts in 3 - 4 pulls)

 

[RobertN]

The fellow that services my Husqvarna says to use only high test gas and the manufacturers oil with fuel preservative in it.

I got the same thing from an Arborist, and a Pro motocross rider. Use fresh, high grade gas and oil. A chain saw runs 10,000 rpm or so; treat it nice with quality premium gas.

In regards to oil, my buddy used to ride Pro motocross, and built motors for other racers. They would not use a gas/oil mix more than a day old. For a high performance motor, 24 hours of the oil sitting and breaking down in the gas affected thier competetive edge. The oil starts to break down as soon as it is mixed with the gas. If you are running a 10,000rpm motor, it has an effect.

Here in California, it is worse. We have specail clean burn oxygenated gas blends. The shelf life is terrible, even with stabilizer. My Farmall-A is hand crank start. With fresh gas, a couple cranks does it. A week or two later, it takes more cranking to fire. A month or two, and I might as well pull start it...

 

[billbill1]

I was told by a chainsaw dealer to never use Gasohol, in a chainsaw, that the oil wouldn't mix properly. Never tried it so I don't know if it's true or not.

 

[Paddy]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but my Poulan 20" always starts by the second pull. If I'm quick with getting the choke to mid position, I can get it to start on the first pull. I'm sorry to say but I treat my saw as a tool to be consumed. I don't ever recall even changing the plug. I use used motor oil for lube and often use 10w-30 as my mix oil. I keep several chain around. The dremal keeps them sparp. If I find myself strugling at all, I either change the chain or spend 5 min dressing the chain with the dremal.

For some reason weed whackers are a totaly diff story. Not much you can do to abuse a weeder but seams come Spring, they never want to start.

 

[goaliedad]

Years ago I had a dirt bike with a Sach's engine- a real screamer. I was always good about using fresh fuel with good oil- never bought pre-mixed which was available back then. Always ran the carb dry for the winter- everything one should do. That beast was the most tempermental thing around. Ran like a voilated ape, once I got it going. As it go older, I got lazy- didn't do anything special for a long lay up- used whatever fuel and oil was handy. I guess that old beast like the abuse- it ran a good as ever and started better than it ever did. Go figure.
As for my chain saw- fresh fuel, clean the air filter and clean the spark plug seems to be the ticket.