how often do you change the air filter on your saw?

[Stevebass4]

just curious. my air filter is like $25.00 and i haven't changed it yet figure i have maybe 10 cord though it

my saw is a PIA to start but once it's going it's fine last week i took off the filter and sea foamed the saw and it fired on the second pull without the filter

so anyway how often to you change yours or clean yours? and if you clean it - what's the best way to clean them - maybe compressed air??

 

[JustWood]

I knock mine out every tankful and blow it out every 20 tankfuls .
I turn my compressor pressure way down when I blow the filter out.

 

[LLigetfa]

I'm guessing it was 20 years ago that I bought a new one. I do clean it when needed. Mostly, I just knock the dirt off but sometimes I brush it lightly with a toothbrush.

 

[Highbeam]

It depends on the brand of saw or the type of filter. My old pouulan has a foam filter that I would wash out with premix a couple of times a year. The new stihl saw has a filter that is totally different and won't be getting washed with premix. That filter stays cleaner though and I only brush it off or blow it off with mouth power.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Never. I just clean it ever 4 or 5 years.

 

[savageactor7]

Yup, just blow it out with compressed air.

 

[maplewood]

Saw is 25 years old. And so is the filter. Knock it off, brush it with a paint brush, blow it off - whatever.
Still starts after about 5 pulls.

 

[jj3500]

Still on original filters. I just tap them out. As far as the compressed air, be careful not to blow right through the paper element. I also use a toothbrush with a light touch.

 

[LLigetfa]

Saw is 25 years old.
...
Still starts after about 5 pulls.

If it took me 5 pulls, I'd be out shopping for a new saw.

 

[Hogwildz]

Do us all a favor, pull your lip over your head and swallow.

 

[LLigetfa]

Let's keep it in perspective. How long have they been making the MS361? SB4 has a new saw which in his words is a PIA to start. What brand? How many pulls? My saw is more than 25 years old with a 20 year old filter. My starting procedure is as follows:

Full choke - first pull might not sputter if it sat a long time.
Second pull normally sputters but unless I'm quick enough to go to half choke, it will need another pull.
Half choke - third pull sputters and runs rough. If I open the choke too soon, it might need one more pull.

Five pulls and I curse it and threaten to trade it in a new saw.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Saw is 25 years old.
...
Still starts after about 5 pulls.

If it took me 5 pulls, I'd be out shopping for a new saw.

Heh? 5 pulls is perfectly acceptable for a cold saw. If it was 5 pulls every time, warm or cold, then I might be saw shopping too.

 

[Highbeam]

Let's keep it in perspective. How long have they been making the MS361? SB4 has a new saw which in his words is a PIA to start. What brand? How many pulls? My saw is more than 25 years old with a 20 year old filter. My starting procedure is as follows:

Full choke - first pull might not sputter if it sat a long time.
Second pull normally sputters but unless I'm quick enough to go to half choke, it will need another pull.
Half choke - third pull sputters and runs rough. If I open the choke too soon, it might need one more pull.

Five pulls and I curse it and threaten to trade it in a new saw.

Are you sure you're doing that right? Every two stroke machine I've owned has directed me to pull on full choke until it sputters and then move up to half choke for the start attempt. Never kee pulling on full choke after the first sputter.

I'm more of a three pull guy. Two at full choke to get the sputter, then a third at half choke for takeoff. There'll always be the goofy times when it takes more or less but 3 is typical. Oh and I am young with gorilla arms so my pulls are long and fast, no girly short pulls.

I have never had a dirty air filter cause starting issues. I notice the engine failing to gain rpms and being blubbery.

 

[Stevebass4]

Let's keep it in perspective. How long have they been making the MS361? SB4 has a new saw which in his words is a PIA to start. What brand? How many pulls? My saw is more than 25 years old with a 20 year old filter. My starting procedure is as follows:

Full choke - first pull might not sputter if it sat a long time.
Second pull normally sputters but unless I'm quick enough to go to half choke, it will need another pull.
Half choke - third pull sputters and runs rough. If I open the choke too soon, it might need one more pull.

Five pulls and I curse it and threaten to trade it in a new saw.

mine is a new 10 year old saw i found.. husky 272xp it was "new" as i think the guy who had it maybe ran one tank through it. and then it sat in his basement for years (same with the genset i bought from his wife when he passed and every other high end tool the guy had - i do think it was an illness he had as he had three of everything and they were all the "best" and never used)

it might take me 10 pulls to get it going from a cold start - but then maybe two if i stop. again when i took the filter off - the thing fired right up - so i suspect i should blow it out

i always run high test with echo mix so i guess i'll clean the filter out this week and see if it gets better - as a side note - i love the saw as it never slows down

 

[LLigetfa]

i do think it was an illness he had as he had three of everything and they were all the "best" and never used

My FIL has a variation on that illness. He has three of everything but they are all trash picked "worst".

It sounds like the carb needs a little more TLC than just running seafoam through it. The carb likely has an integral impulse pump and the little flapper valves may be curled.

It might be coincidence that it started easier with the air filter off unless it has an oil soaked filter that turned to varnish.

 

[JustWood]

Do us all a favor, pull your lip over your head and swallow.

BWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
I've been wantin' to say that for a long time Seems like everything Ligs owned or done is that much better!
+ 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

 

[Stevebass4]

now that's not nice

i do love his wood shed and his splitter mods and his tractor mods to pull the splitter

 

[Gooserider]

now that's not nice

i do love his wood shed and his splitter mods and his tractor mods to pull the splitter

Tend to agree - I think all of the regular heavy posters (myself included) have made posts that others have objected to... (Besides I might consider looking at LL's five pull trade-in saw if the price was right... %-P )

Remember - opinions are like anal openings, we all have them, and most could do with a bit of polishing...

Gooserider

 

[smokinj]

I knock mine out every tankful and blow it out every 20 tankfuls .
I turn my compressor pressure way down when I blow the filter out.

+1 but more like once a day on knocking the filter for me