saw storage- fuel?

[gerry100]

Just finished my cutting for the year ( '17-'18 supply).

With a new sharp chain my 026 makes a lot of cuts without using much fuel.

Anyway, I put the saw in the case in the shed with a tank 3/4 full of mix. In past years, I've forgot about it and haven't had a problem in the spring.

I also know that once I think like that I get an unpleasant surprise.

Should I dump the tank? Run it dry? or forget about it?

Inputs appreciated

 

[cachunko]

Some 2 stroke oils (I use husqvarna) have a fuel stabilizer in with the oil. If that's the case, you should be good to go. I leave the fuel tank full. This has always worked well for me.

 

[Dobish]

leave it as it is. if it doesn't start next time, dump it then.

I'm pretty sure that everything that I own has a leak in the gas tank, so I find I have to fill them up anyway!

 

[gerry100]

I love advice that doesn't require me to do anything

 

[woodhog73]

Depends if it's ethanol or not. Some areas of the country you can't get ethanol free.

If your using ethanol dump it out of the saw and use it up in your lawn mower or snow blower. A little premix won't bother your 4 cycle lawn mower. Run the saw dry so no ethanol fuel is left.

If non ethanol it should be fine to sit in the saw. Most oils have fuel stabilizer in them. Check yours

 

[Montanalocal]

Here is what has worked for me for all my small engines.

1. Use a dedicated turkey baster to siphon out most remaining gas.

2. Run until out, tipping so that the fuel tank outlet is downhill.

3. Add a partial tank of Stihl MotoMix or equivalent.

4. Start and run so it gets all through the carb.

Nothing else has ever worked for me.

 

[Jon1270]

Similar to Woodhog's advice, for long-term storage I start the saw briefly and shut it off, empty the tank, re-start and let idle until it stalls, then leave it on a shelf in the garage overnight with the gas cap removed to allow the tank to thoroughly dry out. Maybe overkill, but it's really not much trouble.

 

[firefighterjake]

As mentioned, depending on which oil you used in the pre-mix, it may have a stabilizer in it. I never did anything with my old saw and it always started in the Spring without fail. My sled -- also a two stroke -- I added a stabilizer and have had no issues and it costs way, way more than my saw.

My new saw had a deal where I could get an extended warranty by buying a certain number of ethanol-free cans of gas . . . so the saw currently is full of ethanol free gas . . . just because that's what I was running in it.

 

[TreePointer]

I've changed my storage routine over the past few years. These days, I'll use all the fuel in the tank or empty it and then run non-ethanol canned fuel (MotoMix, Tru-Fuel, Husqvarna fuel, etc.) in it before storage.

 

[iamlucky13]

My (very limited) experience says pour it out, run the saw until it burns up what was in the lines and carb, and use what you poured out in the mower.

I left my MS250 fueled for a couple weeks before I got to finishing some cutting I started. When I went back, I couldn't get my saw started for the life of me. Tried both choke settings and unchoked no throttle and full throttle, checked the plug, removed the plug multiple times to air out the cylinder thinking it was gassed, etc. At best I could get a couple coughs out of it.

I finally swapped the fuel for fresh (from the same can actually, but had been sitting in the gas can instead of the saw), and it fired right up. I've had the same happen at least one other time since then - planned to cut some more the next day, didn't get to it for a month or two, and had to drain the gas and refill to get the saw to start.

This is with Stihl 2-stroke oil and 10% ethanol, 89 octane.

After this, I was deeply worried one spring when I realized I'd left my Husqvarna string trimmer fueled all winter with the same gas/oil mix. Oddly, it had no problem.

 

[jetsam]

Don't run your 2-stroke engines dry on purpose. While it's not the end of the world, the engine is running the cycles at the end extremely lean (hot) and with little to no lube.

If you want to clean out the ethanol for the winter, dump the tank, put in some synthetic fuel/lube, and run it for a while to get the synthetic stuff through the carburator.

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Some 2 stroke oils (I use husqvarna) have a fuel stabilizer in with the oil. If that's the case, you should be good to go. I leave the fuel tank full. This has always worked well for me.

Yup

 

[woodhog73]

Don't run your 2-stroke engines dry on purpose. While it's not the end of the world, the engine is running the cycles at the end extremely lean (hot) and with little to no lube.

Yes this is the case but it's extremely minimal and I question the impact it actually has on any 2 stroke.

I've run my saws out of gas countless times, many times while in the cut, and never damaged a thing. Piston and rings and cylinder show no signs of scuffing or indications of lean running. Back in my 2 stroke dirt bike days same deal, many times run out of gas while doing laps on a motocross track etc. never caused any damage, or even given signs of any premature damage.

That said I wouldn't do it on purpose all the time. Just for storage. And mainly in my opinion if you have ethanol in the saw. If you have non ethanol it should be fine to sit until next season. But I agree you could just as easily run canned fuel through it and let it sit with that in it too.

 

[Dairyman]

Running it out of fuel at a idle definitely won't hurt it. If you choose to leave with fuel in the tank fill it full.

 

[mark cline]

Depends if it's ethanol or not. Some areas of the country you can't get ethanol free.

If your using ethanol dump it out of the saw and use it up in your lawn mower or snow blower. A little premix won't bother your 4 cycle lawn mower. Run the saw dry so no ethanol fuel is left.

If non ethanol it should be fine to sit in the saw. Most oils have fuel stabilizer in them. Check yours

I agree 100% , my saws have never had a problem starting in the spring with the non ethanol fuel , ethanol fuel is nothing but trouble.

 

[lindnova]

I use nothing but 100% gas with no ethanol. I usually run my saws at least every 3 months. If longer I do run them dry - dump out the fuel then start until it stalls, then choke and get the last bit out of the carb. I don't do this when they are hot though.

Ethanol blended gas is bad for anything that is used infrequently. The ethanol absorbs moisture, forms a gel substance and causes all sorts of problems.

We have several stations now in our area that sell no ethanol premium so it is getting easier to get.

 

[Wildo]

100LL and Amsoil 42:1 Fires up like I shut it off the day before/ 100 days later...

Ethanol SUCKS!

No problems in 6 years.