Winter time- store saw or keep it running?

[WhiteMike]

What do you guys do for the winter? I won't be doing much cutting, if any. Wondering if I should drain the fuel, oil, new spark plug etc. or add some stabilizer and keep it running. It's a husqy 450 rancher (yeah I know...I bought it without doing any Actual research)

 

[Tenderfoot]

I keep mine running year round. Saws not running, bills not getting paid.

 

[sunfish]

I cut all winter, but not in summer. Saws stay gassed year around, with E-free mix.

 

[wrx-snowdrift]

This has lots of good advice
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/winter-storage-full-or-empty.187837/

It might depend on what your length of winter is, 3 months, 6 months?? I wouldn't be worried about storing it for over the winter but like Don says use ethanol free gas. A lot of 2-stoke oils have a stabilizer in them (e.g. Echo Power Blend, AMSOIL Saber, I'm sure there are others) but if yours doesn't ad some Stabil. Also, store it with the gas tank full, since there is moisture in air more air in the fuel tank could equal more water in the fuel. Some guys drain the bar oil but I don't feel there is a need to unless yours leaks and you don't want to make a mess.

 

[Jere39]

Like others, my busy cutting season is winter. Cool enough to cut and split for hours, snow makes skidding easier, knocks down the briars, fills in the low spots of the trails. And, best of all, the bugs are gone. I cut 3+ days a week from December to April. Now, over the summer, I mostly only cut to clear storm damage. I often don't know when I might next start a saw after putting it away. I always run an No-E fuel mix, mostly TruFuel, and generally like to saw to empty. I've always got something laying around to buck up, or a stump to clear, so I can easily finish off a tank.

So, for me, I mix synthetic oil with fresh high octane E10 gas for winter when I'm running a couple tanks a week, and switch to the expensive pre-mix without ethanol in the summer.

 

[greenskeeper]

If I know the saw isn't going to be used for a while I'll drain the gas and run the carb dry.

 

[srb08]

I cut all winter, but not in summer. Saws stay gassed year around, with E-free mix.

Here's the answer.

 

[7sleeper]

I cut all winter, but not in summer. Saws stay gassed year around, with E-free mix.

Similar here. Two smaller saws stay fueled all year long but the bigger ones are regularly emptied and stored without fuel. I might add I only use ethanol fuel.

7

 

[Dirtboy]

I use non ethanol fuel in my saws. The 3 good ones get drained, cleaned and put away when not in use. My one beater saw stays gassed and somewhat dirty all the time.

 

[alleyyooper]

All saws always ready to run at a moments notice. Best time to cut for me is winter good way to stay warm out side. Never know when some one will call and say they have a down tree do I want it.

Al

 

[svk]

Up until this year I haven't had an issue with having a "fleet" of backup saws besides my handful of work saws. Darn CAD....LOL

I will probably drain the gas out of the back up saws (especially the metallic case ones) and put them up on the shelf and keep my runners fueled and ready to go.

I am going to Utah over Christmas break which is usually a busy time of running saws and am coaching basketball again so early December through the end of January is out. Once spring rolls around I want to get after the blowdown oak behind my cabin.