How long do you let a saw sit/store til draining fluids?

[fearofpavement]

Using water to separate the ethanol from gasonline does work but it is NOT distilation.

Anyway, I never drain my saws because I don't have any that I KNOW I won't be using. Sometimes an exended period of time will go by before I use a saw and if it has been a lengthy period, I dump the tank and fill with fresh fuel. By my definition lengthy is several months. I keep my saws inside a shop that maintains a fairly constant temperature. I also use ethanol free fuel. I have cars, trucks and tractors that have sat years with old fuel in them and never had any issues. (knock on wood)

Not to say I haven't seen the effects of fuel evaporating out of a tank or carb and leaving "dried paint" behind. I have been wrenching on stuff for over 40 years and have seen a lot. I think dumping the fuel from unused 2 stroke equipment is a good idea, I just don't do it myself.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Can you enlighten me how you Distill gas so the ethanol is removed?

Have you got a fractional distillation column at home?

What I do is go to a gas station that has regular unleaded without ethanol. It's a little higher priced but so are new parts for your chainsaw..

 

[heimannm]

I have more than a few runners, ones that I anticipate using on a regular basis are kept full of fuel and oil (except of course for what leaks out). Some of those will set for 6 months or more but I rarely have any issues getting them started and running as they should.

I have a few other GTG type saw that may only get run once a year, if I remember to drain them I start over but for example my Super 250 will normally remain full and always starts and runs.

I do try to start most of my "work" every 2-3 months but it does not always get done.

So far, I have not had any issues with saws setting even a year at a time. I normally add Stabil to my fuel when I mix it since I never know how quickly it will get used. I may be pressing my luck, but my careless program has been O.K. for me.

Mark

 

[a. palmer jr.]

I have more than a few runners, ones that I anticipate using on a regular basis are kept full of fuel and oil (except of course for what leaks out). Some of those will set for 6 months or more but I rarely have any issues getting them started and running as they should.

I have a few other GTG type saw that may only get run once a year, if I remember to drain them I start over but for example my Super 250 will normally remain full and always starts and runs.

I do try to start most of my "work" every 2-3 months but it does not always get done.

So far, I have not had any issues with saws setting even a year at a time. I normally add Stabil to my fuel when I mix it since I never know how quickly it will get used. I may be pressing my luck, but my careless program has been O.K. for me.

Mark

Not nearly as bad a problem if you don't run ethanol fuel..I don't run it in my saws, just my cars and truck.

 

[heimannm]

We have both E-10 and non ethanol available at the local Kwik Trip. I always put E-10 in the van and my trucks, only non-ethanol for the OPE since those containers often will set around for a month or more at a time, particularly in the winter months when we are not mowing and using the power washer. Thankfully we never seem to go through too much gasoline for the snow removal equipment.

I have driven more than 500,000 miles on E-10 fuel in the past 25 years or so with no issues other than my old VW (72 squareback); fuel pump would stop working when I used E-10. Sometimes a whack with the tire iron would get it going again, I got to the point where I always carried a spare just in case.

Mark

 

[a. palmer jr.]

We have both E-10 and non ethanol available at the local Kwik Trip. I always put E-10 in the van and my trucks, only non-ethanol for the OPE since those containers often will set around for a month or more at a time, particularly in the winter months when we are not mowing and using the power washer. Thankfully we never seem to go through too much gasoline for the snow removal equipment.

I have driven more than 500,000 miles on E-10 fuel in the past 25 years or so with no issues other than my old VW (72 squareback); fuel pump would stop working when I used E-10. Sometimes a whack with the tire iron would get it going again, I got to the point where I always carried a spare just in case.

Mark

I don't believe there's as much of an issue with E-10 in automotive uses. The fuel lines don't seem to like it in chainsaws that use the Tygon fuel lines. The neoprene lines hold up better in my opinion.

 

[Moparmyway]

What I do is go to a gas station that has regular unleaded without ethanol. It's a little higher priced but so are new parts for your chainsaw..

There aint no gas stations that have non-ethanol gas around me, every single mutha-scratchin one has the 10% stickers, and I have personally tested a few at between 15% and 20%.

After I saw the test results from my favorite close station, I knew I had to do something, and Cam 2 (110) isnt @ Rudys yet (still selling kero for winter). I dont want to know how much per gallon he will charge this spring, but I will be grabbing a gallon or 2 to mix in with my "cleaned up" non-ethanol gas to bring my octane back up to where it needs to be so I can run my "Terry-ized" saws.

If I absolutely cant wait for the Cam 2, then HD has True-Fuel 40:1 and 50:1 (92 octane) in the quart cans .........

 

[sachsmo]

Mine get drained every Winter. I use the left-overs in a rag to start fires in the old smoke dragon out in the shed.

 

[c5rulz]

Its actually easy. Dump water in your gas. Sounds dumb right?

The ethanol and the water will blend and separate from the gas and you just pour off the water. Its a little more complicated than that but not much. Downside is you lose the octane from the ethanol.

That is not distillation. What you are depending on is the difference in solubility of gas and ethanol and the fact water is polar and gas is not. Ethanol mixes somewhat with gas but not well. Water mixes very well with ethanol so adding water will seperate from the gas. It will work though.:msp_smile:

Ethanol mixes very well with your blood stream too, but in higher concentrations can cause the imbiber to make poor decisions and is often the underlying reasons people have fantatical loyalty to Stihls and defend flippy caps with righteousness anger.

What I do is go to a gas station that has regular unleaded without ethanol. It's a little higher priced but so are new parts for your chainsaw..

We have both E-10 and non ethanol available at the local Kwik Trip. Mark

We have Kwik Trip's too. The premium is no ethanol and marked on the pump for small engines, outboards and two cycle. It's cheap insurance for $.30/gallon.:msp_thumbsup:

 

[ShaneLogs]

I run all mine all year long so I don't need to drain the fluids. Just start them up every once and a while and rev them up and let them idle and make sure everything is operating properly and they should be fine.

 

[Philbert]

There aint no gas stations that have non-ethanol gas around me,

Search Google for 'Gas Stations Without Ethanol'. Someone posted a website here a few months ago (can't remember the name) and I found one less than a mile from my house.

Pumps are marked 'for off road, small equipment, and antique cars only' (or something close to that).

Philbert

 

[c5rulz]

Search Google for 'Gas Stations Without Ethanol'. Someone posted a website here a few months ago (can't remember the name) and I found one less than a mile from my house.

Pumps are marked 'for off road, small equipment, and antique cars only' (or something close to that).

Philbert

Here ya go Philbert.

Find ethanol free gas near you!

 

[Philbert]

Here ya go Philbert.

Find ethanol free gas near you!

Thanks c5rulz.

OOOPS! This one does not list the one near my house!
I know I found it from a link, and verified it in person. So maybe a broader net would help. Better check a couple of the Internet sites.

Philbert

 

[Moparmyway]

Even that link has zero stations near NYC .......... already knew I'd be SOL, you just confirmed it for me !!!

 

[Philbert]

Even that link has zero stations near NYC .......... already knew I'd be SOL, you just confirmed it for me !!!

When I did the Google search, I got a list of a bunch of websites. You might try some others.

I had to pay about 40 cents a gallon more for it - partially due to it being premium octane and partially because the station could charge that. Not a big deal for a gallon or two. The station manager said that he has a bunch of off road vehicles and OPE, so he figured if he wanted ethanol free gas, others might too.

The water separation idea is interesting. Certainly not as convenient as finding the right pump.

Philbert

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Thanks c5rulz.

OOOPS! This one does not list the one near my house!
I know I found it from a link, and verified it in person. So maybe a broader net would help. Better check a couple of the Internet sites.

Philbert

There's two or three within 10 miles of me, they're not listed here either..

 

[a. palmer jr.]

Even that link has zero stations near NYC .......... already knew I'd be SOL, you just confirmed it for me !!!

Another job created by the politicians...gasoline smuggler!

 

[woodfarmer]

Thanks guys.

Draining the bar oil is certainly not a problem with this saw - does that automatically! Good thing I place absorbents in my saw cases. . . .

Philbert

I was told never store a saw in those plastic case due to moisture

 

[Philbert]

I was told never store a saw in those plastic case due to moisture

Could be a problem if your saw is put away damp, or if your cases are tight sealing. I have seen that with other tools.

I clean my saws before storage, and my 'Power Box' style cases do not seal that tight. That said, you could always add ventilation holes if it was a concern.

The trade-offs include damage to the saw if stored directly on concrete (might get moved around from a different spot); damage to the saw (or something else) if stuff drops on it, or in transit; injury to someone who makes unintentional contact with the saw; leaving important stuff behind (that I keep in the case with each saw); leaking stuff over other things.

Since that post, several years ago, I now also drain the bar oil from a saw that I do not intend to use for a while.

Philbert