Running chainsaws (and other twostrokes) on E85

[DennisCA]

I've read through a year long thread on a swedish arborist forum where a guy decided to try and run his saws (brushcutters and chainsaws) and the results where really optimistic. The saws all ran cooler and cleaner, it was quite incredible how well they cleaned up inside from running E85 when he showed some teardowns.

The most important aspect seemed to be to find a two stroke oil that mixes properly with ethanol, fortunately a local cheap store brand synthetic seems to do the trick. He is also running a pretty rich mix, 2 deciliters to 5 liters, which is 4% mix or in american terms a little richer than 32:1, also added a dash of fuel stabilizer but not sure it's required, supposed to help bind any free water. Last I heard he'd run 800 liters of E85 through his equipment.

Some videos of his equipment running E85:





Inspection




Can usually get them to work by tuning the carb. They need less oxygen because ehtanol has it's own oxygen molecule, so the carb should be tuned richer.

I will also leave a link to the original thread, in case anyone wants to try and punish themselves with a google translation
https://skogsforum.se/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=38541
At any rate this made me interested in trying out E85 myself, there's a station 20km away so I should go get some for experiments sake. I have a Stihl MS170 I am not that fond of. Been running it on alkylate fuel until now.

 

[ValleyForge]

Just don’t do it….

 

[HansFranz]

I wanna figure out how to run my saw on

 

[computeruser]

A solution in search of a problem. Pass.

 

[DennisCA]

I get the feeling that this is an ideological issue I've stumbled on. Perhaps not a good place to discuss this then.

 

[HansFranz]

I wonder how much water you can mix with a gallon of "dry"

E85 before the alcohol-water will separate out...a gallon? Two quarts? A pint? Anyone know?

 

[blades]

If your car / truck sat for 1/2 a year not running likely would experience same flustrations as small eng owners. Maybe not quite as bad as most cars/trucks are FI now.Vs carbs. but the effects of ethanol evaporating and the film it leaves behind are the same, as well as it ability to damage fuel lines in one fashion or another. Its affinity for attracting moisture also spells trouble for plain steel tanks and fuel lines. the film attracts moisture as well.

 

[ValleyForge]

I get the feeling that this is an ideological issue I've stumbled on. Perhaps not a good place to discuss this then.

You think the engines and appurtenances belong to political parties?

 

[DennisCA]

No, that's exactly my point. But I'm getting the distinct feeling politics are involved here so I'm just gonna bow out. I appear to have stepped on a sore subject and should not have made this thread.

 

[Mad Professor]

Don't try it

 

[ValleyForge]

No, that's exactly my point. But I'm getting the distinct feeling politics are involved here so I'm just gonna bow out. I appear to have stepped on a sore subject and should not have made this thread.

haven't seen it….however, the science is settled on small engines and ethanol….

 

[cookies]

It will eat everything aluminum and magnesium it comes in contact with. It keeps everything fuel washed because +20% or more fuel consumption is required to run it. Unless you have plans to run forced induction to utilize the 109 octane benefit its a bad decision.

 

[Hermio]

haven't seen it….however, the science is settled on small engines and ethanol….

Science is NEVER settled.

 

[ValleyForge]

Science is NEVER settled.

See MMGW…im just trying to speak to certain people in their language…lol

 

[Patrick1903]

@DennisCA How much fuel do you burn in your saws? What are the pros and cons of running E85? How much would you save (at the pump) running it? Are there additional costs associated with running it?

Polarizing topic I’m sure; but you run your equipment and you fix your equipment, no one else on this forum does that. So test away and report your findings. Take care.

 

[KASH]

I have no idea why any would try e85 knowing full well all the negatives but on the other hand the good lord told Adam and EVE not to eat the apple or bad things would happen and we all know what EVE did,
Kash

 

[OM617YOTA]

Any saw made relatively recently will have been designed from the beginning to handle ethanol fuel. Won't hurt a thing from a materials perspective.

If you maintain your saw and use it regularly, you won't have any issues from ethanol, or more correctly, ethanol's affinity for water. Even at higher concentrations, like E85. If you don't run your saw regularly and don't maintain it, you'll have issues faster than you would otherwise. Maintain your equipment!

Last issue would be tuning for what you're running. Should be doing this anyway, with any fuel, any oil, altitude, the whole nine yards.

I wouldn't run E85 myself, and don't see a reason to, but don't see a problem with it either, as long as someone is maintaining their equipment.

 

[Franny K]

My F150 with the 5.0 liter engine says flex fuel on the rear. If I recall from threads on a F150 forum e85 gives a little more power but miles per gallon are in the range of 12 vs 19 for gas with 10 % ethanol. Really think the mixture adjustment screws alone will be sufficient? On a Ms 170? Manual will say 10% Max.

 

[HansFranz]

According to this, ethanol only contains about 2/3 of the energy (67%) of gasoline per unit volume (say gallons), so E85 is only going to have about 72% of the energy per gallon compared to straight gasoline.

Start adding altitude losses (3% per 1000 ft elevation) and tuning losses and throw a dull chain into the mix and it ain't gonna be long before you gotta start burning some of that firewood to power your saw...

 

[ValleyForge]

According to this, ethanol only contains about 2/3 of the energy (67%) of gasoline per unit volume (say gallons), so E85 is only going to have about 72% of the energy per gallon compared to straight gasoline.

Start adding altitude losses (3% per 1000 ft elevation) and tuning losses and throw a dull chain into the mix and it ain't gonna be long before you gotta start burning some of that firewood to power your saw...

Oir you could switch to a coal fired saw…lol