Saw storage?

[lightj12]

Is it best to drain the fuel tanks on 2-stroke equipment (saws, brush-cuttters, etc.) when stored for the off-season? The fuel I have now is ~6 months old. Should I drain & discard? Just don't want to damage any of my new toys. Thanks.

 

[DSS]

Start them up and let them idle till they run dry, or put some Stabil in the tank and leave them.

I like to run mine dry for the three or four months that they don't get used. If you use the stabil make sure to dump it in the spring and use fresh mix.

I find a bit of seafoam does wonders as well...

If your mix is six months old now, it is probably already past it's expiry date.

 

[gemniii]

Is it best to drain the fuel tanks on 2-stroke equipment (saws, brush-cuttters, etc.) when stored for the off-season?

YES

The fuel I have now is ~6 months old. Should I drain & discard? Just don't want to damage any of my new toys. Thanks.

NO! Drain the mix and put it in something that burns a lot of gas (relatively) like a truck or car. Gas over a month old is almost dangerous to modern 2 stroke small engines. Then mix a little new and run the equipment so it gets the lines filled with fresh mix, run em' dry. Some peeps run Sta-Bil thru or Seafoam.

 

[redunshee]

YES


NO! Drain the mix and put it in something that burns a lot of gas (relatively) like a truck or car. Gas over a month old is almost dangerous to modern 2 stroke small engines. Then mix a little new and run the equipment so it gets the lines filled with fresh mix, run em' dry. Some peeps run Sta-Bil thru or Seafoam.

Like the other guys I drain the tank and let the saw idle till it dies. If I'm storing for a long time I spray cylinder with seafoam fogger. Probably not really necessary as a dropof two cycle oil poured in cylinder and the slowly cranked will do the same thing. I alsways add seaFoam to my mix.

 

[caotropheus]

I also drain the fuel from the gas reservoir and idle the saw until it stops.

But I also have a question. What about the chain oil? Do you guys live it be in the oil reservoir or drain it as well?

Thanks

 

[COLD_IRON]

I leave bar oil in the tank, it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

Mix I will drain it and then run until empty. I do not keep mix around for more than a month tops. If it gets old I dump it in the truck. Preferably I would only keep it for a week but sometimes you need a lot and sometimes you don't.

 

[lightj12]

Thanks for the responses all; very good info here.

 

[procarbine2k1]

I run mine dry personally, and dont keep mix around long. Havent had any real problems, but will pick up a bottle of Marine Stabil the next time I see it out.

 

[Stihlverado]

Start them up and let them idle till they run dry, or put some Stabil in the tank and leave them.

I like to run mine dry for the three or four months that they don't get used. If you use the stabil make sure to dump it in the spring and use fresh mix.

I find a bit of seafoam does wonders as well...

If your mix is six months old now, it is probably already past it's expiry date.

:agree2: +1 But it does give you an excuse to play with your saws more often!!:greenchainsaw:

 

[Deprime]

How about Stabil Fogging Oil? I picked up a can a few weeks ago but I haven't tried it. Anybody ever used this stuff?

 

[mikefunaro]

I have used the stabil fogging spray in the past. When I have it on hand I use it but it doesn't really seem to do much. If you want to protect the cylinder you can also just pipette a little bit of two stroke oil in through the spark plug hole and pull it over but I'm fairly convinced that it doesnt matter. Speaking to stihl and husky tech support they say you don't have to do it. I haven't heard of saws siezing when idled dry, and given that the process is recommended I don't think there's a real risk in doing it.