Saw Storage

[HadleyPA]

Okay, so my old 61 finally gave up the ghost and after shopping around looking at Stihl, Dolmar, Jonsered and Husky I decided on the Husky 365XT. Anyhow my question is this. Different dealers seem to have varying views on saw storage. Sometimes my saws might sit a month or more at a time and each dealer I told that to said to treat them a different way. Some said to keep them full of gas, others said to run them completely dry and let them die out and that is the best way to keep the gas from eating everything. All I know is I hate this new gas and I am sick of replacing fuel lines every year. Any suggestions? Also, 87 or 93 octane? Husky dealer said 93 b/c it is better gas, I agree but my theory is that the stations don't sell as much 93 so the 87 you buy would be fresher. And yes I do put in the ethanol stabil as soon as I bring any gas home in a can so I know it has all been treated no wandering later on. I realize these topics have probably been debated before but after I short search I did not turn up anything.:msp_confused:

 

[Jim in the Wood]

I had the experience a few years back of storing my new Husky with gas in the tank and ended up rebuilding the carb when it wouldn't stay running during next outing, (2 months old). It's been years since then and I make it a habit of running the tank dry every time since. In fact, I ran it dry today. I haven't needed any carb work since. FWIW, I wouldn't leave gas in any machine that I cared about unless I was using it every day.
Jim

 

[Redoakranch]

I've had all my lines go bad regularly in last 8 years or so since ethanol has been in the gas. Now i run everything dry and have had no problems. I ran some 100LL yesterday, may switch to the ethanol free leaded gas.

 

[fred1970]

How much do you use your saw when you are running it? I know there are several companies that sell pre-mixed gas without ethanol in it. It's sold in quarts and I think it's like 8-10 dollars so yes it's expensive but if you only use a tank full or two it might be worth considering. It's supposed to have a 2 year shelf life in the can but I don't know if would believe that or not.

 

[H 2 H]

Just today I went and looked at two trees to take down at my Aunts her neighbor came over and start bs'ing and he brought his 026 over and he hadn't ran it for two years and he filled it with his premix gas can and I ask him how old was the fuel he said it was seating next to his saw since the last time he ran it and it was seating on the floor under his bench for two years on cemet. The chain looked like it hadn't been looked at for more years than that it was rusty he pulled the starter rope about eight times and it fired up my jaw drop

 

[himiler]

This is definately in the FWIW column.
First if I were to buy only a gallon of gas the first 1/4 gallon is going to be what the previous guy pumped so either purchase more or get the premium to average out the octane.
I use Amsoil Quickshot treatment & Sabre at 75:1 in all my saws, leave them full, and have not had any problems. It's not an advertisement for Amsoil, just what I do.
Like I said, very subjective, works for me.
Steve

 

[fixit49]

Absolutly drain all gas from saw & run saw until it dies. Gas today is at best good for 30 days and loses octane as it ages. The ethanol causes phase separation and now you have an excess of water,low octane gas and ethanol, not good for high rev engines like chainsaws. I repair most seized engines now a days due to hot spots causing the pistons to seize in the cylinder due to old low octane gas not incorrect gas to oil ratio. Echo had a service bulletin out last year about using old gas and many manufacturers recommend 89 octane minimum with proper oil ratio for engines.
Plus I'm tired of replaceing soft/mushy fuel lines which came as a shock to me as I started inspecting all fuel lines more closely over the last few years, other technicians have notice this to

 

[lentil]

+1 on the drain saw side. Fuel just isn't what it used to be, the ethanol being added now doesn't help to much either. We now advise all our customers that if they're not going to use their machines in two weeks, drain it.

Personally I'm not yet sold on fuel stabilizers.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

First of all let me say......I am a bit too aggressive about how I store my saws. I have repaired too many saws/tillers/motorcycles that friends and neighbors dropped off after they sat too long with fuel in them. Prior to ethanol fuel the problems would be the old gas caused gum and varnish to build up after sitting for a loooooong time. Now the problems caused by ethanol fuel take much less time to show up, and they are most often corroded aluminum parts, mushy fuel lines and diaphragms that have been softened by the ethanol. The ethanol also rusts fuel tanks that are made from steel.

When I won't be using my saws I first dump out the fuel. Then I put in an Avgas 100LL fuel mix and run the saw until I can smell the Avgas has run through the carb. I then dump the fuel, restart the saw and let it idle until it runs out of fuel. If you don't have access to Avgas for running through the tank I would suggest you use the Pre-Mix that you buy in the cans......as it will not have ethanol in it. I do this in all of my small equipment.....chainsaws, tillers, snow blowers, lawn mowers.....and they always start right up when I put fresh fuel in them. It takes a few minutes and a little Avgas - but is far easier and takes less time than having to fix the equipment the next time I want to use it.