Storing saws.

[Manitou]

So far (knock on my wooden head) I have not experienced any problems. I think the key in the synthetic oil. My theory is that it coats and lubricates the saws fuel system. Even if the fuel evaporates, the oil remains. Just a theory and I do like to run a few experiments from time to time.

I believe the marine STABIL(blue stuff) does the same in fuel. I started using it years ago for 2-stroke outboards. I even quit fogging the outboards for storage; spring time, they fire up like they were just running yesterday. I starting using in my chainsaw fuel-and same result.

 

[motorhead99999]

Is that free as in beer, or free as in liberty?

ITYM "ethanol free" or "0% ethanol." I can make vodka 100% ethanol free by leaving it outside in an open pan until it evaporates. Perhaps you should explain your method to remove ethanol from gasoline more fully. Gasoline has a higher vapor pressure. Do you distill the gasoline out of the ethanol without blowing things up?

Just sayin'.

Put 4.5 gallons of gas in a clear jug. With a peckock on the bottom. Then fill the jug the rest of the way with water with food coloring and shake. Let it set for a couple minutes. Drain the water out of the bottom. When it turns clearing yellow your back into gas. And will have between 4-3,75 gallons of ethanol free gas.
Tons of videos on YouTube about it.

 

[husky455rancher]

I just use 10% ethanol fuel as it’s all we can get. 93 octane with woodland pro synthetic oil. I left my 066 at my dads for I bet 4-5 years and never touched it. When I went to use it it fired right up like I used it a few days before. Once my wood is cut for the year the saws usually sit till the next year. I’ve never had a problem. Same goes for my leaf blowers.

 

[Brushwacker]

I'd use trufuel if i didn't have ethonal free fuel available, Had bad results with stabil in past. Seafoam gets my vote if adding anything.

 

[motoguy]

I was tired of carb kits or replacement carbs. Haven't had an issue since switching to ethanol-free, and draining/running dry after every use. I could probably get by without the drain/run dry, but my saws sit for a while, and I understand the oil in the fuel will degrade when stored mixed,

 

[Bruiser1]

guessing non ethanol fuel

I think you're just asking for trouble in my opinion. the line will get soft and disintegrate.

I run it dry. in fact I leave the cap open overnight so it dries out.if you're going to leave for a day or two I wouldn't bother but i it more than a week I would dump let it dry out

I gave up on dumping fuel/dry run crap years ago. Now I just dump them on the shelf. Never had a problem and I have started some sitting 5 or 6 years.

 

[Bruiser1]

I think you're just asking for trouble in my opinion. the line will get soft and disintegrate.

I run it dry. in fact I leave the cap open overnight so it dries out.if you're going to leave for a day or two I wouldn't bother but i it more than a week I would dump let it dry out

Use to shut off the oiler also but every time I went to start up the saw I forgot about opening up the oiler again and I ruined one of my bars. not doing that again. Had to redress the rails on the bar so now I leave the oiler wide open when I store my saws

 

[Del_]

Put 4.5 gallons of gas in a clear jug. With a peckock on the bottom. Then fill the jug the rest of the way with water with food coloring and shake. Let it set for a couple minutes. Drain the water out of the bottom. When it turns clearing yellow your back into gas. And will have between 4-3,75 gallons of ethanol free gas.
Tons of videos on YouTube about it.

Doesn't the octane of the fuel get reduced when the ethanol is removed? Ethanol being used as an octane boost and all.

It would make sense to start with a premium high octane.

Wonder what the final octane would be if it were 93 to start with?

 

[auskip07]

Doesn't the octane of the fuel get reduced when the ethanol is removed? Ethanol being used as an octane boost and all.

It would make sense to start with a premium high octane.

Wonder what the final octane would be if it were 93 to start with?

i hear you lose 2-3 points of octane

 

[IyaMan]

As for storing for a few months, fuel mix you make yourself is suggested be used withing a couple months, but commercial pre-mix actually has a unopened shelf-life of 5+ years and an after-opened shelf-life of 2 years.

The reasonng to the reduced shelf-life is due to oxidation of the fuel. When getting from the pump yourself, the gas has been passed around several times just to get to your tank (refinery to trucks to station to your can). Each time it gains oxidation, and every container along the way has space for air. Sealed commercial pre-mix minimizes all that. It also is ethanol-free and has longevity stabelizers.

I don't know of any tests, but it could be a reasonable assumption that prior to storing your saws for a few months (though maybe not if for years) that to fully top off your fuel tank, preferrably with commercial pre-mix, would reduce the oxidation within the saw's tank since there is little or no air inside. Though if you have gas still in a mostly empty can (particularly home-made mix), then you can expect it to deteriorate and probably should toss it.

 

[CentaurG2]

OP ask for an opinion. Your tools and you can do what you want. I ran 2 gallons of 3 year old mix (Premium 10% ETHO 50:1 Stihl Ultra (dated by myself) through the big red max blower this spring. Smelled and ran just fine. No separation. No orange juice jones.





good road

 

[Huskybill]

Stabil failed me once with my 1200 bandit, it didn’t work.

With my saws I filled the tanks with fresh gas,mnon ethanol. Ran them by idling. And stored them from late spring mud season till the early fall. They fired up no problem. For decades. The husky two stroke Xp oil had stabilizer in it.

Now my plan with so many saws is to use the husky Xp+ oil with sea foam in it. Run the saws first, then run them out of gas and store them till needed.

 

[SteveSr]

As for storing for a few months, fuel mix you make yourself is suggested be used withing a couple months, but commercial pre-mix actually has a unopened shelf-life of 5+ years and an after-opened shelf-life of 2 years.

Keep in mind that the "Commercial Pre-Mix" (Moto-Mix, Trufuel, etc.) is NOT gasoline! It is made of a highly stable alkylate which is usually IsoOctane and then diluted with things like butane to get the desired octane down from 100. Sorry, you can't make this stuff at home out of pump gas.

 

[Philbert]

Sorry, you can't make this stuff at home out of pump gas.

Even with eye of newt, a sow's ear, and a magic wand?

Bummer.

Have to go back to moonshine!

Philbert

 

[Huskybill]

Even with eye of newt, a sow's ear, and a magic wand?

Bummer.

Have to go back to moonshine!

Philbert

Witches secret brew?

 

[Philbert]

Witches secret brew?

Alchemy!

Philbert

 

[husky455rancher]

Doesn't the octane of the fuel get reduced when the ethanol is removed? Ethanol being used as an octane boost and all.

It would make sense to start with a premium high octane.

Wonder what the final octane would be if it were 93 to start with?

Absolutely lose octane.

 

[Huskybill]

For long term storage like collecting museum pieces I’d spray two stroke inbthe cylinder and spin it over leaving it.

 

[Kenlip]

I'd use trufuel if i didn't have ethonal free fuel available, Had bad results with stabil in past. Seafoam gets my vote if adding anything.

Brushwacker, I know this is an oldish thread, but if you see it, it would be great if you could add a bit more detail to your "bad results with StaBil in the past" statement.

 

[otisdog]

One of the best, unexpected benefits of moving from California to Washington was having easy access to 94 octane non ethanol gas. Had to rebuild all of the carbs, but now we're all good....