To warm up or not ?

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Anthony_Va.

Anthony_Va.

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I don't warm up for more than probably 15-20 seconds. Start it up and blip the throttle a few times, let it idle a few seconds, blip it again and start cutting.

I know it's not much of a warm-up, but it's better than just starting it up and sticking it right into the log I reckon.

I can't see standing around for 10 minutes while waiting on my saw to warm up. That's just funny to me.
 
stipes

stipes

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Me too!!!

everthing i own that has a engine gets a warm up of some sort.

Freekin kills me in the winter when you see someone jump in their car and hammer down on it...Same as the bike ridders here in the summer mornings after work,,you see them start up and idle for a few mins...
Whats a few mins vers. wear and tear on your saw....
 
Gypo Logger

Gypo Logger

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The only time I ever warmed up a saw was at a GTG, otherwise it's held to the pin right from the getgo. If it's too cold the saw will just hesitate and I've never had adverse results from doing so.
John
 
JustinM

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I might start mine a little before I up to the first tree and let it idle while I check the drop location or line. I would say that I do. I have notice that my 441 needs to be warm before she wants to work very fast.

Sam

I do the same. The forrest around my house tends to have a lot of bears around too, so normally I like to run the saw & let it idle noisily as I plan out my work for a minute or two :p
 
Gypo Logger

Gypo Logger

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I do the same. The forrest around my house tends to have a lot of bears around too, so normally I like to run the saw & let it idle noisily as I plan out my work for a minute or two :p

Speaking of bears I worked in Toba Inlet in 81' where there were so many grizzlies that very few saw operators would shut off their saws.
It was a camp job and a hunter came in and saw 34 bears the first day. I think he eventually shot the biggest one he could find.
Just a couple weeks ago a little black bear bit into my ATV seat.
John
 

L.R.

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Yes I let my saws warm up.
Sometimes it is just for the walk from the truck to the tree, sometimes a couple of minutes depending on the ambient temperature.
In the winter if a saw isn't stored inside a heated structure they need an especially long time for the bar oil to warm up so it will flow.
Revving a saw with frozen bar oil can damage the oil pumps on some saws and surely isn't "good" for any of them.


Mike

You don't keep your saws in the kitchen?!
 

L.R.

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What's wrong with the roof?
John

Too cold? To far away in case of zombie attack? Might fall off? Seriously though:

I can't see standing around for 10 minutes while waiting on my saw to warm up. That's just funny to me.

The way I understand it, the only time you do that is when you are going to adjust your carb at wide open throttle. I think what he meant was the manufacturer states that the saw can safely idle for at least ten minutes. That should be plenty for anything, but I doubt I'd be able to wait that long myself... I let it idle a short while, until the idle has stabilized and the chain is perfectly still, then check throttle response and start cutting. It just seems when it is working properly, it is also warmed up enough.
 
Nitroman

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Too cold? To far away in case of zombie attack? Might fall off? Seriously though:
The way I understand it, the only time you do that is when you are going to adjust your carb at wide open throttle. I think what he meant was the manufacturer states that the saw can safely idle for at least ten minutes. That should be plenty for anything, but I doubt I'd be able to wait that long myself... I let it idle a short while, until the idle has stabilized and the chain is perfectly still, then check throttle response and start cutting. It just seems when it is working properly, it is also warmed up enough.

Yeah, that was what I meant. I find a tree, start the saw(s), and gear up while the saw idles. If it is really cold, I'll use my snow-shovel and hand-axe to dig around the base of the tree so I can cut lower, and chop off those deadly little branchettes sticking out of the trunk that want to poke out your eye.
If it is really cold, say...oh...-15*F and colder, I'll run the saw at 1/3 throttle for 30 seconds, then put the chain on the bark and keep it running at 1/3 throttle as I pull a heavier load to allow the cylinder to warm up. When I put my bare hand down next to the cylinder and feel warm air, I am ready to go.
 
Brad101

Brad101

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If the piston gets hot and expands too much before the cylinder, the engine 'cold' seizes. Warm the engine up before you put a load on it.

I have never seen that happen in over 20 years of working on chainsaws. I know around here a lot of people like to talk about it like it's the gospel. I doubt anyone has ever really seen this happen on a chainsaw. Believe me, once combustion starts inside that engine everything warms up pretty fast.
 
jbighump

jbighump

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The first new Stihl saw I bought the dealer cranked it and full throttled for at least 15 seconds. I told him to unbox another one and warm it up. He started to argue but that's not what I do with MY equipment. I know a faller that doesn't warm up but has a BIG bone pile of saws..says he buys a new one every year.

i had a dealer do the same with a new 260 pro i bought and i said something to him and he said it was what was done with every new piece of equiptment. i got home went to fire it up and low and behold it wouldnt start so i immediatly took it back and told them i wanted a new one and i would do the test run. wont spend anymore of my hard earned money there so some minimum wage kid can abuse my new purchase.
 
CGC4200

CGC4200

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never had any problems warming up equipment

I have heard of too many problems over the years on engines; spun bearings,
scalded pistons & other mechanical problems.
It works good on female partners too, ever heard of foreplay?
 

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