Winterizing

[Backstage]

Surprised not to see a thread like this in the search.

I know this is a non-issue for guys who run saws for a living through the winter, but for those of us who mostly use them after the ticks die and before everything freezes to the ground…

I’ve made enough equipment changes this year that I’m revisiting the subject. I’ve always run them empty and set on the shelf, but are they really empty? Isn’t a fuel film left in the carb more likely to varnish than leaving it completely full with stabilized E0? Then you see comments like “I make sure I do not run any autotune or mtronic saws out of fuel” where people experience those carbs getting confused by running dry. Then there’s the guys who say the ONLY way to do it is to run them every 30 days.

What 2 cycle gear are you shelving this year, and how?

 

[user 122190]

I don't do anything special. Just put the saw away and wait til spring (4 to 5 months). I did winterize once or twice, and it made no difference is starting the saw come springtime.

 

[3000 FPS]

All my saws have carburetors. I only run non ethanol fuel and when storing I run them dry and nothing else.
I have had some saws sit on the shelf for 2 or 3 years and start right back up with no problem.

 

[Pioneer]

Drain your gas out, pour in some Aspen 50-1, run for a few minutes and put into storage. Come spring, pour in your usual gas mix and go.
I have a friend who switched to Aspen 3 years ago, and he has had zero problems since then.
Expensive to run all the time if you use your saw a lot, but perfect for storage.

 

[Canyon Angler]

All my saws have carburetors. I only run non ethanol fuel and when storing I run them dry and nothing else.
I have had some saws sit on the shelf for 2 or 3 years and start right back up with no problem.

^^^This^^^

If I'm feeling especially paranoid, I might put some Seafoam into the last tankful of fuel, then after dumping out the last of it from the tank, choke the crap out of it -- even if it only runs for a couple of seconds -- until it won't even pop anymore...

 

[Huskybill]

I was cutting all winter from sept. Till mud season in the spring. My saws were in storage all summer. I cleaned them, squared the bars, sharpened the chains, cleaned the airfilter, changed the sparkplug, topped off the fuel and bar oil. Then they sit.

 

[dboyd351]

All my saws have carburetors. I only run non ethanol fuel and when storing I run them dry and nothing else.
I have had some saws sit on the shelf for 2 or 3 years and start right back up with no problem.

^^^+2.^^^^
This is exactly what I do. Never had an issue.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

I add Seafoam to all my mix and it works in the summer or -40 winter,this year or next.

 

[GoBigRed]

For long term storage:

warm the saw for a bit before pouring out the gas. Then drain it. Start the saw and run it until it dies. I saw video where the guy shook the saw when it starts to stumble a little. I do this now and it appears to get more gas through it. Then choke it and start it again. Shake it when it starts to die. Then keep pulling it until it stops popping.
Zero fuel in the carb

yes, if they sit idle for a few months with conditioner in it you will be fine. But over time, even ethanol free breaks down. Ethanol absorbs moisture which is the big enemy. Straight gas will evaporate and varnish. Warm weather speeds the process. So whatever you do, just don’t keep gas it for more than a few months as most have said.

 

[Huskybill]

Husqvarna two stroke oil has fuel stabilizer in it.

 

[Drifter2406]

I've put my saws away numerous time over the number of years for a few months at a time, just cleaned and serviced them and never had a problem, always used Husqvarna oil, don't know if it's true that it has a stabiliser in it.

 

[Tomos770]

This...


Or my way...

 

[treeguy2020]

In my chain saws i put Armor Red canned fuel in them before the winter, and try running them a few times through the winter.

 

[LuDookie]

I run E-free fuel and just drain and run dry when I don’t know when I’ll cut again. Stored saws as long as 2 years and they crack and run like I put them away yesterday.

 

[dboyd351]

There's 2 kinds the red bottle and the yellow one. I read that one is good to use the other isn't

But if you mix them together it is orange, which is best for orange saws

 

[Chevboy0167]

Can fuel for storage here. Never a problem in the last 8 yrs.

 

[hotajax]

Ice storms are prevalent, so I keep the saws handy. I just keep premix in them, and fire them up every month or so. Never an issue because the premix fuels generally all have stabilizer free inside the package. Plus the premix lasts forever and a day

 

[hotajax]

In my chain saws i put Armor Red canned fuel in them before the winter, and try running them a few times through the winter.

My routine as well

 

[LuDookie]

I also store my saws indoors. That takes care of a lot of fuel related problems. Seems like barns and sheds where there are a lot of temperature and humidity fluctuations, tear things up quicker than dropping them.

 

[firekindler]

For long term storage:

warm the saw for a bit before pouring out the gas. Then drain it. Start the saw and run it until it dies. I saw video where the guy shook the saw when it starts to stumble a little. I do this now and it appears to get more gas through it. Then choke it and start it again. Shake it when it starts to die. Then keep pulling it until it stops popping.
Zero fuel in the carb

yes, if they sit idle for a few months with conditioner in it you will be fine. But over time, even ethanol free breaks down. Ethanol absorbs moisture which is the big enemy. Straight gas will evaporate and varnish. Warm weather speeds the process. So whatever you do, just don’t keep gas it for more than a few months as most have said.

I do something similar but without the shaking. Once it runs out, I'll alternate the choke open and closed until it won't pop. Then I'll pull the plug and pour a few drops of straight mix oil in the cylinder. Pull the cord a few times to coat the piston and cylinder for corrosion protection. Leave the cylinder at top dead center, replace the plug, no worries. I live on the North Coast of California, and winters are really humid here. I've had a few saws lay that way for four or five years, and pop on the third or fourth pull. The mechanics at the saw shop sometimes remark on the lack of wear on my older saws. All of them have carbs.