Winterizing

[dboyd351]

I live on the North Coast of California, and winters are really humid here.

Where in N CA?
I lived in McKinleyville awhile back.

 

[firekindler]

Where in N CA?
I lived in McKinleyville awhile back.

I've lived in SE Humboldt, a little West of Alderpoint, for the past five years. But in SW Humboldt for 35 years previous.

 

[bwalker]

Fogging oil is your friend. As is avgas or alkylate fuel for storage.

 

[dboyd351]

I've lived in SE Humboldt, a little West of Alderpoint, for the past five years. But in SW Humboldt for 35 years previous.

Beautiful area and very friendly down to earth people!

 

[Husky77]

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?

I always use Aspen2 so storing is no problem. I can leave a saw a few years and its still starts the same, inside is clean with a nice coating of oil. Yes it is more expensive to buy but not for me, I never have old stale fuel around so its never a problem. Husqvarna & Stihl both have their own fuel, exactly the same as Aspen!

 

[Casawfan]

My routine is opposite no cutting late June to December. The saws get the plastics pulled, a few sprays of Simple Green and pressure washed within reason. New plugs, clean air filters, bars clean and dressed. Started and warned up, dump the mix gas into the quad and restarted until they won’t run.
This is done in 85 degree or more never had a problem

 

[GoBigRed]

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.

I just the fuel down the plug hole. I guess that a method to “fog” the engine.
Damn you. Now I have to go out in the garage and do that to all 17 of mine. Horrible excuse to have to go out and play in the garage.

 

[hotajax]

PRE MIX FUELS e xpensive? Yeah, shelling out $20 a can is pricey. But, you have a much highter likelihood that your saw is going touo start when you NEED it to cut up that big branch blocking your driveway. Just keep a saw filled with it so it's ready when you need it.

 

[SS396driver]

I use my saws regularly in winter . But I do use non ethanol in all my equipment except my daily drivers . Never winterize anything

Edit: Going out to cut a maple that fell during the last storm. It warmed up 25° since I got up . Its 29° right now

 

[esshup]

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.

When I was a kid we did this to the 9.9 Merc outboard boat motor. We used it almost every weekend, ran it with the gas tank disconnected until it started to die, then flipped the choke on until it died. Did this for years and never had a problem with the motor. Didn't do anything special with it from late October until April, just brought it in the basement after running it dry. Motor sat that way for a good 15 years, fresh gas and it fired right up. Non-E gas of course.

 

[lone wolf]

Non E seems to be the key to all this.