Chainsaw warm up period?

[RED-85-Z51]

I won't give my car or truck the full beans until the engine's up to a reasonable temp; I treat my small engines the same way. Idle the saw however long it takes to get chaps and gloves and gear on, then take it relatively easy for a couple more minutes.

Loooooooooove my battery electric saw for quick cuts around the house. Push a button and pull the trigger, rock and roll.

Yeah my vette i let at least hit 150 before im a **** to it...that engine is a good bit more costly than a saw.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[Huskybill]

In my firewood truck as soon as it hits 90 psi on the pressure gauge and she’s over 100 degrees its beedle juice, beedle juice, beetle juice it’s showtime. Wake up those 400 horses up.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Hell I don't cold start so well myself, either.

 

[FNEC]

User manuals are interesting sources of information...... cough....

 

[Mad Professor]

Sorry don't live on flat land. Up Landers must not be able to read and understand, I stated never seized a saw, but have rebuilt many, stopped counting, well over 100 and run rebuilds I have done. As I have stated many times, it's your saws and run them however you want. Do I warm them up, yes, 2 minutes, no.

Touche!!!

How do you know not 2 minutes, do you time yourself?

P.S. I was just getting back at Your snide remark to my previous post.....

 

[AnthemBassMan]

As soon as my saw starts, I kick it down to idle and let it warm up a bit. Maybe 30 seconds to a minute.

L8R,
Matt

 

[Jasonrkba]

As soon as my saw starts, I kick it down to idle and let it warm up a bit. Maybe 30 seconds to a minute.

L8R,
Matt

That's what I do.

 

[FNEC]

Firstly I was surprised my manual does not say anything regarding warm ups, just starting procedure. However stop to think for a second, would you start your car or motorbike and rev the hell out of it before it was warmed up? Then don't do it to a saw, an extremely high revving with delicate parts machine. Inards have to heat up and take their operating size and shape, they need lubrication and at operating temp the machine will be using the proper air/fuel mix etc. (Stihl M-tronic counters this)

I did a quick google search to see what advice was floating out there and funny, there are plenty of forum Qs all asking the same thing. The first advice site I bothered to click on was -
https://www.gardentoolexpert.com/does-a-chainsaw-need-to-warm-up/And to be fair it makes some valid points as above but also interestingly it talks about air temperature/cold weather use, which adds a dimension to the start up for those not just with a cold machine but a cold environment adding to that.....even more so getting a machine out of cold winter storage at below zero and actually having to warm the thing up before even starting!

So from all the comments made by people, consensus is yes give it some warm up time. This varies with how cold the environment is around you too, if its colder give it more time (don't start a frozen machine fullstop).
Give it some time on idle (use this time to adjust your helmet, fasten gloves wipe your nose, scratch your ass etc.....once last check on the safety of your work area) and do not rev it up when on chain brake (Stihl manual). When it has had a moment or 3 on idle, blip it up do not go full throttle. If it speeds up unhindered on the blips (i.e. does not bog down or hesitate) then proceed to test full speed. You can add this full speed test into your oil fling test to save time if you are bothered. Then cut some **** up!

PS watch the Steve's small engine saloon video embedded on the webpage link to get a handle on 'cold seizures' on no warmups and about expansion of parts inside etc.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

Firstly I was surprised my manual does not say anything regarding warm ups, just starting procedure. However stop to think for a second, would you start your car or motorbike and rev the hell out of it before it was warmed up? Then don't do it to a saw, an extremely high revving with delicate parts machine. Inards have to heat up and take their operating size and shape, they need lubrication and at operating temp the machine will be using the proper air/fuel mix etc. (Stihl M-tronic counters this)

I did a quick google search to see what advice was floating out there and funny, there are plenty of forum Qs all asking the same thing. The first advice site I bothered to click on was -
https://www.gardentoolexpert.com/does-a-chainsaw-need-to-warm-up/And to be fair it makes some valid points as above but also interestingly it talks about air temperature/cold weather use, which adds a dimension to the start up for those not just with a cold machine but a cold environment adding to that.....even more so getting a machine out of cold winter storage at below zero and actually having to warm the thing up before even starting!

So from all the comments made by people, consensus is yes give it some warm up time. This varies with how cold the environment is around you too, if its colder give it more time (don't start a frozen machine fullstop).
Give it some time on idle (use this time to adjust your helmet, fasten gloves wipe your nose, scratch your ass etc.....once last check on the safety of your work area) and do not rev it up when on chain brake (Stihl manual). When it has had a moment or 3 on idle, blip it up do not go full throttle. If it speeds up unhindered on the blips (i.e. does not bog down or hesitate) then proceed to test full speed. You can add this full speed test into your oil fling test to save time if you are bothered. Then cut some **** up!

So what oil to fuel ratio should I be using? Does running your saw with wrong tune cause any of these problems? Quality of fuel make any difference? Does opening up muffler effect warm up time? Should I use a thermal gun to check cylinder temp?

 

[lone wolf]

As soon as my saw starts, I kick it down to idle and let it warm up a bit. Maybe 30 seconds to a minute.

L8R,
Matt

Sounds rea

So what oil to fuel ratio should I be using? Does running your saw with wrong tune cause any of these problems? Quality of fuel make any difference? Does opening up muffler effect warm up time? Should I use a thermal gun to check cylinder temp?

I run 40 to 1 Synthetic Amsoil never had trouble.
Fuel quality does matter ,Ethanol can phase separate and damage an engine.
You dont need a Thermal gun.
Too lean on your carb settings can seize your piston and cylinder.
Maybe buy a tach to set the H RPM.

 

[Justin Taylor]

Tell the exhaust is really hot

 

[FNEC]

There are many additional factors that might effect you as an individual but lets not get too bogged down, simple question is do you let a saw warm up before using... YES, there are a few good reasons that one would be stupid to ignore. Thats it..... if it idles whilst you do a few other preparation tasks you need to do anyway it is not wasted time and certainly won't do the machine any harm. No science, no magic number just don't use it stoen cold....

 

[Tobystihl]

I heard rumours that the new Stihl MS400 with magnesium piston is designed to take a lot of abuse which includes piss revving from cold, anyone else hear anything about this model which is intended for the heavy handed utility industry ?

 

[OM617YOTA]

Manual for my 034 and 034 Super:

https://m.stihlusa.com/WebContent/C...ls/STIHL-MS-034-Owners-Instruction-Manual.pdf
Page 36:



Page 37:


Yeah I'll keep warming my saw up. I dunno about full "normal" operating temp, but definitely not start it and immediately wide open throttle bar buried in the wood.

You guys ever watch August Hunicke or the other arborists on YT? Those little top handle saws get cranked up, run wide open for 30 seconds to cut a limb, then are off for 10 minutes or whatever it takes to rig up the next piece for lowering or a crane pick. Can't be good for an engine, but they seem to handle it just fine.

 

[Cantdog]

As said by some others......I generally start a cold saw and let it warm up at idle for a minute or two while putting my chaps on, helmet etc. It only makes sense.

Now, let the flames begin in ernest...….How many of you guys let your saw cool down/equalize for a similar period when shutting down after a heavy/long cutting session?

 

[OM617YOTA]

Yep, idle cool down for a couple minutes too. I wouldn't haul a load up a hill at WOT for a good length of time in my truck, then pull off the road and immediately shut 'er down. Same deal with a saw.

 

[L34]

Start saw put on helmet and gloves cut wood.
Stop cutting cool down for 30secs then stop saw.

 

[Mad Professor]

As said by some others......I generally start a cold saw and let it warm up at idle for a minute or two while putting my chaps on, helmet etc. It only makes sense.

Now, let the flames begin in ernest...….How many of you guys let your saw cool down/equalize for a similar period when shutting down after a heavy/long cutting session?

When milling for sure. After a bunch of big cuts too.

 

[Huntaholic]

I walk up to the tree Im going to cut, start the saw, MAYBE run it 10 seconds, start trimming saplings out of the way if there are any, then I start cutting my face cut wide open, then cut the notch out wide open, then proceed to cutting the tree. Is that enough? HellifIknow? Do I care? Not really.

 

[NeSurfcaster]

Since most of my saws are older I do warm them up. I wait till the exhaust fumes are hot then I cut some smaller stuff waiting for the internals to get up to temp. I never start my saws and go right into a big log right off the bat. I also give them some cool down time if I made some long cuts. I'll let it idle-1/4 throttle for 20-30 seconds before shutting off after long cuts. I know guys that start them up and go right after big stuff(bar length). Some of those saws are 10 years old in commercial use on original P/C. I'll stick w/ a little warm up time and cool down time