How long do you let a saw sit/store til draining fluids?

[bootboy]

Regardless of fuel or oil type, never longer than a week.

 

[Moparmyway]

I am distilling my gas so the ethanol is removed, adding stabilizer and mixing 32:1.
If its gunna sit for more than 2-3 weeks, it still gets drained (old habits are hard to break).
Only takes a few more cranks to start when I do gas 'em up -

and at least I wont see the syrup oozing from the gas line when I remove it from the carb.
Seen about 2 dozen 2 cycle motors this way so far, this early into the spring season ........ must have been sitting with gas mix in them all winter.

 

[Andyshine77]

I'm with CJ1 on this. Even before synthetic oil mix came out, I never drained any of my motor driven equipment, even my car or truck except for oil changes.
However; when I unintentionally switched to ethanol gasoline, I began having problems, and changed places of business that sells non-ethanol gasoline. No more problems.


I've only had 50 years experience, and I'm less particular now than I used to be. Old age must be setting in.:hmm3grin2orange:

Todays fuel isn't what it used to be, ethanol or not, add in polymer housings, lines and things go down hill pretty fast. Almost every saw I repair has failed due to fuel being left in the system.

 

[CJ1]

I'm with CJ1 on this. Even before synthetic oil mix came out, I never drained any of my motor driven equipment, even my car or truck except for oil changes.
However; when I unintentionally switched to ethanol gasoline, I began having problems, and changed places of business that sells non-ethanol gasoline. No more problems.


I've only had 50 years experience, and I'm less particular now than I used to be. Old age must be setting in.:hmm3grin2orange:

I am only working on about 30 years of repairing stuff. When I first started in the early 80's we had alot of fuel/oil seperation issues, also when the fuel would dry out it would leave residue in the carbs and plug stuff off. Now as Andyshine says most of the fuel you can buy is junk, it eats just about everything and if it has ethanol in it it loves moisture and then turns into a grayish goo. My stuff either gets 100LL av gas or 90+ octane REC fuel, if you don't know your fuel drain it and somehow get it out of the carb. If you do know what fuel you have you should have no problems with the right stuff. As far as stabilizers go I use either Startron or Seafoam. I'll probably get flammed for this but Stabil is junk IMHO, when it dries out it leaves a nasty red film/crud that plugges stuff off. Anyway have fun with all the new government mandated fuels, it will be a boom to all the repair shops. CJ

 

[Gologit]

I run av-gas and it has a good shelf life. But if it looks like a couple of weeks or more until I'll be using it again I'll drain the gas tank and run it dry. It's just a few pennies worth of gas and I don't like taking chances.

LOL...almost every time I drain a saw, clean it up real good and put it away in anticipation of some time off, the phone will ring and the next day I'm using that same saw again.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I agree with most problems being fuel related. But, it doesn't happen in a few weeks.

 

[Philip Wheelock]

Local Stihl service tech recommended 3-4 weeks max, then drain fuel and run Motomix to get the ethanol out of the motor, but don't run it dry. Use premium octane only.

 

[ChipMonger]

I havent been cutting much if at all lately:msp_sad: I have not found non-ethanol fuel around where i am. That being said i use Maxima K2 mixed 32:1 in 93 octane fuel, when im on my last tank at the end of the job i'll put a bit of seafoam in the saws that i have used and either run the full tank and let the saw idle till its dry or empty the tank, start the saw and let it idle until its runs itself dry.

 

[Philbert]

I have a drain question.

I am on record, above, as a 'drainer'. I open the fuel cap and pour what I can back into the fuel container (use a funnel or siphon if it is likely to spill all over). Start the saw, and run it till it stops. Start it again, using choke, etc., until it won't start anymore.

Now I have an ECHO CS400 with a primer bulb. After I do this, there is still a small amount of fuel visible in the bulb. Tried pumping it into the carb, but the saw would not start anymore. Did I just flood it by trying to pump this last amount in? Does this negate all my draining efforts? Or has there always been this residual fuel left behind, and I never noticed it without the clear bulb?

Any purge bulb ideas appreciated.

Thanks.

Philbert

 

[Philip Wheelock]

...I have an ECHO CS400 with a primer bulb. After I do this, there is still a small amount of fuel visible in the bulb. Tried pumping it into the carb, but the saw would not start anymore. Did I just flood it by trying to pump this last amount in? Does this negate all my draining efforts? Or has there always been this residual fuel left behind, and I never noticed it without the clear bulb?

Any purge bulb ideas appreciated...

Consider draining the tank and running enough Motomix or equal through the saw to purge the old ethanol-containing fuel.

 

[1Alpha1]

I have a drain question.

I am on record, above, as a 'drainer'. I open the fuel cap and pour what I can back into the fuel container (use a funnel or siphon if it is likely to spill all over). Start the saw, and run it till it stops. Start it again, using choke, etc., until it won't start anymore.

Now I have an ECHO CS400 with a primer bulb. After I do this, there is still a small amount of fuel visible in the bulb. Tried pumping it into the carb, but the saw would not start anymore. Did I just flood it by trying to pump this last amount in? Does this negate all my draining efforts? Or has there always been this residual fuel left behind, and I never noticed it without the clear bulb?

Any purge bulb ideas appreciated.

Thanks.

Philbert

My almost 15 yr. old Stihl FS-44 line trimmer has a primer bulb. After I'm done using it, it gets cleaned top to bottom, any remaining fuel gets dumped back into 5 gal. jug, and then I start it back up. I let it run (idle) til it dies on it's own. I don't use the choke or push the primer bulb.

I've never closely examined the primer bulb for any remaining fuel. After it dies on it's own, it gets put away until it's needed again.

15 yrs. of use (and proper care / maint.) and it still looks AND runs like new. :msp_smile:

And so far, not a single problem. Original fuel lines, original carb., blah, blah, blah.

 

[Philbert]

Thanks guys.

Draining the bar oil is certainly not a problem with this saw - does that automatically! Good thing I place absorbents in my saw cases. . . .

Philbert

 

[spydahead]

10 days max, any more than that I drain'em

 

[Philbert]

When All Else Fails, Try Reading the Owner's Manual

. . . I have an ECHO CS400 with a primer bulb. After I do this, there is still a small amount of fuel visible in the bulb. . . Any purge bulb ideas appreciated.

Product Storage

Completely drain the fuel tank into an approved container. 

If the unit is equipped with a purge bulb carburetor, pump the bulb 8-10 times to move fuel from the system into the fuel tank.
Drain the fuel tank again. 

Start the engine and run it until it stops.
Place the choke lever in “Cold Start” position, and try to start the engine again.
If the engine no longer tries to run, it has been adequately emptied of fuel. 

Place the ignition switch in the “OFF” position. 


Philbert

(I am a man. But I can change. If I have to. I guess.)

 

[1Alpha1]

Yeah, always be sure to put the switch in the off position.

You never know, it could start up on it's own.

 

[zogger]

I have a drain question.

I am on record, above, as a 'drainer'. I open the fuel cap and pour what I can back into the fuel container (use a funnel or siphon if it is likely to spill all over). Start the saw, and run it till it stops. Start it again, using choke, etc., until it won't start anymore.

Now I have an ECHO CS400 with a primer bulb. After I do this, there is still a small amount of fuel visible in the bulb. Tried pumping it into the carb, but the saw would not start anymore. Did I just flood it by trying to pump this last amount in? Does this negate all my draining efforts? Or has there always been this residual fuel left behind, and I never noticed it without the clear bulb?

Any purge bulb ideas appreciated.

Thanks.

Philbert

Those purge bulbs suck fuel through the carb, they dont pump it into it. Minor point but pays to remember it if ever replacing the lines.

Line from tank with filter, goes to throttle side of carb. A short line goes from the other side of the carb, to the suck side of the purge bulb. The last line goes from the remaining purge bulb nipple to the tank, thats the return line.

 

[c5rulz]

I am distilling my gas so the ethanol is removed,

Can you enlighten me how you Distill gas so the ethanol is removed?

Have you got a fractional distillation column at home?

 

[DSS]

Can you enlighten me how you Distill gas so the ethanol is removed?

Have you got a fractional distillation column at home?

Its actually easy. Dump water in your gas. Sounds dumb right?

The ethanol and the water will blend and separate from the gas and you just pour off the water. Its a little more complicated than that but not much. Downside is you lose the octane from the ethanol.

 

[Moparmyway]

Yup, easy as pouring water, mixing the whole thing real good 3 or 4 times untill it turns cloudy, then let her sit.
I wait 7-10 days then drain the water from the bottom, and you have non-ethanol gas (about 3 octane points below what you got in the first place) that you can go crazy with !!

Used about 30 gallons this year already, it works, believe it or not.


............ you actually cant pour off the water, it sits below the gas - you got any videos of your Masterminded 038 Mag ?

 

[DSS]

Yup, easy as pouring water, mixing the whole thing real good 3 or 4 times untill it turns cloudy, then let her sit.

I wait 7-10 days then drain the water from the bottom, and you have non-ethanol gas (about 3 octane points below what you got in the first place) that you can go crazy with !!



Used about 30 gallons this year already, it works, believe it or not.





............ you actually cant pour off the water, it sits below the gas - you got any videos of your Masterminded 038 Mag ?

You can't pour it off, no. But you can make a container with a tap on the bottom and drain it off, I guess that's what I was trying to say.

I got no video, no, and I don't think Randy does either. I was using that saw today. Its a monster.