Over wintering chainsaws

[neiln]

use premium pump fuel, its not guaranteed ethanol free (although last I heard BP did guarantee it) but it is either free of ethanol or lower ethanol.  I add Startron stabiliser to combat any ethanol which is trying to absorb water and separate, and is combatting the oxidising aromatics that cause gums and varnishes.  Startron is very very good.  I mix smallish quantities of fuel and use it reasonably quickly, although still have fuel around for 3-4 months occasionally.  I always run the saw dry, every time, that's probably the most important.

[Stubby]

Or never run the saw dry and just use Aspen .

[Dan Maynard]

I believe the more expensive Stihl two stroke oils act as petrol stabilisers. I never had a problem with stale even when I did just cut in winter, always just left the tanks full.

[Steven P]

I just start them up for a minute or so every other week - do this for all my petrol toys - reckon that keeps everything free inside and moving well

[Gary Prentice]

9 hours ago, Steven P said:

I just start them up for a minute or so every other week - do this for all my petrol toys - reckon that keeps everything free inside and moving well

I've always understood that the most wear to an engine occurs when it's started from cold, before oil pressure is reached and everything is coated/lubricated. Would your practice actually cause premature wear? Just musing on this..

[daltontrees]

That doesn't seem right Gary, it's a 2 stroke engine so the oil is in the fuel and reaches the piston rings on the very first stroke.

 

A good trick I got fro a lawnmower manual was just before you hibernate your engine, remove spark plug, put in teaspoon of oil, replace plug. It smokes a bit when you start it in spring but you're more or less guaranteed good lubrication of the piston ring when the engine is bone dry.

[Gary Prentice]

Yeah, you're right. I wasn't thinking about two strokes specifically, just something I though I knew about engines generally - 

 

Forget I said anything.

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, Gary Prentice said:

Yeah, you're right. I wasn't thinking about two strokes specifically, just something I though I knew about engines generally - 

 

Forget I said anything.

What ?

[Steven P]

I never thought of that Gary, I think you might have a point about the wear and tear from cold.

 

However in my case, my toys are for domestic use, if you're over-wintering tools then they arn't heavily used I guess and in this case some extra wear won't be the end of the world.

 

But it was something I never thought about