ways to keep you saw from burning out

[sawpsycho]

I like you all have invested  big money buying rebuilding a  2101 and a O88. I have more passion than sence when it comes to the in and outs of keeping these bad  boys and girls alive.I would like some advice
Here's what comes to mind-of course I got  it all the answers on this forum.
!.Shake the fuel-can and saw
2. 30 day shelf life on the fuel.
3. Run saw after you have used it hard?
4.Don't rev without a load
5. Don't put the muffler to close to the work so the exhaust has a place to go .
 I am pesently setting up a Alaskan Mill

Please add

[oldsaw-addict]

Simply put, those are all very good points in keeping a saw up and working but the one major point that I can think of is adjust the carb just a little bit rich and if possible add a little bit more oil to the fuel, From what I have learned these are the two most important things to do to prevent a high speed seizure of the engine just make sure you do them both at once.

[kenskip1]

Thanks for the tip.
   However their are other ways to help keep these things running longer. In my humble opinion, the worst thing that a man can do when starting a cold saw is, racing the engine. Many have done this and it is of little value to the saw. The thing that I am trying to stress, is start the engine, and let it idle for the first few minutes. The rapid change of temperature to the piston, rings, and cylinder is detrimental to the engine.
    Think about this. How would you like to get out of bed, get dressed and run a marathon. All without your cup of coffee and breakfast! After the warm up slowly build the rpm's to a higher level and then let them loose.
    Another thing is to let them cool down. A hot saw running at full throttle should not be shut off directly. A fast idle will help dissapate the heat generated from the engine as the fan will help blow cool air across the cylinder. Take this like a horse running a race. After the race he is walked around to cool off.
   This is my opinion, and that is the way that I operate my saws. Ken

[tony_marks]

if its a big concern ,,u mite try mobile mx2- 2 cycle mix..
  sure does run cool an clean..

[wood_bucker]

I have found the best way to make your saw last is use top notch mixing oil..I use only optimal 2 stroke mixing oil and have never had a engine problem ..My stihl 038 superpro is now 15 years old and like wine..gets better every day..i am also running the original spark plug believe it or not 8)

[kenskip1]

Origional Plug?
     Wow. How about the fuel filter? I hope that you change this every year. I have an 028 that I purchased new in1985. It has seen Much use. However it still (pun intended) runs like the day I brough it home.The cover is slightly faded from me cleaning it.I have never had a tool that has been so eager to do the job.This saw even went for an unintentional  swim. I dropped it into a river in March, and had two retrieve it.The saw was complety submerged for 30 minutes I pulled it from it's watery demise, and took it home.I drained the gas and oil and dried the air filter. The plug was replaced. 5 pulls later it was running Let me here from Husky users beat this.
And yes I dried the recoil spring and replaced the rope
                                                               Ken NY.

[MrMoo]

I once had a guy at a power equipement place tell me to always run a 32-1 mix no matter what the directions say. He said the engine would last longer. I have always done that and it seems to work good. It also keeps the black flies off you too. 8)

[oldsaw-addict]

I would imagine so, especially at 32:1in a saw like a 272 or something like that. You might just want to get a gas mask then too :D

[Hunter]

I run 32:1 with a Synthetic Oil and have virtually no smoke.
I also run a very good high octane fuel.

All the items above are great. I also never leave my saws stored for long durations without cleaning the bar groove of debris and cleaning out the side cover, I also always check to make sure the oiler is throwing good oil.
Hunter

[VA-Sawyer]

I agree with the premium grade gas. I also switched to a synthetic oil ( AMSOIL) this past fall. I mix it 50:1 which is what Stil normaly calls for. The saw seems to run better. There is a lot less smoke. I feel it is worth the extra money.
Last summer I "toasted" a weedwacker engine that I had for around 15 years. I always used the oil brand called for in the manual till the day I killed it.. ( I bought a 24 case at a good price when I got the weedwacker )  Anyways, I was trimming over at the Marina and ran out of fuel mix. Ran to the local box store and grabbed an off-name brand of 2-cycle oil. I figured it would be OK as long as I mixed a little heavy on the oil. I should have known better. It only took two tanks of the cheap stuff to ruin that engine. I will never use cheap oil again.. I can't afford it.
VA-Sawyer

[oldsaw-addict]

Well  I'm sure you learned your lesson about buying cheap 2stroke oil. I always stay with the best oil available for my machinery, soon to be running MX2T oil. I'd personally mix the amsoil synthetic at 32:1 just to be safe. BTW where do you get the amsoil at? Because inquiring minds want to know, most of those minds are mine :D just kidding.

[SasquatchMan]

I was told that Bardahl makes terrific 2 stroke oil but that it's quite hard to find.  I don't know myself, but a motorcycle racer told me he'd tested it against Castrol and figgered it was roughly ten times better for lube properties...