Saw Storage..

[realzed]

I've seen a few different varied bits of advice for storage of saws for the Winter months when they may sit and not get used at all.
Some people say just park it with some fresh fuel and if it doesn't have any ethanol in it, it should be no problem - especially if come Spring you just dump the remaining stored gas and refill with fresh stuff and 'let her rip'..
I've seen others comment that they figure running the saw dry for longer term storage is the best way, so any possible affect from stale fuel issues won't produce a gummed up carb..
I've heard others say that with ethanol related fuel in the tank (which I've always tried NOT to purchase - but who knows what you get -eh?) you most certainly will have issues - possibly requiring a new carb sometime in the not too distant future if you leave it let it sit that way..
So today I asked my local Stihl guy whether in his opinion there is a 'best way' when my saw won't see the light of day until late April or early May when hopefully our snow will be mostly gone..
He, to my surprise really didn't have an answer for me.. and aside from telling me "we changed a ton of carbs this past year, due to ethanol related problems" wouldn't go any further.
I pressed him about either running my saw dry (M-Tronic version 261) and then letting it sit - even after hearing many describe why the M-Tronic models don't like and shouldn't be run out of fuel, verses my idea of buying some non-ethanol Stihl canned fuel and storing the saw with some left in the tank after running a bit of it through it first.
My line of thinking is - since it is guaranteed to be as ethanol-free as one could ever possibly get, that should wipe out one issue right there - and then since Stihl advertises it to be good and stable for a year or more after opening the can, supposedly with their best premix and fuel stabilizer to boot, that in my mind would be my best choice and preferred method.
Crickets... He really couldn't or wouldn't pass an opinion one way or the other!
So, after buying a small can of Stihl fuel today, I'm sitting here asking for experienced forum input ..
'Is my proposed way to store this saw for the next 4-5 months logical and the best possible way to ensure a trouble free return to great operation come Spring?'  
Thanks for input , comments, and opinions - Randy    

[HolmenTree]

For the winter month hibernation I store my saws , blowers and trimmers with the canned Stihl Moto Mix in them.
You never know what your getting at the pump for gas quality.
I fired up my blower the other day to blow some snow off my pickup in 30 below and it runs alot better on the Moto Mix.
My  Shell Premium 91 gas with Stihl mix  I've tried in the blower in the past when its that cold doesn't start and run near as good as the Moto Mix.

[wild262]

         I will tell you what I do.  I have 40-50 saws.  Almost half of those are my personal collector saws that I run briefly every year.  The others are saws waiting to be rebuilt & sold, with the exception of my seasonal use saws I cut my firewood with.  When I store my collector saws, they get stored with can gas.  Run them to temp w/B&C & sometimes cut a stick or two, then shut them down.  I blow them down with air, and they go back on my shelf.  Give or take a month or 2, they stay there a year.   The following year, I dump there tanks, and repeat process.  The old gas gets used in my tractor.  Never had an issue that way. Yes, its a real PITA to do that, but well worth the extra trouble just to have them able to run.    On my firewood saws, I mix up non ethanol fuel,  and 40:1 Husky or Stihl Hp. Then I screw the caps on "tight".   If it sits un-used longer than 3-4 months, it goes in the tractor.  I date the can with a tag.  Never had a problem that way either.   If your dealer says not to run the saw dry with an electronic carb, than I would not do it, esp. if its under warrantee.   I don't own any no more, so I cannot say.                 If you cannot get ethanol free gas, store no longer than 2-3 months, with a 'tight" cap, and in a dark cool place. Use Stihl HP mix.    I got by this way very well until a station here started selling no-ethanol gas.   Hope this helps.

[Inaotherlife]

I start all my saws and run them a few minutes at least once a month. But don't necessarily cut anything with all of them.

I got about a dozen I think, and figure for an amateur that's at least 7 too many. But a couple of small ones are just old running shelf queens. And a couple of others are kept for nostalgia and backup duty. And 3 or 4 I don't know why they're still there.

I leave a small amount of canned 2-cycle gas in the ones that don't see regular use. And leave either that or premix in the three that I use all the time.

I did have one saw that I didn't start for a long time quit running right. A Stihl 009L that seems to be sucking air somewhere. 
But that saw is 25 or 30 years old. So it may need new lines or carb kit, or possibly seals, I don't know and haven't checked it out yet.

[lxskllr]

I use ethanol free fuel, and store my saws with whatever's left in the tank, and they may sit for months. I've had my PoulanPro since 2012, and stored it the same, but with corn gas. Aside from balking a bit after not running awhile, it would straighten out and run fine. Til this year... It died on me. Last it ran, it wouldn't idle properly, and I suspect it had an air leak somewhere, possibly fuel related. I'll tear it down at some point, and see if anything jumps out.

If I ran corn gas, I'd store them with canned fuel. Perhaps not motomix(that stuff's expensive!), but something that looked decent.

[KEC]

Now that non-ethanol gasoline is available it is the only gas I use in my small engines. When I buy it I put 2 gallons in my pickup to purge the gas in the pump and lines before filling my cans. I don't do anything to my saws to store them, but if I have a can of gas that has been around a while I may dump it into my pickup and get fresh.

[realzed]

Thanks for the replies, I intend to drain whatever fuel remains in all of my small stuff and replace it with some canned fuel (Stihl) and run them each a bit to get it into the carbs for the rest of the Winter hibernation.. except for possibly an occasional quick start up to circulate it some more here and there.
Willard as you suggested, I also use my leaf blower occasionally when the snow is light and fluffy enough to blast it off our vehicles when I'm in a hurry some days. Works decently for the most part and I don't get my clothes covered with salt from leaning across the hood or fenders trying to swipe off snow piled up on top of tonneau covers or hoods and wipers!  
I too have always purged the gas pump lines before I fill my small engine tanks with what I am told is ethanol-free Shell 91- but having watched the occasional refueling ritual at my neighborhood gas station I am not always left sometimes with a comfort level as good as I would like.
I would like to think that what we get from one pump and it's neighbor are as different as the pump's labelling shows - but sometimes depending on the supplier and/or the driver of the tanker - I have come away less than completely sure either cares as much as many of us trust or wish it was...
Thanks again all..
 

[square1]

While I  can't imagine any situation where a work saw could sit 4~5 months, every outboard motor winterizing advice I've ever seen / heard recommends fogging the carbs (engine fogger spray) and cylinders as it is being ran out of fuel.

[Air Lad]

I've seen a few different varied bits of advice for storage of saws for the Winter months when they may sit and not get used at all.
Some people say just park it with some fresh fuel and if it doesn't have any ethanol in it, it should be no problem - especially if come Spring you just dump the remaining stored gas and refill with fresh stuff and 'let her rip'..
I've seen others comment that they figure running the saw dry for longer term storage is the best way, so any possible affect from stale fuel issues won't produce a gummed up carb..
I've heard others say that with ethanol related fuel in the tank (which I've always tried NOT to purchase - but who knows what you get -eh?) you most certainly will have issues - possibly requiring a new carb sometime in the not too distant future if you leave it let it sit that way..
So today I asked my local Stihl guy whether in his opinion there is a 'best way' when my saw won't see the light of day until late April or early May when hopefully our snow will be mostly gone..
He, to my surprise really didn't have an answer for me.. and aside from telling me "we changed a ton of carbs this past year, due to ethanol related problems" wouldn't go any further.
I pressed him about either running my saw dry (M-Tronic version 261) and then letting it sit - even after hearing many describe why the M-Tronic models don't like and shouldn't be run out of fuel, verses my idea of buying some non-ethanol Stihl canned fuel and storing the saw with some left in the tank after running a bit of it through it first.
My line of thinking is - since it is guaranteed to be as ethanol-free as one could ever possibly get, that should wipe out one issue right there - and then since Stihl advertises it to be good and stable for a year or more after opening the can, supposedly with their best premix and fuel stabilizer to boot, that in my mind would be my best choice and preferred method.
Crickets... He really couldn't or wouldn't pass an opinion one way or the other!
So, after buying a small can of Stihl fuel today, I'm sitting here asking for experienced forum input ..
'Is my proposed way to store this saw for the next 4-5 months logical and the best possible way to ensure a trouble free return to great operation come Spring?'  
Thanks for input , comments, and opinions - Randy    

Doesn't get that cold here but I have had all kinds of trouble with outboard motors/generators/mowers and small engines in general that have sat too long while the fuel got stale.
I think it helps to start and run each one briefly every 4 to 6 weeks
the stuff in the tank seems to be better than the stuff that is spread thin through the lines and carb system
I use a fuel additive which is an upper cylinder lubricant and fuel stabilizer
seems to make it last about a year
It's a New Zealand product called Moreys if you want to check it out
Hope this helps

[square1]

Good point.  I always add a splash of Stabil to the last can of gas bought in a season.

[realzed]

As for Stabil, I normally use it when storing unmixed gas engines and actually have even with premix ones as well occasionally.
But that said.. I'm told Stihl's Ultra premix oil which I have always used at a ratio of 40:1 on all of my mixed fuel small engines already carries a fuel stabilizer in it - so I'm assuming it will do the job well.. but possibly a little extra Stabil now and again probably couldn't and wouldn't hurt anything!
I've always felt that colder storage temperatures also help slow fuel degradation to a degree - so I keep any fuel I have in a cool to cold place including many of my small engine tools, so whatever fuel they have in them should stay 'fresher' longer as well..

[Air Lad]

Interesting thought on how the atmospheric temp may affect the useful life of the new fuels

[ButchC]

I start all my saws and run them a few minutes at least once a month. But don't necessarily cut anything with all of them.

I got about a dozen I think, and figure for an amateur that's at least 7 too many. But a couple of small ones are just old running shelf queens. And a couple of others are kept for nostalgia and backup duty. And 3 or 4 I don't know why they're still there.

I leave a small amount of canned 2-cycle gas in the ones that don't see regular use. And leave either that or premix in the three that I use all the time.

I did have one saw that I didn't start for a long time quit running right. A Stihl 009L that seems to be sucking air somewhere.
But that saw is 25 or 30 years old. So it may need new lines or carb kit, or possibly seals, I don't know and haven't checked it out yet.

Your situation and methods are amazingly similar to mine although I dont use premixed, just the same 50-1 Stihl Ultra and 91 premium that I run when cutting.  It takes about 15 minutes once a month to start all of them and let them run a minute or so. I find that it takes less time than getting one running that has set forever. 

[JASONJ]

When i  store my saw its more during summer where i live.  I store it with the fuel that is in it already.  Recently i have been running TruFuel in my saw.  I was told by the rep that it can be left for several months and still be good.  

[Al_Smith]

Hmm,I don't do anything to them,just put them on the shelf .However I have rebuilt a number of carbs but I'm pretty good at it .I just dump the old fuel in  a can and feed it to my 1951 Ferguson tractor that could care less what it eats and use fresh mix gas .I don't baby the things like some and for reasons I can't explain don't have problems .Which could have something to do with being pure as new fallen snow and living a clean life .If you believe that I know a guy who has a bridge for sale .

[wild262]

         I for one don't like rebuilding carbs. all the time, and WAS before I started doing this.  Ounce of prevention is worth a pound of carb. kits .   I like to keep them all running.  That way when I do "kick the bucket", I know my family can get top dollar from them. 

[realzed]

      That way when I do "kick the bucket", I know my family can get top dollar from them.

Sort of a morbid look on things - but sensible as well I guess! 

[wild262]

    A side affect of "CAD".

[KEC]

Before the non-ethanol gas was so easy to find, I was at  whit's end with my motors and then I started wondering if the gas stations could be trusted. I bought a test kit (I think at an auto parts store) and checked some gas. It tested as non-ethanol so I got my composure back. Sorry, guys, I can't remember what that kit cost; less than the aggravation of another messed up engine !

[lxskllr]

Before the non-ethanol gas was so easy to find, I was at  whit's end with my motors and then I started wondering if the gas stations could be trusted. I bought a test kit (I think at an auto parts store) and checked some gas. It tested as non-ethanol so I got my composure back. Sorry, guys, I can't remember what that kit cost; less than the aggravation of another messed up engine !

Amazon.com : Briggs & Stratton 795161 Gasohol Tester Replaces 100023/795161 : Ethanol Test Kit : Garden & Outdoor