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To Run Dry Or Not?

Started by Old_Town, September 19, 2004, 05:52:46 PM

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Old_Town

I always drain the tank on my chainsaws and run them until they die, to burn all of the fuel out before I store them. A guy told me that this is hard on the saws. What do y'all think? Should I not do this?

Thanks in advance.

T

leweee

I've done the same for 20 years with a Stihl 028. It Stihl runs so if it's hard on them, it cann't be TOO hard on them. I think it has more to do with how you store them. ;D
just another beaver with a chainsaw &  it's never so bad that it couldn't get worse.

oldsaw

If it's going to be a long stretch, I drain it all out.  Having no desire to try to clean varnish out of a carb, nor have the starting fit I had last week with old gas mix.

Keep on with what you are doing, you aren't hurting a thing.

So many trees, so little money, even less time.

Stihl 066, Husky 262, Husky 350 (warmed over), Homelite Super XL, Homelite 150A

SasquatchMan

Stihl says for longer than 3 month down time, drain tank, run saw at idle till it dies - this prevents carb diaphrams from sticking together.
Senior Member?  That's funny.

Minnesota_boy

As long as you idle the saw while running out the last of the fuel, it should be fine.  Just resist the urge to pull the throttle open to speed up the process as it will be running very lean for the last few seconds.

Just what happens when you run out of fuel while cutting is still in question.
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

Bugsyboy

Yes,
Run them, brushcutters as well as chainsaws dry, fuel gets old very fast.
Blowin in the Wind

DanManofStihl

I just run stabil fuel stabliser in minr every since I got old gas one time from the gas station and did not use it quick enough.
Two Things in life to be proud of a good wife and a good saw.

slowzuki

From taking apart 2 strokes that have been run dry, there is still oil film on everything in the crankcase.

Had a scare one time, had the carb off turning a snowmobile over to look at the reeds or something.  Forgot to keep the kill switch in! Full throttle on fuel left in the crankcase!  Sled made it 10 ft before dying :o

Think of that if your working on your saw with the carb off and the chain laying on your leg.

beenthere

Slowzuki
Sure sounds dangerous, but I didn't understand a bit of it.

Are you saying, with the carb off and the chain on your leg, that somehow that chain will start moving (like the snowmobile running the 10ft) ?   ???  I am missing something (not the first time though ;D  )
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Minnesota_boy

Beenthere,
That is what he means.  It takes very little fuel in the crankcase to start a 2 cycle engine, even with the carburetor missing.  Without the carburetor on, if the saw starts it is instantly wide open for about 2 seconds while it burns the fuel mixture from the crankcase.  Make sure you handle the saw safely keeping the chain away from your body and the switch turned off.
I eat a high-fiber diet.  Lots of sawdust!

beenthere

Thanks MN_Boy
That makes 'some' more sense. But one still has to pull the rope (turn it over) to get it to start, and maybe even forgotten to take the plug wire off.  But now I see much better and thanks for the tip.

I'm gonna quit sitting around with a chainsaw in my lap. DanG that would OWW! (is that the word for 'ouch'?)  ;D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Clockwork

he says its hard on them because for a few seconds, they are running very lean. but i think that as long as you just let it idle out, its fine. be care ful though because when it does start to run out it will speed up significantly to the point where your chain will spin quite fast. as far as wear, it cant be as harmful as leaving gas in the carb. if y'r really worried about it, mix the last bit of gas you put in there extra rich, still running lean(fuel/air wise) but at least it has extra richness in the fuel/oil mix which will help lessen wear on shutdown and when you start it up later. -ryan
Husqvarna 61
Echo 550EVL
Homelite ZIP

Buzz-sawyer

In the last 22 years I have never had  a problem leaving gas in my saws at all times :)
    HEAR THAT BLADE SING!

Timber_Framer

About six years ago I picked up a little Poulan at a garage sale for $20.00 It works well as a little brush cutter or for other jobs where I don't need my twenty incher. But if I were to leave fuel in it over night the hole thing needed cleaning before it would even fire.
But then again it is an ugly little green saw ;D
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."

PowerNewbie

So where do you guys drain the gas? Onto the ground or back into the can?

Also, if I've got too much oil/gas mixture can I run it in my car?

Chris J

Hi, PN.  I don't have any direct experience using leftover or old gas/oil mix in a car, but from what I've read others haven't had problems doing so.  Some day soon I'm going need to refresh my mix, so I've given this some thought.  I'm going try to make sure to pour the mix into a tank that has plenty of straight gas in it, to dilute the mix as much as possible. I'm also going pour it into my vehicle least likely to be affected, Nissan Frontier, instead of my turbo charged Jetta.
Certified Amateur Chainsaw Tinkerer.  If sucess is built on failure, then one day I'll live on the top of Mt. Everest.

SasquatchMan

Judgin from my spark plugs, my van runs oil/gas mix no matter what!
Senior Member?  That's funny.

Timber_Framer

 :DThat reminds me of an old farmer I worked for as a kid that woudl drain the oil from his tracter and put it in his combine hten that oil would go into his old duce nad a half and that oil would end up inhis pickup. That oil would end up in a can on a shelf with a piece of 2" hemp rope leading to a jug just under that and that is what we used to keep all his tools shiney. Old man Henry didn't waste a breath much less anything that cost him money!
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."

SasquatchMan

 :D :D  Hey no point wasting something as valuable as 5th time recycled oil!
Senior Member?  That's funny.

MartyKaras

I do that every season .. I dump my old oil gas mix into my car tank (I make sure its full so it dilutes). Figure its not much different then putting marvel top oil in the gas.. ok maybe a bit different but same basic concept. Probably gives off some stange odor for the guy driving behind me.

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