ethanol resistant fuel lines ?

[John Mc]

Does anyone know when Husqvarna and Jonsered started putting in the ethanol resistant fuel lines (and other ethanol resistant parts) in their saws?

Non-ethanol gas is still available in my area, if you know where to look, but I'm told it will be gone by about September 2010. I'm wondering if I have to worry about replacing lines in my saws once I can no longer get the ethanol-free stuff. My two main saws are both from around 2005 (Husky 357 XP and Jonsered 2152)

I've got a few friends with Stihl saws, so if anyone knows when Stihl made the switch, that would also be helpful.

[jteneyck]

My 385XP is 2005 vintage, and still has the original fuel line in it with no signs of going bad.  It looks to be yellow Tygon, but I can't be sure.  Here in NY we've had E-10 for at least as long as I've had this saw.  I only drain the tank at the end of the season so there's been a lot of "soak" time on that fuel line with no problems.  Same thing for the carb.  No problems yet.  Just superb performance.  Can't say enough about this saw.  It gets used mostly milling lumber - well over 3000 BF now - and it just runs and runs. 

[Al_Smith]

 Geeze you guys are talking 5 year old saws like they were antiques or something .  :D I've  got some that are pushing 50 and seldom have I changed a line  .

Those that were bad had literally sat for decades unused hidden away in a barn and forgotten .More than likely they refused to start one day from having 3 year old gas in them .

[John Mc]

Geeze you guys are talking 5 year old saws like they were antiques or something .  :D I've  got some that are pushing 50 and seldom have I changed a line.

How long have you been running 10% ethanol gas in those saws?

There has been a rash of saws in my area with their fuels lines badly deteriorated (according to 3 saw shops). The guys who serviced these saws said the owners were all using ethanol-blend gas. I've never used that gas in my saw, but won't have a choice in the near future. Just wondering how much of a problem I'm likely to have.

[Rocky_J]

The problem is that there aren't very many fuel distribution depots and most gas stations in a given region will all get their gas from the same source, then add their own particular blend of additives. Back a few years ago when fuel prices skyrocketed, it got to the point that the government subsidized ethanol was cheaper than gas. Therefore the 'cheap' gas sellers were adding more than the 10% mandated ethanol in order to make more profit. There was evidence that some places had 20%-25% ethanol in their gas or more. Now that gas has come back down in price, ethanol levels are holding steady at about 6-7% in this area.

I haven't had problems for a while, but at one point I lost the fuel lines in about half my equipment all in one month and my truck was running poorly as well. I switched gas stations and the problems cleared up as quickly as they arrived. I did lose one old gas blower to ethanol though.  :-\

[John Mc]

The stations around here (Vermont) that had ethanol-free gas were all supplied out of Canada. It appears Canada (or at least the part of it near me) is going to E10 fuel.