At what temperature do you "winterize" your chainsaw?

[John Mc]

I'm curious at what temperature folks tend to "winterize" their chainsaw by covering over some of the intake and/or opening up that little port inside that allows some engine heat in to the carburetor?

I tend to not even remember it if it's above 15 to 20˚F (-10 to -7˚C). I'm not often cutting in temperatures much below 15˚F. When I occasionally have had storm damage to clean up in below 0˚F (-18˚C), I've made a point of taking the cold temperature steps.

I'm wondering if I should pay more attention to this, or is it a matter of "if the saw seems to be running fine, don't worry about it?"

My saws are all Husqvarna and Jonsered at the moment. One is a 562XP: does the auto-tune make it any more or less important to make the cold adjustments? (The others are all older, not auto-tune.)

[lxskllr]

It doesn't get that cold here anymore. I usually change it over when the carb ices, the saw stops, and I think "Oh...". That's only happened twice. I'll also do it if I remember on my top handle if it's kinda cold, and I'm going up a tree. Better to screw with it on the ground.

[Gary Davis]

when its that cold its better to curl up in a worm blanket and sit by a warm fire

[Old Greenhorn]

The warm fire sounds good to me, the worm blanket, not so much. :D :D

[KEC]

About all I've done is to switch to winter bar oil when the regular oil gets real thick. No more, but I have cut firewood at 20 below F. No flies or mosquitoes. Or mud.

[John Mc]

when its that cold its better to curl up in a worm blanket and sit by a warm fire

I was out today working. It was 18˚F when I started and about 25˚ when I stopped. I actually found it quite comfortable working in just a lightweight long-underwear shirt with a chainsaw jacket on top of it. (I did bring another medium-weight shirt and a warm fleece hat with me to add when I stopped for lunch and on the tractor drive home.)

15˚F is about as cold as I go if I have a choice. I find that 20-25˚F range to be perfect for working in the woods. The ground stays firm, and I'm not sweating my butt off when I'm working. I don't get chilled when taking brief pauses to plan my next move. I don't normally wear the cut-resistant jacket in warmer weather, but it was a gift and I want to show that I'm using it. As it turns out, it's the perfect weight for me when I'm actively working in these temperatures.

If it gets up to about 35-40˚, it's just a medium weight wicking shirt when working, and a jacket goes on when I stop.

I'm not a hot weather person. I prefer to avoid working with a chainsaw when it's over 90˚ (or even in the mid 80's if it's at all humid). Unfortunately, I don't always have a choice.

[ehp]

what I found and I have cut up to about 50 below F up north for years is , if saw has a carb richen it up or its going to be lean , if mtronic or autotune not much you can do , The kit for winter time was or has more to do with snow and how deep it is , deeper the snow the more you need the kit cause the saw is always in the snow so stuff like your air filter plugs in seconds but with the kit that does not happen , stuff like on huskys the throttle cable freezing up cause all the snow is pushed into everywhere from the flywheel being in or close to the snow

[firefighter ontheside]

A worm blanket sounds too much like a dirt nap.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yeah, um, that may be a bit more severe than what I pictured, but same result. EWWWW!

[thecfarm]

I don't really do nothing.
But I do keep bar and chain oil on the front shelf in the  OWB so it is warm. I even put my chaps in the back so they are warm.
But I only cut when I want too.

[hedgerow]

I winterize all my chain saws just before Christmas this year. The saw trailer with all my saws in it had been setting in the shop since fall grain harvest was over and fall field work was done. I finally got around to clean up and service and put a sharp chain on all my saws. Stored them back in the saw trailer and put the trailer in the cold storage shed for the winter. We don't cut wood around here in the winter any more. Winter for me is enjoying the fruits of my wood cutting season and working in my warm shop that is heated with wood via my Garn boiler. As I get older I really dislike winter. So far this season it hasn't been to bad around here.