Thread: show us your chainsaws

Originally Posted by 7mmsaum

The wee flexible fuel diaphragm in the carb is getting stiff

Do you store it empty of fuel as it runs out or do you turn it off before the tanks empty so fuel stays in carb to keep diaphragms/one way valves supple

Interesting one, the thing with the carby is fuel evaporates out even when the tank is full and it's the oil reside that creates half the issues. I tend to leave the fuel tank tipped out so there's a bit in there after use but not full of fuel. I don't tend to use my gear (the gear I consider my own 'good gear' that doesn't get lent out or sold but doesn't get used that often around the gear I get handed to fix up...) but will try and start them several times a year at least. It's a little hard, my problem is I run out of things to cut! The main thing about storing fuel is it's only considered good for 3 months or so, before it's getting sour and it's easier for my purposes to only run the minimum I have to and not storing full tanks of it to go stale. I haven't had an issue with things going hard or shrinking so far, always a first time I guess...

Originally Posted by No.3

Interesting one, the thing with the carby is fuel evaporates out even when the tank is full and it's the oil reside that creates half the issues. I tend to leave the fuel tank tipped out so there's a bit in there after use but not full of fuel. I don't tend to use my gear (the gear I consider my own 'good gear' that doesn't get lent out or sold but doesn't get used that often around the gear I get handed to fix up...) but will try and start them several times a year at least. It's a little hard, my problem is I run out of things to cut! The main thing about storing fuel is it's only considered good for 3 months or so, before it's getting sour and it's easier for my purposes to only run the minimum I have to and not storing full tanks of it to go stale. I haven't had an issue with things going hard or shrinking so far, always a first time I guess...

As one who will freely admit to also being as mechanical as a brick, I got told that storing my saws with fuel in was bad as the fuel evaporates and leaves residue in the carb which causes problems later

What I have been doing when I know the saw isn't going to be used again for at least a month is to drain the fuel out then start it up and let it idle through the last of the juice sitting in the carb and store it after it has conked out from idle - this usually takes a couple of minutes or so

Do you think it is better mechanically to start them all every few months for a few minutes then drain them?
My 088 only gets used every 6 months or so, hence the question

There aren't many good saw mechs around Wgtn IMO - Stihl in Masterton and Husq in Upper Hutt are about it

Originally Posted by 308

As one who will freely admit to also being as mechanical as a brick, I got told that storing my saws with fuel in was bad as the fuel evaporates and leaves residue in the carb which causes problems later

What I have been doing when I know the saw isn't going to be used again for at least a month is to drain the fuel out then start it up and let it idle through the last of the juice sitting in the carb and store it after it has conked out from idle - this usually takes a couple of minutes or so

Do you think it is better mechanically to start them all every few months for a few minutes then drain them?
My 088 only gets used every 6 months or so, hence the question

There aren't many good saw mechs around Wgtn IMO - Stihl in Masterton and Husq in Upper Hutt are about it

Ok, on this topic opinions are like bumholes - everyone has one and most people think their's works the best...

What I do as I have 'my' saws but end up getting fixer uppers or ones that other people want to fix and most of the time I'm using them and not 'my' ones... So basically after I use them I tip the fuel out of the tank and chuck it back into a fuel can (check to make sure it's not completely fuel of wood pulp and crap first) and then make sure I fill it up every 3 months or so and start them up to keep everything working. Most of the time carby bits and seals go bad if they are stored for long periods of time, so far of about 10 odd years or so after doing this I haven't had a problem. Had to rekit a couple of things prior to that due to old fuel and perished stuff, so went to the dump the tank and it seems to work. I don't run the carby's dry, as for a short time you are turning the engine over without fuel mix going in - ok if you run it out of fuel using it every now and then but as an intentional practice I'm not a fan...

Originally Posted by No.3

Ok, on this topic opinions are like bumholes - everyone has one and most people think their's works the best...

What I do as I have 'my' saws but end up getting fixer uppers or ones that other people want to fix and most of the time I'm using them and not 'my' ones... So basically after I use them I tip the fuel out of the tank and chuck it back into a fuel can (check to make sure it's not completely fuel of wood pulp and crap first) and then make sure I fill it up every 3 months or so and start them up to keep everything working. Most of the time carby bits and seals go bad if they are stored for long periods of time, so far of about 10 odd years or so after doing this I haven't had a problem. Had to rekit a couple of things prior to that due to old fuel and perished stuff, so went to the dump the tank and it seems to work. I don't run the carby's dry, as for a short time you are turning the engine over without fuel mix going in - ok if you run it out of fuel using it every now and then but as an intentional practice I'm not a fan...

Good point re lack of lube

I'll switch to just running them every 3-4 months and dump the gas out - thanks for your reply