Posted: 6/20/2007 4:05:48 AM EDT
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I have a chainsaw (Husqvarna 350 w/18" bar) I bought in 2003. I put in gas, started it, and put it in my tool shed. I MAY have put some STABIL in at the time, but don't remember. Anyways, a buddy wants to do a partial trade for a firearm with the chainsaw, but I am concerned I have somehow damaged the chainsaw, even though it has never been used, by storing it for four years with gas in the tank. Do I need to take it in to the local shop for a tune-up, or is there a simple way to determine if it is OK? I have not attempted to start it because I have very little knowledge of small engines and do not want to potentially "make the situation worse". |
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I've never put Stabil in my chainsaw. The gas does seem to evaporate out of the gas tank slowly so it's usually empty the next year when I go to use it. I just dump in a fresh batch of gas, and fire it up. Never had any problems with the carb gumming up or anything, it just runs. Now, if you want to be CAREFUL, I suppose you could have someone do a quick tuneup on it. Me, I'd just fill the tank with fresh gas, slosh it around a bit to get it to mix with the old stuff and fire it up. Let it warm up for a couple minutes and open it up. It should run up smooth with no hesitation. You'll know if the fuel/air mix is wrong because it won't sound right. If that's the case, you'll need to adjust or have someone adjust the high speed jet. In my experience though, chainsaws just keep running. I haven't had to adjust the fuel mix since I got it used, and that was 7 years ago. It's sat for at least two years in there somewhere and it runs great. YMMV. |
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As far as the solar powered chainsaw, my hippie card from the early 90's was revoked when I bought my first firearm... BTW, a recent issue of Mother Earth news had a "rustic family", earth friendly of course, from Montana State, and showed several pictures of the family hunting with GUNS, and the wife carrying out a bloody, quartered elk. Anyone else have anything on my chainsaw? I will probably add some new fuel later today and see how it does. 250 feel free to chime in between tree jobs! |
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personally, i would just open the gas cap, tip any of it into a bucket... put in fresh fuel, and maybe change the plug in case it got corroded somehow after sitting that long. obviously my saws never sit very long, so i havent had this issue. but you shouldnt have anything to worry about. just take a look around it to make sure no bugs are in any spaces they shouldnt be... the oil that you mix into the gas usually comes with some amount of fuel stabilizer. back to work i go! good luck |
I haven't had good luck with Stabil  I do put Seafoam in anything that will likely sit for a good length of time. Also I run the first tank with extra oil to get things lubed up a bit (like my '79 SkiDoo  )If you dump out the old gas, and may as well, if it still looks good you're probably good to go. I fired up the tiller my grandfather had, well it sat for about 9 years...wouldn't start. Dumped out the gas, and well, gas isn't supposed to be orange/yellow  Put in some new stuff and good to go Started right away.
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dump out the gas. by now the fuel has evaporated and you have a over concentrated oil mixure. take out the spark plug. if it looks ok use it. dumpo a very samll amount of gas in the cylinder. slowly pull it over with no plug in it. this will wash some of the old fuel and mix it with fresh. squirt a bit more gas in the cylinder(dont get carried away). put the plug in it. add fresh fuel to the fuel tank and seal the cap. the dangerous part.....pull the recoil to start it witht he throttle wide open. it should pop off after a few pulls. if it runs and dies out right away squirt a little gas in the cylinder again. if it starts and dies after repeating this 3 times you need your carb/fuel system repaired. my .02 worth ($76 an hour on the clock lol) |
| Just smell the gas. You can tell if it gone bad. Also the color will change to yellow. I would just dump the gas and put some fresh stuff in there. I used stabel in everything. Never have any gas problems. With that being said, air is the worst enemy for gas. Your gas cap on that saw is not vented. I have the same chainsaw. |
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I've got the same chainsaw in the same vintage. Mine sat for a couple years due to good weather and little storm damage and wouldn't start. Ended up getting it running just fine by dumping the fuel out and putting in fresh. Just be careful about flooding it when trying to start it with old fuel. Do yourself a favor and just dump the old fuel If you haven't put much time on it, then you probably don't need much of a tune up, but if you want...they sell a very easy kit at Lowes, Fleet farm, or Norther tool that includes the air filter, fuel filter, and spark plug in a single box so you don't have to hunt around for the parts. For fuel....avoid anything with ethanol and hunt for the non-oxy fuel. You will need less stabilizers and it will last a lot longer (well 4 years is pushing it). ETA, yeah, easy way to test...put in new fuel, choke, press compression release button and pull cord :) If you never used that one before...after it first starts to run, push in the blue choke lever and pull the cord again. Should fire right up. It's very hard to "hurt" a two cycle unless you run it without oil mixed gas. |
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Ok, i dumped the gas, added some new, checked for bugs and debris where there shouldn't be any, and pulled twelve times... BINGOl Ran strong and loud! Thanks for the help, I can now trade in good conscience for a Beretta 92!! (which i have wanted since I got out of the army in 92). |
this part is not for weekend warriors! i start my saw frequently while holding it full throttle in one hand, to avoid needing to pull it too many times ( while im strapped into a tree 40' up ) but if someone running a saw with a 18-20" bar underestimates it, and pulls it over wide open throttle... they may fuck up their legs a bit... i have to start my 24" like this alot, needs some carb work, i even worry about getting myself sometimes. |
That floods the Husqy mighty fast (too much gas and not enough air) and makes it damn tough to clear and finally start--I speak from experience  On warm starts...they put the high idle feature on to help with this. You pull out the choke slide and push it back in. Choke isn't on, but the high idle is until you pull the trigger. When warm, it always starts on a single pull. On cold starts, choke on and no extra throttle starts it the easiest. Your mileage might vary on other brands or poorly tuned ones. Glad to hear that she's purring like a kitten. I've put a lot of hours on mine this year, and as long as you treat her right--keep it clean, keep it full of oil, and keep the bar axel lubed, she rarely complains. My only complaint with that model/year Husky is the stupid oil and fuel caps leak to no end. They redesigned them and have the new ones available at lowes...they are well worth the money for the new model over the amount of oil they have leaked into my case  .
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I have a 92cc saw I have to manipulate the throttle on when starting warm. No decompress valve either. I stand on top of the saw with one foot (left), run throttle with one hand (left) and pull with right. You must commit to the pull, limpwristing it will result in the saw ripping the pull handle out of your hands. But once it's running, whoah boy!! Nice throaty sound to it, cuts through anything like buttah. But I digress..... |
eh, my husky doesnt flood when i pull it wide open. it needs to be tuned, but i will never adjust a carb on a saw. too easy to blow them up. i have the new gas cap youre talking about- i think the seal is green, works REALLY good. yours leaks oil? check and make sure the 2 holes in your bar where the oiler is doesnt have gunk plugging it up. if it does, the oil just builds up around the back of the bar / chain / cover and it makes a person think its leaking... unless you know for sure its a shitty oil cap. just a thought. |
DID leak oil new cap doesn't. Didn't notice until it was about a year old and didn't really use it enough then to remember to take it in, and the gas cap just starting leaking this year, after it was like 5 years old.I know for sure it was the cap (and slightly bad injection molding of the case that left a slight ridge and uneven hole). The original flat washer ring is undersized for the oil fill hole. The new design, IIRC, is an O ring on the side now. |