I agree, I have an old Poulan that I bought around 1980. It will take about
6 pulls of the cord to get it started as it hasn't run for about 8 years, but I am certain it will start, and then it will start on the first pull after that. I am going to clean it up and sharpen it when this cold snap is over, as I have a yard full of fallen tree limbs from the ice storm to get rid of.
I have learned to never use ethanol gas in single cylinder engines, especially the small ones. I have a Honda baby tiller 4 cycle engine that will NOT run with ethanol gas, but put premium ethanol free gas and it will purr like a kitten. I now use it in my Honda 4 cycle string trimmer and it starts instantly. I use it in my lawn mower, snow blower and other small engines and they all seem to start and run better. It will be used in my chain saw when spring comes -- with the addition of 2 cycle oil.
I have no trouble with E10 in my small engines, including Honda lawn mower, Crapsman tractor, Generac pressure washer, and 4-cycle trimmer/blower/brush cutter/edger. Works fine in all. Starts fine, even in the spring after sitting for six months. I just change the oil, top off the fuel, and pull.
"Mike Marlow" wrote>
In addition, I have had the metal in some small engine carburetors all but dissolve using E10. They form a powdery type of corrosion that plugs up the small passages and jets, then you might as well throw them away. Expensive.
If you were to measure the cutting life of two chains, one sharpened with a hand file, the other sharpened with an electric, I would say that the hand file sharpened chain would last twice as long. The hand file simply removes less metal, and it reduces the tendency of ham handed operators to go crazy with them.
Do what the pros do. Carry a couple of very simple files, and know where to take off the metal. Same as any guy who knows how to sharpen knives. I've seen knives that were sharpened down to almost nothing, starting at 3/8" wide at the handle, and coming down to a toothpick on the point. Absolutely no need to remove that much metal besides inexperience and error.
Steve
Steve
"SteveB" wrote
Another comment I would make is to keep spare new files on hand. It seems to me the speed of sharpening with a file used just a very few times is twice as slow as a nice new file.
Well, that was a spirited discussion! I've decided on the Stihl MS170. Th anks for all of the good recommendations -- and for steering me away from s ome bad options. Buying this from a local outdoor equipment company at abo ut 30% off MSRP. It was his last one.
Larry
ic that does OK. There are a couple of trees down in the back too remote f or the electric and I'd like to have a gas saw to take advantage of found l ogs or limbs.
ly has Poulans available. Here's an example:
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