For Chainsaw Enthusiasts

That's some serious bar on that thing.

Speaking of chainsaws... Started my 40+ year old 18" for the first time in around 10 years. Gas, without stabilizer was 10 years old. Started up exactly as it always did. Touch of ether, power switch off, 3-4 pulls @ full choke, power switch on, 3-4 pulls @ half choke. Brrrooom. Runs like a champ, same as it did the day I bought it. So much for stabilizer, at least in Pgh.

Also, I only buy (low 87) octane for all my power equipment, both 2 and

If you had uses a stabilizer and premium fuel you could have started it on a half pull on first try with the ignition off.

So much for old gas.

And if you think anyone believes 10 year old gas, well, no one is that stupid.

That's as big as a Texas massacre!

I've never used stabilizers - and chainsaws are a "special case" as the tanks are (generally)sealed and pressurized.No oxidation, no condensation, and no evaporization. My old Remington srarted on the second or third pull after sitting 4 years. All I did was shake it a few times to make sure the oil was well mixed.The weed-eater on the other hand - with an open-to-the-elements tank won't start after 9 months - - Same fuel and mix.

That would only work in Texas.

What you believe or not is your problem, not mine.

That makes sense I guess, but my weed-wacker started with some pretty darned old gas in it as well. Not 10 years, but years. I did use some ether to get it going, but once started, runs like a top. Also, my snow blower and pressure washer always have at least year old gas in them when started the first time, and never a problem.

Not saying people should use really old gas, but I am saying there is a hell of a lot of hype over old gas and the need for stabilizer. I buy

On lawn stuff... Old gas, new gas, stabilizers, oil mixes, spark plugs, filters... bah. I got rid of all that in exchange for lithium. Always starts, no mess, and no fuss. Bought mulching mower, weed-whacker and blower all for under $250 including shipping. Batteries (included) interchangeable. Takes 1.5 in spring when grass is thick and 1 rest of season. Mower has bag so doing leaves is easy peasy; blow, mow, bag and free mulch.

My previous mower, a Craftsman power drive, had pull and electric start. Battery cost $65+. Battery charger $45+. Power drive was nice but can't use in tight spots. Always a pain to start each season. Also gasoline gives me serious headaches too.

Previous mower a Ryobi battery. Had it over 25 years and only replaced battery and charging board once. Mulched and ran like a champ. Only reason I gave it away (and should not have) is because I got the Craftsman power mower for free. Sold that two years ago.

Only thing that runs out of gas now... is me.

On chainsaws... I've had little call for a chainsaw, so the corded electric Craftsman I got from grandpa works just fine when needed.

A friend once brought over his gas chainsaw to cut up a downed tree and ended up fubaring his saw. He got it fixed then did it again following year when a tree fell in a storm and took out his dish antenna. He borrowed neighbor's chainsaw and killed that one too. I guess some people just aren't meant to handle some tools. /shrug

Just my 2 cents.

You have to remember you are NOT starting the engine on stale gasoline - you are staerting it on ether. You are also pretty lucky - your old gas hasn't gummed anything up. I've worked on equipment where the gas was as dark coloured as cola, and as thick as syrup, and it STUNK to high heaven. You could put it in a sprayer and spray it through the flame of a blowtorch and be lucky to get it to light - - - . The gas in the tank of my '53 Coronet when I bought it was about 7 years old. Not a chance you could have run anything on it - with the possible exception of a steam enfine if it was squirted into a hot fire. That said, I NEVER use stabilizer - I occaisionally use SeaFoam and occaisionally Marvel Mystery Oil - but not as stabilizers - more as "mechanic in a can" - and if used properly for the right reasons they are both very effective.

You must not have a lot of leaves. I fill my bag at least once just mowing the small amount of leaves in very early fall on a very small lot. By mid fall I'm loading up the tarp 4-5 times and dragging the leaves into the woods across the road. Luckily it's a very steep hill down to a bay, so the pile at the top stays small and hidden from view of the road.

True, but I only use either on my 2 cycle stuff, mainly the chainsaw. The chainsaw has been notoriously hard to start since new. After many many years of fighting it, I tried ether, even though it is supposed to be hard on the engine, It works like a charm. 4 cycle stuff never needs ether, it all starts easily. Only exceptions is my brothers 1954 gravely tractor that has always been hard to start in the winter when we used it to plow snow. Shot of ether fixed that right up as well.

You are also pretty lucky -

Like I said, thinking I, and my brother have been lucky for 60 years and on a wide variety of equipment doesn't cut it. No luck is involved.

Your experience with gas thick as syrup and carburetors gummed up has not happened to me once. I've heard about, read about it, never once experienced it. My old neighbor told me about it, but he was born in the 1800's and had lots of experience with old gas gumming stuff up, turning to varnish etc. He always warned me about old gas, but he was wrong. Probably was right before gas companies figured out the right additives to keep gas from doing that stuff.

Perhaps your '53 Coronet had gas from before gas companies started using the right additives? I know I rebuilt an engine in 1954 Merc that had

Whatever it is, LUCK is not my, nor my brothers forte, and 60+ straight years of luck isn't anyone's forte far as I know. I guess I could be lying, but really, why would I waste my time?

I used to have two trees on my property. One died about 6mos after moving in and was removed. The other, a giant pin oak, was dying from the inside and cut down three years ago. It was over 100ft tall.

So in answer to your question, I get tons of leaves. From where? My bloody neighbors. One has a small farm circled by trees, mostly hickory, and never does leaves. Other neighbors all drag the leaves from their lawns (some from farm) back to the farm property, which then promptly blow back into my yard.

First year I moved in I bagged leaves. I ended up working hours and into the dark with over 30 bags in one day. I quit at dark. After that I went out and bought a leaf blower and mulcher. Now I end up with about 30 bags of mulch for the entire season.

Now I am just waiting for the fire to start. Neighbors keep dragging leaves onto farm property, which they are not supposed to do, and where there is a ton of poison ivy now last two years. Tried to kill it last year but no go. Now neighbors are throwing bbq grill coals on the farm too. Can you see an issue here?

I already told property owners about the problem and they said they would take care of it. That's two years in a row now and not a thing done. My insurance company said send a letter to the owners informing them of the problem, then once it catches fire, the insurance company can take them to court. Ok but that's not going to help the kids, or adults, that might breathe that stuff in and get sick. One kid got poison ivy in her eyes and still nothing done.

My neighbors are like a box of chocolates... (fill in rest).

I,switched to the premixed fuel you get,in the can at the local Ace. My only beef is my weed whacker takes 50:1 and the chain saw takes 40:1. Fuel stays in the equipment for months and no problem starting.

Do a bit of research on it, Larry.

My small engine guy told me to go to 50:1 across the board, especially if using the pre-mixed fuel or the 2-cycle oil specifically designed for mixing.

Echo products says the same thing: Use 50:1 regardless of what our owners manual says.

Hell, just using the non-ethanol, pre-mixed fuel is going to extend your engine's longevity by itself.

Also found this with a bit of research.

"If you are using a modern 2-cycle oil designed for air cooled engines and it says 50:1 on the bottle, then you can use it at that concentration in your saws without worry. This is true even if the owners manual for your older saws and OPE say something different like

The same modern oil at 40:1 is fine, too. As always, keep your OPE properly tuned.

If you are using your saw for heavy duty activity like milling, higher concentrations of oil will help to protect your engine."

Been a mechanic since 1969 -worked on a lot of old equipment (farm equipment and industrial equiupment, plus small engine equipment both

If they guy changed the oil often enough and used good gas there was no reason for an engine to be "gunked up" even in '54. My 28 Chevt engine was pretty clean, considering it had run all it's life on non-detergent oil when I opened it up in 1976. My 1957 Fargo Flathead six was also very clean, with virtually no cyl wear at 250,000 miles when I changed the cracked head in 1975 or 1976. (246? cu inch - the BIG flathead six). The fuel in the 28 was terrible - had a terrible time getting the tank cleaned out - after sitting from 1970 to 76. The

The fuel in the Pontiac Firefly was stinky when I moved it 3 years ago

- after sitting for 3 years under a tree. It will in all likelihood be a lot worse by now, but if I ever put it back together the tank will be gone and batteries will take it's place (my second electric vehicle)

You are not lying - you just have limited experience - - -

and NEVER mix 40:1 oil at 50:1 -- It is not designed to protect your engine at 50:1.

A lot of the 16 and 20:1 recomendations were for SAE30 non detergent engine oil for Pete's sake - - -

Jack wrote in news:ohu0k9$l1$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

I don't seem to have problems with gas either. I did have some 4 wheeler gas go yellow, that was from sitting for so long (over a year). After putting a carb rebuild kit in, it's running ok. I mixed the yellow gas with fresh gas and ran it through the mower.

Hey, I wonder... Do you use Shell gas? I don't. Back when Mom was my age, she found every time she put Shell gas in her car something went wrong with it. I just keep up the habit, mainly to keep her happy and partially because there's not really a Shell station near my usual haunts.

Puckdropper

Umm You suppose the carb had to be overhauled because the gas was bad? That would seem to be a problem to me, maybe not you. ;~)

I have been using nothing but Shell and occasionally Chevron for 8 Plus years.

Generally a year isn't too serious. 3 or more can start to be trouble.

I never use 50:1. My chainsaw blew up on 50:1 the first week I used it. Rebuilt the engine and used 20:1 non-detergent motor oil for the next

You can't go wrong going heavy, only a little smoke (20:1 stuff smoked a lot, 40:1 not at all) and a little hard to start. You can use 40:1 in both your engines, and should have no problem at all. Never go light, and 50:1 is really too light IMO, and IME, regardless of what the manual says.