Long Term Chainsaw Storage

[webie]

I have 8 chainsaws and if everything goes well 9 by the weekend . I like to try to run a few tanks of gas thru them a year . What do you guys do for or to your saws to keep them healthy and happy after months of sitting or even maybe a year or so . The more saws I get the harder it is to run them all .
Gosh I have been suffering from CAD and didn't ever know I was sick . Here I thought I was just a SAWAHOLIC.
Webie

 

[JasonBmac]

I add a bit of stabil to the last tank (actually, I stabilize all gasoline when purchased, but I digress), run the saw a few minutes to get stabilized gas thru it, drain the tank, run it till it quits (even adding choke at the end to ensure it's all gone), add a teaspoon or 2 of air tool oil via the plug hole, and pull'er over a few times.

I just pulled my old Homelite AP125 pump from the basement after a winter's storage this way, and it fired right up. You should be able to store engines almost indefinitely this way, until the rubbers rot away...

If I expect to re-use the engine within say 6mo, I don't bother with the drain and run'em dry.

J

 

[longbar]

I think there was a thread on this not too long ago. What I do is just keep alittle gas in the saw w/stabil or seafoam and run the saw evey month or so for 5min to get the gas cycled through. If your talkin long term storage drain the gas and fog the cylinder. Keep in a dry spot to prevent corrosion.

 

[GlenM]

...run the saw a few minutes to get stabilized gas thru it, drain the tank, run it till it quits (even adding choke at the end to ensure it's all gone)....,

Ditto...

 

[GASoline71]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

 

[kspakland]

DANG, that's a LOT of work ..............
You have MUCH more ambition and energy than I do.
I just run the saw dry and if I think about it, put some oil in the cylinder.
But then again, my saws don't sit very long, seems there is always a tree somewhere that needs adjusting.

 

[oscar4883]

Fhew....I was starting to think I was weird because I soaked my chains in Astroglide. Thats a load off. Thanks Gary.

 

[GlenM]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

Damn, we ain't puttin them in a time capsule...
after this you could put them in your will....

 

[Zombiechopper]

Excellent tips Gary. I just wanted to add that a good quality shammy makes all the difference for waxing and buffing. Also, when scrupping the spark plug, remember not to get water up in the ceramic part. Hold the plug right side up while gently scrubbing with the toothbrush. Soft toothbruxhes work best so as not to scratch the super conductive coatings on todays modern plugs. Other than that your advice is spot on as usual.

 

[webie]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

I realy thought for a while you were yanking my chain but you have a lot of respect on this sight . I have quite a few extra bars for these saws as well . do you have a source for large quantities of astroglide .
The good thing about all this is the girl friend said she would help get all the equipment straightened up and lubed so it lasts a long time .She also said she wanted to be right there for the vacume sealing and to plug all the holes . I told her if she had time she could polish it real good . She is so helpfull , dont you agree .

 

[Rudedog]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

You must be one of those guys that wins all the "Concours" events for the Mercedes car shows.

 

[StihlyinEly]

I realy thought for a while you were yanking my chain but you have a lot of respect on this sight . I have quite a few extra bars for these saws as well . do you have a source for large quantities of astroglide .
The good thing about all this is the girl friend said she would help get all the equipment straightened up and lubed so it lasts a long time .She also said she wanted to be right there for the vacume sealing and to plug all the holes . I told her if she had time she could polish it real good . She is so helpfull , dont you agree .

Good God, man, a woman who wants to be right there for the lubing and hole plugging? Make that woman your wife, get off the Internet and go practice making babies or something! If you follow Gary's advice your saws will be museum quality when you come up for air in, say, 4 or 5 years. If you stay on this site, each and every saw will start sprouting kids of its own.

 

[pjwoolw]

That would be cool. A concours d'elegance for saws!

 

[gwiley]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

That was pretty mean....you DO realize that there are folks that are going to take you seriously!

 

[Arrowhead]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

For somebody that's been here awhile..... you ain't too smart. That's a ton of work!! I store mine in a deep freeze at -117°. No need to do anything... just let them thaw out and use em.

 

[RandyMac]

Well seriously, anyway LOL, kinda hard to beat that.

I live in a highly corrosive enviorment, very damp, close enough to the ocean that I have to wash sea salt off my car. I wipe down all my chainsaws with ATF, it won't harm old paint, doesn't effect rubber, keeps the creepin' crud from eating alloy.

 

[pjwoolw]

Check out Fluid-Film. Good stuff. Doesn't dry out or hurt rubber. Good stuff.

 

[slowp]

First empty all fluids... remove the bars and chains, and then use a vacuum sealer to seal the bars in a bag after cleaning. Soak the chains in a mixture of bar oil, Pennzoil 30wt, and Astroglide for a week. Then vacuum seal those too. Oh... while you're at it, remove the sprocket assemblies and spray them off with Easy off oven cleaner... then vacuum seal those too...

Now remove the mufflers and carbs, and seal up the ports. Remove the ignitions and then install an old spark plug in the holes. Vacuum seal the good spark plugs after a thorough cleaning with a toothbrush. Now you can pressure wash the powerheads. Or huck them in the dishwasher. Don't let your wife catch you huckin' saws in the dishwasher. Bad ju-ju...

After the pressure wash/dishwasher ordeal, you can reinstall the mufflers, carbs, and ignitions. Now you need to put some sort of oil in the cylinders to keep them from rusting... a good 2 stroke oil will work. Just put the pistons at BDC and fill them up through the plug holes. Don't forget to reinstall the plugs! Now you can put a fine coat of Turtle Wax on the saws. Get into every nook and cranny... Also a little Never Dull on the cylinders really makes them "pop".

Since the powerheads are bigger you will need some of those "Spacebags" or whatever they call them. So you can put the saws in and vacuum seal them as well. Keep them in a humidity and temperature controlled room...

EZ PZ... only takes about a month for 8 - 10 saws...

Gary

This sounds better than putting them in the freezer. If the power goes out, you won't be worrying about your saws thawing out and also you save money by not having to have a generator.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Dang, that Gary really knows how to store a saw, bet he never does it to his saws. LOL.
Pioneerguy600

 

[gallegosmike]

Fhew....I was starting to think I was weird because I soaked my chains in Astroglide. Thats a load off. Thanks Gary.

Astroglide, hmmm alittle Odd. Where is "Kink Lube Gary's" mind all the time???

I use extra virgin olive oil mixed with cod liver oil. Keeps sticky fingers away from my pricey saws! :monkey: