Chemical agents for chainsaw maintenance .

[KostasVolos]

What kind of chemical agents do you use
for chainsaw maintenance ?
Post your list ,share your knowledge and give ideas !

As being the OP I will be the first to share my list :

Carburetor cleaning spray : For cleaning the carb orifices and cleaning (once in a blue moon ) the spark plug .

Window/mirror/glass cleaner : Great for removing all kinds of dirt
from chainsaw and bars.Very gentle on polymer parts and paint.
Secret shared by a Stihl tech guy when I asked about the special cleaning spray from Stihl : "Just use glass cleaner.Trust me ."

Hi-temp Lithium grease: Just a tad on the sprocket needle bearing ,every now and then.

Silicone oil / Silicone + PTFE grease : For lubricating plastic moving parts ,like choke levers ,throttle triggers,etc.

Fuel -2T oil mix : Well,except for running the saw it can be used to
clean the whole bar/chain oiling system ,once in a while .Also straight gasoline can be very useful for degreasing the muffler.

Sodium Hydroxide /Lye : When a chain gets too dirty from resin or sap a bath in lye and boiling water will bring the chain almost in brand new state ,just before sharpening .
Wear protective glasses and gloves and avoid inhaling the fumes !

Blue thread locking agent ( Loctite or other ) : For securing studs and/or screws on lightly "abused" threads.

Molybdenum disulfide MoS2 motor oil additive : Not
really for chainsaw maintenance but as a bar/chain oil
(non-toxic) additive.Works wonders !
1/2 oz per gallon of bar oil is more than enough .

Cold weld ( JB weld ) epoxy :
Pretty useful to have around for minor repairs or carb mods .

 

[Franny K]

Stick epoxy the kind that you knead and then press where desired, mainly for injuries to the oil tank or bar modifications.

 

[heimannm]

I have an aerosol can of fogging oil I use if I know a saw will be setting for a long time. I will also give in interior of aluminum or magnesium fuel tanks a good spray with the fogging oil and roll them around a bit to coat the interior surfaces.

White lithium grease (again aerosol) for starters, seems to provide a good lube for the starter shaft and doesn't tend to collect a lot of dirt, dust, or debris.

I also keep a grease gun with a needle tip using lithium grease for bar nose sprockets. If the saw gets a good cleaning after use I will regrease the bar tip if it is possible.

I normally put Stabil in my fuel mix since I might not use up two gallons in a month. As far as I know I've never had a bad experience using Stabil and I have some saws that might set for 6 months or more depending on the GTG schedule.

WD40 is a decent lubricant/penetrating lube and can also be used to clean off some plastic or metal parts. I also use WD40 on bars and chains to provide a bit of protection from corrosion while they are in storage. Keep in mind I have quite a few "spare" bars & chains on hand as I also sell new & used bar & chains so a little protection goes a long way in preserving otherwise bare metal parts.

Mark

 

[lone wolf]

WD 40 to keep Pine Sap, from sticking like epoxy use before and after cutting Pine, then it will wash off much easier. Castrol Super clean when washing saws.

 

[bwalker]

WD 40 to keep Pine Sap, from sticking like epoxy use before and after cutting Pine, then it will wash off much easier. Castrol Super clean when washing saws.

I would be careful with Castrol Super Clean. I had a it discolor a set of KTM dirt bike cases really bad.

 

[JD Guy]

Does anyone use Pine Sol to soak carbs in? It was recommended but I’ve not tried it.

 

[lone wolf]

I would be careful with Castrol Super Clean. I had a it discolor a setbikes though it does of KTM dirt bike cases really bad.

I have been using it on saws for 20 years. You are right about the bikes, though.

 

[Captain Bruce]

I have an aerosol can of fogging oil I use if I know a saw will be setting for a long time. I will also give in interior of aluminum or magnesium fuel tanks a good spray with the fogging oil and roll them around a bit to coat the interior surfaces.

White lithium grease (again aerosol) for starters, seems to provide a good lube for the starter shaft and doesn't tend to collect a lot of dirt, dust, or debris.

I also keep a grease gun with a needle tip using lithium grease for bar nose sprockets. If the saw gets a good cleaning after use I will regrease the bar tip if it is possible.

I normally put Stabil in my fuel mix since I might not use up two gallons in a month. As far as I know I've never had a bad experience using Stabil and I have some saws that might set for 6 months or more depending on the GTG schedule.

WD40 is a decent lubricant/penetrating lube and can also be used to clean off some plastic or metal parts. I also use WD40 on bars and chains to provide a bit of protection from corrosion while they are in storage. Keep in mind I have quite a few "spare" bars & chains on hand as I also sell new & used bar & chains so a little protection goes a long way in preserving otherwise bare metal parts.

Mark

Mark is a woodsmith of the highest order.....maintain your saws, and cut worry-free.

 

[cookies]

I keep a gallon of diesel and a parts brush around for washing nasty saw parts, honda high temp urea grease for lubing clutch bearings, dawn dish soap for washing air filters, wd-40 for drying the air filters

 

[U&A]

beyond an air compressor ******** (the saw gets the BJ ) on the outside they gets only soap and water from time to time via the garden hose and dish soap. air compressor dried after and oil in the oily places. then I run it up to temp to cook off any last water.

i dont run solvent based carb cleaners thru 2T's. I will however run a small amount ( from time to time) of a oil based nitrogen cleaner like redline S1 or amsoil PI. but very small doses mixed into the regular 40:1 oil mix.

just run fresh E-Free fuel and a good oil.

if the carb comes off then solvents come out but only then.

I make large batches of Ed's Red and that stuff is my general propose metal parts wash/cleaner and its a light lubricant but a GREAT penatrating oil. make gallons for super cheap. i dont spend money on fancy cans of solvent cleaners.

JMO

 

[piglosi]

beyond an air compressor ******** (the saw gets the BJ ) on the outside they gets only soap and water from time to time via the garden hose and dish soap. air compressor dried after and oil in the oily places. then I run it up to temp to cook off any last water.

i dont run solvent based carb cleaners thru 2T's. I will however run a small amount ( from time to time) of a oil based nitrogen cleaner like redline S1 or amsoil PI. but very small doses mixed into the regular 40:1 oil mix.

just run fresh E-Free fuel and a good oil.

if the carb comes off then solvents come out but only then.

I make large batches of Ed's Red and that stuff is my general propose metal parts wash/cleaner and its a light lubricant but a GREAT penatrating oil. make gallons for super cheap. i dont spend money on fancy cans of solvent cleaners.

JMO

Ed’s red works good.

 

[piglosi]

I have a couple of those lunch meat Tupperware’s inside a thick cardboard box. I dump old premix in and use that with a toothbrush to soften heavy grease and sap from parts. I’ve set cylinders in to soak to remove crud and carbon from fins then use a small wire brush

 

[piglosi]

I used to blast the enemy out of carb ports with carb cleaner. Learning about check valves in carbs changed my tune with that practice. If a carb is full of varnish syrup, I been using q tips and solvent to clean the visible stuff, then short blasts through passages and cores, then dry with canned electronics air. Works for me, carbs are expensive. Lol.

 

[Gratewhitehuntr]

I'm experimenting with PEA aka Techron at various concentrations.
There is a CRC Part# 05319 https://www.crcindustries.com/gdi/ https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05319-Intake-Valve-Cleaner/dp/B00PHNQKR2
which claims to have higher PEA concentrations than Techron Concentrate.
I believe them, the distinctive smell is stronger in the GDI cleaner, at least 3x more.

Techron in fuel does very well in 2smoke outboards and automotive engines, now I'm trying it in saws as GDI cleaner.
Will report back.

That Liqui Moly product is unknown to me, but I've been using this one at small doses in all types of engines with pretty OK results. It definitely contains solid moly suspended in light oil. Dark gray, and I washed some to see. Yes, a good amount.
I even put 2oz in a motorcycle crankcase and the clutch still chatters . Seems very logical on small engines.
https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2009-Anti-Friction-Treatment/dp/B003U4O414

Honorable mention to Rislone, which contains n-butyl-acetate in (what looks to me like) 2 stroke oil.
I use this, plus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butylated_hydroxytoluene as fuel stabilizer and anti-polymerization aid.

 

[bwalker]

I'm experimenting with PEA aka Techron at various concentrations.
There is a CRC Part# 05319 https://www.crcindustries.com/gdi/ https://www.amazon.com/CRC-05319-Intake-Valve-Cleaner/dp/B00PHNQKR2
which claims to have higher PEA concentrations than Techron Concentrate.
I believe them, the distinctive smell is stronger in the GDI cleaner, at least 3x more.

Techron in fuel does very well in 2smoke outboards and automotive engines, now I'm trying it in saws as GDI cleaner.
Will report back.

That Liqui Moly product is unknown to me, but I've been using this one at small doses in all types of engines with pretty OK results. It definitely contains solid moly suspended in light oil. Dark gray, and I washed some to see. Yes, a good amount.
I even put 2oz in a motorcycle crankcase and the clutch still chatters . Seems very logical on small engines.
https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-2009-Anti-Friction-Treatment/dp/B003U4O414

Honorable mention to Rislone, which contains n-butyl-acetate in (what looks to me like) 2 stroke oil.
I use this, plus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butylated_hydroxytoluene as fuel stabilizer and anti-polymerization aid.

I've used the CRC product in two strokes. It does remove some carbon but is painfully slow.
Honestly, the easiest way is to just tear the engine down and clean it that way.

I've never seen Techron do anything in a two stroke.
I have a bore scope to look in detail BTW.

 

[jellyroll]

I don't really clean my saw except blowing everything out with compressed air. I rarely have to clean my carbs and keep fuel stored in them all year.

 

[gnef]

I use Trend 500 tool cleaner on bars to clean off pitch and built up gunk.

I keep CMT 2050 in the ultrasonic cleaner, which is where I clean all my chains before sharpening, along with drums, rims, clutches, and the other washers and clips that go with the drum and clutch.

I also store my extra chains soaked in CRC 3-36.