Frozen Saws

[MMG]

So…hypothetically speaking, at what roundabout temperature should a guy flip the cold weather vent on a Macolmar/Dokita DCS6401/BB? I kind of figured the saw might let me know but a don’t want a problem that causes problems. That question being posed, I suspect that I may be sitting by a fire on a day cold enough where I need to flip that little peace of plastic. I could prolly look it up on the interweb but I figured there is a lot more knowledge right here. Thank you in advance!

 

[GenXer]

Flip the switch when the temperature is around freezing

 

[MMG]

So…hypothetically speaking, at what roundabout temperature should a guy flip the cold weather vent on a Macolmar/Dokita DCS6401/BB? I kind of figured the saw might let me know but a don’t want a problem that causes problems. That question being posed, I suspect that I may be sitting by a fire on a day cold enough where I need to flip that little peace of plastic. I could prolly look it up on the interweb but I figured there is a lot more knowledge right here. Thank you in advance!

Flip the switch when the temperature is around freezing

Easy enough. Thank you.

 

[bwalker]

FWIW anyone that cuts in snowy conditions should have a heated handle/carb saw. Even more so if it's humid and cold at the same time in your locale.
When I lived in Upper MI I considered a heated saw a necessity.

 

[chainbrake]

What stihls are you running these days?

Only 2; neither are commercial:
an 034 rancher and an MS 170.

I just gave an MS 261 to a guy that I had working for me. I went into semi-retirement and gave him the saw so he could get his own firewood and maybe help him go into business for himself. I really liked that saw.

Years ago (on the West Coast), I bought a used 090 that I sometimes used for cutting shake and shingle blocks for a local mill. I also used it for milling and knocking down the odd really big tree. Other than that, I've had a Husky with a 30" bar, an old Mac and an old Homelite. I've spent most of my life as a building contractor in rural areas. I have mainly used chain saws to clear rural building sites, driveways, etc. - and get firewood in for myself and sometimes others (if they could talk me into it). A few times, I knocked down some of the trees on a piece of land (or found some big old windblown cedar or Douglas fir) to build part of the structure for a homeowner - like exposed posts and beams for covered decks. Homeowners really like it when you use trees right from their land.

 

[lwmibc]

So…hypothetically speaking, at what roundabout temperature should a guy flip the cold weather vent on a Macolmar/Dokita DCS6401/BB? I kind of figured the saw might let me know but a don’t want a problem that causes problems. That question being posed, I suspect that I may be sitting by a fire on a day cold enough where I need to flip that little peace of plastic. I could prolly look it up on the interweb but I figured there is a lot more knowledge right here. Thank you in advance!

From personal experience--when the carb ices up. Will usually happen when working in snow and the intake sucks some in. The plastic plate is a carb heat provision, just like was on all the carbureted car air cleaners.

From the instruction manual for your saw--took about a minute to find:

Working in winter
In order to prevent carburetor icing in conditions of low temperature combined with high humidity, and below + 5°C in order to get up to operating temperature faster, heated air can be taken from the cylinder.
Remove the filter hood (see „Cleaning air filter“)
Remove the insert (10) and insert it as shown in position B for cold-weather operation.
At temperatures above + 5°C the carburetor must NOT be fed heated air. Failure to follow these instructions can lead to damage to the cylinder and piston!
At temperatures over +5°C place the insert in position A for normal operation.
Position A - Normal operation
Position B - Cold-weather operation Reinstall the filter hood.

 

[chainbrake]

A follow-up to my frozen saws story:

1. I have always kept my (pre-mixed) gas cans pretty empty... only mix 5L at a time.
When it was -22 the other morning, I went to my nearly empty premixed can that i had been using in the rain and shook it.
It made a slushy sort of sound. Poured/rinsed that icy BS out - started fresh - added just a dash (about 1cc) of methyl hydrate to the new 5 L mix of fuel.

2. The saws have been put in winter mode, duct tape on the bottom intake vents to keep snow out.
They work great - never more powerful, and my 30 yr old 034 is probably 3/4ths of the way through its second piston and sleeve.

3. Finally, (like I always try to do in life in general) I will attempt to save room at the end of my work day to file, clean, adjust and organize - just like with my carpentry/woodworking tools ... but sometimes life gets in the way, so I will be even more prepared to deal with the BS I had left myself from the day before - had I been pushed into leaving saws wet and dirty at the end of a day.

Thanks everyone for your input... you have made my life better!

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Never more powerful ...
Remember to re-tune for the cold air, they will be lean in the cold.