Started 3 saws today

[Gagliano7]

Stihl 261 CM 5 pulls to start

Echo 4910 4 pulls to start

Echo 590 1 pull to start

All stored in 55 degree weather and it was 55 and muggy out. The 590 actually caught me by surprise on the first pull.

 

[cookies]

You actually want it to take 3-7 pulls to start, bear with me i'll explain
You want the carb to drain back into the tank to prevent the fuel creating issues in the carb as it sits. Simply shake the saw, dump the old fuel, refill with new and go.

 

[Gagliano7]

I will take a one pull start any day.

 

[Sidecarflip]

I run canned fuel in all my saws so letting them sit and not using them is a non issue. They all start right up on the first or second pull, no matter how long they sit. Brand is not an issue either. No gummed up carbs ever.

 

[StihlsawuserMS361]

361, at least 6, although one time in almost 20 years it started on the first pull. Shocking.
500I, at least 6 also. I've tried pushing the fuel bulb from as few as none, up to 10 times.
E free gas,Stihl Ultra, saws stored inside a basement, usually around 60 + degrees
Dealer says not normal per Stihl, but offers no answer....

 

[Sidecarflip]

You 'assume' it's e-free gas because the pump states it but... Did you actually test it? The other issue is, if the pump pumps product other than e-free gas, what is left in the hose and the internal piping in the pump cold be weasel pee and you got it even though you wanted e-free.

Why I don't chance it. I just run canned gas, in my case, Echo Red Armor 50-1. One thing I do with my seasonal use equipment like the mowers and tillers is, I drain out the weasel pee from the gas tanks entirely and partially fill them with canned gas and run them on it for a few minutes. That eliminates the weasel pee issues entirely. The weasel pee I drain out goes in my car. it don't care and it don't sit for months on end either.

Found a new product called 'Mechanic in a Bottle' and it has rave reviews on getting gummed up engines revitalized. Ordered a bottle and I will try it. Supposed to be good in 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines as well. Chicanic on YT recommends it, not that I trust her judgment 100% but she does have a nice set of legs anyway.

 

[StihlsawuserMS361]

Correct, assumption on E Free. I could , but don't test it. On a single hose pump, which is all I see here in my area, I pump 2 gallons into the truck first, then measure slightly less than a gallon into my mix container. So far, so good.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Of course you also have to be concerned with how it was transported to your filling station. Keep in mind that with the EPA mandated bottom load, bottom unload tankers today, there can very well be some unleaded e-gas lurking in the bottom of the compartment when the e-free juice was loaded at the rack.... and of course the piping and delivery hoses at the rack itself. It's all a crapshoot and why I just use synthetic gas now. No chance of any weasel pee in it.

I've also heard that refiners aren't all that careful about how they pump their products in the first place.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I always test mine. So easy anyone can do it and always Efree.

Dont cost jack either to do the 1 min test.

First one Efree, 2nd one is not.

4 bucks a gallon.

When buying 5 gal at a time you would need a loan for that canned fuel for 5gal. SMH

 

[Sidecarflip]

That all depends on your frequency of usage. I don't use them daily, they might sit for a month or more unused so the cost of the canned fuel for me is inconsequential and I don't have to buy 2 stroke oil either as it's already in the canned fuel, in my case Echo Red Armor.

I might use 3 gallons of synthetic gas in a full year, maybe.

Makes a dandy overwintering fuel for my gas powered lawn equipment as well. Of course my big mower is a diesel (Kubota F Series) so that isn't an issue.

Think I paid 10 bucks each for the last couple gallons I bought. Get it at cost from the dealer I work at.

I can see using weasel pee with 2 stroke oil added if you are in the business of using them daily, or even non E gas, but in my situation it's not germane.

Scary part for me would be exactly how much alcohol is actually added to the no lead gas before you purchase it. Read somewhere that refiners were upping the amount to over 10% and I read (but have no knowledge of it) that regular unleaded with an alcohol content of over 10% by volume is really hard on small engines, especially air cooled ones. Why, I have no idea actually.

I do know that running e-gas in your buggy, eliminates the need for dry gas in the winter, a plus up here in the frozen north.