Storing saws

[redunshee]

I have about 20 saws I hardly use and store them for up to a year. Previously I ran them dry. Being concerned about stifrf carb componnets, I switched methods this year. Using canned fuel I started the saw, shut it off, then emptied tank leaving fuel in the carb. I hope this protects the diaphragms, etc. Any issues with this procedure?

 

[Marley5]

I use a quality fuel stabilizer, non ethanol, never have dumped the tanks.
I do however make it a habit to start all equipment monthly or so.
But to answer your question, yes you should be fine.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Don't have a clue what 'Stifrf' is but 2 of my big Stihl's I don't run anymore are completely dried out, devoid of fuel and bar oil and they sit on the shelf.

My other saws I use infrequently, the 028 and a pair of Echo's sit for extended periods as well in my climate controlled shop and they are full of canned fuel (Echo-Red Armor 50-1) and so is my brush trimmer and when needed, they fire right up, no issue.

Hard to get non corn squeezed gas here so I run them on canned gas all the time. In fact, my over wintering 4 stroke power equipment is also on canned gas, I drain off the corn squeezed gas and replace it with Tru-Fuel canned gas. Tru-Fuel markets a non mix canned gas and I use that in them. They sit all winter in the unheated barn and fire right up in the spring. VP also markets a no mix canned gas as well.

Never had issue one with brittle diaphragms or rotted fuel lines which is typical when corn gas is in them. Ethanol gas is notorious for degrading rubber parts. My vintage motorcycles are the same. They have canned gas in the fuel tanks and in the carbs too and I keep the fuel tanks full on everything because a partially full fuel tank is a great place to get condensation from temperature differentials and water in the fuel spells issues.

Might cost a bit more for canned fuel versus E10 but the cost to repair down the road, negates the cost of canned gas by a bunch. How I do it, your mileage may differ.

New saws delivered to a dealer are shipped dry for the most part anyway and the selling dealer fuels them and starts them prior to displaying them. Least that is how it works at the dealership I work at part time. (Kubota-Echo-Cub dealer)'. The Kubota's come in with fuel in them but they are diesels, not gas motors.

 

[heimannm]

I have a number of saws that only get used 2 or 3 times in a year, some less...my little garage for active saw storage is not insulated, heated, or air conditioned. I try to remember and add Stabil to the fuel if I know they are going to sit for a while, but I cannot guarantee that always happens. I find I have fewer carburetor/fuel system problems if I leave the fuel tanks full that if I run them empty. I do try to shut them off with the choke when I know I am done using them for a while, my thoughts are that will leave a bit more oil in the cylinder and crankcase.

I have a few others in the display (heated/air conditioned space) that I will run empty just to minimize any fuel leakage or odor in the display area, keep in mind these are vintage saws and they were not all built as "tight" as more modern equipment.

I do find that canned fuel is preferred for a saw that will sit a long time so I keep several quarts on hand for those that come through my workshop. If customer says they don't use the saw, trimmer, or blower often I fill them with the canned fuel.

Mark

 

[Sidecarflip]

Most canned fuels straight or with mix added, have a shelf life (are viable) for at least a year and some say (Echo Red Armor) a shelf life of 5 years in a sealed can or enviroment. No corn squeezed gas (without some sort of stabilizer) to prevent phase separation which is what happens inside your saw or other gas powered equipment that cause the carb gunking **** that plugs them and destroys fuel lines to form. Besides stale corn squeezed gas stinks too.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I just run Efree from pump with VPracing oil which happens to have stabilizer in OPE. I dont even empty tanks anymore. Never a issue.

Even straight Efree from pump in my Gen over a year old never a issue. Same with boat. I will add some K100 before putting these up for storage time.

 

[Sidecarflip]

E-Free around here is hard to get, closest station is 30 miles away and the cost is steep too. Almost equal to canned gas actually. Neither of our standby genny's require gasoline. The big one is diesel powered and is plumbed into the 500 gallon bulk diesel tank and the other is propane fired (house genny) and is plumbed into the 3, 500 gallon propane bottles.

When it comes to emergency power, I want it to be as turnkey as possible so I have the stationary units that not only provide emergency power but isolate the utility from the farm when the power fails. I would not want the utility workers to be electrocuted by back fed currents from my generators anyway, We are automatically disconnected from the utility via the transfer switches on each unit.

I keep my bulk diesel farm tank treated with biocide as well as a lubricity - anti gel additive my fuel supplier mixes into the fuel prior to delivery. Of course it's red dyed off road, no use tax diesel. The generator don't care what color it is.

I prefer 50-1 red Armor but I did see that Tractor Supply is now selling VP in 2.5 gallon metal cans. Don't know if it's straight canned gas or mixed, didn't get that close to the display as I have no use for it anyway. Get my Red Armor at dealer cost anyway, same with my Echo chainsaws.

 

[Paul Bunions]

I saw a neat suggestion that supposedly comes from old timers. You empty your tank, put a little oil in, and get it to run through the carb.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Sounds to me like a potential oil fouled sparkplug more than anything else.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

e-free fuel and I dump and run my saws dry and have for decades at this point. The only issues I've ever had with bad carbs is saws I get that have fuel left in them.

I've got numerous saws over the years that hadn't run in 10 years and were emptied before stored, all of them ran without issue after fueling up.

Canned fuel is probably fine, but emptying the tank and running the saw for a minute is free.

Tru-fuel says their fuel is stable for 2 years once exposed to atmosphere and 5 years sealed. So I still think emptying is better for really long term storage.