OT - chainsaw, etc. storage

Re: OT - chainsaw, etc. storage

John K Jordan

I store most of my small engines in a shed with no detectable problems.

I store the pressure washer in the garage so any water left in the pump won't freeze and destroy the pump.

JKJ

Re: OT - chainsaw, etc. storage

Yonak

I keep my chain saw in the shed and it usually starts pretty easily. I keep it in a case. I'm sure you know but, don't leave any gas with ethanol in it for any long period of time.

Re: OT - chainsaw, etc. storage

David Yoho

If you have a riding mower it's important to "tender" the battery while not in use over the winter. A battery tender connected to the battery will keep it fully charged automatically and prevent it from freezing. This will add years of life before replacement is needed.

I used to run the fuel out of my mower and other gas powered yard equipment at the end of the season every year. This year I changed some of this up. I have two properties I maintain with equipment at both. I ran the fuel out of my trimmers, blowers, power washer, and chainsaw. However, I left the tank full on my two riding mowers and golf cart. I use nonethanol gas only but this year I added Stabil fuel stabilizer to keep it fresh over the winter months.

I could have left the fuel with stabilizer in the other equipment but it wasn't any trouble to run them dry, clean them up, and put them away. Winterization is a good chance to maintain your equipment by cleaning filters, and checking spark plugs and such. When spring rolls around you know your stuff is ready to go again.

I ran my snowblower dry....

Dick Coers

I didn't think I was ever going to get it started the next year. I guess a needle valve stuck or something. I'd always left gas in it before with no issues, then did the recommended run dry. Never again!

Re: OT - chainsaw, etc. storage

Hank Knight

I have a Honda lawn mower I run dry every time I use it. It's 20 years old and it still starts on the second or third pull every time, even after spending the winter unused in my shed.

Clean and outdoors under shelter

Tom Dunlap

Think of the millions, yes M, small engines in seasonal storage. Most are put away after the last use with crappy fuel in them. Most of them start the next time they

re needed. But, more and more don't start because of the fuel and fuel/oil blends these days. Add to that many are hard to work on these days. Some chainsaws are within a sawdust spec of being computer controlled fuel injection.

All this means they need better care.

Ths saw shop I deal with taught me to use the highest octane fuel with factory oil for 2 cycles. I know many pro arborists who are using canned pre-mix fuel. These are good!

They also taught me to empty fuel from portable power tools that aren't going to be used for a month. Dump fuel into a bucket.This gets collected and goes into one of my vehicles when its low on fuel and then filled. Diluted and used. Oil goes into another container to be used next season. Engine is started and left to idle to burn up any fuel. They told me that there is some value in fogging the cylinder too. I haven't done that.

Pretty much the same drill for 4 cycle. Warm engine, change out dirty oil. Run at idle to burn off fuel. put away dry.

Run Dry - Did you know...

David Yoho

Recently I've been following a Canadian guy on U-tube that runs a small engine shop. I've learned a lot from his videos and already saved me money by doing repairs myself that I wouldn't have attempted before. One tip I got from him is even when you run a 2 cycle to the point it stops running, it's not empty of fuel. You can actually start and run it several more times before it's empty. This is especially true of blowers and trimmers that have a purge bulb to prime the carb.

He also has a video about the difference between canned fuel and pump gas. To my surprise the real culprit in pump gas that causes problems with small engine carburetors is not the ethanol but the benzene. That's what's responsible for drying up seals, diaphragms, and gaskets. While expensive, the canned gas doesn't contain the ingredients pump gas does that causes problems. I have access to ethanol-free gas and find it's the next best thing at a better price.

He just proved his ignorance and arrogance

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

When I find someone confidently lecturing about a topic he knows nothing about I conclude he will do it about other topics as well. Best not to believe anything he says unless confirmed by other information.

Liquid chemicals have several chemical properties that combine to determine what they can dissolve and mix with. Mineral spirits will dissolve and mix with linseed oil. Ethanol will dissolve and mix with shellac. Mineral spirits will not dissolve shellac and ethanol will not mix with linseed oil, for example.

Years ago when ethanol tainted gas was introduced there were seal and hose problems with some engines. Ethanol would dissolve/soften some of the rubber and rubber-like materials used for hoses and seals, that the mineral spirit-like gas would not.

Modern gasoline is a mix of two classes of solvents, aromatic and aliphatic. Mineral spirits is an example of an aliphatic substance, while benzene, toluene and xylene are examples of aromatic chemicals. These aromatic chemicals all have nearly identical properties as solvents. For example, when diluting conversion varnish one can use toluene or xylene. A mixture of aromatic chemicals makes up a substantial portion of gasoline. Included is a very small amount of benzene. As a solvent gasoline will behave the same with or without this tiny amount of benzene.

The problem with ethanol in stored gasoline is that it will combine with condensation to make the gasoline corrosive to metal engine components.

add one step to 4 cycle

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Burn out remaining fuel and drain float valve chamber. They usually have a screw in the bottom for this task.

Solvent series

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Using chemicals we know as wood workers I have arranged a list of these chemicals from one extreme of solvent properties to the other:

water, ethanol, acetone and other ketones, toluene, mineral spirits, silicone oil. Using the principal of "like dissolves like" this list will predict what solvents will dissolve.

In the case of polymers, for example rubber and rubber-like polymers, the material may be so high in molecular weight that it will only soften and not fully dissolve in a "like" solvent. Polymers/plastics are usually a formulated material of many components. While a solvent may not dissolve the plastic or rubber it may leach out stuff that is essential for performance such as UV and oxidation stabilizers.

See for yourself - then judge *LINK*

David Yoho

Bill this is a 10 minute YouTube video. I know your situation about online video watching but it may well be worth it this time. Think you'll find this gut is no BS.


The Truth About Gas Station Fuel and Why It's So B

The video did not undo my knowledge of gasoline

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

"To my surprise the real culprit in pump gas that causes problems with small engine carburetors is not the ethanol but the benzene. That's what's responsible for drying up seals, diaphragms, and gaskets."

I have no patience for people that are earning a living off the internet lecturing on topics they know nothing about, chemistry for example. These snake oil salesmen are not harmless.

If you find someone with even a rudimentary knowledge of gasoline composition that agrees with this statement I will withdraw my criticism and apologize for claiming this person doesn't know anything about the topic he is lecturing.

I will extend the promise to the following if you can find anyone knowledgeable that disagrees with these facts:

1. Gasoline is required by Federal regulation to have a benzene content of less than 0.6%.

2. Gasoline contains about 20-50% aromatic chemicals including this piddly 0.6 or less % benzene.

3. For the purposes of affecting seals there will be no difference among these 20-50% aromatics and the 0.6% benzene. Its presence is insignificant.

Gasoline has had a 20-50% aromatic content to achieve octane ever since lead was removed, with a higher benzene limit before 2011. Who could imagine that engine manufacturers haven't accommodated this fact with appropriate materials.

The unexpected step change was the addition of ethanol that for a short time caused seal and hose degradation until new materials were implemented.

Re: The video did not undo my knowledge of gasolin

David Yoho

Your understanding of chemistry is noted and has been very beneficial to all of us here. I can not deny nor confirm your information about gasoline because I don't know enough about it nor do I know anyone to challenge it. However, I think it's safe to say your information is correct.

I also think it's safe to say based on the number of these he's seen come across his bench the guy in the subject video has a point about what's causing small carburetor diaphragms to dry up to the point they crunch when moved back and forth.

My take away of the video was long term storage of small engine equipment like blowers and trimmers was better when using the canned manufactured gas than standard pump gas. I can not afford the stuff but I do use ethanol-free gas all year long.

I just worked on an old Echo handheld blower of mine that was running rough and wouldn't run at high speed without bogging down or turning off. I replaced the diaphragms and gaskets, fuel filter, and made a slight adjustment to the idle. Now it runs like when it was new.