I'd rather Switch than Fight...

[GolfVenture]

I threw my chain saw away. No more mixing gas and oil. No more yanking on the rope over & over & over &.... No more routine maintenance...Just plug it in and cut. I'm going to buy a 2nd one as a spare.

[Flyinfool]

Ummmmmm

It still needs maintenance and oil added.

 

I have both gas and electric, they each have their advantages.

[BlueSky]

I feel your pain. I have a Sears 18" 3.4cc gas chain saw that I bought about 1980. Boy is it a pain to get started. I use it about once every several years.

 

If at all possible use ethanol free gasoline in all of your small engines that sit. It makes a big difference in how hard it is for them to be started. The local Home Depot won't warranty lawn tools with small engines if you use ethanol mix gasoline.

[Larry1963]

I gave up on gas chainsaws a few years ago. I to got tired of pulling and no go, I use a chain saw once every couple of years so the electric one works fine with me

[Yammer Dan]

I have a New Stihl. It won't start.

Edited December 31, 2015 by Yammer Dan

[uncledj]

Most 2 strokes are a pita. I've an old Shindaiwa that's been rock solid though. I keep Sea Foam (of course) in the gas and it always starts and runs. 24" bar.....it's a beast. Haven't had great luck with Poulan saws, I think a Sears is actually a Poulan. I've a Husky 16" that's been ok...a lil' touchy if I let it sit for a year, but I've always been able to get it started.

I also have a Stihl backpack blower that's a strange setup. It's called a 4 mix. 4 stroke engine but you still have to mix the oil & gas, as that's how the crank gets lubed. Weird, but works pretty well.

 

Happy New Year to all my friends at Venturerider.

[MiCarl]

I've got a newer Stihl, model MS180 C-BE. They've got something they call STIHL Easy2Start. Basically, when you pull the cord it winds a spring. Then when it's wound enough it releases the spring to start the engine. No hard jerking, no standing on the saw while you start it. It's easy to start on a ladder. The only problem with it is the engine is a bit under powered for the 16" bar that came with it. With a sharp chain I end up holding back on the saw to keep it from cutting too fast and bogging the engine.

 

Like all my stuff that sits it never gets a drop of fuel that doesn't have stabilizer.

[jimmy99]

 

Like all my stuff that sits it never gets a drop of fuel that doesn't have stabilizer.

 

Thought I read somewhere that stabilizer does not prevent the issues caused by ethanol fuels.

[BratmanXj]

Thought I read somewhere that stabilizer does not prevent the issues caused by ethanol fuels.

 

There are Ethanol Specific stabilizers on the market

[Flyinfool]

I have a Poland Wild Thing 18". it is at least 15 years old, prolly more, it always starts on the first pull when warm and on the 4th pull when cold. I use it once every couple of years. I always have Seafoam and/or Stabil in the gas and I only use premium oil since the better oils also have a stabilizer in them. I do not use it often but when I do use it I use it a lot. I have a number of 2 stroke engines that spend a lot of time sitting and none of them ever have fuel related starting issues.

 

The other thing that I have noticed is that I have never had a 2 stroke that had the carb needles adjusted correctly from the factory. I had one that was so LEAN it would not run more than 5 minutes before it over heated and seized. BUT most of them have something to make it difficult to set the needles without a very special tool, I usually take my Dremel and put a slot in the head of the mixture screws so I can tweak as needed. Most come set to rich and need to be leaned out as the engine breaks in. It is amazing the power difference between the factory settings and the correct settings. I have some 2 strokes with many hundreds of service free hours on them.

[MiCarl]

Thought I read somewhere that stabilizer does not prevent the issues caused by ethanol fuels.

 

It depends on the issue you are talking about. I've found that conventional Sta-Bil protects carburetors just fine. They make a marine version that I believe is Ethanol specific, that's what usually goes in the boat.

 

According to my Stihl manual the ethanol fuels burn hotter than pure gasoline. For that reason they say if running pure gasoline 87 octane is ok but if it's got up to 10% ethanol to run 89 or higher to keep the heat down.

[Yammer Dan]

Had stabilizer in it. It started when it was new. Put in garage and hasn't started since.

[Karaboo]

My Stihl 016 is 40+ years old and does take around 3 or 4 pulls to start, but did not cost me a thing. It was my dad's until he died 15 years ago. It is on the 4th bar and God only knows how many chains. I don't use it much, but it is always there when I need it.

[Cougar]

Best Chainsaw I have ever had.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-UC4051A-Electric-Chain-Saw/dp/B00YFTA84U/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1451651740&sr=8-9&keywords=electric+chainsaw

[MiCarl]

Best Chainsaw I have ever had.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-UC4051A-Electric-Chain-Saw/dp/B00YFTA84U/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1451651740&sr=8-9&keywords=electric+chainsaw

 

Looking at the description of that saw reminded me of something:

 

On both the saws I've owned, when they ran out of fuel the oil was about half gone. I'd top up both at the same time.

 

With an electric you'd have to remember to keep an eye on the oil level.

[cruisinon]

I have a New Stihl. It won't start.

 

I gave up on everything else. Stihl: Set choke, pull until first time it hits, turn to half choke and pull until it runs then squeeze trigger. Easy to flood if proper sequence is not followed. Mine start every time regardless of temps. I admit, I only buy the professional versions. Yes, if you cut a lot of wood, they ARE worth the money.

[Marcarl]

I went out looking for a saw 40 years ago,,, didn't have much money, but thought I had a little know how. Ended up at the local dealer and asked if he had any used saws for sale. He said he would have one the next day or so, but at the time they had not gone over the one they had so wouldn't sell it. $$ were in my eyes so I asked him how much there and then with no coming back to complain. He said $65. I paid him and became the proud owner of an older Haliday saw. That saw has seen a lot of trees. It needs a bit of muscle to lift bit never has given me a problem once I wake it up. Now it runs about once every two years. Never worry about gas or stabilizers. My sons have Stihl and 3 or 4 different ones,,, harder to deal with than the Haliday. The Haliday was made in Peterborough in the old Pioneer plant after the employees bought the plant.