Chainsaws really earn their crust at this time of year, and mine recently started misbehaving.
On Friday I took it to our local Husqvarna specialist, and asked them to tinker with the settings; it needs doing every so often, and I don't trust myself with the task.
I popped over the road to do some shopping whilst the man 'tinkered', and I returned after about 15 mins to retrieve it.
The mechanic then berated me for using old oil/petrol mix. He said I should throw it out and do a new mix. I asked how long one should keep any mix, and he said "about 3 months".
I'd had no idea that the petrol mixture degraded so quickly, the canister in which I keep mine was last filled about two years ago; my saw uses very little. I still have no idea what effect old petrol has on the small motor.
There's not a lot of the old mixture left in the canister, so I think I'll use it up; then see what difference it'll make when I re-fill in a few weeks time.
Did you know that oil/petrol mix goes off? Be warned!
Perhaps you need a smaller canister that is refilled more frequently. Also, would it be an idea to do as your mechanic suggests and buy some new.
ReplyDeleteI will, there's only a bit left, and the saw still works OK.
DeleteYes I do know. Petrol goes off very quickly when stored. So the petrol in your mix needs to be fresh, and definitely not more than 6 months old.
ReplyDeleteNow I know. I was quite surprised by how insistent the man was. I've no idea how he knew it was old.
DeleteHard to start and dirty engine probably.
DeleteHaven't you posted about stale petrol before?
DeleteNo, I didn't know about it before.
DeleteWhen I see a chainsaw I always think of Texas. I'm glad I never saw that film. I do all my sawing the old fashioned way.
ReplyDeleteIf I tried to saw all my oak logs 'the old fashioned way', I'd be there all day long. Unless, of course, you're talking about a 1950's Husqvarna.
DeleteIn winter I don't mind the distant sound of a chainsaw in the forest when I'm on the trails. I like to feel I'm not alone.
DeleteIf you read the extensive instructions and warnings that come with a saw, kettle, toaster, hedge trimmer etc that sort of information should be included in each language (except English) along with the sugestion that the item should not be used by children under 4 and the oven/kettle/heater might get hot.
ReplyDeleteI'm told that I need to clean the air filtre, but having owned the machine for about 10 years, I still can't find it. Maybe those instructions might help!
DeleteYou need the petroleum spirit..and this dereriorates, so you are trying to run your engine on pure oil. This makes the engine run very sluggishly which is not what you need with a chainsaw. You need it to get up and go when you ask it to!!
ReplyDeleteI've only got enough left for about one more fill, so it'll soon be replaced. The Husqvarna man said they sell ready-mix containers. I might get one of them, and have the mix exactly right.
DeleteUnfortunately, in order to be green, petrol now contains a proportion of bio fuel, essentially ethanol. This absorbs moisture from the and degrades the petrol. It is a pain in the backside, it also does very little for the planet due to the vast monoculture needed to grow plants to ferment into alcohol, and then consider the energy required to produce a refined product that can be burned. It’s madness, but then that is the green way.
ReplyDeleteI've heard about problems with ethanol rich fuels. It sounds as if this is a good example.
DeleteI only recently learnt this about petrol, that it becomes stale, and with a petrol oil mix, the petrol will evaporate. I think you would be making a mistake to get rid of what you now have and to start anew, yes with a ready mixed fuel.
ReplyDeleteWe bought, along with my brothers', a whipper snipper for my sister and her partner as a wedding present. They already had a pathetic electric model, but we bought a top of the range fuel whipper snipper. Tradie Brother told me the oil/petrol ratio for two stroke motors has changed in the last couple of years.
I think GZ has it pretty right.
Meant I think you would not be making a mistake to get rid of your present mix.
DeleteThe more comments I read, the more I am convinced that I need to buy new fuel Tomorrow.
DeleteI was having trouble with my lawn mower this summer, and this was the problem. I had no idea.
DeleteAgree with Andrew and GZ...
ReplyDeleteI now use an engineered petrol/oil substitute... costly, but not when you take away repair and servicing costs... 18€ a gallon!!
But, I now get first time starting on all the strimmers and no need to worry about ethanol and rubber problems, either.
But, it is wise still, apparently, to empty the machines during their period of non-use... ie: the summer for the chain saw!
I used to do this and put the old fuel oil mix into the '56 2CV along with some 98 Octane to compensate... worked just fine! Not too cloudy for other road users!
Now, I just use the engineered fuel in the tools... and empty them back into the container when not in use for a month... only takes a couple of seconds!!
Yes, get some of the new synthetic fuel, you won't regret it... my servicing people reckoned that it cleaned the motor, too... but I am taking that with a bag of crisps!
I have gone pro-electric, tho... on the chainsaw front...nicer, quieter!
DeleteI presume that's the special pre-mixed fuel my man was suggesting, I'll get some tomorrow. 18€ per gallon sounds a lot, however....
DeleteThat would explain how I fucked a car up once by filling up at an ancient petrol station with rusting pumps in the middle of nowhere.
ReplyDeleteSounds possible. I know someone who put cheap supermarket diesel into his car, and it turned to treacle. Yuk.
DeleteI glazed over at Husqvarna specialist 🤣 !!! XXXX
ReplyDeleteI wept when I read 'tinker'.
DeleteHe wears an orange boiler suit; he's the real McCoy.
DeleteIf you haven't cleaned the air filter for 10 years you're lucky it still starts let alone runs.
DeleteI'll see if I can find it; I've looked everywhere!
DeleteTake the cover off and it is usually on top of the engine in a humpy box and you will need to unscrew another cover to get it out. In fact if you have the chainsaw serviced they have probably been doing it anyway. I cannot believe that it would run for 10 years without being looked at. You should wash it in washing up liquid regularly. I used to do my lawn mower one about once every two months. Your mower probably needs to be looked at too.
DeleteFound it. I found the spark plug at the same time, so cleaned it as well.
DeleteYes petrol goes stale. It will also gunk up a carburettor which is why you are supposed to drain the fuel each winter or length of time unused. Petrol life can be extended by the use of products such a Stabil, fuel stabilisers. Diesel also "goes off" but it takes longer. Diesel is subject to mould growth as well if left is a container that admits light.
ReplyDeleteI'm learning a lot today. Mechanics have never been my thing; I blame my father who was even more useless than me!
DeleteI was warned about using Pure gasoline, no alcohol. So now keep a can marked "No Ethel"
ReplyDeleteIt gets more and more complicated. Maybe I should go electric.
DeleteWhat is the difference between kerosene which aircraft use and parafin?
ReplyDeleteYou put Parafin in lamps, and Kerosene in planes. I have no idea; I'd imagined they were much the same. It's rather like Butane and Propane; again no idea.
DeleteI wouldn't want to fly in an aeroplane running on heating oil
DeleteAs long as it stays in the air...
DeleteAs far as I know it doesn't "go off" but the petrol side of it evaporates and then the mix is "off". As told to me when my lawnmower was misbehaving for probably the same reason.
ReplyDeleteJo in Auckland.
Just wanted to wish you and Mrs Magnon a Joyeux Noel and an even better 2019.. have a lovely time and eat whatever you feel like.
ReplyDeleteJo in Auckland.
Thank you Jo. We shall certainly do our best! Cro x
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