Stihl chainsaw

[Bob Kolada]

I think my father's old chainsaw needs some work and I haven't used one in over a decade. Should I go to a Stihl dealer? Does anyone have an experience with the shop in Valparaiso, IN (where the saw is)? I don't remember the model offhand.

[Three Valves]

Are you pulling our chain... saw??

[tofu]

A lot of places oare selling Stihl these days such as ACE Hardware and Farm & Fleet. I would probably steer clear of them for repairs to your saw and stick to an old time Stihl dealer. One reason being they are not in all kinds of other businesses like ACE etc. An independent dealer is likely to dealing with a lot of commercial users who depend on them for repairs as these are the tool of their trade. So an independent dealer is going to not only have vast experience with repair but are also much more likely to have any parts on hand that an older saw like yours may need. ACE will probably have some HS kid in the back for repairs. Think of it like having the local Guitar World repair your tuba or having a pro like Lee Stofer.

I'd add that your saw really predates the era of a lot of lower end cheap Stihl stuff is now selling through the mass market consumer markets -so you probably have a really good high quality saw made in the USA that will last a long time with proper care. It is well worth spending a bit of money for some maintenance. The lower end stuff Stihl is selling is overpriced for what it is. The high end stuff is still excellent, but of course is expensive and worth it to pros or homeowners who don't want throw away tools. Stihl is going the route of John Deere and capitalizing on the name to sell lower end consumer stuff through the mass market channels.

[hup_d_dup]

I agree that the best place to have a chainsaw repaired would not be a general hardware store but rather an outfit that carries the full line and specializes in small engine repair.

On the other hand, regular maintenance is not that hard - you can find some useful videos on YouTube - and this will extend the life of the saw. Frequent sharpening of the chain makes the work easier and reduces stress on the engine. I hand sharpen the chain after using about three tanks of gas. It's impractical to take the saw to the shop every time you need the chain to be sharpened. Well worth it to master sharpening techniques yourself.

I disagree with the disparaging remarks regarding Stihl. I own three Stihl saws (two home-use and one professional) and they are all excellent and dependable machines. I changed to Stihl after being disappointed with another brand. I cut and split (and burn) 3 to 4 cords each year so they definitely get used. My oldest saw is a home-use saw about 12 years old and has been in use all that time. It's still running strong. That's a pretty good service life. There are other good saws but I doubt any are better.

Hup

[bisontuba]

I have used non ethanol gas in my lawn tractor and snow blower and see a big difference. I also use it in my cars. Yes,a little more expensive, but worth every penny....

[Three Valves]

Non booze gas is impossible to get at a gas station around here any longer. You used to be able to get it in less populated counties, but no longer. I used to by the gas for my small outboard motor at the airport (av-gas) until the chucklehead self imposed gas police refused. “Planes only” they said. From then on, if asked, I’d say it was for my “experimental sea plane!!”

The EPA can KMA!!

[bearphonium]

Endorsements for both the alcohol free fuel and having a chain saw shop give the saw a once-over.

[tofu]

Anything like this (regardless of make or particular type of device) appreciates alcohol-free gasoline.
It seems somewhat rarely offered, and some places that have it gouge. Fortunately, you don't need much of it.
I found some locally that is only about 25 cents higher than corn-alcohol gasoline, and I often (for about 10% improved gas mileage in my car, which comes out to about the same as the additional cost of the unadulterated gasoline) fill up my automobiles there.

Some will find controversy in my remarks (please realize these reports are anecdotal to me and my equipment, and I'm not a scientist and nor am I defending any hypothesis), but since using alcohol-free gas in small engines, their carburetors have given me less trouble...and yes, I've carefully compared (automobile) gas mileage tank-to-tank in similar driving conditions (me: about 70% highway) and the alcohol-free always gives me near 40 mpg in my smallest Toyota, vs. about 36 with 10% alcohol gasoline...and I could boost both up to 40/44 were I to slow down just a bit.

Stihl makes good equipment. Mine is Husqvarna, but I would be happy with Stihl, I'm sure.

Unfortunately alcohol-free gas is unavailable in many areas. I'd use it in a heartbeat. I make it a point to drain the tank and run them until they quit to clear the carbs. The crap gas just kills the carbs. I own 3 Stihls and the commercial grade are still excellent saws these days, but all the low end stuff now is garbage. They are made in China and are made to sell at a premium in mass market channels.

[NCSUSousa]

Non booze gas is impossible to get at a gas station around here any longer. You used to be able to get it in less populated counties, but no longer. I used to by the gas for my small outboard motor at the airport (av-gas) until the chucklehead self imposed gas police refused. “Planes only” they said. From then on, if asked, I’d say it was for my “experimental sea plane!!”

The EPA can KMA!!

If you're looking for non-alcohol gas and can't find it near you, try areas near lake/river/bay boat docking access points. Lots of watercraft are not compatible with alcohol. Many of the boat fueling locations near the lakes here have special pumps for non-alcohol gas.

Just FYI - 'AvGas' is not the same as gasoline. IIRC, It has a Kerosene component that airplane reciprocating engines are set to use. ('Jet fuel' used in airplane and helicopter turbine engines is almost all Kerosene FWIW). (Correction below - Jet A is a High Purity Kerosene, but AvGas doesn't contain Kerosene)

I don't recall which websites show where to find non-alcohol gas, but there are a few out there that have been left to die and don't contain much accurate information.

CORRECTION (9/25) - AvGas has LEAD as an 'octane' boost in some formulas. You're right that it is gasoline without alcohol added (alcohol is also an octane booster), but the lead is part of why it's not legal for road use. 100LL Av-Gas has a small amount of lead added to boost the octane. AvGas 100 has more lead than 100LL (100 Low Lead) and is a different color.
If you find AvGas that's labelled UL, it's unleaded - which is typically used for small experimental aircraft.

[alfredr]

Pure-gas.org to find where you can buy no-ethanol gas.

[Three Valves]

Pure-gas.org to find where you can buy no-ethanol gas.

I have not had much luck with that site being updated.

[Bob Kolada]

Thank you!

[alfredr]

I have seen comments on other discussions that some of the sites mentioned on pure-gas sometimes only sell canned gas, (such as Tru-fuel) but that is ethanol free and a good shelf life; pre-mixed like that can be a good option if you don't want to mix your own. Some sites are marinas or other places that you might not think of if you are thinking traditional gas station.

Bob Kolada, just how old is the Stihl chainsaw in question?

The service you get whether at a lawn mower/saw shop or at a big box seller depends much on who is in the back, but also on the philosophy of the management. Some will tell you an older saw is not worth fixing, even if it only needs the carburetor rebuilt and fuel lines replaced (likely the case if it has sat for years with old ethanol gas in it) to try to upsell you a new saw.

It also makes a difference in some restaurants who is in the back fixing your food.

[Bob Kolada]

Bob Kolada, just how old is the Stihl chainsaw in question?

I really have no idea! It's at my mother's place; I don't think she'll remember when Dad bought it. I thought I had taken a picture of it but cannot find it. I seem to recall an internet search indicating that it was a solid model.

[Mike C855B]

We have a regional gas station chain, "VP Racing Fuels". They sell a fascinating variety of specialty fuels by the can, including non-ethanol blends. I wonder if their 110+ octane racing fuel would cut a tree down faster.

That said, I have zero problems with reg ol' E10 these days. All of my equipment starts on the first pull ('cept when I forget to prime and choke the 2-cycle stuff... duh). It might be that I never let them sit with empty tanks. That's the enemy - the ethanol is hygroscopic, so over-wintering with too much air in the tank will pull the moisture out of the air and you end up with water at the bottom of the tank. Learned this the hard way ~15 years ago when they forced E10 on us. Same rule applies to vehicles that sit for long periods - top-off before storing.

As to Stihl, our largest and most visible dealers here are farm equipment stores and don't offer repair, or are mum about having it if they do (as a requirement of dealership). The guys on the floor will tell you to go down the road to the pro lawnmower dealer who has an extensive shop. But they'll gladly sell you an overpriced consumer-grade whatever, tho'.

[NCSUSousa]

We have a regional gas station chain, "VP Racing Fuels". They sell a fascinating variety of specialty fuels by the can, including non-ethanol blends. I wonder if their 110+ octane racing fuel would cut a tree down faster.

That said, I have zero problems with reg ol' E10 these days. All of my equipment starts on the first pull ('cept when I forget to prime and choke the 2-cycle stuff... duh). It might be that I never let them sit with empty tanks. That's the enemy - the ethanol is hygroscopic, so over-wintering with too much air in the tank will pull the moisture out of the air and you end up with water at the bottom of the tank. Learned this the hard way ~15 years ago when they forced E10 on us. Same rule applies to vehicles that sit for long periods - top-off before storing.

As to Stihl, our largest and most visible dealers here are farm equipment stores and don't offer repair, or are mum about having it if they do (as a requirement of dealership). The guys on the floor will tell you to go down the road to the pro lawnmower dealer who has an extensive shop. But they'll gladly sell you an overpriced consumer-grade whatever, tho'.

Guessing it's sarcasm from the , but I'll just leave this here: https://newsroom.aaa.com/2017/12/dont-f ... rth-price/
Summary - If your engine isn't designed to make more power on higher octane gas, it's literally just a waste of $ to buy it.

[wisekwai]

Couple doors down from the retail establishment where I am employed is a Stihl dealer. He recommends StarTron fuel treatment. It is basically an alcohol remover.

[bisontuba]

My Sunday ritual: