Running saws out of gas

huskyboy · Nov 16, 2018

Ok so I have heard before, “if you run a saw out of gas you can burn it up or score it since it runs lean”. Just curious your guys insights on this. My own findings have concurred it doesn’t hurt the saw, in fact I went as far as to tear down a 2171 right after I ran it out of gas. The p/c were still covered in oil internally. Used echo powerblend 40:1. I don’t think leaning out for a fraction of a second can hurt them. If it was a issue... there would be a warning in the owners manual or on the saw?

Gary Courtney · Nov 16, 2018

huskyboy said:
My own findings have concurred it doesn’t hurt the saw,

There is your answer.

Duane(Pa) · Nov 16, 2018

There is a lot of superstition batted around on the internet. If you spent ten minutes with some of these typists you would sh1tcan your computer, and head out to the garage leading a long & happy life.

jakethesnake · Nov 16, 2018

They run a little better for just a second before they die. Lol.

Evansaw · Nov 16, 2018

huskyboy said:
Ok so I have heard before, “if you run a saw out of gas you can burn it up or score it since it runs lean”. Just curious your guys insights on this. My own findings have concurred it doesn’t hurt the saw, in fact I went as far as to tear down a 2171 right after I ran it out of gas. The p/c were still covered in oil internally. Used echo powerblend 40:1. I don’t think leaning out for a fraction of a second can hurt them. If it was a issue... there would be a warning in the owners manual or on the saw?

My Stihls 261 & 661 run DAILY out of gas the last 3 months cause I just work non stop

Absolutely nothing except some M tronics readjustment about rich memories etc.

dahmer · Nov 16, 2018

Aren’t those the same people that tell you to drain the fuel and run it empty before storing it?

Deets066 · Nov 16, 2018

I was checking rpm on my 090 once. Leaned way out all of the sudden, ran outta gas. Pulled the muffler and I had a scuffed piston, wasn’t like that before.
So I started to pull it apart and noticed that my tank vent was rotted off, maybe sucked air through the vent?
Either way, chit can happen

pro94lt · Nov 16, 2018

I’d be broke if running a saw out of fuel caused harm to it...

Stump Shot · Nov 16, 2018

In the saw's I've seen that have been straight gassed, about 1/8 to 1/4 of a tank of the fuel is missing. This is quite a bit of run time compared to the amount of time it takes to run out of gas. There should be enough oil in the saws engine to get it through this. That said I still like to top off before it runs out if for no other reason than restarting can take a bit to suck fuel up to a dry system.

fearofpavement · Nov 16, 2018

My observation is that running a saw out of fuel does no harm to it. It just isn't running lean enough, long enough to hurt the engine. I've run saws out hundreds of times and never have had a scored piston in a saw I didn't receive that way.

Deets066 · Nov 16, 2018

The 090 was the only one that I had an issue with.

How many times are you holding the saw wide open no load when you run outta fuel?

Wood Doctor · Nov 16, 2018

Running a chain saw engine out of fuel may make it a little tougher to restart after you refill the fuel tank. It may take a couple of more pulls or perhaps even a choke pull. That's about it.

You can usually tell when it's starting to starve for fuel. That's when I shut it down. You gain nothing by running it all the way out -- except a few more pulls to get it going again.

Al Smith · Nov 16, 2018

I don't run them out of gas but I do dump the old fuel prior to a start up from a long time of being idle. That old Ferguson that gets it doesn't care how old it is .
I've only straight gassed one ,from a prime bottle with straight gas --oops .

huskyboy · Nov 16, 2018

Wood Doctor said:
Running a chain saw engine out of fuel may make it a little tougher to restart after you refill the fuel tank. It may take a couple of more pulls or perhaps even a choke pull. That's about it.

You can usually tell when it's starting to starve for fuel. That's when I shut it down. You gain nothing by running it all the way out -- except a few more pulls to get it going again.

+1

mdavlee · Nov 16, 2018

Deets066 said:
The 090 was the only one that I had an issue with.

How many times are you holding the saw wide open no load when you run outta fuel?

Just once to get paranoid[emoji23]

Run out mid cut killing a few times and it will worry you til you realize it’s out.

drf256 · Nov 17, 2018

A saw has to be leaned out for quite some time to burn up. I highly doubt that running out of fuel will do anything.

Ask anyone who saw my last hybrid run at Randy’s this year. That damn impulse issue was causing intermittent leaning. Was screaming in last cut, for at least 1/4 of it. Most bet that the slug would be toast. Smooth as a baby’s butt.

Al Smith · Nov 17, 2018

Now a thought for what it's worth .Think about mix ratios .It would only make sense that a richer mixture of say 32 to instead of 50 to one would leave more lubricant on the cylinder wall and piston . A point of debate perhaps but with merit .

drf256 · Nov 17, 2018

Or oil you are using.

Oil thread!!!

huskyboy · Nov 17, 2018

Onan18 · Nov 17, 2018

drf256 said:
Or oil you are using.

Oil thread!!!

Red Armor @ 32:1 FTW!!!!!!!!!

Running saws out of gas

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