Don't forget to clean those air-filters!

[HumBurner]

Buddy's saw died last year, a 359. Had been in rough service on the land for many years doing 4-6 cords a year + snow/storm damage cleanup. At least he kept his chains decently sharp and set.

I don't know how long the saw ran like this, but.......:




There was more debris caked in, but some of it fell out before i got the ohoto. Haven't torn it down yet, but it sounds like one or more bearings are rattling around. No surprise there.

 

[hacskaroly]

We would get a bunch of saws in the shop that had air filters that looked like that or worse (even dripping)...Gotta take care of the saw, air filters area a relatively cheap and easy fix compared to a scored cylinder.

 

[Seachaser]

How often do most of you clean yours?

 

[Hoser]

I blow mine out with air along with the rest of the saw at the end of everyday, stihls I tap out around lunch too. I wash them when they start to look dirty

 

[brushwacker]

0lder stihls I typically prefer starting the longer days with a freshly fully clean filter ( removed and cleaned gently with air) . At nearly every refill of a full tank of gas, pop the cover, tap the filter and turn the saw so that the loose debris can fall out aided by a few puffs of breath. Takes about a minute, little more or less depending on how thoroughly ya go, most models with toolless air filter covers.
Saws with the turbo design or whatever its appropriately called I usually check them daily if more then a couple or few tanks are run through them and do whatever it needs. Not uncommon for people to disregard them filters and the best of systems have limits to being effective.

 

[Woodwater]

How often do most of you clean yours?

I do that very often and i'm preachin that to all chainsaw operators i can reach. but nobody listen...

 

[hacskaroly]

How often do most of you clean yours?

I don't used compressed air with mine, you risk opening up the fabric. Tapping them to knock off the loose stuff works, for deeper grime, I tend to use brake cleaner and the, swish in fuel and let air dry.

 

[Stem]

I can't count how many saws people have brought to me with the "my saw wont run right" & its because the air filter is so clogged up. or even worse, people take the air filter off & run it for god knows how long...

and yet they're the same people that see my saws with open Max Flow's the first thing they say is "wont your filter get dirty?!"

 

[hacskaroly]

even worse, people take the air filter off & run it for god knows how long...

Customer: My saw doesn't run
Mechanic: The piston and cylinder are scored, you don't have any compression.
Customer: How did that happen?
Mechanic: You ran it without the air filter.
Customer: But I needed my saw, I had to finish cutting.
Mechanic: Well, you broke it.
Customer: So it just needs a new spark plug and will be good to go?
Mechanic: ......No, its about a $350 fix if there isn't anything else messed up.
Customer: How??!? I only ran it for a couple of minutes without the filter....is this covered under warranty????
Mechanic: /facepalm

 

[Wood Doctor]

How often do most of you clean yours?

Every time I remove the chain I clean the air filter. I also sharpen/buff the chain and file off the burrs on the bar. Standard procedure.

 

[Moparmyway]

Every time I remove the chain I clean the air filter. I also sharpen/buff the chain and file off the burrs on the bar. Standard procedure.

Saw polishing is one thing, IF that’s your thing, but chain buffing ???

I consider myself a “chain guy”, what’s this chain buffing about, pics please ?????

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I blow mine out with air along with the rest of the saw at the end of everyday, stihls I tap out around lunch too. I wash them when they start to look dirty

Wash them? They can be washed?

I guess this guy washes them, but that's more OCD that even myself...

(Husqvarna) (STIHL)

 

[Hoser]

Dish soap and hot water on the flocked husky filter, I don’t like hitting them hard with the air so I wash them

 

[HumBurner]

Wash them? They can be washed?

I guess this guy washes them, but that's more OCD that even myself...

(Husqvarna) (STIHL)

Gas bath is the most effective.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Saw polishing is one thing, IF that’s your thing, but chain buffing ???

I consider myself a “chain guy”, what’s this chain buffing about, pics please ?????

Buffing might be the wrong term. I use a steel wire cup brush mounted in my drill press and clean off all the residue on the cutters and drive links before sharpening. It seems to be a good reminder that the chain was sharpened and the bar was serviced.

 

[qurotro]

Customer: My saw doesn't run
Mechanic: The piston and cylinder are scored, you don't have any compression.
Customer: How did that happen?
Mechanic: You ran it without the air filter.
Customer: But I needed my saw, I had to finish cutting.
Mechanic: Well, you broke it.
Customer: So it just needs a new spark plug and will be good to go?
Mechanic: ......No, its about a $350 fix if there isn't anything else messed up.
Customer: How??!? I only ran it for a couple of minutes without the filter....is this covered under warranty????
Mechanic: /facepalm

Mechanic: The saw was straight gased.
Customer: I just need a few cuts, Cant find my mixing bottle.
Another scenario: I did put 2 stroke oil in the chainsaw.(In the chain oil tank)

 

[hacskaroly]

Another scenario: I did put 2 stroke oil in the chainsaw.(In the chain oil tank)

I had one customer tell me that they did put 2-stroke oil in the gas. They poured in the straight gas in the chainsaw and then poured in "some" 2-stroke oil, then ran the saw. They figured that as the chainsaw vibrated it would mix the oil and fuel up. Not so much....

 

[Hoser]

Has anyone else seen guys not clean airfilters, change fuel filters, or even be bothered to run a sharp chain but decide to just indiscriminately adjust the jets instead?
“Just needs a tune” as the bar burns the paint off smoking through a log

 

[pbillyi69]

if im am cutting in summer when its dusty and dry i will check the filter a few times a day and clean when necessary. then clean each night

 

[RCBS]

How often do most of you clean yours?

Probably every 4th or 5th tank. I clean it when I clean up the rest of the saw.