Click here for a new piston and cylinder---- amzn.to/3tJKsmj Correct Way To Sharpen A Chainsaw---- ua-cam.com/video/-GIxowey6IQ/v-deo.html Scored Piston and Cylinder on a ChainSaw---- ua-cam.com/video/Iay9-rmhWEA/v-deo.html Adjust Or Tune The Carburetor On A Chainsaw---- ua-cam.com/video/M6T5JoGXcHY/v-deo.html How To Tell WHY Your Piston is Destroyed---- ua-cam.com/video/b6BfSwtjTIQ/v-deo.html Click here for my website--- www.stevessmallenginesaloon.com/ Click here for my Parts and Tools Store---- www.amazon.com/shop/stevessmallenginesaloon LET THE SAW WARM UP FOR A BARE MINIMUM OF 60 SECONDS. LONGER WON'T HURT!
I took a briggs and stratton small engine repair class in school. We would TOTALLY tear down and rebuild from the ground up . My instructor insisted EVERYTIME you cold started the motor, to allow 20 Mississippi seconds at idle for proper cylinder expansion time. Very good video. Very professional advice.
Fox In tha dark I fill my chainsaw at my shed, start it and let it idle as I walk to my work site. Never had a problem with seizing in over 30 years. Running a cold motor at high speed is asking for trouble. Besides stalling when cold, it just doesn’t run well until warmed up so wait a couple of minutes.
@@Mote78 I had an 1850 Oliver tractor with a 354 Perkins diesel engine. I "Cold started "and loaded the tractor. Didn't make 1 pass around the field before the engine locked up. Removed head, found 1 piston/sleeve had seized. R&R piston and sleeve there in the field. From then on, I always allow an engine to "Warm Up" before applying a full load on it.
I start my saws, place them on the ground where I am cutting and let em idle for 5 minutes. Besides being good for my saw the vibration clears out the snakes.
I am guilty of not letting my chainsaw warm up😩. Thanks to your video, I will from this day forward, mend my evil ways...long live my Stihl and Steve!!👍
This channel is gold. Get machine info that all need to know, yet there no where to get it. We all use equipment and misuse it. Steve reminds me of the dad/uncle we all need.
I know that chainsaws and vehicles are, so to speak, different animals. I would guess, however, that the same advice would apply to vehicles-let them warm up first, before driving them. I can't tell you how many times I've just started my vehicle, and just took off, without letting it warm up first. I'm lucky to have a functional vehicle! I need to remind myself:let your vehicle warm up a few minutes, before taking off!
@@ronaldshank7589 Unless it's extremely cold out, just start your car when you get in, do the thing with your seatbelt, mirrors, radio etc. and just drive off. Drive smoothly, no jackrabbit starts, leadfooting etc. and you'll be just fine. No need to sit in it and idle the mill for a minute or two--it just isn't needed. When very cold outside, it takes time to scrape the ice off the glass and brush the snow away, so it warms up a bit while you're on that.
This really is a fantastic video. My dad always tells me not to instantly rev up a chainsaw and just lightly run the motor for about 30 seconds to warm it up. Until now, I haven’t known why, but I just followed it.
YES! They stressed this at the Stihl factory training (Gold level) that I went to a decade or so ago. Nice to see someone giving actual good advice on UA-cam.
My dealer told me to run mine wide open to warm it up as soon as I start it. My new saw wouldn't idle correctly and that's the recommendations he gave me. I took it to another dealer and he adjusted my carb and it starts and idles perfectly now. My original dealer told me he'd charge me a shop charge to adjust it and it was a brand new saw under warranty. I called and emailed Stihl telling them how he treated me as a customer cause $500 is a lot of money to pay for something that runs correctly and the dealer trying to charge me for something that should be under warranty
My dad taught me about this when I was young. He said the simplest way to avoid this sort of thing being a problem, is start the chainsaw in your garage or shed, and then walk with it over to where you're going to work with it while it's at idle. By the time you get there, she'll be warm enough to go to town. Problem solved. Great video!
well the fact that he explains a very quick thing in 7 minutes. 1 minute vid saying don't use chainsaw cold because this will happen because of this reason (shows piston). done in 1 minute.
We are a small mom and pop lawnmower shop, and can't tell how many of these we see as well ! We do sell, and highly recommend a product that significantly reduces the cold start friction issue. But most of the people bringing us a chainsaw with this condition, is just about too late for their saw unfortunately ! By the time we would put the necessary labor into the required repair, you can usually be better off to just go buy another saw ! Really sad ! A few seconds of warm-up can keep your saws ( if they are a quality brand ) running for a lifetime if cared for properly ! Most important, NEVER cut corners on a cheaper 2cycle oil ! Always, Always, Always, use a quality premium 2cycle oil ! And please folks, this gentleman is 100% correct ! Warm up your equipment before putting them to work ! All equipment, not just your chainsaws ! Excellent advice sir ! Excellent ! Thank you !
@@MjrNiGhTmArE It is called MT10 From a company called Muscle Grease, I would be happy to send you a small sample of, it doesn't take much for it to work.
quadsman11 That sounds great! I have a brand new chainsaw that I just started using to prep for this coming winters firewood needs, so it’s going to be getting quite a work out. How do I contact you?
@@MjrNiGhTmArE Well, First off, This product works extremely well, So much so, that they don't want you to use it in any brand new engine, otherwise, it will not wear in correctly. I would recommend that you put about 5-6 hrs. on it before you use it. That means, You just need to let it warm up for a few minutes before you start using it hard.
Another great video Steve. I’m no mechanic or gardener, just a hobbyist, however, I think it’s important to warm up any internal combustion engine. It only makes sense given expansion and contraction as well as lubrication. Treat your equipment well, service on time and it’ll do you a long, long time ;)
I agree...Same thing with automobiles when really cold in winter. Manufacturers tell you it is not really necessary to warm the engine a few minutes....I don't trust that...BS ...I warm my car engine 2-3 minutes when it is minus 10 Celsius or less....This is pure common sense IMHO. Come on...
I noticed the slow ways my Dad done things when I was a young boy 48 45 years ago, he always let the car warm up and never raced the engine up cold , even kept oil in the house in cold weather before he changed oil , he always started the Dozer he ran at work and warmed it up , I didn't understand then why he was so slow moving and sometimes strange to me. I am now the same man at 58 that he was back then, good ol fashion life lessons are priceless .
I was taught this as a youngster, My Dad said to let your power saw equilize before making your first cut. Thanks for showing what happens when you don't.
I don't use my chainsaw that often, but when I do it usually takes me a couple minutes to get to cutting. I have MS and can't just jump to work. I move like I'm 80 years old. My chainsaw is hard to start so it has time to warm up while I recover from pulling the rope. But you give good advice! Thanks a lot!
Had a "PowerEquipment" company tell me that a saw I had bought from them a couple years previously needed some major engine work, and it wouldn't be worth fixing... recommended buying a new saw. Took it to a rural saw shop and they fixed it for like $20. A rubber boot had slipped off somewhere which had made it run horribly. Can't always trust the same shop to repair a machine bought there.
I am an avid snowmobiler... I always new this about the sleds being so cold when you first start them. But I never thought about cold seized chain saws. I now will let my saw run for a bit . Thanks for more education
Great video. This is a problem with 2-stroke race bikes also. We let them warm up till the radiator cap is hot before we rev the hell out of them. Reboring and replating a cylinder plus the cost of a new piston/rings usually teaches us not to do this. Thanks for putting this great information out there.
Equally important: Check your chain bar oil each time you add fuel. If you hold the tip of the chain saw near a light colored surface, rev it up a little, and see if it slings oil onto the surface. If it does, you know your chain bar is properly lubricated. By the time you've done that, the engine is warmed enough to go to work! That saves your engine AND your chain bar.
good to know. I'd heard because its 2cycle ,its getting instant oiling so i dont need to warm up like 4 cycle, so i was thinking of the oil warming up not the cylinder. thanks !
Let every engine warm up before you nail the throttle. It’ll save you money over the years. Car, tractor, lawnmower. It won’t seize like a chainsaw but it does nothing good to rev a cold engine hard.
I fixed my two chain saws and a echo weed wacker watching these videos. My chain saw I bought with house in 1990's its an echo cs4400 as my 1998 echo srm 2400 weed wacker. I use them every season. My saw chains are sharper and bar is cleaner, my saws are better stored , better winterized. I learned more here on Steve's channel than anywhere is. I rebuild things now. I fix my neighbors small engines and saws now, as a way of giving back. Thank you Steve. Cheers to you from Oregon.
I was bad for doing this when I was younger, an old timer saw me do it, and needless to say after a 90 min lecture. I don't do it anymore. I used to be running out of the gate, as soon as we got to the landing, I'd start something up, and go. That lasted all of one day when I started for him. Good info.
I've always let all my saws warm up for a while then just coax some throttle to it. I know way to many cold seizure candidate guys, they're usually the same guys burning through wood at full throttle usually after running the bar into the ground. One of my most reliable is my old Homelite XL12, it just never ever fails. The key is not to let donkey's operate your stuff.
Yep... I used to allow others to borrow only tools made out of one piece of solid metal; hammers, wrenches, etc. Once I realized that they could destroy those just as well, I stopped doing even that. I could have something for 20 years, loan it out for the first time, and it come back ruined! Now, if I can't use the tool FOR them, they're out of luck...
Neighbors seemed to be reasonable and careful, talk a great story. Takes a couple months to get blower/mulcher back, I bought a new one as my yard has a few dozen oaks. It came back well broken, wouldn't run for more than15 seconds, I had only had it 12 years working beautifully. Now the neighbors get mad because I won't loan any tools out. They have nerve to ask me to loan them my new Honda snow thrower or my spare generator.
Thank you, this is a great explanation and very helpful. (BTW....my dad always told me, if you handle power tools and firearms, never mix it with alcohol or weed...wait until your done, then enjoy your drink or your joint.)
This is a little bit unrelated but something to look out for before you junk a Stihl with bad compression reading. We were taking BR600 and KM 94 to a repair shop. A bunch came back as NFG. My company owner investigated more and discovered the crankshaft seals are a common failure. Replacing those fixes low compression readings.
Yeppers, having reached geezerhood myself I usually look the job over and decide how the whole job will go before even pulling any tool(s) out. Before they forced me to retire the kids, (those under 30), would laugh and snicker at how slow I was, then ask me questions as to how I always accomplished so much more than they did, and never had to do the job twice. The grey hair should show wisdom from the years gone by.
welcome to geezerhood. where are the geezers when the universe started. they warmed it up alright. ancient of days need to show up and get some work done.
We cannot make completely round holes. The pistons have flaws as do the bearing journals. When you first run any engine it needs to wear off those high spots. Idling and low stress running will knock those off. Hard usage will cause a seizure like he showed. Very typical. Just fire it up and go at it during the very first tank of gas. The tight spots just tear themselves up instead of slowly wearing down.
Never let a beer warm up before you drink it! You want a cold start there my man! Once you drink it, you can forget using the chainsaw. The wear and tear factor on the saw goes way down. Problem solved, less work, more beer!
I've slow-warmed ALL my engines and get long lives from them, along with never so running dirty oil. I was an Engineman/Machinery Tech in the US Coast Guard; learned a lot!
I guess I am old school. I was born on the 60's where cars had manual chokes and you had to let the engine warm up before using it. Oh well old habits never die. Thanks for the video though. It confirms what I have been doing when starting these engines over the years. I will make sure and pass it on to to my friends. By the way. I love your beer and liquor rack in the back ground. Beautiful decor.
60-70's you had to let it idle and warm up FOR REASONS NOT because of this.... cough shit carbs that couldnt run a engine cold until the very later years of the 80s ... really ?
What you're suggesting makes good sense: warming up (idling) a saw for a minute before using it. I've never seen an arborist or professional tree feller do this. Usually, right after starting a saw, they rev it up several times (Vrrooom, vrooom, vroom) before they start cutting. 'Guess idling after starting a blower would make sense, too. Thanks for the heads-up!
With arborists, time's $ & most of 'em won't/don't work on their stuff except maybe chain sharpening. Buddy of mine took on maintaining an arborist's equipment. This was in addition to his regular job. They ran him ragged! He showed me an 066 Stihl he'd rebuilt, a week later showed me the same saw where it was crushed! Then he was accused of stealing from 'em. I later was asked by the same people to work on their stuff, I said no way! When asked why, I related my friend's tale. They had a foreman that was like a bull in a china shop & the $ wasn't coming out of his pocket.
imo, the Vrrooom, vrooom, vroom does nothing except waste fuel, and cause unnecessary wear to the engine, & throttle trigger, lol. It is a very satisfying sound must admit that. Also makes the professionals at least SOUND as if they are really going to work on the customers tree, which said customer is paying hundreds of dollars to have taken down. Even vintage piston aircraft, never heard them feathering the throttle, they ran the engines up gradually. Chainsaws aren't aircraft I admit, with that said beyond idling warm up; no need to run up and preflight your chainsaw to maximum power before engaging with the wood. Chainsaw isn't going to crash on takeoff.
Very clear explanation. I have seen this happen on snowmobiles. People are in too big of hurry. Warm them up! Engines are engineered to run at "operation temp".
This is good to know! I’m a carpenter based out of Pensacola, Fl. and we use chainsaws to top pilings and most use them exactly how you mentioned! I try to take better care of my tools but I didn’t know this was that horrible for the saw.
good advice,and I would like to add something to this if you dont mind.Some folks do warm up their saws,but I bet very few think about letting the saw cool down before shutting it off.A saw cutting in hard wood with a dull chain (which should be a no-no)can get very hot,and the cooling fan/flywheel cant really move enough air to keep it cool.Let a hot saw sit and idle and disperse some of that heat before shutting down,will save you a lot of unnecessary wear on the jug.As always,great videos Steve.
Yup, cool down just as important.... and with cars.... if you have a turbo and just got through hammering it before pulling in your drive way. Let that car idle 5 till 10 minutes till cool that turbo you just got blazing hot so it doesn't coke the oil in the turbo and blow the turbo up.
@@timm.6391 I remember my brother in law pulling into my driveway a couple times a year in his Kenworth.He would let that truck sit and idle for over an hour.I think diesel was 79 cents a gallon back then.Today you can watch trucks pull right off the interstate into a rest area and immediately shut the engine down.
@@pallmall5495 I've seen that before when I was heading to Colorado. People don't think they have the time for it, but it's faster to do something right rather than do it wrong and have to wait forever to get it fixed.
I have an old husqvarna 162 with no compression Sure enough, piston ring seized and scored the hell out of the piston. Right in that spot you showed in this vid Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Thanks for this important information; I had no idea and I've been using chainsaws for 41 years !!! I will certainly warm up my saws in the future. Thanks again Steve.
yes I start my saw, always 1 minute before I cut anything. so that was the proper way to do it! I was always concerned about idling too much, fowling the muffler or plug. have a great day!
I've always, just start up and GO since it's two cycle it doesn't need to warm up vs four cycle. Thank you Stevie for the great reveal on damage's that occurs when not warming up. Raising my bottle of Grolisch... Cheers!
I always start my saw by the garage, so by the time I get to where I'm working at the time it's warmed up. Never really thought about the warm-up, now I will. Thanks...
My Grandpaw taught me this when I was somewhere around 14. That would be,,,,mmmm, 1965, ( I think). Even though I retired my 041, it still ran fine after 34 years. Thanks Steve, you brought back a very fond memory.
I always warm up everything I run. Never heard of this but do now. Surprised this hasn't happened to my father in law yet!! Thanks for all you do! Cheers 🍻
I let all engines warm up good especially my turbo VW, gotta get that oil warm and flowing good. Another good tip, let your engines idle for a minute or two when you are done using it, helps the engine cool down before shutting down.
@@alanharding8762 Hey, my passat turbo-diesel is dead reliable, nearly as efficient as a prius, and can tow more than most cars in it's class. Put alot of time bombing down logging roads, and she's holding together great
Your information is priceless......my father, a mechanic taught me about warming up a chainsaw long ago so your video showed the bad spot on the piston he talked about....keep the good stuff ...beverages included flowing
Steve thanks for the heads up on cold start damage. Rebuilt my first personal husky 372 with low compression and when I tor it down had the exact damage in the exact same place as you showed in your video. I thought it was just a lot of use at the time, but know I know it was my no warm up that caused that damage. Thanks for the eye opener it wont happen again!
great vid, never heard of cold seizure. knowledge is money. after the motor warms up, I run it before I go into the tree and let the chain stretch so that I can adjust this slack on the ground. better than effen around with the saw in the tree
Thumbs up man. I watched this video some months ago when I only owned a battery chainsaw. Now I have 2 gas ones and I have been warming them up properly from day 1.
Thank you so much, you saved me tons of money plus brought lots of knowledge to a newbie like myself. Firstly I'd like to say that I'd just bought a STIHL 18" chainsaw, brand-new! I am watching almost every video out there before I start using it and I appreciate all the information that you provided.
Mines just came the other day a parker 58cc with 20" bar, still a bit apprehensive about using it tbh as its some bit of kit. Chainsaw gloves will be next on the list i think.
Get the required safety equipment, an experienced operator to teach you or find a safety class. You're about to operate one of the most dangerous tools available. Read the owners manual, congrats on the new saw!
@@heavysnow8616 Soooo true !!! I don't believe my eyes when I see people operating a chain saw with sneakers and shorts and a t-shirt, no eye or head protection !!! They even should NOT sell chainsaws over the counter without a little course of 2-3 hours....
I gave you a thumbs up, well explained and demonstrated. My dad was an aircraft engineer and taught me lots but it’s still good to see videos like yours spreading the gospel, thanks
I'm pretty new to operating a chainsaw and out of all the videos on UA-cam your videos are not only very helpful but easy to understand. thank you for your vids man.
I’ve been doing it right all along and I thought I was just being fanatical. I warm up all my power equipment before I use it. Another great video Steve. Thanks.
Steve, another good video. I didn't need to watch this but so many people I know do. This is true with everything that has a motor. What was the old saying?, "The worst thing you can do to an engine is start it". Give it chance to warm up and lubricate. And those times can vary with temperature.
Think you'll find that the cheaper brands of saws will do the cold seizure more often than the better brands. When Poulan came out with their very cheap line many years ago, they had a decal on the rear handle area saying they were rated for 25 hours. Cheap, you betcha!
Hey Steve, I recently purchased my first Stihl chainsaw. Ms270c I was wondering what your thoughts are on this saw and any info you could provide me would be greatly appreciated. I picked it up from an older gentleman, but didn't use it much for $200. Case three chains and a wedge Thanks for your time. Keep up the good work.
Being from the upper midwest and always cutting wood in freezing temperatures, I learned quickly that warming up your engines are a necessity. Cold saws were noticeably underpowered until they warmed up. I didn't know the why or what the damage it could do until now, so Thanks Steve for explaining why! Also, I drank a LOT of Grolsch Pilsner when I worked in Netherlands! Good job on getting the bottled as the canned ruins the flavor. I really like their Herfstbok!
That’s interesting, seen my old dealer did the same thing to check the chain oiler over cardboard to see the spray, full throttle on start up!!! It still runs great! Coors light for me today Steve.
Steve, so often what you say is just plain common sense, seems folks should get it. But you bring a lot of well earned respect and knowledge to put some icing on that common sense cake. I watch all your videos and I love 'em,,,,, even though I quit drinking beer about 5 weed wackers ago.
2:28 AM and I just came in from the garage/shop, and first thing I do, is watch a tinkering video. LMAO!! I've been wanting to drink a beer with you. Was a pleasure!! Thanks for the knowledge, my friend!
This advice is probably correct for any engine if you want them to last. There's no need to idle for too long just a light load at partial throttle opening especially in temperatures around freezing point or lower.
I'll say it AGAIN Steve, you just may be the (mechanically) smartest Canadian I know! (even smarter than my old boss!) I may be a bit of a wizz kid with a keen intuition when it comes to 99% of things mechanical and have a solid "hunch" why things just aren't working right, but leave it to YOUR VIDEOS to confirm my intuitions! And what makes it even better is you SHARE that knowledge! BRAVO SIR! Seriously, you want to let ANY engine idle for at least a good 60 seconds minimum before you hit the throttle to let the oil circulate and lube everything internally, and it's not really a good idea to go full wide open throttle even for about 2-3 minutes.
This was more of a problem with liquid cooled engine on motocross bikes in my dirt bike riding days. The cylinder would have need of about 10 minutes or so before putting riding the bike. I never had no issues on a air cooled trail bike, the cylinder along with the piston expanded at the same. The tolerances were more vs the liquid cooled bikes though. I have had chain saws before and never had a cold seizure. This one is new to me.
@@WJCTechyman that statement is not exactly correct. While the carbureted engine benefits from the warm-up so do fuel injected models. It's better to give it a few minutes, and let the engine warm so that the engine oil pressure can get up so that it can start lubricating the top end and even main bearing will benefit. I'm also pretty sure that Steve's example of the Piston expanding faster then the rest of the engine is also true with a large engine although I don't know that it would have as much impact on a larger engine than a smaller hotter 2 stroke.
@@WJCTechyman Fuel delivery methods have nothing to do with core thermal expansion. The only reason you needed to warm up carbureted engines more is because of the carb itself (cold fuel is less-volatile than hot fuel). Pistons still heat faster than the block does, and while an automotive engine is unlikely to have this issue, you still don't just start rolling before the starter has spun down because cold starts are where you have the most wear. Cold engine parts are not the same shape as hot engine parts, so you want to avoid high loads and high speeds on any cold engine, regardless of type.
I was a tree trimmer/timber cutter for power companies in 4 states (OH,PA,MD,and WV) and was a logger after that in PA and MD for a couple decades and never witnessed a "cold seizure".Still running both my Jred saws (2077 and 670 I bought in/around '92/93).The 2077 innards are still 100% factory with over 15,000 hrs on it.I installed a new ring in the 670 Champ in 2014 or 2015 and it had 15,000 alone just cutting for power companies and wasn't including all the side work we'd do after hours,my own personal work like firewood and clearing property on the weekends,and then when went into the logging industry.It probably has well over 20k after figuring those in. What does show it's head quite often is people blowing them up from not using the right mix and running shit meant for outboards and the cheap off-brand mixes because they may have bought that 6pk fer $3. Another contributor is today's gas...the Ethanol shit to be more specific.The mix,even though it's proper mix like Husky,Jred,or Stihl mix,the Ethanol doesn't mix well with the oil.The Eth also absorbs moisture...even sitting in a gas can...or that saws fuel tank. Yet another problem is so many do not know how to tune a saw properly or let alone know when it needs tuned up.You can take a drive anywhere and hear the majority of people that have any 2 stroke equipment don't have a clue their equipment needs tuning.You can hear them trying to get it to rev up (the ba-ba-ba-bog,ba-ba-ba-bog song) from a long ways off yet they think it's fine. Then there is still another thing people do is try to get that very last cut out of a saw when it's running out of fuel.Why bother adding mix to the gas if you'r just going to rev it up when it's running lean due to an empty fuel tank.. My saws have lasted so long due to any time it sounded odd or started to run different I'd fix it (done all my own work from '94 on).I'd always try and refill the fuel before starting big cuts.If I somehow forgot,once I heard it start to run out I shut it off and refill. Coming back to that "cold seizure",I don't know how the new saws are but I know the older Jred 600 series and the 2077/88/94/95's and Husky 200 series and 394/95 had nylon oiler rings.If you fired the saws up on cold days and didn't leave them warm up 1st you'd rip out that oiler gear,if not then and there it wouldn't be long.I've only ever had to replace 2,both in my 670.One was from being so old it was just worn out,the other was thanks to my brother taking it one time and doing just that,firing it up and start cutting down trees without leaving the saw warm up and thin the bar oil out. I forgot,I had to do a total rebuild on a Husky 268 in a motel bathtub one evening because the idiot GF of the company I worked for that cut for power companies brought out some shit no name mix and the crew used it.It fried quite a few saws that week.I refused to run it in mine,he even threatened to fire me if I wouldn't run my saw..."So what,I was looking for a job when I found this one but there is no f'n way I'm running that shit in my $7-800 (early 90's prices) saws". He walked away with his BS mix and my saws still live today....lol
@Bob Smithereens I wouldn't say that,I just never heard of it or witnessed it.It may come from scenarios that have no real explanation. With just vids I've watched I can say he's probably the only Stihl mechanic I ever came across that actually knows what they're doing.The rest won their silver,gold,platinum stickers in a lottery and are parts swappers.I'd say he got his from experience and the ability to learn.
Totaly agree with you ! I've been using and fixing chainsaws for close on 40 years and i have never heard of a cold start seizure ......Seizures are usually through lack of oil ...NOT cold starts . As soon as the saw starts , ( being a two stroke ) its getting lubricated in every area , top and bottom . As for the cylinders expanding they have either chrome bores or cast iron , and those types of cylinders will NOT expand . The pistons being alloy WILL !!!..expand , but only marginally , as piston / cylinder clearances are made to exact tolerances to allow for piston expansion .
Like Like Frank, I've not experienced cold seizures, but I have seen that using oils made for water cooled engines will cause more seizures on air cooled engines, especially with ethanol additives causing hotter running engines. Air cooled engines need to use synthetic oils or blends made to withstand the hotter temperatures. Not to mention that mfg's tend to run them leaner to meet EPA specs, also makes them run hotter. The hottest part of the cylinder is the exhaust port, where natural oils will burn away, leaving little, to no lubrication at the port area. Galling is material exchange between piston and cylinder from excessive heat and begins at the piston rings and trails down the piston from there. This looks like early stage galling due to insufficient lubrication. If it continued to run, the whole port area would probably become galled and eventually locked-up.. Use the correct oil for your engine in the proper ratio.
@@leebordelon9581 Yep , there is a difference between these two types of oils and if you dont use the correct oil , then you will cause damage . I also run all my two strokes on a 25:1 mix and i have never had any problems . They always burn clean and certainly go the distance . I would just like to add also that i find most two stroke oils these days are good quality and one can be confident in their use , although a lot of people do prefer to use a particular brand of oil .
Cold seizures are real. Been working on engines all my life, and guys who pull full throttle on a cold engine are idiots. You saw the damage with your own eyes, so just how do you explain the damage, given the scenario Steve described? @Bob Smithereens
Not only do I allow my saw to idle for a minute or two after startup, if it is like 25 degrees F or below, actually bring my saw inside for an hour or two or overnight to thaw out before taking it outside for startup. Btw, doing that with a half full gas tank - when the vapors warm up and expand, effectively pressurizes the fuel system, (depends on design of the fuel tank vent granted) chainsaw will start easier just because of that. wink wink. The 4 cycle engines, place some sort of heat source underneath for 1 - 3 hours, cover with tarp or blanket. I've used a incandescent light bulb trouble lamp, repurposed light fixture, cube space heater, and even a kerosene lantern. Haven't tried an old hairdryer and piece of old foil dryer duct, or piped exhaust from a road vehicle - yet. In my region we are not that cold to where we plug our cars in at night. So Steve there is a video idea for you to roll out about November. How ya ever get your 4 cycle small engine started in Canada, when it is -30c and your 5w-30 oil is like JELLO, Eh? Am aware they actually sell mini dipstick and glue on the crankcase heaters for small engines which you could review for your Northern viewers.
I must be doing things right. my 10 year old MS260 still runs like a champ. heck, the 40 year old weed eater I "inherited" from my dad finally died from no longer being able to get replacement plastics last year... I gave it back so he could use the gearbox to replace the damaged gearbox form the one he replaced it with.
Own the homeowner version of your saw, MS251. Always been difficult to start, but wanted to comment that with mine, you simply HAVE to allow the saw idle to warm up a bit as it simply will not throttle up until it gets ready to. Stihl BG 56c, think it is, anyway blower is a lot the same way, has to run 2-3 minutes before it'll hit maximum speed and really start humming.
Shell Cracker Yes, but some people take idling to an extreme and that isn't best for engines either. Especially vehicles when it's very cold out. Most engine wear happens before the engine reaches ideal operation temperature. Driving a vehicle while taking it easy (not peddle to the floor) will warm up much faster than idling, thus reducing unnecessary engine wear.
@@Tyler-zw4kq I would use a block heater if it was still cold (no heat in the cab) after 15 minutes. I have lived in -40 degrees climates and it does take forever to warm up an engine at idle. That is precisely why I would drive after a couple minutes. 5-7 minutes of driving and the heater is starting to blow warm air.
@@gordthor5351 Yes, some do idle for extreme. There's a guy in my apartment complex warms up his car for 5 minutes every time, he's got a loud exhaust so it wakes me up in the morning. During the winter time (Phoenix, so winter is like 50 degrees) he warms it up closer to 10 minutes.
@Gord Thor Agreed on people taking vehicle warm ups too far. Generally, if you wait for the RPM to drop to normal idle speed or 30 seconds (whichever is first), you've let it go long enough. The exception is if you're scraping ice or fogging up the windshield. Then you let it idle while defrost does its job.
Your videos are much appreciated. Just purchased my first chainsaw last year and any time I have a question I look to your channel. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Love the videos, Steve. I have always been the go to guy for small engines on up and I still learn new stuff every day. I use you tube all the time to get tips ad tricks when fixing and troubleshooting. I am a life long mechanical and electronic technician. I retired as a senior industrial maintenance technician. I have thought about starting a channel to teach others some of what I know from 45+ years of fixing stuff. Is it worth all the investments and time? Keep up the good work
Your individual life experience is always valuable to others. Maybe your videos can be passed on to your grandkids and beyond, you get to last forever. Use it or lose it. All the best
Some of the loggers in the redwood forrest not only learn from ur videos the also enjoy there local brewery “Red Tail Nectar” brewski. I only know one Oakland Raider that can brew the best and cut like the best, thank you chain saw saloon, and humboldts finest brewery, its nice knowing you!!!
Wow!! Makes perfect sense as I hear you explain it. The piston has far less mass therefore heating up much faster. Great video !! You are the man Steve! 👍👍👍
Great video! One factor that may contribute to *not* seeing this isnthe likes of trimmers etc, is that they often will not rev to anything like max rpm immediately after starting (maybe due to no consumer access to L and H tuning in general), whereas most chainsaws will do max rpm straight form cold start! (or certainly will if you've tweaked the tuning to make them run properly)!
Hey Steve I bought an old echo weed eater from a garage sale and it was seized, I took it apart and seeing that whoever ran it before must not have been using properly mixed gas scored the piston up a little bit I took it apart sanded it up oiled it lubed it put it back together with proper gas fired it right up and it's been running ever since 2 years strong.!! 😁
Once again, HGTV needs you. Also I work on a major campus in Canada. Lot's of classes are going online, including trade schools. You should reach out to a few and start instructing.
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Adjust Or Tune The Carburetor On A Chainsaw---- ua-cam.com/video/M6T5JoGXcHY/v-deo.html
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LET THE SAW WARM UP FOR A BARE MINIMUM OF 60 SECONDS. LONGER WON'T HURT!
Steve's Small Engine Saloon I was about to ask! Stave Steve
- Kiva
😐😕⌚
Answered my dumb question. Thanks Steve!
Chainsaws are like 100 meter sprinters, need warming up to finish the race.
Steve, maybe this is a stupid question but why would framers be using a chainsaw?
I took a briggs and stratton small engine repair class in school. We would TOTALLY tear down and rebuild from the ground up . My instructor insisted EVERYTIME you cold started the motor, to allow 20 Mississippi seconds at idle for proper cylinder expansion time. Very good video. Very professional advice.
Fox In tha dark
I fill my chainsaw at my shed, start it and let it idle as I walk to my work site. Never had a problem with seizing in over 30 years. Running a cold motor at high speed is asking for trouble. Besides stalling when cold, it just doesn’t run well until warmed up so wait a couple of minutes.
@@Mote78 I had an 1850 Oliver tractor with a 354 Perkins diesel engine. I "Cold started "and loaded the tractor. Didn't make 1 pass around the field before the engine locked up. Removed head, found 1 piston/sleeve had seized. R&R piston and sleeve there in the field. From then on, I always allow an engine to "Warm Up" before applying a full load on it.
Thanks for the info, Fox. I thought one minute would do. Guess I'm safe.
Someone needs to do a proper statistical analysis of how long Mississippi seconds are relative to SI seconds.
@@Juttutin 1 Mississippi = 1.382 SI seconds
I start my saws, place them on the ground where I am cutting and let em idle for 5 minutes. Besides being good for my saw the vibration clears out the snakes.
LOL! Right on
Must be from midwest. All snakes here in Oklahoma will clear out but the cotton mouth like a challenge.
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon thanks for the heads up
Should put some idle chainsaws on the floor of congress then...
I can't let mine just sit on the ground running. It will bounce and hop all over the place.
I am guilty of not letting my chainsaw warm up😩. Thanks to your video, I will from this day forward, mend my evil ways...long live my Stihl and Steve!!👍
Right on Mark!
I’m guilty as well
I learned to utilize my time of letting it warm up while I get my other equipment ready.
@@Daniel08353 that’s a fine idea, I’m always standing around looking like a dolt
Repent!!!Sinners beware, you will get rewards for your deeds.
This channel is gold. Get machine info that all need to know, yet there no where to get it. We all use equipment and misuse it. Steve reminds me of the dad/uncle we all need.
Right on
warm any piston engine up first, some advice from 100 years ago is still valid!
I know that chainsaws and vehicles are, so to speak, different animals. I would guess, however, that the same advice would apply to vehicles-let them warm up first, before driving them. I can't tell you how many times I've just started my vehicle, and just took off, without letting it warm up first. I'm lucky to have a functional vehicle! I need to remind myself:let your vehicle warm up a few minutes, before taking off!
In sick of people telling me you dont have to warm up many engine you are correct! Warm it up
My engine " if that's the case then tell JAY LENO to fire up his classic cars and instantly drive off ,
My engine"
@@ronaldshank7589 Unless it's extremely cold out, just start your car when you get in, do the thing with your seatbelt, mirrors, radio etc. and just drive off. Drive smoothly, no jackrabbit starts, leadfooting etc. and you'll be just fine. No need to sit in it and idle the mill for a minute or two--it just isn't needed.
When very cold outside, it takes time to scrape the ice off the glass and brush the snow away, so it warms up a bit while you're on that.
I never had this happen to myself or anyone I know. However. I have started to allow my chainsaws to warm up now. After watching this video. Thanks
This really is a fantastic video. My dad always tells me not to instantly rev up a chainsaw and just lightly run the motor for about 30 seconds to warm it up. Until now, I haven’t known why, but I just followed it.
That is awesome!
YES! They stressed this at the Stihl factory training (Gold level) that I went to a decade or so ago. Nice to see someone giving actual good advice on UA-cam.
Right on...
Is there any book or information like the Gold Level training that ordinary folks can find?
My dealer told me to run mine wide open to warm it up as soon as I start it. My new saw wouldn't idle correctly and that's the recommendations he gave me. I took it to another dealer and he adjusted my carb and it starts and idles perfectly now. My original dealer told me he'd charge me a shop charge to adjust it and it was a brand new saw under warranty. I called and emailed Stihl telling them how he treated me as a customer cause $500 is a lot of money to pay for something that runs correctly and the dealer trying to charge me for something that should be under warranty
My dad taught me about this when I was young. He said the simplest way to avoid this sort of thing being a problem, is start the chainsaw in your garage or shed, and then walk with it over to where you're going to work with it while it's at idle. By the time you get there, she'll be warm enough to go to town. Problem solved. Great video!
Right on
Who. Could give this guy thumbs down he knows what he is talking about.
Thank You...
Probably a construction guy or a framer..
Ken Grindle I’m sure it’s repair guys thinking he’s costing them money.
well the fact that he explains a very quick thing in 7 minutes. 1 minute vid saying don't use chainsaw cold because this will happen because of this reason (shows piston). done in 1 minute.
@@micke6705 bottom feeders
We are a small mom and pop lawnmower shop,
and can't tell how many of these we see as well !
We do sell, and highly recommend a product that significantly reduces the cold start friction issue.
But most of the people bringing us a chainsaw with this condition, is just about too late for their saw unfortunately !
By the time we would put the necessary labor into the required repair, you can usually be better off to just go buy another saw !
Really sad !
A few seconds of warm-up can keep your saws
( if they are a quality brand ) running for a lifetime if cared for properly !
Most important,
NEVER cut corners on a cheaper 2cycle oil !
Always,
Always,
Always, use a quality premium 2cycle oil !
And please folks,
this gentleman is 100% correct !
Warm up your equipment before putting them to work !
All equipment,
not just your chainsaws !
Excellent advice sir !
Excellent !
Thank you !
quadsman11 what do you use to help cold start friction?
@@MjrNiGhTmArE
It is called MT10 From a company called
Muscle Grease,
I would be happy to send you a small sample of, it doesn't take much for it to work.
@@MjrNiGhTmArE
Let me know, and I will get some on the way to you.
quadsman11 That sounds great! I have a brand new chainsaw that I just started using to prep for this coming winters firewood needs, so it’s going to be getting quite a work out.
How do I contact you?
@@MjrNiGhTmArE
Well,
First off,
This product works extremely well,
So much so, that they don't want you to use it in any brand new engine, otherwise, it will not wear in correctly.
I would recommend that you put about 5-6 hrs. on it before you use it.
That means,
You just need to let it warm up for a few minutes before you start using it hard.
I've always allowed my small 2 and 4 stroke engines to warm up before putting a load on them. Outboards especially! Never a problem. Thanks Steve. 👍
Another great video Steve.
I’m no mechanic or gardener, just a hobbyist, however, I think it’s important to warm up any internal combustion engine. It only makes sense given expansion and contraction as well as lubrication. Treat your equipment well, service on time and it’ll do you a long, long time ;)
Well said!
I agree...Same thing with automobiles when really cold in winter. Manufacturers tell you it is not really necessary to warm the engine a few minutes....I don't trust that...BS ...I warm my car engine 2-3 minutes when it is minus 10 Celsius or less....This is pure common sense IMHO. Come on...
@1983dmd At those low temperatures, you need a few minutes of warm up just to keep your windshield from fogging while you drive.
I noticed the slow ways my Dad done things when I was a young boy 48 45 years ago, he always let the car warm up and never raced the engine up cold , even kept oil in the house in cold weather before he changed oil , he always started the Dozer he ran at work and warmed it up , I didn't understand then why he was so slow moving and sometimes strange to me.
I am now the same man at 58 that he was back then, good ol fashion life lessons are priceless .
I was taught this as a youngster, My Dad said to let your power saw equilize before making your first cut. Thanks for showing what happens when you don't.
You're Welcome...
I don't use my chainsaw that often, but when I do it usually takes me a couple minutes to get to cutting. I have MS and can't just jump to work. I move like I'm 80 years old. My chainsaw is hard to start so it has time to warm up while I recover from pulling the rope. But you give good advice! Thanks a lot!
Had a "PowerEquipment" company tell me that a saw I had bought from them a couple years previously needed some major engine work, and it wouldn't be worth fixing... recommended buying a new saw. Took it to a rural saw shop and they fixed it for like $20. A rubber boot had slipped off somewhere which had made it run horribly. Can't always trust the same shop to repair a machine bought there.
I am an avid snowmobiler... I always new this about the sleds being so cold when you first start them. But I never thought about cold seized chain saws. I now will let my saw run for a bit . Thanks for more education
You're Welcome...
Very good advice keep beers ice cold but chainsaws hot
What is the proper warm up time?
I was always taught to start the saw, lay it off to the side and let it idle while setting up all the rest of the tools for cutting. This explains it.
Right on
Great video. This is a problem with 2-stroke race bikes also. We let them warm up till the radiator cap is hot before we rev the hell out of them. Reboring and replating a cylinder plus the cost of a new piston/rings usually teaches us not to do this. Thanks for putting this great information out there.
Back in the early 70's when my dirt and street bikes were 2 strokes I never moved until I felt warmth on the cylinder fins.
You have a radiator on a 2 stroke?
You're Welcome...
Gord Baker, yup, a lot of dirt bikes have 2 radiators. They are water cooled now days.
@@gordbaker896 my 1975 gt750 Suzuki was a 3 cylinder 2 stroke water cool. It was called a "water buffalo" by afficiandos.
New to chain saws. You probably just saved me a lot of grief.
Right on buddy...
Equally important: Check your chain bar oil each time you add fuel. If you hold the tip of the chain saw near a light colored surface, rev it up a little, and see if it slings oil onto the surface. If it does, you know your chain bar is properly lubricated. By the time you've done that, the engine is warmed enough to go to work! That saves your engine AND your chain bar.
good to know. I'd heard because its 2cycle ,its getting instant oiling so i dont need to warm up like 4 cycle, so i was thinking of the oil warming up not the cylinder. thanks !
Im new too...thank you!
Let every engine warm up before you nail the throttle. It’ll save you money over the years. Car, tractor, lawnmower. It won’t seize like a chainsaw but it does nothing good to rev a cold engine hard.
I fixed my two chain saws and a echo weed wacker watching these videos. My chain saw I bought with house in 1990's its an echo cs4400 as my 1998 echo srm 2400 weed wacker. I use them every season. My saw chains are sharper and bar is cleaner, my saws are better stored , better winterized. I learned more here on Steve's channel than anywhere is. I rebuild things now. I fix my neighbors small engines and saws now, as a way of giving back. Thank you Steve. Cheers to you from Oregon.
Thank You...and You're Welcome...
I was bad for doing this when I was younger, an old timer saw me do it, and needless to say after a 90 min lecture. I don't do it anymore. I used to be running out of the gate, as soon as we got to the landing, I'd start something up, and go. That lasted all of one day when I started for him. Good info.
I've always let all my saws warm up for a while then just coax some throttle to it. I know way to many cold seizure candidate guys, they're usually the same guys burning through wood at full throttle usually after running the bar into the ground.
One of my most reliable is my old Homelite XL12, it just never ever fails. The key is not to let donkey's operate your stuff.
Yep...
I used to allow others to borrow only tools made out of one piece of solid metal; hammers, wrenches, etc.
Once I realized that they could destroy those just as well, I stopped doing even that. I could have something for 20 years, loan it out for the first time, and it come back ruined!
Now, if I can't use the tool FOR them, they're out of luck...
Neighbors seemed to be reasonable and careful, talk a great story. Takes a couple months to get blower/mulcher back, I bought a new one as my yard has a few dozen oaks. It came back well broken, wouldn't run for more than15 seconds, I had only had it 12 years working beautifully.
Now the neighbors get mad because I won't loan any tools out. They have nerve to ask me to loan them my new Honda snow thrower or my spare generator.
@@bff1316: DON'T DO IT! : )
BFF what assholes
Donkeys... It,s ok to call um Jackasses.
Thank you, this is a great explanation and very helpful. (BTW....my dad always told me, if you handle power tools and firearms, never mix it with alcohol or weed...wait until your done, then enjoy your drink or your joint.)
This is a little bit unrelated but something to look out for before you junk a Stihl with bad compression reading. We were taking BR600 and KM 94 to a repair shop. A bunch came back as NFG. My company owner investigated more and discovered the crankshaft seals are a common failure. Replacing those fixes low compression readings.
Great advice. In my case having reached geezerhood I'm slow enough the saw has plenty of time to warm up.
Yeppers, having reached geezerhood myself I usually look the job over and decide how the whole job will go before even pulling any tool(s) out.
Before they forced me to retire the kids, (those under 30), would laugh and snicker at how slow I was, then ask me questions as to how I always accomplished so much more than they did, and never had to do the job twice.
The grey hair should show wisdom from the years gone by.
welcome to geezerhood. where are the geezers when the universe started. they warmed it up alright. ancient of days need to show up and get some work done.
😂😂😂
Fired up my saw shortly after watching this, for the first time ever I let it set and idle for a couple minutes. Thanks Steve
Great explanation. I'm a mechanical engineer and wish some of my instructors had been this clear and to the point. Subscribed.
Right on Davey...
We cannot make completely round holes. The pistons have flaws as do the bearing journals. When you first run any engine it needs to wear off those high spots. Idling and low stress running will knock those off. Hard usage will cause a seizure like he showed. Very typical. Just fire it up and go at it during the very first tank of gas. The tight spots just tear themselves up instead of slowly wearing down.
Never let a beer warm up before you drink it! You want a cold start there my man! Once you drink it, you can forget using the chainsaw. The wear and tear factor on the saw goes way down. Problem solved, less work, more beer!
Lmao ! but no work no Beer ..
Now this is a man that has his priorities right!
Damn straight
Yep, beer made me chainsaw all the walls in MY house...[steel studs]. haha,
I never let my drinking interfere with my work, and never let my work interfere with my drinking.
My Dad told me always let the saw warm up.
He just said it would ruin the engine if you didn't.
Thanks for explaining it further.
You're Welcome...
Never thought about that being an issue, haven't had an issue yet but I'm definitely going to make sure I never do, thank you!
You're Welcome...
I'll p if koo koo koo koo koo koo
Thank you Steve I know I don't let my saw warm up like I should. But I will now.
You're Welcome...
Same here....surprising I haven't messed one up after all these years.
Same here.
I've slow-warmed ALL my engines and get long lives from them, along with never so running dirty oil. I was an Engineman/Machinery Tech in the US Coast Guard; learned a lot!
Right on Gary!
I guess I am old school. I was born on the 60's where cars had manual chokes and you had to let the engine warm up before using it. Oh well old habits never die. Thanks for the video though. It confirms what I have been doing when starting these engines over the years. I will make sure and pass it on to to my friends. By the way. I love your beer and liquor rack in the back ground. Beautiful decor.
I was born in the 80s and I grew up on pulling chokes and warming up things
It makes sense to warm anything up before using it. Cars, saws, women
@@yommmrr lol
60-70's you had to let it idle and warm up FOR REASONS NOT because of this.... cough shit carbs that couldnt run a engine cold until the very later years of the 80s ... really ?
What you're suggesting makes good sense: warming up (idling) a saw for a minute before using it. I've never seen an arborist or professional tree feller do this. Usually, right after starting a saw, they rev it up several times (Vrrooom, vrooom, vroom) before they start cutting. 'Guess idling after starting a blower would make sense, too. Thanks for the heads-up!
With arborists, time's $ & most of 'em won't/don't work on their stuff except maybe chain sharpening. Buddy of mine took on maintaining an arborist's equipment. This was in addition to his regular job. They ran him ragged! He showed me an 066 Stihl he'd rebuilt, a week later showed me the same saw where it was crushed! Then he was accused of stealing from 'em. I later was asked by the same people to work on their stuff, I said no way! When asked why, I related my friend's tale. They had a foreman that was like a bull in a china shop & the $ wasn't coming out of his pocket.
This is for a cold start. If the saw is already warmed up, you can start it again and cut right away.
imo, the Vrrooom, vrooom, vroom does nothing except waste fuel, and cause unnecessary wear to the engine, & throttle trigger, lol. It is a very satisfying sound must admit that. Also makes the professionals at least SOUND as if they are really going to work on the customers tree, which said customer is paying hundreds of dollars to have taken down. Even vintage piston aircraft, never heard them feathering the throttle, they ran the engines up gradually. Chainsaws aren't aircraft I admit, with that said beyond idling warm up; no need to run up and preflight your chainsaw to maximum power before engaging with the wood. Chainsaw isn't going to crash on takeoff.
@@markbaker1843 You want to do just enough to know that it's oiling correctly.
Very clear explanation. I have seen this happen on snowmobiles. People are in too big of hurry. Warm them up! Engines are engineered to run at "operation temp".
Agreed!
This is good to know! I’m a carpenter based out of Pensacola, Fl. and we use chainsaws to top pilings and most use them exactly how you mentioned! I try to take better care of my tools but I didn’t know this was that horrible for the saw.
Any engine.
good advice,and I would like to add something to this if you dont mind.Some folks do warm up their saws,but I bet very few think about letting the saw cool down before shutting it off.A saw cutting in hard wood with a dull chain (which should be a no-no)can get very hot,and the cooling fan/flywheel cant really move enough air to keep it cool.Let a hot saw sit and idle and disperse some of that heat before shutting down,will save you a lot of unnecessary wear on the jug.As always,great videos Steve.
Yup, cool down just as important.... and with cars.... if you have a turbo and just got through hammering it before pulling in your drive way. Let that car idle 5 till 10 minutes till cool that turbo you just got blazing hot so it doesn't coke the oil in the turbo and blow the turbo up.
@@timm.6391 I remember my brother in law pulling into my driveway a couple times a year in his Kenworth.He would let that truck sit and idle for over an hour.I think diesel was 79 cents a gallon back then.Today you can watch trucks pull right off the interstate into a rest area and immediately shut the engine down.
@@pallmall5495 I've seen that before when I was heading to Colorado. People don't think they have the time for it, but it's faster to do something right rather than do it wrong and have to wait forever to get it fixed.
how long would you need to warm up? is 10 sec enough? 1 minute? 2 minutes? 10 minutes?
Awesome video - but - how long in general should you allow for warmup to avoid this?
A minute or two. Then shut it off and let it heat soak for a minute, and you're good to go
I never knew that was an issue for chainsaws, it explains a lot. Thanks man, enjoy your beer.
You're Welcome...and Thank You...
I have an old husqvarna 162 with no compression
Sure enough, piston ring seized and scored the hell out of the piston. Right in that spot you showed in this vid
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
You're Welcome...
great video! Yes, I have fired up my chainsaw and start cutting immediately! Thank you for the warning! I will warmup my engine from now on.
Glad to help
Thanks for this important information; I had no idea and I've been using chainsaws for 41 years !!! I will certainly warm up my saws in the future. Thanks again Steve.
Best of luck!
yes I start my saw, always 1 minute before I cut anything. so that was the proper way to do it!
I was always concerned about idling too much, fowling the muffler or plug. have a great day!
I've always, just start up and GO since it's two cycle it doesn't need to warm up vs four cycle. Thank you Stevie for the great reveal on damage's that occurs when not warming up. Raising my bottle of Grolisch... Cheers!
Fantastic!
I always start my saw by the garage, so by the time I get to where I'm working at the time it's warmed up. Never really thought about the warm-up, now I will. Thanks...
Right on
My Grandpaw taught me this when I was somewhere around 14. That would be,,,,mmmm, 1965, ( I think). Even though I retired my 041, it still ran fine after 34 years. Thanks Steve, you brought back a very fond memory.
You're Welcome...
I always warm up everything I run. Never heard of this but do now. Surprised this hasn't happened to my father in law yet!! Thanks for all you do! Cheers 🍻
You're so welcome!
I let all engines warm up good especially my turbo VW, gotta get that oil warm and flowing good. Another good tip, let your engines idle for a minute or two when you are done using it, helps the engine cool down before shutting down.
vw engines are shit!!!
All turbos should be warmed up
no need for a cool down
@@alanharding8762 yeah I keep wondering how much longer my Jetta with 400,000 miles will last.
@@alanharding8762 Hey, my passat turbo-diesel is dead reliable, nearly as efficient as a prius, and can tow more than most cars in it's class. Put alot of time bombing down logging roads, and she's holding together great
Awesome as always, thanks Steve. I was taught to warm up my chainsaw motor by a great friend who taught me to warm up a boat motor.
Good stuff
Your information is priceless......my father, a mechanic taught me about warming up a chainsaw long ago so your video showed the bad spot on the piston he talked about....keep the good stuff ...beverages included flowing
Wow, thanks
Steve thanks for the heads up on cold start damage. Rebuilt my first personal husky 372 with low compression and when I tor it down had the exact damage in the exact same place as you showed in your video. I thought it was just a lot of use at the time, but know I know it was my no warm up that caused that damage. Thanks for the eye opener it wont happen again!
Glad to help
Excellent advice on a number of chainsaw damage issues I never knew about... thanks!
You're Welcome...
Good video! Thanks for the info.
I started to heat strictly with wood 2 years ago and I've been on a major learning curve.
great vid, never heard of cold seizure. knowledge is money. after the motor warms up, I run it before I go into the tree and let the chain stretch so that I can adjust this slack on the ground. better than effen around with the saw in the tree
Thumbs up man. I watched this video some months ago when I only owned a battery chainsaw. Now I have 2 gas ones and I have been warming them up properly from day 1.
Right on
Thank you so much, you saved me tons of money plus brought lots of knowledge to a newbie like myself. Firstly I'd like to say that I'd just bought a STIHL 18" chainsaw, brand-new! I am watching almost every video out there before I start using it and I appreciate all the information that you provided.
You're Welcome...
Mines just came the other day a parker 58cc with 20" bar, still a bit apprehensive about using it tbh as its some bit of kit. Chainsaw gloves will be next on the list i think.
Get the required safety equipment, an experienced operator to teach you or find a safety class. You're about to operate one of the most dangerous tools available. Read the owners manual, congrats on the new saw!
@@heavysnow8616 Soooo true !!! I don't believe my eyes when I see people operating a chain saw with sneakers and shorts and a t-shirt, no eye or head protection !!! They even should NOT sell chainsaws over the counter without a little course of 2-3 hours....
I gave you a thumbs up, well explained and demonstrated. My dad was an aircraft engineer and taught me lots but it’s still good to see videos like yours spreading the gospel, thanks
Cool, thanks
Great advice, I never heard of that problem. Thankfully, I never started cutting b4 allowing the saw to warmed up at idle speed.
Right on
I'm pretty new to operating a chainsaw and out of all the videos on UA-cam your videos are not only very helpful but easy to understand. thank you for your vids man.
Thank You...and You're Welcome...
Oh yes.. the classic start and ruin lol Rule 1: Never lend a chainsaw lol
Or enything with an engine really..
Spot on, 🤙
No chit mine came back full of dirt, glass , and off the bar plus the plastic inside bye the sprocket was chewed up probably from untangling twigs?
Nobody, but NOBODY ever gets to borrow my tools. They've got a habit of coming back broken, or not at all.
I’ve been doing it right all along and I thought I was just being fanatical. I warm up all my power equipment before I use it. Another great video Steve. Thanks.
You're Welcome...
I just came across your videos and I love em! This is going to save me a world of grief when it comes to my chainsaws and weedeaters. Thanks!
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The dreaded 4 corner cold seizure!
Grolsh beer is one of the best beers around. You're a pretty cool dude Steve. 😎
Steve, another good video. I didn't need to watch this but so many people I know do. This is true with everything that has a motor. What was the old saying?, "The worst thing you can do to an engine is start it". Give it chance to warm up and lubricate. And those times can vary with temperature.
Right on
Think you'll find that the cheaper brands of saws will do the cold seizure more often than the better brands. When Poulan came out with their very cheap line many years ago, they had a decal on the rear handle area saying they were rated for 25 hours. Cheap, you betcha!
Hey Steve, I recently purchased my first Stihl chainsaw. Ms270c I was wondering what your thoughts are on this saw and any info you could provide me would be greatly appreciated. I picked it up from an older gentleman, but didn't use it much for $200. Case three chains and a wedge Thanks for your time. Keep up the good work.
This is why is so important to have beer nearby when using a chainsaw. You can never be in a hurry when drinking beer.
Don't drink and down trees...... There are no seat belts and sometimes they jump out in front of you.😁
😂
Being from the upper midwest and always cutting wood in freezing temperatures, I learned quickly that warming up your engines are a necessity. Cold saws were noticeably underpowered until they warmed up. I didn't know the why or what the damage it could do until now, so Thanks Steve for explaining why! Also, I drank a LOT of Grolsch Pilsner when I worked in Netherlands! Good job on getting the bottled as the canned ruins the flavor. I really like their Herfstbok!
Right on
Im from Michigan Upper Pennisula. We always had our wood cut, split and stacked way before it got that cold.
That’s interesting, seen my old dealer did the same thing to check the chain oiler over cardboard to see the spray, full throttle on start up!!! It still runs great! Coors light for me today Steve.
Steve, so often what you say is just plain common sense, seems folks should get it. But you bring a lot of well earned respect and knowledge to put some icing on that common sense cake. I watch all your videos and I love 'em,,,,, even though I quit drinking beer about 5 weed wackers ago.
Thank You...
2:28 AM and I just came in from the garage/shop, and first thing I do, is watch a tinkering video. LMAO!!
I've been wanting to drink a beer with you. Was a pleasure!!
Thanks for the knowledge, my friend!
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This advice is probably correct for any engine if you want them to last. There's no need to idle for too long just a light load at partial throttle opening especially in temperatures around freezing point or lower.
Right on
I'll say it AGAIN Steve, you just may be the (mechanically) smartest Canadian I know! (even smarter than my old boss!) I may be a bit of a wizz kid with a keen intuition when it comes to 99% of things mechanical and have a solid "hunch" why things just aren't working right, but leave it to YOUR VIDEOS to confirm my intuitions! And what makes it even better is you SHARE that knowledge! BRAVO SIR! Seriously, you want to let ANY engine idle for at least a good 60 seconds minimum before you hit the throttle to let the oil circulate and lube everything internally, and it's not really a good idea to go full wide open throttle even for about 2-3 minutes.
Thank You...
My dad taught me to treat any internal combustion engine like a woman. A cold start will definitely sieze them up.
niemi5858 naa just jam it in there
@@spankthemonkey3437 the rippin n the tearin 😍
This was more of a problem with liquid cooled engine on motocross bikes in my dirt bike riding days. The cylinder would have need of about 10 minutes or so before putting riding the bike. I never had no issues on a air cooled trail bike, the cylinder along with the piston expanded at the same. The tolerances were more vs the liquid cooled bikes though. I have had chain saws before and never had a cold seizure. This one is new to me.
@@markclark1605 Nope
@@MrGordozzzz I like reverse nude
Man, I'm glad you told us that! That's probably why my Homolite quit running and now sucks! I'll have to check it out. Thanks.
You're Welcome...
No different than how some treat their vehicles . Well put out there. You need to set up your own micro brewery.Steve's
Piston Broke Beer.
LOL, Right on...
Unless it's a carbureted vehicle, you really don't need them to warm up.
@@WJCTechyman that statement is not exactly correct. While the carbureted engine benefits from the warm-up so do fuel injected models. It's better to give it a few minutes, and let the engine warm so that the engine oil pressure can get up so that it can start lubricating the top end and even main bearing will benefit. I'm also pretty sure that Steve's example of the Piston expanding faster then the rest of the engine is also true with a large engine although I don't know that it would have as much impact on a larger engine than a smaller hotter 2 stroke.
@@WJCTechyman Fuel delivery methods have nothing to do with core thermal expansion. The only reason you needed to warm up carbureted engines more is because of the carb itself (cold fuel is less-volatile than hot fuel). Pistons still heat faster than the block does, and while an automotive engine is unlikely to have this issue, you still don't just start rolling before the starter has spun down because cold starts are where you have the most wear. Cold engine parts are not the same shape as hot engine parts, so you want to avoid high loads and high speeds on any cold engine, regardless of type.
Exactly what I was about to say! General rule for internal combustion engines, let them warm up!
I was a tree trimmer/timber cutter for power companies in 4 states (OH,PA,MD,and WV) and was a logger after that in PA and MD for a couple decades and never witnessed a "cold seizure".Still running both my Jred saws (2077 and 670 I bought in/around '92/93).The 2077 innards are still 100% factory with over 15,000 hrs on it.I installed a new ring in the 670 Champ in 2014 or 2015 and it had 15,000 alone just cutting for power companies and wasn't including all the side work we'd do after hours,my own personal work like firewood and clearing property on the weekends,and then when went into the logging industry.It probably has well over 20k after figuring those in.
What does show it's head quite often is people blowing them up from not using the right mix and running shit meant for outboards and the cheap off-brand mixes because they may have bought that 6pk fer $3.
Another contributor is today's gas...the Ethanol shit to be more specific.The mix,even though it's proper mix like Husky,Jred,or Stihl mix,the Ethanol doesn't mix well with the oil.The Eth also absorbs moisture...even sitting in a gas can...or that saws fuel tank.
Yet another problem is so many do not know how to tune a saw properly or let alone know when it needs tuned up.You can take a drive anywhere and hear the majority of people that have any 2 stroke equipment don't have a clue their equipment needs tuning.You can hear them trying to get it to rev up (the ba-ba-ba-bog,ba-ba-ba-bog song) from a long ways off yet they think it's fine.
Then there is still another thing people do is try to get that very last cut out of a saw when it's running out of fuel.Why bother adding mix to the gas if you'r just going to rev it up when it's running lean due to an empty fuel tank..
My saws have lasted so long due to any time it sounded odd or started to run different I'd fix it (done all my own work from '94 on).I'd always try and refill the fuel before starting big cuts.If I somehow forgot,once I heard it start to run out I shut it off and refill.
Coming back to that "cold seizure",I don't know how the new saws are but I know the older Jred 600 series and the 2077/88/94/95's and Husky 200 series and 394/95 had nylon oiler rings.If you fired the saws up on cold days and didn't leave them warm up 1st you'd rip out that oiler gear,if not then and there it wouldn't be long.I've only ever had to replace 2,both in my 670.One was from being so old it was just worn out,the other was thanks to my brother taking it one time and doing just that,firing it up and start cutting down trees without leaving the saw warm up and thin the bar oil out.
I forgot,I had to do a total rebuild on a Husky 268 in a motel bathtub one evening because the idiot GF of the company I worked for that cut for power companies brought out some shit no name mix and the crew used it.It fried quite a few saws that week.I refused to run it in mine,he even threatened to fire me if I wouldn't run my saw..."So what,I was looking for a job when I found this one but there is no f'n way I'm running that shit in my $7-800 (early 90's prices) saws".
He walked away with his BS mix and my saws still live today....lol
@Bob Smithereens
I wouldn't say that,I just never heard of it or witnessed it.It may come from scenarios that have no real explanation.
With just vids I've watched I can say he's probably the only Stihl mechanic I ever came across that actually knows what they're doing.The rest won their silver,gold,platinum stickers in a lottery and are parts swappers.I'd say he got his from experience and the ability to learn.
Totaly agree with you ! I've been using and fixing chainsaws for close on 40 years and i have never heard of a cold start seizure ......Seizures are usually through lack of oil ...NOT cold starts . As soon as the saw starts , ( being a two stroke ) its getting lubricated in every area , top and bottom . As for the cylinders expanding they have either chrome bores or cast iron , and those types of cylinders will NOT expand . The pistons being alloy WILL !!!..expand , but only marginally , as piston / cylinder clearances are made to exact tolerances to allow for piston expansion .
Like
Like Frank, I've not experienced cold seizures, but I have seen that using oils made for water cooled engines will cause more seizures on air cooled engines, especially with ethanol additives causing hotter running engines. Air cooled engines need to use synthetic oils or blends made to withstand the hotter temperatures. Not to mention that mfg's tend to run them leaner to meet EPA specs, also makes them run hotter. The hottest part of the cylinder is the exhaust port, where natural oils will burn away, leaving little, to no lubrication at the port area. Galling is material exchange between piston and cylinder from excessive heat and begins at the piston rings and trails down the piston from there. This looks like early stage galling due to insufficient lubrication. If it continued to run, the whole port area would probably become galled and eventually locked-up.. Use the correct oil for your engine in the proper ratio.
@@leebordelon9581 Yep , there is a difference between these two types of oils and if you dont use the correct oil , then you will cause damage . I also run all my two strokes on a 25:1 mix and i have never had any problems . They always burn clean and certainly go the distance . I would just like to add also that i find most two stroke oils these days are good quality and one can be confident in their use , although a lot of people do prefer to use a particular brand of oil .
Cold seizures are real. Been working on engines all my life, and guys who pull full throttle on a cold engine are idiots. You saw the damage with your own eyes, so just how do you explain the damage, given the scenario Steve described? @Bob Smithereens
Not only do I allow my saw to idle for a minute or two after startup, if it is like 25 degrees F or below, actually bring my saw inside for an hour or two or overnight to thaw out before taking it outside for startup. Btw, doing that with a half full gas tank - when the vapors warm up and expand, effectively pressurizes the fuel system, (depends on design of the fuel tank vent granted) chainsaw will start easier just because of that. wink wink.
The 4 cycle engines, place some sort of heat source underneath for 1 - 3 hours, cover with tarp or blanket. I've used a incandescent light bulb trouble lamp, repurposed light fixture, cube space heater, and even a kerosene lantern. Haven't tried an old hairdryer and piece of old foil dryer duct, or piped exhaust from a road vehicle - yet. In my region we are not that cold to where we plug our cars in at night. So Steve there is a video idea for you to roll out about November. How ya ever get your 4 cycle small engine started in Canada, when it is -30c and your 5w-30 oil is like JELLO, Eh? Am aware they actually sell mini dipstick and glue on the crankcase heaters for small engines which you could review for your Northern viewers.
Hey Steve. You just opened my eyes to the demise of my 3-year-old MS 250. Thanks.
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I must be doing things right. my 10 year old MS260 still runs like a champ. heck, the 40 year old weed eater I "inherited" from my dad finally died from no longer being able to get replacement plastics last year... I gave it back so he could use the gearbox to replace the damaged gearbox form the one he replaced it with.
Own the homeowner version of your saw, MS251. Always been difficult to start, but wanted to comment that with mine, you simply HAVE to allow the saw idle to warm up a bit as it simply will not throttle up until it gets ready to. Stihl BG 56c, think it is, anyway blower is a lot the same way, has to run 2-3 minutes before it'll hit maximum speed and really start humming.
Crazy that people don’t know this. Applies to all engines especially 2 strokes
Shell Cracker Yes, but some people take idling to an extreme and that isn't best for engines either. Especially vehicles when it's very cold out. Most engine wear happens before the engine reaches ideal operation temperature. Driving a vehicle while taking it easy (not peddle to the floor) will warm up much faster than idling, thus reducing unnecessary engine wear.
@@Tyler-zw4kq I would use a block heater if it was still cold (no heat in the cab) after 15 minutes. I have lived in -40 degrees climates and it does take forever to warm up an engine at idle. That is precisely why I would drive after a couple minutes. 5-7 minutes of driving and the heater is starting to blow warm air.
Because in the name of lower emissions they've been telling people not to warm up their engines.
@@gordthor5351 Yes, some do idle for extreme. There's a guy in my apartment complex warms up his car for 5 minutes every time, he's got a loud exhaust so it wakes me up in the morning. During the winter time (Phoenix, so winter is like 50 degrees) he warms it up closer to 10 minutes.
@Gord Thor Agreed on people taking vehicle warm ups too far. Generally, if you wait for the RPM to drop to normal idle speed or 30 seconds (whichever is first), you've let it go long enough. The exception is if you're scraping ice or fogging up the windshield. Then you let it idle while defrost does its job.
Your videos are much appreciated. Just purchased my first chainsaw last year and any time I have a question I look to your channel. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Glad to help
Love the videos, Steve. I have always been the go to guy for small engines on up and I still learn new stuff every day. I use you tube all the time to get tips ad tricks when fixing and troubleshooting. I am a life long mechanical and electronic technician. I retired as a senior industrial maintenance technician. I have thought about starting a channel to teach others some of what I know from 45+ years of fixing stuff. Is it worth all the investments and time? Keep up the good work
Your individual life experience is always valuable to others. Maybe your videos can be passed on to your grandkids and beyond, you get to last forever. Use it or lose it. All the best
Great video with some great advice. You are now my go-to person when I'm having any chainsaw issues.
Glad to hear it!
Some of the loggers in the redwood forrest not only learn from ur videos the also enjoy there local brewery “Red Tail Nectar” brewski. I only know one Oakland Raider that can brew the best and cut like the best, thank you chain saw saloon, and humboldts finest brewery, its nice knowing you!!!
Thanks for that!
Wow!! Makes perfect sense as I hear you explain it. The piston has far less mass therefore heating up much faster.
Great video !! You are the man Steve! 👍👍👍
Thank You...
I have now watched four of your videos, and each one has saved me time, money, and effort. I'd buy you a beer if I could.
Great video! One factor that may contribute to *not* seeing this isnthe likes of trimmers etc, is that they often will not rev to anything like max rpm immediately after starting (maybe due to no consumer access to L and H tuning in general), whereas most chainsaws will do max rpm straight form cold start! (or certainly will if you've tweaked the tuning to make them run properly)!
you hit the nail on the head bro! warm up any thing before you put it under load.
Dude. Every video you make saves me money.
Awesome!
Amen to that!
Great advice. I plan to take it to heart. I hate it when I have a machine that won’t work.
Must be from Minn-e-So-ta!
Does this apply to other lawn equipment, weedeater, blowers, etc.?
every piston engine even cars
Hey Steve I bought an old echo weed eater from a garage sale and it was seized, I took it apart and seeing that whoever ran it before must not have been using properly mixed gas scored the piston up a little bit I took it apart sanded it up oiled it lubed it put it back together with proper gas fired it right up and it's been running ever since 2 years strong.!! 😁
Cool!
Certainly wasn't what I was expecting, actually learned something, Thanks
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Once again, HGTV needs you.
Also I work on a major campus in Canada. Lot's of classes are going online, including trade schools. You should reach out to a few and start instructing.
WOW! Thank You...