iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Do you guys warm up your saws? If so whats your Procedure?

Started by JOE.G, August 11, 2012, 08:15:52 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

JOE.G

All of my equipment I like to warm up, My Quads and Snowmobiles I usually like to fire them up and then gear up n then go. I got thinking today when I dropped a couple pine trees that I don't really don't have any procedure for warming up the saws. I figure it probably isn't good to fire them up and then lay into them.
Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

beenthere

My saw is started and I begin the cut right away.

I have done the same for 50 years, and the 041 Stihl I bought in 1975 is still a running saw. No mechanicals and it was used to cut 8-10 cords of firewood a year. Retired it in 2004 when I bought a MS361.

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

JOE.G

I know that it's not god to rip on a cold engine, And I am good at warming everything up, With my Saws, I usually just start them and once I can give it throttle without it bogging I get ripping. I Probably should warm them up a touch more.
Husqvarna 562XP Woods Ported .025 pop up MM
Husqvarna Rancher 55 2005
Husqvarna 450 Anniversary Edition 2010
STIHL 009 1998
STIHL HT 131 Pole Saw 2012
STIHL FS 110 R Trimmer 2010
STIHL BR 600 Magnum Blower 2012

submarinesailor

One thing to remember, the ASME recommends that on automotive and truck engines you start driving them as soon as the oil pressure is up and stabile.  Why you ask?  According to what I have read MANY times, 90% of engine wear occurs during the first 5-10% of warm up.  By driving it, you are loading the motor allowing it to warm up, get though that first 10%, more quickly.  Now they did say drive it slowly/lightly until the engine temperature meter starts to show some heat.

I have been doing this for just over 40 years and have never had an engine failure.....but for the last 35 years I have been also running AMSOIL and I believe that has also helped with not having a failure.

So, it is my opinion that as soon as you get the saw started and running, you should start cutting with it.

Bruce

thecfarm

I usually start it up and start to work it,under a load. In the winter time I plug the tractor in and I put a rug on the hood and than put another piece over the top to keep the saw warm.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Clam77

I let mine warm up just long enough to go from where I was standing where I started it, get the chain to spin good to make sure everything's good to go, and then to where I step over to cut.

Unless the engine has something loose on it causing a problem, or it's extremely cold out, 2-cycles don't need warmup time - their lube is in the fuel instead of in an oil pan waiting to be pumped through the galleys like a car or tractor. 

Big diesels need a lil heat in the upper end of the engine or you can gall the valve guides if you put it under load right away (if it's extremely cold), and (newer) cars can go as soon as the oil pressure stabilizes like sailor said. 

I have a Jeep that doesn't like to move when it's cold unless the engine's half warm and the leather seats are even warmer..    :D
Andy

Stihl 009, 028, 038, 041, MS362
Mac 1-40, 3-25

Al_Smith

I've never been good about warming anything up except one old 1943 Caterpillar D4 you about had to .Simpley because it ran on two or 3 cylinders if it was cold .

As far as saws it must not have hurt them because I have a few I've owned since the mid 70's that still run fine even without Amzoil . 8)

WildDog

Because I am not much of a "Bush mechanic" :( I usually start saws and other small engines at home to make sure they start before heading out in the paddock. I don't normally need to choke them again.
If you start feeling "Blue" ...breath    JD 5510 86hp 4WD loader Lucas 827, Pair of Husky's 372xp, 261 & Stihl 029

weimedog

I warm mine up a bit..I lite them off and let them idle until I can idle with no choke at a minimum and usually about 30 seconds or so before putting them to work...especially the saws I just built or are new. Don't want a cold sieze on those crisp fall and early winter days
Husqvarna 365sp/372xpw Blend, Jonsered 2171 51.4mm XPW build,562xp HTSS, 560 HTSS, 272XP, 61/272XP, 555, 257, 242, 238, Homelite S-XL 925, XP-1020A, Super XL (Dad's saw); Jonsered 2094, Three 920's, CS-2172, Solo 603; 3 Huztl MS660's (2 54mm and 1 56mm)

ladylake


I let them warm up maybe 30 seconds and most important make light cuts at first.  Buying some saws off Ebay a couple were cold siezed from not warming up enough, the piston will be scored on 4 corners not centered in the exhaust port.    Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

Al_Smith

Different opinions .I don't make a practice of allowing the two cycle stuff idle for any length of time .The saws are either off or running pretty much at wide open throttle .Just one of my idioms I suppose .

Then the subject of rebuilds .I put enough oil on them they blow blue smoke for several minutes after a tear down .Fact I split the cases just yesterday on a Stihl 200T for a rebearing and could have fogged mosquitoes after the initial start up for a few minutes .--Old school ,works for me . ;D

John Mc

I start mine up, make sure it accelerates smoothly up from idle, then make sure it's flinging bar oil, and start cutting. 

I might be a bit slower about all this if I'm out in really cold weather, and I try to start out with moderate loads until I've made a couple of cuts
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

shelbycharger400

if its below zero,  I definately let all motors warm up.
above 60 deg out i let them run for 30 sec to a minute.
Id rather let an engine idle warm up, then to take a high milage engine and ROD on it while its cold, idling engine isnt moving as fast, cold out the oil is thick, also if you look into it, that 10w30,  its 30 weight cold then thins out when it warms up . thick oil dosnt flow as well. .  Even driving a COLD engine.. ( below 60 deg) and take it up to above 3 grand, the pistons sound like they want to change holes.  my 2.4 in my car has over 248k miles on it.    Also because i was and still am an engine builder, Cold piston sieze is a REAL deal.   cold engine, putting an load on it and the piston heats up faster than the cylinder and siezes up.
A paper engineer can put out a report all they want , They dont want your car to last, they want you to buy a NEW one.

after having driven several years and cars later, the motors that lasted me the longest have been where i let them warm up, and didnt beat the snot out of them when cold.

Al_Smith

There's quite a bit of difference when compairing water cooled 4 cycle auto type engines and an air cooled two cycle saw engine .

Firstly with a saw engine it doesn't take any time at all before the internal cylinder temperature is up .The oil is in the fuel not pressure fed through a pump from cold high viscosity oil in the sump .FWIW with modern auto engines you can't even pump straight 30 WT oil through the system cold or hot .What used to be a standard 2.5 thou rod and main bearing clearances are now down to near 1 thou .They don't rattle like they used to .

With a modern automobile you don't need to pump the accelerator ,set the choke and let it chug for 5 minutes like you used to back 30 plus  years ago .You just hit the key,the EEC  does the rest .Some might have called that old stuff the "good old days " but having dealt with it ,it really was anything but good .

Now I'm not saying to neccessarily fire the saw and hit WOT .I'm saying you don't need to fire it up and let it putt on the ground for ten minutes before you use it .Then again what or how anybody runs their saws is really none of by business . ;)

ladylake

 I'm not the let it put put for long either but after seeing a few cold seized 2 stroke engine I'll try and warm mine up slowly.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

tyb525

I make sure bar oil is getting to the chain, I do this by holding the tip near something light colored, like a piece of wood, till I can see some oil splatter coming off. Then it's good to go.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

lumberjack48

At -30, -40 left on the strip all night, covered up with a few limbs, dig it out, start it, rev it up, let it idle to my first tree about 30 feet away and start my day out. I have never had or seen a saw score the piston from a cold start up running 16:1, using 30 weight non-detergent motor oil for mix back in the early 60's.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

petefrom bearswamp

Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

1270d

16 to 1?   Whew. Must have kept all living things away with the smoke cloud that put out.

lumberjack48

I was running a C9 Homelite, it smoked a little at start up, after it was warmed up it didn't smoke unless it set and idled.
The main thing when it was that cold was to run a little heet in the gas or the throat on the carb would frost up.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

Al_Smith

To reinforce that I lived through the 16 to 1 stuff .They really didn't smoke that much as much as people might think they would .Nor did they foul spark plugs as many who know no better might attest to .Nor by the way in spite of a few experts on the subject did they lean seize because of supposedly running a lean mix with too much oil .--I WIN --- 8)

tyb525

Al, I actually agree with everything you said there :D

I have an old 2 stroke Lawnboy pushmower that I run 16:1 in, It doesn't really smoke after startup. My dad and his dad also ran 16:1 in it....no lean seize, crazy isn't it ::)
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

John Mc

Quote from: Al_Smith on August 13, 2012, 08:51:53 PM
Nor by the way in spite of a few experts on the subject did they lean seize because of supposedly running a lean mix with too much oil .

Sure... because you adjusted your mixture to the appropriate setting for the fuel you were using.

I have no idea how much of a difference oil/fuel mix actually makes in enriching or leaning the mixture... nor do I care. What I do know is to adjust my mixture for the fuel mix, altitude, etc  I'm actually running.  I do see a difference going from non-ethanol fuel to the ethanol blended stuff.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

lumberjack48

The XL-12 Homelite, if you used Homelite oil the mix is 32:1, any other oil they wanted you to run 16:1.
As far as setting the carb, i leaned-em out as far as i could, this doesn't hurt-em as long as you run it right. But there again if somebody else was going to use the saw i had to richen it up a little.
If we needed smoke to keep mosquito's off the peelers we added more oil, it worked good.
In the winter the only thing we brought in the woods shack was the bar oil, never brought the saws in because they'd frost up on you, then you had problems. The saws had no warm up time, start it, rev it up a couple times to get it all turning and start cutting. When i think about it we didn't have piston failure like these new saws.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

tyb525

If I put 16:1 in my 038 (which I have...I normally run 50:1) without changing the carb settings..all it does is smoke more. No lean seize there, in fact it gave every indication of running rich.

Anyways, before that can of worms is fully opened and spilled all over the table..
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

petefrom bearswamp

As i have posted here before, my 1973 Super XL12 still starts good and runs without much smoke.
I use 16:1.
It sits at my Adirondack camp weeks at a time with Ethanol gas in it and still starts within 5 or so pulls.
Pete
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

lumberjack48

When your adjusting the carb, your adjusting the gas flow, not the oil mixture, the oils already mixed in the gas. Its not oil injection. 

Pete i think they made better rubber back then, or maybe not so thin.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

cuterz

Start it let it idle while putting on glove glasses etc then go! 8)

tyb525

Pete you will be replacing your fuel lines if you haven't already, the old fuel lines weren't made to resist ethanol. In this case the rubber wasn't "better" because ethanol wasn't in the gas then.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

lumberjack48

Pete is say up to date his XL12 lays around most the time with ethanol gas and has had no problems, 39 yrs.

I got a new one, 1964, i can remember changing the gas filter, you had a hard time bending the fuel line to get the filter up though the hole.

On the new saws the fuel line in the tank is like a limp noodle, and their sure not making it ethanol resist.

I didn't say the old ones were ethanol resist. i said made better meaning about 5 to 10 times thicker then the new fuel lines.
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

tyb525

Yes I understand they probably made them thicker, I didn't mean they weren't. I just meant they weren't made for ethanol.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Al_Smith

Well quite frankly even the old lines would go bad given enough time ethanol or not .

Fact I've torn into for example old Homelites that have sat unused for 25 years and more times than not the lines were mush inside the tanks .By the same token just yesterday I changed lines on a guy's Poulan that most likely is less than 10 years old .

Now the worst part is if the lines were made of synthetic rubber the left behind residue in the tanks can plague you for months afterwards .It can get through the fuel filter and lodge in the internal carb screen and just about drive you nuts .

I think I solved the problem on a 2100 Husqvarna by installing a huge felt fuel filter originally used on an old McCulloch which filters better than the newer screen types .

Thank You Sponsors!