Depending on where you're living this time of year you may find yourself using a chainsaw more than a motorcycle or a boat. Chainsaws are worth their weight in gold for filling the woodpile and keeping everyone warm--not mention for those downed branches and trees that gotta go. Chainsaws also require regular maintenance and top-rated lubricants to keep them operating well and ready when you need them.
Here's some helpful tips for maintaining your chainsaw from an expert at Amsoil:
1. Keep the chain sharp
Anyone who has tried forcing a dull chain through wood knows the
importance of a sharp chain. Properly sharpening a chain is an art form,
so if you don’t want a collection of useless chains hanging on your
garage wall, visit a professional. It’ll likely cost you less than $10
and save you a ton of grief.
Interested in sharpening your chainsaw yourself? Check out this
video.
2. Properly tension the chain
A chain that’s too tight can bind and stall the saw. On a non-roller-tip
bar, an over-tightened chain can overheat. When adjusting the chain,
hold the tip of the bar up as far as it goes and tighten the tensioning
screw until you’ve taken the slack out of the underside of the bar.
3. Break in a new chain
When it’s time to replace the chain, break it in first by soaking it in
Amsoil's bar and chain oil for a couple hours. This ensures all the pivot points
are well lubricated. Then, hang the chain from a nail and let the excess
oil drip back into the pan.
Install and tension the chain and run until warm. The chain will
loosen as it heats, so shut the saw down and tension the chain
again. Then perform light-duty work, like cutting limbs and small
branches for 30 minutes or so. Tension the chain again, and
you’re ready to dive into the heavy-duty work.
4. Clean the air filter
Keeping the air filter clean is one of the most important things you can
do to extend saw life and increase performance. It’s the only line of
defense against the engine ingesting sawdust and dirt, which can plug
the carburetor and cause the saw to start hard and run poorly.
Contaminants can also wreck the piston rings, causing the engine to lose
compression, reducing power.
Many saws have a screen as opposed to a foam or paper filter. In
these cases, use an air compressor to direct air through the filter
backward to prevent lodging debris deeper into the media. If you don’t
have an air compressor, tap the filter on the edge of a workbench. If
you have a foam or paper filter, replace it often – it’s far less
expensive than replacing the entire saw.
5. Use fresh gasoline
Most homeowners’ chainsaws spend far more time sitting in the garage
than cutting in the woods. As the gas/oil ages, the gasoline can begin
to breakdown in as little as 30 days, creating gums and varnish that
plug the carburetor and lead to hard starts and rough running.
Mix only enough fuel to last 30 days. Better still, use a two-stoke oil formulated with a gasoline stabilizer, such as
AMSOIL SABER® Professional Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil. You can also treat fuel with an additive designed to stabilize fuel, like
AMSOIL Quickshot®. Both products keep gas fresh up to six months.