With the changing weather, the demands in needs of people also get changed. Likewise, most people do not like working with their chainsaws in freezing weather. And why not you do so? There must be some days off from work for enjoyment and especially when the environmental conditions are not suitable.
Now that it is decided to take a break from cutting activities, it is equally important to keep your chainsaw properly stored during winter. Or else, you would not be able to use your chainsaw in the next season.
I am here to tell you how you can winterize your chainsaw. Storing a chainsaw in winter is not simply like putting your chainsaw in a store room and that’s all. The process is way more complex than that.
How to Winterize a Chainsaw in Freezing Cold Weather?
Winterizing a chainsaw means keeping your chainsaw in storage during the time of harsh weather conditions. Cold can cause rust to your chainsaw as it is made up of metal. Therefore, properly storing your chainsaw is of keen importance.
I will guide you in detail regarding how you t winterize a chainsaw. I will let you know everything. First of all, gather all the necessary supplies mentioned below as they are needed in the process. After that, I will tell you the steps to follow.
Supplies/Materials Needed:
To carry out the operations, you will need some of the tools such as chip brush, scrench, and clean towels. Other than these tools, you also need to have some materials that you may need in the process such as a spark plug, air filter, fuel stabilizer, two-stroke engine oil, and funnel.
Steps to Follow for Winterizing Chainsaw:
After that, you are having all the tools and materials with you, and you are ready to get started. So, let’s move to the first step.
Step 1: Checking
The first thing that you will do is to check whether your gas chainsaw is working properly and in good condition or not. If there is any part damaged or any problem, you need to solve it before you store your chainsaw.
This is of great significance as you will be using your chainsaw after months maybe 2 or 3 or even 4 months. Imagine, you did all this process to save your chainsaw for the next year’s use. And when you get it out to use it and you find some. This will surely irritate you more than anything.
Thus, it is necessary to check for problems before storage. Get the problem fixed, if any, then move to the next step.
Step 2: Cleaning
Once your chainsaw is examined in healthy and in good condition, clean it. No, not just dusting off some dirt but you need to clean it deeply. Remove the clutch cover so that the chain and sprockets are visible to you.
Take off the chain from the saw and wash it with soap and water. Use a brush to get the dirt out of every corner and space of the chainsaw chain. Also, wash the bar with soap and water. Clean the remaining motor part with a dry towel as much as you can.
After that, dry out the bar and the chain. Storing them while they are wet, will rust them. You can air dry the parts, or you can use a clean cloth to quickly dry them out. Done with cleaning? Good job! Let’s move ahead.
Step 3: Lubricating Parts
The next step is to lubricate the chainsaw parts. Never store your chainsaw without lubricating it. Long-time chainsaw storage is only efficient when you take care of everything while storing it.
Apply a few drops of oil on the chainsaw bar, chain, and other metallic parts. Do not give oil in excess, just provide a sufficient amount of oil and spread it all over the various parts of the chainsaw.
Be careful while dealing with chainsaw chains whether you are washing them or oiling them. As you know it has quite sharp blades that can cause severe injury to you. So make sure you are promptly adopting all the safety measures such as wearing gloves during the whole process.
Step 4: Emptying Fuel Reservoir
Then, drain out all the fuel and oil reservoirs. It is because you will be storing your chainsaw for a longer period that can last up to three‐four months. During this duration, if there is fuel in the tank, it will damage the engine and may cause contamination.
Let me explain to you the significance of this process in simple words. Whenever you have to store a bottle, jar, or other such sorts of equipment, you always store them empty. Right? The same formula is applied here to keep the engine healthy.
In another case, if you do not want to keep it empty, you can use an oil stabilizer. It will protect your fuel system against any sort of contamination. You have this alternate option available if you want to avail.
Step 5: Engine lubrication
You need to empty reservoirs to store the chainsaw but do not forget that lubrication is equally important. For this, what you have to do is to put some oil in the engine. Do not know how to do it? No worries, I am here to tell you.
Remove the spark plug and add some oil to the engine. Add around 1 teaspoon of the oil to the engine. Then, run the engine for 8 to 10 minutes. This will spread the oil in the engine and adequately lubricate the engine.
After you do so, you can also change the spark plug at this point. If it is needed, do it. Or else, it is fine.
Step 6: Cleaning and Checking Air filters
At this stage, you are done with the major process. Oh, wait! Never store chainsaws with dirty air filters. Now that you are cleaning everything, it should be done too. Take out air filters and clean them properly. Fix them, and here you go to the final step.
Step 7: Storing in a Suitable Place
You are done with all the preparations. Now it is time for the safe storage of the chainsaw. Find a suitable place that is clean and dry. Make sure that the area is safe from moisture.
Another tip regarding storing a chainsaw is to wrap the chainsaw bar in a thick cloth and do the same with the chainsaw chain. Store them separately, folded in a clean piece of thick cloth. Put the chainsaw bar and chain back at the time of use.
You can also make a chainsaw holder to store your chainsaw or most of all you can hang it properly to keep it away from moisture or contamination.
Winterizing Husqvarna Chainsaw
For winterizing your Husqvarna chainsaw you need to drain all of the fuel from the chainsaw. You can also drain the bar or you may not, it is optional. Clean your chainsaw deeply and for that, you can adopt a method of your choice. You can use an air compressor to clean it or wash it or whatever is suitable for you.
Then start the chainsaw until it dies because of empty fuel. Add a teaspoon of oil to the engine and start it. this is for lubrication. Then put your chainsaw in the case and store it in a suitable place.
In the season, when you will get back your chainsaw to work, you may need to change the oil filters. If needed, do that. Also, if spark plugs need to be changed, do it. And here you go with your cutting again in the spring season.
The process works best for all contemporary models including the 460 Rancher, 455 Rancher, and 435 Husqvarna.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How do you store a chainsaw over winter?
A chainsaw can be stored for the winter season but you must do it properly. The process for this is to drain out all the fuel from the chainsaw. Separate its parts such as chainsaw bad and chain. Then, clean it efficiently and lubricate it so that it does not get rusted.
Put the chainsaw case over it and store it in a place that is moisture free. Also, avoid places where there is direct exposure to sunlight. In this way, you can store a chainsaw over winter without causing any damage to it.
2. Should I drain gas from my chainsaw?
Yes, you should grain gas oil mixture from the chainsaw if you are planning to store it for a long time such as in the off-season. Otherwise, if you are leaving it for a few days, then you do not need to drain the gas out of it.
Keeping the mixed fuel in the chainsaw for a long will damage it. Therefore, it is recommended to leave all the fuel from the chainsaw until it dies. Then, you can keep your chainsaw in hibernation.
3. How do you winterize a 2-stroke chainsaw?
To winterize a 2-stroke chainsaw engine, you need to empty the fuel tank. Then, use the fuel stabilizer to keep the engine healthy and corrosion free. Run the engine for a while so that the stabilizer fuel gets evenly distributed. Clean your chainsaw properly and also lubricate the chainsaw bar and chain with corrosion-inhibiting oil to prevent rusting. Then, your chainsaw is ready for hibernation during winter.
Final Takeaways:
This was all about how to winterize a chainsaw. I have given you handy and tips-based information regarding the topic. Hopefully, it will be useful for you and can help you in storing your chainsaw efficiently.
Do not forget to take safety measures at all steps. While dealing with chainsaw chains, do take special measures to keep yourself safe from any sort of incident.
his personal experience and loves to share their nitty gritty details with his audience.
Although Richard does focus on other home improvement tools, his focus remains on cutting fallen trees or maintaining his backyard via chainsaw tools. He pledges to come up with new knowledge about chainsaws every once in a while.
- IMOUMLIVE Mini Chainsaw Review: [Fast, Compact, Lightweight] - December 11, 2023
- 10 Types of Chainsaw Explained in Detail for Homeowners - January 23, 2023
- What is Chainsaw Rake? A Guide for Beginners - January 21, 2023