Stihl crazy after all these years...

[jinman]

I've owned a Stihl 021 with 16" bar for around 10 years. It's an occasional use chainsaw since I cut no more than a cord of firewood per year. It's mostly used for cutting down dead trees or trimming them to push into a burn pile or gully. I admit that I haven't been emptying out the fuel when I put it away. It's use is intermittent and I just grab it and go when I need it.

Last week I was using the saw to buck logs when it started choking down badly and dying. I added fuel even though it was 3/4 full and it started right back up. As I started to cut, it coughed and died. I figured my leaving fuel in it had clogged the carb, so off I went to remove and clean the carb.

After cleaning every orifice in the carb and reinstalling, I again tried to start, but it was no-go. I poured a bit of fuel directly into the carb intake and the saw fired right off for about 5 seconds and then died. I was convinced I had water in the fuel tank, so I dumped out the fuel.

What a surprise to have the fuel filter and a section of the pickup fuel line fall out of the fuel tank when I dumped the gas. The pictures below show the condition of the fuel line. It was soft and malleable, almost like Silly Putty. I had to handle it very carefully to get the pictures below because as I squeezed it, it just turned into a mushy ball of rubber. The section of the hose on the outside of the tank was fine; although, I could only judge the outside of the hose. It may have been deteriorated on the inside.

I drove to my Stihl dealer about 20 miles away and bought a new fuel tank hose and filter (Cost: about $17). The hose is similar to the attachment. I found the fuel hose was very easy to install without anything more required than removal of the carburetor. With everything reassembled, the saw fired off and runs like new.

I'm not sure what caused the fuel line to do this. Could it be ethanol in the gas? Could it be not always using Stihl 2-cycle oil? Could it be my storing the saw with fuel in the tank? My guess is some or all of the above. Now, when I store the saw, I'll dump out the fuel in the tank at least. Has anyone else seen this?

. . . and yes. I'm still crazy about my Stihl after all these years.

 

[randy41]

it looks like it was expose to excessive heat but i don't necessarily think this was the cause. did the parts guy at the dealer have anything to say about it?
btw...i have a stihl and i never empty the fuel out and i haven't had a problem like that even though the saw is almost 20 years old.

 

[jinman]

To quote the counter-guy, "Dang! What happened to that?"
Me: "Do you suppose it was ethanol in the gas?"
Counter-guy: "Probably!"
Me: "Hmm. . ."

That's about the extent of our analysis.

 

[JESSE1]

I have an '85 Stihl 038 w/20" bar that had the same thing happen to it a few years ago. Always used the Stihl 2 cycle oil. Since these saws were built before ethanol was commonly used ethanol may be what caused the problem.

 

[RobertN]

Dunno, but same happened to my Dad's 024(awesome saw, especially for being 25 years old!).

Simple quick fix, and not bad for about the only maintenance on the saw besides plug and air filter cleaining in 30 years(My Dad has worn out chains, messed up bars, but never had problems with the power head)

 

[escavader]

I agree with it being the new gas.
ALAN

 

[jinman]

Dunno, but same happened to my Dad's 024(awesome saw, especially for being 25 years old!).

Simple quick fix, and not bad for about the only maintenance on the saw besides plug and air filter cleaining in 30 years(My Dad has worn out chains, messed up bars, but never had problems with the power head)

Thanks everyone for letting me know there are others who have seen a similar problem.

Robert, I couldn't believe how easy the fuel line replacement was. It has a double flange on it like a grommet with the part that goes inside the tank being slightly smaller and angled. All I had to do was pull on the hose from the inside while pressing down on the outside and it popped right into the hole in the tank. I didn't even have to apply any grease. Not a drop of fuel leaked when I turned it upside down. It was the easiest fuel line replacement I've ever done.

 

[Bird]

I no longer have a chain saw, but I do have a Stihl string trimmer and Mantis tiller and I've been leaving the gas in them. So I guess I won't be surprised if I have a similar problem. So I'm glad to know what might be the problem if it happens.

 

[kennyd]

It is definitely the Ethanol. The new gas formulation has been great for small engine shops!

 

[jinman]

When I was in Norman, OK a month ago, I filled up at a gas station that had a sign saying there was no ethanol in their gasoline. The next time I go up, I may take a jug and fill it with fuel. However, emptying out the fuel and refilling is probably just as easy. If the pickup hose had not broken off from the top of the tank, I might never have noticed because fuel with oil is too dark to see much inside the tank. There's no telling how long that filter had been rolling around inside the tank, attached to nothing.

 

[om21braz]

I've got a 028 that's at least 25 years old - had a few issues with the chain brake when new, but nothing since parts wise. It's as solid a piece of equipment as one could ask for.

 

[lhfarm]

I have an 028 that just did the same thing. Ended up spending $110 for a complete carb rebuild, fuel line and filter. $38 of that was labor. I've always used Stihl oil.

The dealer did say I should be good for another 20 years.

 

[RobertN]

I have had the same problem with my old Husky. It is probably a saw from the mid 70's. Don't know the model; all that sticker and plate wore off long ago from heavy use.

It is just as well, the fuel lines went bad; it was probably a good indication the fuel filters needed changed too

Here is a picture of my two favorite saws. Stihl 024 of my Dad's is a great saw, light, handles nice, lots of power for the size. The Husky, is unknown. I got it well used; the local shop think it is a 85-95cc saw. I have a 24" bar on it; they said it would easily handle one twice as long.

Robert, I couldn't believe how easy the fuel line replacement was. It has a double flange on it like a grommet with the part that goes inside the tank being slightly smaller and angled.

 

[MossRoad]

Has anyone else seen this?

Yes. The same thing happened to my 20+ year old Craftsman chainsaw last year. I started smelling gas while it was running. Then it would die after 5-10 seconds. Then it would not start. Opened it up and found the hose had deteriorated where it came off the carb inside the spring protector. I thought it was wear and tear until I attempted to pull the old line out of the fuel tank and it was just a mushy string of goo similar in strength to overdone pasta! I went to the hardware store and got a piece of fuel line for a couple bucks and replaced it.

 

[MotorSeven]

JInman, check the impulse line too, it can also deteriorate also and will cause big problems. Recently(last year or so) I have been having fits with ethanol in fuel in my saws and 2stroke boat motor. The stuff doesn't last much more than a month, so I have switched to 110 octane race fuel until I can find a non-ethanol gas station nearby(it's a pain becasue I have to re-adjust all my carbs).

Friggin corn, grass clippings or other such "green" material has no business in our fuel. Instead of spending research and $ on getting us off fossil fuel, the Govt is promoting a waste of green resources to band-aid a large compound fracture that will no doubt turn gang GREEN.......

RD

 

[Bird]

Jim (or anyone else who has had this problem), did the fuel have Stabil in it? I use Stihl's own 2-cycle oil (synthetic now) and Stabil in my fuel. Will the ethanol still cause the fuel line to deteriorate or does it make any difference?

 

[MotorSeven]

Bird, I don't think Stabil addresses ethanol. Phaser 3000, and Star-tron which is a Starbright product(available at wallyworld) are the two I am familiar with. I was testing the Phaser, but when I switched to race fuel it became a moot point.

RD

 

[jinman]

Bird, I don't have Stabil in my gas. I have a can, but I've never used it. I guess that doesn't count.

 

[MossRoad]

Jim (or anyone else who has had this problem), did the fuel have Stabil in it? I use Stihl's own 2-cycle oil (synthetic now) and Stabil in my fuel. Will the ethanol still cause the fuel line to deteriorate or does it make any difference?

I go through enough fuel that I never need Stabil. I always run out my chainsaw so fuel is never stored in it. What I find interesting is the chainsaws that have this problem all seem to be older saws. The fuel line that I had was black in color. The new fuel line is yellow and see-through. My saw was not used much for the last 15 years. Only last year did I start using it heavy as that is when we got our wood burner, so I ran quite a few tanks of gas through it last year. I will see how it does this next year with the new fuel line.

On a note about Stabil... I have an old beat up 1985 chevy pickup in the backyard that I stopped driving back in 1998. I put Stabil in the tank when I stored it. About twice a year I go out, put a battery in it and start it up and move it around the yard. It is the same gas for 11 years. It has a carb, not throttle body.

 

[AMP762]

We have two Shell stations nearby that have "no ethanol" posted on the pumps.