When your chainsaw isn’t getting fueled the right way, it may not start (if it does, it’ll likely go off soon after). In extreme cases, your chainsaw engine may suffer significant damage, leaving you with costly repairs to cash out on. Fortunately, preventing these fuel-related inconveniences isn’t as hard as you might have been led to believe.
To make sure your chainsaw is getting fueled properly, clean the carburetor, check the fuel and air filter regularly, and get the fuel mix ratio right.
The rest of this post will explore these steps in greater detail to help ensure your chainsaw gets the fuel it needs correctly and in the appropriate condition. Let’s dive right in.
1. Check and Clean the Carburetor.
The carburetor is one of your chainsaw’s most useful fueling components. If this all-important component gets clogged or damaged, your chainsaw likely won’t be getting properly fueled from that point onwards.
A properly functioning carburetor often means your chainsaw is getting fueled properly. That’s because the carburetor plays a crucial role in ensuring your engine gets the fuel to power your chainsaw. To be specific, it’s responsible for supplying your chainsaw engine with the appropriate air and fuel mixture (usually in small quantities).
Like all other combustion engines, your chainsaw’s engine needs a specific air-fuel ratio to run efficiently and prolong its service life. This ratio determines how efficiently your chainsaw burns fuel to generate power, and compromising it has consequences (source).
Too much or too little fuel mixed with air can be dangerous. For example, too much fuel would lead to flooding, excess smoke coming from the engine, the chainsaw not starting, or even damage to the engine (source).
Too little fuel mixed with air is equally as dangerous as having too much fuel. In this case, the engine may be permanently damaged or not start.
So for your chainsaw to get fueled properly, you must ensure the carburetor is in the best working condition by cleaning, tuning, or replacing it.
If your carburetor isn’t functioning properly, it’s either too old, damaged, or needs cleaning.
You can dismantle the carburetor or clean it without dismantling it, depending on the extent of clogging. If the build-up in the carburetor is too much, installing a replacement is your best choice; just ensure you buy one compatible with your chainsaw.
2. Inspect and Clean the Gas Tank
Gas tank issues may also prevent your chainsaw from getting the fuel it needs to function. Two of the most common gas tank issues that may hinder fuel supply are fuel degradation and contamination.
If left unattended, these two problems can cause serious damage to your chainsaw’s engine. This is why you need to inspect and clean your chainsaw gas tank regularly.
Contamination often occurs when debris enters the gas tank and mixes with the oil/gas in the tank. Accumulation of dirt in the tank forms a sludge that can affect the fuel supply and cause your engine to malfunction.
There isn’t much you can do to prevent debris from getting into your tank. However, you can regularly clean and change contaminated fuel and oil mixtures.
Typically, the fuel in a chainsaw doesn’t last. It disintegrates fast, largely because it’s a mixture of gas and oil. On average, the fuel in a chainsaw can last for 30 days before disintegration (source).
So, you must avoid storing fuel in your gas tank for long periods, especially during cold weather. Doing this would help you manage the problems that may arise from fuel degradation. Empty the tank if you must and clean it before and after long storage periods.
Cleaning your gas tank is a 3-step process that involves:
- Emptying the tank
- Rinsing it out with gas
- Using a brush to scrub the tank’s interior. Never use water to clean your gas tank (source).
3. Use the Appropriate Fuel Mix
The effect of using the wrong fuel mix ranges from minor and reversible consequences to severe damage to your chainsaw engine. This is why using the right fuel mix is one of the most important aspects of fueling your chainsaw properly and extending its durability.
The gas quality your chainsaw uses can significantly affect the engine’s performance. Typically, chainsaws (especially two-cycle engine chainsaws) require special fuel: a mixture of gasoline and oil. The oil serves as a lubricant, while gasoline is, well, what your engine burns to run.
A chainsaw two-cycle engine’s recommended oil-gas mix is a 50:1 ratio (50 parts being gasoline and 1 part for oil) (source). However, some manufacturers recommend a 40:1 ratio, so you might want to check your user manual for the correct figure for your chainsaw.
One of the easiest ways to ensure you’re using the right mix is to avoid mixing your fuel in the gas tank directly. Instead, mix the fuel before you pour it into your tank. Better yet, use premixed fuel. Although many chainsaw owners opt to mix their fuel to save money, using premixed fuel has benefits:
- It saves time.
- The fuel lasts longer.
- It improves overall engine performance.
Ultimately, whether you mix your fuel yourself or purchase premixed ones comes down to your preference. What’s important is to stick to the recommended mix for your chainsaw engine.
Extra Tips to Ensure Your Engine Is Getting Fueled Properly
In addition to the three must-dos we’ve discussed above, here’s a list of other things you can do to keep your chainsaw engine fueled properly:
- Never use fuel that has stayed longer than a month.
- Always check air and fuel filters for clogging and clean them regularly.
- Inspect the fuel line and check for leaks. They may be the reason your engine isn’t receiving fuel.
- Ensure the gasoline you use doesn’t exceed 10% ethanol to avoid damaging your engine.
- Check your spark plug. Spark plug issues may sometimes be an indication of a fueling issue (source).
- Always refer to your manufacturer’s manual for guidelines on properly fueling your chainsaw.
Sometimes your chainsaw starts to make weird noises as soon as you turn it on. Why does it happen? I’ve discussed the reasons in a complete guide. Read it to learn more.
Conclusion
Taking great care to get your chainsaw properly fuelled is a good way to keep your chainsaw at its best because fueling issues can:
- Stop your engine from starting
- Cause it to start and stop
- Damage the engine
Though some of the effects of a chainsaw not getting fueled properly are reversible, you still want to avoid them because recurring issues may lead to irreversible damage. All the best!
