Gremlins

We're having a bit of technical, inter-tubes related difficulties here at the Hall.  Don't mind if you don't see me on any given day.

Mostly I'm just laying in wood for the winter anyway.  The odds of me having a great insight to trouble you with at this time are fairly small.  I can tell you that chainsaws, given modern fuel conditions, work better at 50:1 than 60:1; and that you need to change your gas out before it gets a month old, no matter how good your ratio happens to be.



Since we're doing old cartoons on relevant subjects, how about a Depression-era Disney cartoon on the subject of eviction?

6 comments:

bthun said...

Re: Chainsaws, fuel, etc...

I've had problems with the gasohol and small engines over the last few years. Corrosion and decay of parts prematurely.

During the time I've had to spend investigating the cause of then cleaning/replacing tanks/carbs, lines etc., I discovered that some manufacturers of new equipment do not stand behind their warranties if the alcohol content in the fuel is greater than E10. And to state the obvious, older equipment was not designed to use fuel with the fuel/alcohol blends at all.

Good old E10 and greater attracts water, degrades the plasticizer in some gaskets, seals, floats, diaphragms, etc. Accelerates corrosion and dissolves the additives in two-cycle oils. Not to mention taking feed stock and blending it into fuel...

P.S. If your small engine whatchamathing corrodes, the fuel turns reddish brown and the metal tank corrodes on the inside due to fuel left standing for an extended period, remove and empty the tank, then fill 'er up with white vinegar and leave it for a couple of days. Follow that with emptying the tank then adding a baking soda and water mix to neutralize any vinegar residual and leave the soda/water in the tank for a few hours. Finally perform a thorough rise or a couple. The inside of the metal tank should clean up and look like new.

Plastic fuel lines and internal parts in carburetors will most likely need to be replaced. Gotta love corn-fuel.

Don't ask me how I know...

P.P.S. I'm now reminded that the last time I used the saw, the chain would not stay on the bar. *sigh* Another to do added to the list...

Texan99 said...

I've been reading here and there that modern fuel can't be left in tanks the way we used to do it.

And all this in aid of a biofuels movement that doesn't even save energy, when you factor in the costs of raising the biomass. Gummint subsidies, feh.

Grim said...

Yeah, I've lost two chainsaws to gasohol so far. The first one lost two pistons -- the manufacturer (Stihl) replaced the first one, but not the second. Only I had no idea what was going on at that time, this being a couple of years ago. The shop told me it was 'user error,' and that I must not have been running it full speed, causing the air-cooled mechanism to overheat and score the piston.

The truth turns out to be that gasohol (after about a month) turns into a varnish, which blocks airflow internally. You have to replace the gas entirely in less than a month to avoid total destruction.

I was without a saw for a long time, but I got a new Husqvarna for Father's Day. So, I'm trying to make up for lost time in getting next winter's firewood laid in. Should still be plenty of time for it to season by cold weather, given the strength of the Georgia sun.

bthun said...

"gasohol (after about a month) turns into a varnish, which blocks airflow internally. You have to replace the gas entirely in less than a month to avoid total destruction."

Ayup. Pretty much...

You can disassemble, soak and clean the solidified goo out of most of the tools and replace the pieces/parts that are beyond reclamation at a tiny fraction of the cost of buying new, but it requires that a person have a fairly dominate chea..., ah, frugal gene.

BTW Grim, if you lose another Stihl chainsaw to gasohol and it is a mid-range or pro model with a 16" or better bar, allow me to dispose of it for you. =;^}

douglas said...

Well that explains the rotted out fuel lines, and rough running.

Is there a grade of aviation fuel you can use like 87 regular? It's not allowed to have alcohol in it. I don't think marine fuel has the same allowance, at least not here in California.

bthun said...

Douglas,

Look into adding a product called STA-BIL to the fuel.

That product seems to have gone a piece towards relieving the ethenol in fuel problems for my small engine based equipment.