How long do your saws last?

[Burnham]

I'm in the same camp as Fiona. Mine last forever...both work saws with the USFS, and my personal saws.

I'll acknowledge that I put a small percentage of hours on my saws annually, compared to Stig, and probably most of the pro arbs here as well.

But the other side of that coin we shouldn't ignore...a chainsaw, actually any internal combustion engine driven machine, hates more than anything to sit. Mine have always had to suffer that downtime. Splintered demands of the job while working, and minor average annual need once retired. But whatever....

I have no real data to support my opinion, but be that as it may...I think a well maintained (this is the crucial factor imo) and properly operated (the other crucial factor) saw should give years of service. After that, the number of years is totally dependent on the hours per year. I think any well built and fully maintained chainsaw, on average, should provide about 6,000 to 8,000 hours of service.

That's pretty close to Stig's numbers, I think. It's also why this putz of an on call hazard tree faller and crazy odd job climber, and now homeowner firewooder, can still have great service from those darned antique saws .

 

[Al Smith]

I've got some that date back to 1956 but then again I'm a collector .Most of Toms on the other hand usually die from abuse .Those 10-12 dollar an hour guys really aren't saw operators .He did like B and stock piled 200T's a local dealer saves for him .He gets them usually for 250 300 a pop .He might have 6-8 of them .
One of Toms saws an 038 Magnum had over 20 years of hard service that be bought used .It grenaded a piston,I rebuilt the saw and he must have ran it another 5 until it got replaced with a 440 .I now own that saw and I'd bet it runs as good today as the day it came off the assembley line if not better .One tough old saw .

 

[treesmith]

The oldest saw in my truck currently is a 192T that I bought (used) in 2009 I believe. Second oldest is a 200T bought new in 2011. They proceed from there. I have put new carbs on two 200Ts several times, as the ethanol gums them up. The 2011 200T has not been used a lot, as I use another 200T with 14" bar most of the time, but it still fires up when called on.

I'd guess the leading cause of failure in chain saws (or any two-cycle apparatus) is failure in fuel/oil mix. I buy my oil at Walmart by the gallon, and refill my bottles as needed. I run around 24:1-32:1. I have never run 50:1 in anything of mine. Another tree guy near me has had several saws fail in the last year. I'll wager his guys mix the gas and mess up. I've seen boat motors that were over 30 years old still crank and run. Two-cycles are long-lived if taken care of.

Of course use counts the most. I have three 200Ts that have never tasted fuel yet.....

 

[Tree09]

If anyone is looking for a place to get rid of "used up" saws, please help a brother out

 

[Al Smith]

I will say this to further add to what Burnham said .Having a number of saws and other internal combustion engines many sit unused for months at a time .After which they aren't quite on their pace for a little while after long rest .They do perk up after a little run time,usually .If not you have to work on them .Been there ,often .

 

[Tree09]

I personally feel that my neglect of machinery and using old resurrected stuff has made me the mechanic i am today! After you do so many carbs, occasional head gasket and valves that water got in, etc you learn that engines aren't really some super magical thing, and that if it has fuel, spark, and compression then it has to run, it doesn't have a choice. I feel if you want to learn how to fix engines, the best way is to get an old lawn mower out of the garbage and get it running again. Slowly work your way up to more complicated stuff.

 

[Raj]

I like to run 40:1 mix. In my mind it helps lube my second hand saws. I have plenty of shop time so my saws get love once and a while. Good cleanings, filter washings and spark plugs are regular.

 

[Altissimus]

Still , the fact remains as a large truck mechanic once told me "there are only so many revs built into any motor" ... I've had at least six 372's that went from showroom new to junk in a few years , whatever , I totally accept it ... Gives not hundreds , not thousands , but hundreds of thousands good cuts before it dies.

 

[Stumpshot]

Except our lemon that's been rebuilt once and needs to be rebuilt again 6 months later. The other 372 is still running like a champ, though after 2+ years of good, hard use.

 

[squisher]

Replace that saw with a stihl and turn lemons into lemonade.

 

[Stumpshot]

That's for sure tempting -- a 462, hmmmm.... But we're giving the saw shop one LAST chance to do right behind their work. They sold us the saw new, then rebuilt it completely, we ran it for less than a month, now it's ready to go back in for a full rebuild.

 

[Mick!]

I like to run 40:1 mix. In my mind it helps lube my second hand saws. I have plenty of shop time so my saws get love once and a while. Good cleanings, filter washings and spark plugs are regular.

I never change the spark plug.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I remember that old thread from Mike Maas ages ago at AS.

Spark plugs never wear out!

 

[SeanKroll]

I think it depend on the life of the saw, if the spark plug will wear out/ give measurably-reduced performance.

 

[Tree09]

Ss, I'm curious how it would need a complete rebuild at all... at that price i assume it's not getting compression?

 

[treebilly]

A second full rebuild? I’ve only had the top ends done. By the time the bottom needs rebuilt the saw is way past its prime and the cost is to close to new.
I’m gonna experiment on doing a top end. I’ve got half a dozen blown up 461’s to play with. Might as well give it a shot. Meteor piston sound right? I’ll have to do some home work but if this weather wants to keep being assholish I’ll need to find a hobby

 

[Raj]

I never change the spark plug.

I run a bit more oil, fouls up the plugs a bit faster. I do just clean some plugs but at less than $2 I can even afford it. In my mind I'd rather have a well lubed saw and replace the plug than the cylinder and piston. Just my 5 cents.

 

[Mick!]

Apart from air filters and some basic maintenance, if it ain’t broke I don’t fix it.

 

[SkwerI]

I run synthetic mix oil and there's no buildup. Saws run forever, even modified saws. No need for spark plug changes.

 

[Cut4fun]

I ran 32:1 and 40:1. Never any plug fouling if you tune your saws to your mix. Never any smoke either. Synthetic here.

 

[Tree09]

Yup. A family friend, who was a cat engine engineer (but wrenches on everything for fun) explained to me that the engines themselves haven't changed since the heavier mixes, they just rely on the better oil to do its job better. Run oil heavy, and then tune accordingly, because heavy oil actually leans it out because there is less gas there. I don't run them like you fellows do tho, but I've had the same trimmer for close to 2 decades now, and ran the piss out of it when i had a mowing business. Usually just clean plugs, takes a couple seconds with carb cleaner and a wire wheel.

 

[Stumpshot]

Junk 372: No compression. Pistons, carb, main bearing... the whole thing... again.

 

[Raj]

Well whad'der know regarding minor plug fouling...

May be it's dirty Canadian high grade gas, in Ontario?

 

[Tree09]

Did someone run straight gas in it? Or was the carb adjusted so incredibly lean that it fried? I would demand a new one due to failure of the rebuild rather than give them another dime. That's ridiculous that a saw would need a rebuild that soon

 

[SeanKroll]

Woods-ported saws are probably a no-no for employees, but they are said to run cooler and longer. They just released 462's, and there were 461's. My modded 460 has lots of hours, and lots of power. Just keeps going. Probably going to blow soon, but its been an ultramarathon for it, as it was a pro faller's saw before a tree guy's, before he was broke again as usual, and I got it for $300, 7 years ago maybe.