What would you use to get varnish out of a chainsaw that has been sitting for about a year with gas in it? I've heard people say acetone works well.

What's the process? Should I clean out the tank first and then take the plug out and pull the starter a few times or what?

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

http://users.rcn.com/kochc/moto/carb/carb.html

Great article on carb cleaning...

If you dont want to get too involved, I would dump out the gas that's in there, fill the tank with 1:1 seafoam and fresh, non ethonol, oil mixed gas, and try to start it. After a few pulls, just let it sit, come back in a few hours and try to start it again... Should run after that. May not run right, but, it should clean itself up fairly well after a bit of running. If not, just dissassemble the carb, scrub it with carb cleaner, and put it back together. Try not to loose anything

~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

If my memory serves me correctly it was Tom Walgamuth who wrote of putting laquer thinner in engines in this condition and running it for a while to clean out the carb.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I'd drain the old gas out of it first, and refill with fresh. Than wire brush off the plug, hit the carb with some carb cleaner and see if she fires.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Uhhh,,, chain saws are 2 cycle engines and depend on oil in the gas to survive. Running it with straight gas or anything will bring things to a screeching halt pretty quick. Might be a good idea to just tear it apart and clean it piece by piece.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
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05 F150 Silver 44K

i wanna know why there is varnish in it.

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Pete, I was looking for the easy answer here. I like things that involve putting various fluids into the tank, waiting around, and then having it start right up on the first pull . . .

Your way sounds as though it would require various screw drivers, wrenches, and whutnot . . . not to mention my hands would get all dirty.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I decided to refinish it last year, but just never really liked the look.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

\\


drain a re fill with fresh gas oil mix add some Seafoam 1/2 ounce in the small tank its a very good fuel system cleaner Acetone is a one ounce to 5 gallons / 10 gallons Cat cars for better fuel mileage and lower emissions
2 stroke should fire and go with no issues

Gas dries out with time and leaves a nasty residue behind. On automotive carbs it likes to block idle passages for example.

Also todays regular gas tends to go bad or rotten in a fairly short time frame compared to earlier years product. Use gas stabiliser to extend the gas storage period.

Today's gas forumulas produce nasty byproducts. I had some old gas in a Travco motorhome I owned and it caused most of the intake valves to stick which in turn bent many pushrods. Took a 2x4 being wacked with a sledgehammer to loosen them up.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Thanks for all of your input. I'll have that bad boy back in action by Saturday!

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

heh

try a hand-rubbed linseed oil finish.

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1972 W115 220D/8 SLS, Coffman Starter "Ümläüt"

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(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
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There's something inherently funny about someone named "Stumpy" posting on a thread about chainsaws. Dontcha think?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

Crap. I just realized your screen name is "Stimpy," not "Stumpy," dammit! Would you mind changing it to make my point?

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles