Hey, 3 Lakes! My chainsaw is getting pretty old, and it’s nearly time to get it out and do some yard work. Is there anything I should do to make sure it gets through another season?
Old saws can be good; however, the problem is old saws don’t always like today’s gas. We can certainly service and repair your old saw, but rest assured that a new chainsaw won’t break the bank.
If you decide to go the chainsaw repair route, we’d first do a full safety inspection, looking at the chain, power unit, and the bar. We’ll present you with an assessment of what the chainsaw needs to be safely operated. If the chainsaw repair costs are prohibitive, we can certainly show you new chainsaw options. At 3 Lakes Landscape Supply in Plymouth, we carry Husqvarna gas or electric and RedMax chainsaws
What can you as a homeowner do to maintain your chainsaw?
Here are some tips:
- Use only high-quality fuel. Yep, it’s expensive, but so are chainsaw repairs that could be prevented with this front-end investment.
- Change your fuel filter.
- Make sure your fuel tank is clean and clear of debris. A touch of freshly mixed gas sloshed around will work well. Be sure to dispose of the old fuel and oil in a safe and proper manner.
- Put in a full tank of properly mixed fuel.
- Inspect and clean the air filter. When removing the air filter, use extreme caution to not get saw dust or other debris in the carburetor. If you do, DO NOT PASS GO, DO NOT COLLECT $200! Bring your saw straight to 3 Lakes Landscape Supply. If you try to start the saw with debris in the carburetor, it can cause serious issues.
- After cleaning the air filter and surrounding area, carefully reinstall the air filter.
- Remove the spark plug boot and the spark plug.
- Inspect the plug. A light color without a lot of ash is good. Heavy white ash means too lean (more air than gas). If it’s black, you may be running the wrong oil or cheap oil, or you could have an air flow restriction. However, like a pro you just checked the air filter, so it shouldn’t be an issue now.
- Replace the spark plug with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or a high-quality plug. Champion and NGK are good. We carry both brands.
- Install the plug. Rule of thumb: Get it tight down to the crush gasket, then quarter turn to seat it.
- Make sure the brake is working. Check your bar and chain while you’re there. If you notice any rolling of the bar edges, bends, or abnormalities, REPLACE IT BEFORE USE. Check the chain tension.
- If the bar and chain are good, start your chainsaw.
- Finally, WARM IT UP! If you start it and head for the trees, you’ll destroy the chainsaw.
This is how you get scoring on the exhaust side of the piston. If that happens, it can be more expensive to repair that damage than buying a new chainsaw.
Here’s a fact: Dealers make a lot more money repairing your equipment than if they just sold you a new one. The myth is “WE” all are out to sell you something new. At 3 Lakes Landscape Supply, that isn’t the case. We want you to walk away feeling good about how things went. It’s our goal to have happy customers. If we fix your equipment and it breaks, you’ll be unhappy and so will we! There are lots of new chainsaw options to consider if the chainsaw repair route isn’t the best option. Have you checked out any electric chainsaws? Some can do the same work a 45CC saw can do!
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Our goal is to provide you with information to help you make the decision that’s best for you and your needs.
Stop by and see us at 10 Hamilton Way, on Tenney Mountain Highway, in Plymouth, NH.
DISCLAIMER: 3 Lakes Landscape Supply does not assume any liability for the materials, information, and opinions provided on, or available through, this web page. No advice or information given by 3 Lakes Landscape Supply or its employees shall create any warranty. Reliance on such advice, information, or the content of this web page is solely at your own risk, including without limitation any safety guidelines, resources, or precautions related to the installation, operation, maintenance, or repair of equipment or any other information related to safety that may be available on or through this web page. 3 Lakes Landscape Supply disclaims any liability for injury, death, or damages resulting from the use thereof.
