Handheld DIY Maintenance  

Engines:

1. Use high quality (Stihl/Redmax/etc.) premix oil meant for air cooled engines. Don't even skimp here! If you do, you risk voiding the warranty, scoring the piston/cylinder wall, clogging the exhaust, decreased performance, and ultimately shortening/ending the  life of engine overall.

   Not outboard oil.  Not even oil from a gas station. Name brand quality oil.

2. Clean out your air filter regularly. (Brush off the debris with an old tooth brush.)

3. Always run with higher octane fuel (91-93 octane); helps engine to run cooler.

4. Once in a while, put in a bit of Marvel Mystery Oil (1 cap full per 1 gal). We don't know what's in it, but it seems to work!

5. Always use fuel stabilizer in the fuel can. Empty out the fuel left in the saw when finished, and then Run the machine dry at low RPM.

6. Do not store fuel in your equipment for longer than 4 weeks.  To store your 2 stroke/4mix equipment, just empty out the fuel, then start the machine and let it idle until it quits.

Chain saw Chains: 

1. Keep your chain tight. If it droops below the bar, tighten it! If it runs off the bar, you risk destroying the chain and the bar (plus other parts as well).

2. Use bar and chain oil for lubrication, and nothing but! Winter grade for, uh, winter, and for smaller saws all year long. Otherwise, regular grade Stihl is fine for the rest of the year.

3. You know your saw is dull when...

   1. You have to press down hard on the saw to cut.

   2. When your saw chips turn into saw dust, it is time to have it professionally sharpened. Don't file it yourself unless you REALLY know what you're doing (you can make matters drastically worse)

4. Don't buy cheap chains. Buy from a reputable (Stihl ®) dealer. Cheap chains available at various 'cheap' stores are made of cheap material, and may very well not even fit correctly. It may even ruin you bar/chain/clutch drum! (I've seen it). Plus cheap chains dull quicker, and can only be sharpened a few times! (All to save a buck!) It's kinda like sharpening butter!

5. There are basically 4 types:

Type	Stihl ID	Cutter	Dull Rate	Speed	Risk
PicoMicro Used on lighter saws,  3/8 x .043 guage	"Green"	PicoMicro	slow	OK	minimal
Guardlink Semi Chisel Same as below, except an extended link in front of cutter to minimize kickback.	"Green"	Semi chisel	Slow	OK	minimal	No pic available.
Non-Guardlink Semi Chisel Slight increase in kickback possibility, but cuts faster, dulls slower.	"Yellow"	Semi chisel	slight faster	Faster	increased
Full chisel Yet more increase in kickback possibility, but cuts fast (dulls fast).	"Yellow"	Full chisel	much faster	much faster	even more

Chain saw Bars:

1. For even wear, flip your bar (top/bottom) every time you have your chain sharpened.

2. When you take off the chain, clean out the length of the bar groove with a bar tool, and lubricate the tip if needed (depends upon bar).  Make sure you clean out the end of the bar that hooks up to the saw; especially those small circular oil ports!

3. Keep the clutch area cleaned out while you're at it.

4. Use Stihl approved bar and chain oil, not the cheap stuff! Blue bottle (winter grade) for below 40'f, and orange bottle for over 40'f.

5. For the pro grade saws, there are 2 types of bars; laminated, and solid. Laminated bars are generally 3 pieces riveted together to make the bar length. I can't really complain about Stihl's laminated bars, they are still great bars, albeit not quite as long lasting as the solid bars.

Brush Blades:

1. Inspect them regularly. If they have any crack whatsoever (inside out, or outside in) replace it.

2. A rule of thumb for blade selection is this: Less cutting teeth (4 tip) are great for tall grass/light stuff. The more cutting teeth (8 - 80) the better it will be on heavy brush -- but the 80 tooth does not fare well in grass (but terrific in woody brush!!)

3. Blades can successfully  be sharpened by file, just be patient and careful.

4. Use the right blade for the job!

   • Do not use circular saw blades

   • 3 and 4 tooth blades are for grassy, light wood

   • 8 tooth for up to 1/4" wood, and grass

   • 80 tooth for up to 1", and light grass

   • Chain saw shaped teeth for anything greater than 1", no grass.

Hedge Trimmer Blades:

1. Keep debris clean out.

2. Never stick your hands near the blades when they are running. (EVER!!!)

3. Clean and lubricate with Stihl Hedge trimmer cleaner.

4. Remember hedge trimmers are designed for hedge trimming... they are not designed to trim tree limbs.

Backpack/Hand Held Blowers

1. Keep debris cleaned out of the air input area.

2. Clean out your air filter.

3. Watch where you aim those things! You could sand blast your car!

4. Don't store the machine with fuel in it... run it dry at idle.