Hey does anybody know if I could use RC car Nitro Fuel as an alternative to Carb starter spray? Im a little short on cash and really need to use an alternative to get my chainsaw started!! please any input?
In spite of the starting fluid cans being labeled for all gas engines and some of them even suggesting use in a two stroke using starting fluid in a two stroke engine can be a really bad idea, especially a chainsaw. When you consider how a two stroke is lubed it gets kind of scary thinking about raw either, or any strong solvent, being sucked into the crankcase where it will wash away what little lube is sticking to the crank/rod bearings and especially the cylinder walls. It's not all that bad IF the crankcase is awash in fuel such as might happen if it is flooded but if the start problem is due (even in part) to fuel starvation such as a clogged line etc, which is very common, it could be a disaster! If that thing starts on the starting fluid and is starved for fuel it not only will not have any lube going to it but it will wash away what little is still there. ain: I know people will tell you they do it all the time but that does not mean their engine is not suffering excessive wear even if it does not seize up immediately, if you do use either do so sparingly and never keep spraying it into the carburetor to keep a balky engine running, that can destroy a two stroke PDQ! Personally I would never use starting fluid at all in a chainsaw or weed trimmer, if it's hard to start fixing the problem is a lot better and cheaper than scoring the rotating assembly and scored up cylinder walls which is exactly what starting fluid can do to your chainsaw.
In spite of the starting fluid can destroy a two stroke PDQ! Personally I would never use starting fluid at all in a chainsaw or weed trimmer, if it's hard to start fixing the problem is a lot better and cheaper than scoring the rotating assembly and scored up cylinder walls which is exactly what starting fluid can do to your chainsaw.
I understand what Oldred is saying here and it's a valid point, but while reading it, I was thinking "carb cleaner" not "starting fluid". Starting fluid is basically diethyl ether which is a form of a gas and evaporates quickly and really doesn't have any strong ability to dilute grease or lubricant. Furthermore, you're only using a small blast and hopefully not spraying large amounts to try and kick start an engine over. I have for several years used starting fluid on my lawn mower, and gardening tools especially after sitting for a while without a problem, and they are two stroke as well. Once it starts, if it starts, you can then see whether fuel delivery is a problem or not and repair it. As far as money or cost, Starting fluid is cheap. I get the $1.30 a can stuff from Wal Mart. Works great...
I think you will find that the chainsaw engine will be a lot HARDER to start on the R/C car nitro fuel, not easier. It doesn't vaporize as well as gasoline, although it does have lubricant built in
I understand what Oldred is saying here and it's a valid point, but while reading it, I was thinking "carb cleaner" not "starting fluid". Starting fluid is basically diethyl ether which is a form of a gas and evaporates quickly and really doesn't have any strong ability to dilute grease or lubricant. Furthermore, you're only using a small blast and hopefully not spraying large amounts to try and kick start an engine over. I have for several years used starting fluid on my lawn mower, and gardening tools especially after sitting for a while without a problem, and they are two stroke as well. Once it starts, if it starts, you can then see whether fuel delivery is a problem or not and repair it. As far as money or cost, Starting fluid is cheap. I get the $1.30 a can stuff from Wal Mart. Works great...
The either will strip away oil and it does it almost instantly, the cylinder walls suffer damage first and a chain saw or other small two stroke that has been "eithered" as we referred to it almost always will have tell-tale scuff marks on the walls and piston skirts. If there is ample fuel mix going in with the starting fluid then damage will be minimized but that is a big risk because the no-start may be due to fuel starvation which will almost guarantee cylinder damage if it starts on the fluid. There is precious little lube mixed with the fuel and start-up would depend on residual lube remaining on the surfaces when starting with starting fluids, this extremely thin film would be washed away almost instantly and if the engine starts it not only does so without any lube arriving in the fuel (in this case either) but the fuel would destroy what little lube is left. On something like a chainsaw or weed trimmer engine the carburetor/intake is situated in such a way and in such close proximity to the crank/rod and cylinder surfaces that starting fluid will enter the engine as a mist and it will wet the surfaces to strip away any residual lube, I have actually seen the muffler wet from raw starting fluid after only a couple of squirts of starting fluid. When either is sprayed into a small cold Aluminum engine it does very little in the way of evaporation and certainly does enter as a fluid/mist that will wash away the lube. People do sometimes "either" a two stroke but it is still a really bad idea and it most likely does some damage even if the engine does not seize at the time which they have been known to do.
Yes WD40 does work and although it technically is more of a solvent than a lube it will provide some lube to the engine parts and would not be nearly as harmful as either. I have seen WD40 used in large diesel engines as a starting aid and it even works for that. The easiest way I have found to start a balky chainsaw is to use a squirt can with gas mix (yep Matt beat me to that!) but NEVER raw unmixed fuel! As long as the spark plug is not wet it is hard to flood a two stroke and most benefit from a generous squirt or two gas mix directly into the carburetor intake, this also provides ample lube for the start-up.
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