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i need a chainsaw.. i seem to have a need for a chainsaw once a twice a year.... general clearing of shrubs etc...
as much as i would love an echo, or a sthil i believe they are well out o my price range or needs... (less than $200).
any recommendations?
was looking at a homelite from home depot.. but the name kinda scares me.. oh.. and it has to be gas..
I use a Dolmar and it has been a great little saw. Don't cheap out, you'll only end up upgrading.
Suck it up and buy a Sthil 240 for a sixteen inch. You won't have to buy another one ever.
Buy a used Stihl, Husky or Echo
Invest in the Sthil you'll not regret it wait for them to go on sale. Bought one several years ago and never had a problem with it. Previous chainsaw purchases on the cheap resulted in nothing but frustration. More likely than not a 10 minute cut job resulted in hours of prep time. Now one pull and cut.Quote:
Originally Posted by flowerjohn
no love for the echos? honestly if i was to spend the $$$ id buy an echo.. it ill match the rest of my gear.. lol.
Just bought a Stihl 271. On sale for $469
Money well spent. Now fire it up and be careful not to cut a toe off!! Lol.
Go for echo it is worth the money.
If you want a chainsaw for just general purposes a poulan is fine. I have cut hundreds of cords with a Poulan and I heat with wood and use it for camping. However you don't need a lot of power to cut firewood and clearing. You could also look at the Stihl 170 and it costs under 200 bucks. That will be my next purchased for a saw. I see know purpose for a large saw. I cut upto 20 cords in a year and if that is all you need to do a 170 will fit the bill nicely.
Never used the cheaper saw myself but I heard good things about Poulan.
most guys buy way to big of a saw ,ask the pros go to a stihl dealer and check out the smaller saws ,,I run a 290 for most of my work and it is heavy after a full day of cutting and I could get away with a much smaller saw for 80 percent of what I cut ,I just needed a little bit bigger saw for dropping trees as we do get some good ones ,,My buddy has a 460 for the real big stumps ,but it is not needed that often ,,,Dutch
You guys are right on. I use an echo 12" at work cutting small to medium limbs all day. It's about two I hundred. I mentioned the sthil before as well. They are both great machines and they will not let you down.
Buy a stihl. It will always start.
Tried the cheap saws when I was starting out, constantly torn apart fixing carb or fuel lines or clutch etc. buy a stihl even a cheap one will give you yrs of quality service.
I had thought that a Stihl was out of my price range; but I was surprised to find one on sale, in my range, and in your range $199 plus taxes. The Stihl MS-171... Sorry, I just looked for the webpage so I could post the link; but bought mine June 30th during my lunch hour, seems the price has gone up $80 in a week.
I have no personal experience with them; but Husqvarna has a good name; Poulan, not so much around here.
http://www.husqvarna.com/ca/en/products/chainsaws/240/ but again its up to $279.00
One thing to keep in mind, you will get what you pay for. I had been looking at lower end units; but I know what that has done for me in the past. I just lucked out to fin them on a manufacturer's sale price.
Well, there's a lemon in every bunch and I had it. My Stihl 026 was nothing but trouble from the day I bought it. Had it in for service several times at at least three different shops and it still gave me grief. Got tired of fighting with it and ended up giving it to a buddy of mine.
Had another buddy bring his brand new Poulan up to the cabin to help cut fire wood. Right out of the box the chain was on backwards. Didn't give me much confidence in their quality control. It ran alright but was quite gutless for the size of saw it was. I picked up a smaller Husky last year. Cut a pile of firewood with it last fall and this spring without a hiccup.
Well... looks like I'm going to get a sthil ms270 or an echo cs310. The sthil. Says it's "homeowner grade" the echo comes with a contractor warranty sthil does not... for the extra $40 (ASSUMING the dealer days sale still is going on) I'm leaning to echo... have good luck with my trimmer and blower... my uncles had an echo trimmer for 6 years.. starts in 5-8 pulls...
Reading reviews on the sthil a lot of people talk about carb issues on the smaller models. . Apparently the carbs are from China.
Info (reviews) on the echos are hard to find Which makes comparing them difficult.
Sthil has a 1 year warranty. Echo is 5 year consumer.. and 1 year contractor...
Odd my trimmer and blow were 2 year contractor. ..
sthil, jonsered, husky but not husky from can tire, go for a nice light 16 bar, imo
GW is right, the small Home owner Stihl's , the 170/180's, are your best bet. I put a 12" bar and chain on my 180 and it's a great saw for the small stuff. I picked mine up on Kijiji for $175 with the whole kit about 4 yrs ago and I haven't had any issues with it. ( I use 026/036 for the big stuff)
Poulan's are also a nice saw, my buddy has one and it cut's a whack of wood every year.
Nobody I know would admit to owning an Echo....LOL...
Ask anyone who knows chainsaws and they will tell you the MS 026 was the best saw Stihl ever made/sold. Why you had problems is a real head scratcher, especially if you had it into a Stihl dealer for repairs. I have 3 of those workhorses and they rarely fail me and we cut a whack of wood every winter for the past 25 yrs.Quote:
Originally Posted by TPM
ECHO saw/parts are made primarily of offshore parts. The saw was designed by Kioritz Corporation of Japan. The majority of ECHO 'assembled' in the United States are built from foreign and domestic parts and components.Quote:
Originally Posted by topher
Stihl Husky
we had a 026 a 036 and both got stolen from buddys shop in a break in, I loved that little 026 it was the best little saw I ever run ,,wish thy still made them ,,Dutch
I'm a Stihl guy. bought used 290 years ago that was well used. I run it hard and it doesn't quit. I keep it on the back of the bike. I get tired with it and will go to the 170 next.
Another vote for Poulan! I've had one for 10 years and zero problems. It's a 46cc model and I got it at a Princess Auto sale for like $99. Once you figure out the 'personality', it starts within 2 pulls.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
BUT if you anticipate (even remotely) cutting more wood, get a 55+ cc machine, you'll appreciate the power.
Whatever saw you settle on, get one of the Stihl orange storage boxes. Or the first time the bar oil ruins something, you'll be pissed!
I have a 260 - the newer model for the 026. It's a no-problem first-pull saw. I've never heard of anyone having problems with the 026/028 series saw....and if you are having problems, you should be able to sell it pretty easily. I'm trying to pick up another 260 used - I can't seem to find one under $400 and they were only about $550 new when I bought mine 8 years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
Stihl for sure. The 170 is small and light which is good for camping, hunting etc. where you need just a bit of cutting. Go for a bigger stilhl if you want to cut hardcore...
don't think you can beat the stihl 170 for under $200. heat my house with wood and cut the majority of it with that little guy.
I have a husky 235, excellent saw. Have had it for seven years and used it for much tougher work than a small saw should have been subjected to with no problems.
The same most will tell you: Husqvarna or Stiehl (purely personal preference and what service/dealer is closer). As you not gonna use it hard the later won’t really matter much.
Make sure you buy the right size; limbing with a heavy saw is tiring and therefore dangerous. Too small of a bar will get you in trouble with big lumber and a long bar on a small saw will be frustrating to say the least. 50cc is a good compromise, if you only cut small trees and branches once a year in the yard you can go down to 40cc (saves you $). If you’re needs significantly change and you might be better off anyway getting a second saw (70cc).
Regardless of what brand of saw you buy, if you don’t use it frequently, buy the premixed gas (high octane rating, with stabilizers and without any ethanol) and make sure you store the saw properly when you don't use it for a while
just buy the stihl or husky.
You can get replacement parts for the thing. The off brands you will never be able to service.
I only use premium fuel for all my equipment. usually just get the echo oil mix.. I'm lazy.. one bottle mixes 5l to exactly 50:1 cost more but I only use 5-10 a year in my trimmer and blower.. between my property, my dad's, and an elderly couple I trim every other week...Quote:
Originally Posted by Waftrudnir
Okay... I'm gonna take a closer look at the sthil later.. my only concern it is listed as home owner quality.. and the 1 year warranty..
Funny echo makes great lawn equipment.. (everyone I know (contractors) uses them over sthil) guess their chainsaws are not so..
Contractors I know use stihl only. Could be people are using them as disposables.Quote:
Originally Posted by topher
I read this morning that the market is balanced between the Husky (41%) Stihl at 40%...Echo capture only 4% of the market.
http://forestry.about.com/library/tr...-chainsaws.htm
No.. these are guys with multiple trucks on the road.. I dunno.. one guy recently switched to the echos for all their trimmers.. maybe got a good deal from a big dealer in Toronto, I dunno.. I don't follow that stuff.. I just ask people that know for recommendations and go from their.. I feel the echo / sthil debate is a Ford vs Chevy thing for a lot of people.Quote:
Originally Posted by werner.reiche
But I'm not a small engine guy (can fix them) but I have other things in life to follow.. I'm just tired of renting and or bugging friends to borrow their chainsaws.. and end up getting their pos husky that barely started (lack of proper maintenance) dull chain.. and non working brake.. (He loaned it to a guy that cut up firewood with the brake on)
Uh NO...it would be the same as a Silverado vs Smart car debate...LOL...Quote:
Originally Posted by topher
I'd take the smart car over ANYTHING Chevy... 3 Chevy vehicles. Nothing but troubleQuote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
If I had the money I'd buy a Stihl but currently have 2 Poulans that have been great for several years. One 14" & a 20". Have brought them camping tons of times cut lots of cords of wood, cut down trees etc and have never had a problem with either of them.
Stihl is my preference, run a 290 and a 362, but I do have a couple older husky as well
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxco41
Poulan... pull n, pull n, and pull n................
5 pages and the only one talking about an echo is the OP, that might tell you something. I personally wouldn't think of any other saw than a stihl. If I had no choice but to switch then I would run a husky.
Had serveral echo and poulans with my lanscape business in the first years 07/08, trimmers, blowers, saw. The first to go was the Poulan, upgraded to Stihl and after each died, got another Stihl to replace. (no longer do that type of work) My Grass trimmer, blower, saws and hedge trimmer are 8 yrs old and I have NEVER had a issue with any of them. Right now in Ottawa $249.00 for MS-170 (The saw I have)
Stihl has the annual fall sale on now. Will never buy anything other than a Stihl product again.
http://en.stihl.ca/
Once you go Stihl you never go back. But I was unhappy with the "easy start" feature available on some models. A bit tricky and finicky, even dangerous.
I had my eyes set on a Husky 555, or with smidge more cash a 550XP, but neither materialised. My wife instead picked me up a 455 rancher for Birthday/Father's Day/Get That Wood Cut Up Dummy Day. It gets a bit heavy, and I don't have the limiters pulled off to get the full power out of it and properly tune the carb, but I've run it for the past year without any issues. Grabbed an oregon semi-chisel chain and off to the races. I also grabbed a 16" bar and semi-chisel chain that I have yet to put on; hoping to give it a bit more rip than the stock 20".
Stihl, or Jonsered (made by Husky) would have been an easy substitute, but this is what I've got and I expect it to last a good long while.
Dolmar is harder to find, but I've also heard good things, and I hear their prices are a bit lower for what you get compared to the orange, red, or creamy grey saws.
The decompression button is nice. One to two pulls to burble, then the first real pull lights her up almost every time.
How did the 170 compare to the Poulan? I have a Stilh 025 and was thinking of getting the 170 as long as the 170 has more power then the poulan I would be happy. I don't expect the 170 to be as fast as the 025.
Quote:
Originally Posted by line052
Coincidence, I had never seen a Dolmar saw before last week, I saw them in the 'Wood Chop Shop' in Ogdensburg. They have a full line of models available.Quote:
Originally Posted by mooboy76
I didn't take note of the price difference though. I'll take a look the next time I'm there.
The 170 is only a 30cc vs the 025 is a 45.5cc saw, so significant difference in weight and power.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
I just want it to be small and better then a Poulan. I expect it will be less power the the 025. So it is 30 CC I think my Poulan is 35 cc. I wonder how it compare against the Poulan. I want it to carry on the bike with a small bar like a14 inch
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
Well...if I ever have to replace my chainsaw, I'll buy a Stihl. It's all we run here at work, and never any issues.
Having said that...my current saw is now 12 years old. 18" 42cc Poulan "Wild Thing" bought from the Poulan service dealer in North Brampton as a re-furb for $120. Never had any issues with it, other than just maintenance, and had to clean the high speed jet at about 7 years old. It's still running, and cutting like it always has.
I have 3 old Poulans 2150, 2250 and wildthing.
They have all done well over the years and I must admit I have severely abused them as well. But the difference between my 025 Stilh and Poulan is night and day. However I also want a very small saw for the ATV so I was thinking that 170 might fit the bill and still be good for cutting firewood.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebulldog
Like said earlier GW...I put a 12" bar and chain on my 180...the 12" is great for limbing and chopping up the branches. I have no problem with cutting 4"-5" branches if I keep the cutters sharp.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
In fact it's a bit to light and easy, you can get into bad habits swinging it around, I have to make sure I wear my chaps :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
Some swear by Stihl, some husky. I have had each and like both.
More importantly - what did the independent testers at outdoor life recommend? ;);)Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
it all depends on the model (e.g. Stihl's 1-series does not compare to the others, but that's also reflected in the price).Quote:
Originally Posted by bushman
Husqvarna does not sell some of the fancier models in North America (not that I care), which might be one of the reasons why they are so far behing in market share (e.g. Husky sells more saws in Germany than Stihl - it's all marketing)
I don't like Stihl's off-switch (direction).
In the end, it's all about the chain - funny that nobody talks about that. I certainly, love Stihl's RS!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waftrudnir
Not sure which models you are referring to, but I do know that the Husky 560xp can be substituted in Canada by the Jonsered 2260, but the handle is slightly different. It was also on my list, but $$ never got there.
Couldn't agree more.Quote:
Originally Posted by bushman
Last year while getting wood on crown I meet the loggers, they stopped by for a chat. I asked what they used, their answer was "Stihl or Husky, depending on the best deal they can get". That says it all to me....
You would be good to go, light weight and a good homeowners saw. At hunt when cutting wood, it would be nice to have more power to get thru the 12" popular trees. But most of what I use it for is just fine. The stihl do use more fuel than any other brand I have owned. I touch up the chain every second tank.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
HAAA !! lmao, :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Species8472
You start them young....helping drop a tree at my buddy's place last weekend and his 2 yr old Son came out with his Stihl....the look in his eyes when he saw my Stihls was priceless (His Dad has a Husky). I think we have another Stihl man !!Quote:
Originally Posted by seabast
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...pspdt9tenv.jpg
I own a Stihl and would not buy another one. I hardly use it other than for clearing bush and cutting deadfalls up at the deer camp, and the throttle body came apart within warranty. I had that fixed and the pull rope broke when I went to start it this year. I took it down to my father's and his neighbour told me his son-in-law had nothing but problems with his Stihl as well. I know they are a much loved brand, but based on my experience I would not recommend one to anyone. YMMV.
Just when I thought I was the only one....Quote:
Originally Posted by annuvin
Bought a midrange Stihl (MS231) a few years back and it runs like a dream, whenever it feels like it that is... A total biatch to start on most days, frustrating as hell. Older Stihls were stuff of legend, would start up 99% of the time, newer ones not so much. Maybe I just got myself a lemon but my BIL bought a similarly priced Husky at about the same time and is very-very happy with it.
I worked as an arborist for a few years, and during that time I've used a bunch of different saws, Husqvarna, Stihl, Echo, Shindaiwa etc
In my exeperience, unless your saw was a dog right from the dealer (which does happen) the professional series saws are all about the same -barring specific design issues/features etc. In the long run what makes the difference is proper maintenance.
If you do only one thing - use premium gas that has no ethanol, add stabilizer, and make sure your oil mix is spot on.
Regular gas kills chainsaws!
My current saws are a Johnsered 35cc cant remember the model name, but it was a good price, and its a solid saw equivalent to a stihl 026 in terms of size etc. and for bigger stuff I have a husqvarna 575xpt, which is just a monster of a saw.
That is the recipe for all 2 cycle oil mix engines. Anything else is asking for trouble.Quote:
Originally Posted by df0010
I've run FRESH regular gas in my chainsaw and weedeater for years and never had an issue (only used Stihl 2 stroke oil too). I will only mix up what I anticipate using and no more, if there is extra, it will go into the generator or lawnmower - they'll burn anything! The one thing I will NOT do is mix up a 4 litre can as it has the potential to sit around longer than planned and end up going 'stale'.Quote:
Originally Posted by df0010
Not sure why you'd use gasoline with ethanol in it. The cost saving is not going to amount to much given how little you are using (mixing less than 4 litres). It's known to be a two-stroke engine killer and almost all engine manufacturers recommend NOT using it. I think stihl's benchmark for state gas is 6 weeks now, partly because too many people are cheaping out and using regular fuel.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wahoo
How is it a 'killer'? I have run 4 2-stroke machines (weedeater, chainsaw and 2 outboards) for years on regular fuel without any starting or running issues. As a matter of fact I don't know anyone who has had problems when using FRESH regular fuel.Quote:
Originally Posted by werner.reiche
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/03/gas-with-ethanol-can-make-small-engines-fail/index.htm
I try to use gas with no ethanol when I can for small engines. I don't know what difference it will make but so far no problems. I did this on the recommendation of my small engine marina mechanic (I do most on my own on the regular). I like to use a drop of seafoam. I never use stabil.
I have a Stihl 290 that is a bit heavy but an absolute work horse
^I tore my Stihl weedeater down last winter because it was running like crap. Had it all apart, no corrosion issues at all. Turns out the problem was the coil.
I have a Merc 5 HP that was also running like crap. Tore it completely apart, last winter, and found a crank bearing was toast. No signs of problems with using regular fuel.
I'd be willing to bet that the folks that are having trouble, have gas sitting in their machines from season to season and don't do ANY maintenance.
Ethanol breaks down rubber parts it comes in contact with inside the fuel system.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wahoo
Water can separate from the ethanol.
Worst of all, ethanol causes a break down of the oil in 2 stroke mixes and has an effect similar to using stale gas.
When something has been known for years to cause 2 stroke engine failures, and when the manufactures recommend against it, it is beyond me why someone would consider doing it. And for what - to save 0.10 per litre on fuel for a few litres of fuel???
That level of cheapness is beyond understanding.
From the consumer report link.
The Environmental Protection Agency has approved gasoline with 15 percent ethanol for use in cars year 2001 or newer, yet it prohibits its use in mowers and other power equipment, stating it may cause damage. A Department of Energy study found that E15 caused hotter operating temperatures, erratic running, and engine-part failure. But even gas with the usual 10 percent ethanol (E10) could help destroy small engines.
"Ethanol has inherent properties that can cause corrosion of metal parts, including carburetors, degradation of plastic and rubber components, harder starting, and reduced engine life," says Marv Klowak, global vice president of research and development for Briggs & Stratton, the largest manufacturer of small engines. "The higher the ethanol content, the more acute the effects." Servicing dealers are reporting similar problems, even with E10, according to the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, the industry's trade group.
Oh - and ask the service guy at your dealer too.
Most manufacturers of small engines have no problems with 10% ethanol. The problems start when people leave fuel sitting in the machines for too long. Just one example.Quote:
Originally Posted by werner.reiche
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX6CFlQbUXI
I bought a Poulan Pro at Princess Auto almost 15 years ago and it still runs like a champ.
Although I usually go for my Stilhs first, if your on a budget a Poulan Pro is a fine chainsaw.
Well....My age old Poulan "Wild Thing" gave up the ghost about 3 weeks ago.
I just bought a brand new Stihl MS241 with 18" bar.
I don't think I'll be requiring a replacement until I retire in about 17 years.
Yup..the Stihl service guy was quite emphatic; Super gas and no ethanol..Quote:
Originally Posted by werner.reiche
I've always abided by his recommendations and haven't had a fuel issue in over 16 yrs with 5 different Stihl saws.
Mind you I also got in the habit of adding a shot glass worth of stabilizer to the 5 gallon tank of gas as soon as I get it home. Saves having to worry about it going 'stale'.
I usually just add a shot of sea foam, which acts as a stabilizer as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
a) old gas is problem no.1Quote:
Originally Posted by Wahoo
b) dull chains is problem no. 2
c) Ethanol is definitely a problem, but most hobbits will not run the saw long enough to experience the issue of the higher temperatures (I don't think that material compatibility is as much of an issue nowadays as it used to be)
Anyway, they have 3/4 of the tank sitting for an entire year (plus the 5 litre can the mixed it up in and refuel the following year with)
Yeah, it amazes me how many people use saws with dull chain. I see it all the time and it makes my teeth itch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Waftrudnir
I don't do as much cutting as I used to - but when I was running a saw every day, I'd buy 3 loops of chain with each new bar, that way I'd always have 2 sharp chains to swap out to as soon as it got dull, and by the time you used up 3 loops of chain - the bar was usually done too.
Agree that most "hobbits" (heh) wont run a saw that hard - but you might as well instill best practices...
I wouldn't consider ethanol an issue. I run any reg gas in my machines some going on 20 years and the outboard is over 40 years.
My oldest s aw is a Poulan and still runs well for a Poulan I think I purchased it during the ice storm of 1996. The next Poulan I have is 10 years old still going and my used stilh is approx 15 years old. Lawn mowers , wipper snippers you name it I just run reg gas from any gas station 2 stroke or 4 stroke.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Waftrudnir
I see so many people running there saw with the chain not tensioned properly. Some almost hanging off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by df0010
So, what's the good way to get rid of your stale pre-mixed gas? I never did get back out to cut up all my trees and I've got about 5L that's been sitting there since June.
I rarely have stale gas. But sometimes if I have outboard gas leftover at the end of the season I mix it with my chainsaw gas. I also use a stabilizer (seafoam) in all my gas tools. ATV, saws, Lawn tractor, mowers, Outboard etc. Machines that get putaway for the winter or Summer are stored with half a tank of gas and some seafoam.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mooboy76
Just add it into your vehicles gas , no harm done with as little as 5L.Quote:
Originally Posted by mooboy76
You are much better off leaving your machines with a full tank for storage. Less chance of condensation happening.Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
Other then my lawn tractor all my power equipment is kept in my garage and usually kept above 0%. I never get condensation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FishinScuba
But you are correct it is preferred to keep the tank full or empty. Not half full.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FishinScuba
Just keep using it, gas doesn't go bad that quick or just add some stabilizer if you'd like.Quote:
Originally Posted by mooboy76
That actually is not the case with many ethanol blends now. Using premium mitigates some of it, but the use of ethanol in many fuels now greatly contributes to octane degradation in as little as two weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by seabast
Dump it in a car/truck when you have a 3/4 full tank.Quote:
Originally Posted by seabast
Never since ethanol has been out have I ever had an issue. I have 3 chainsaw one is 16 years old Poulan, outboard over 40 years and lot's of other equipment. 99% of all issues are because you left the old gas in there for over a year and the carb is now plugged up. I usually have anywhere from 20 - 60 liters of fuel on hand my chainsaw fuel might sit all winter before I use it again.
If you really want to on 5 liters of fuel add 20 ml of seafoam works as a stabilizer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebulldog
I always use sea foam, regardless. And I'm not saying that the octane degradation is immediately noticeable, but depending on what you're running it in, it can be. Of course, using higher octane fuel usually has much less ethanol in it, and therefore doesn't experience the same degradation as a tank of regular.
My small engines all get 91.
It's actually surprising what a difference that makes in performance....Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluebulldog
I've never tried premium. Do you actually see a performance difference?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikePal
It sure makes a big difference in my old Lawn Boy [2cycle] lawn mowerQuote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
Does on the Stihl saws....Quote:
Originally Posted by greatwhite
I will try it once this mixed fuel is gone. What about if the manual says only to use regular like my old Ted Williams Outboard? Do you also use it in your ATV's
I use it in my ATV....but I've never put anything else in it so wouldn't have a basis for comparison.
its been a few(15) years since I did my small engine course, so forgive my bad memory but as I recall especially with chainsaws, because the engine cycles so fast, the issue is that lower octane fuels are more prone to cause knocking, heat build up etc causing premature wear and tear if not outright engine damage.
the saws i've run regular gas on just didnt perform as well.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. It's the 91 Octane. I've been using that in all of my small engines. I noticed that the pumps I use in the US have a blurb under the 91 Octane sticker that says 'Non-Oxygenated Gasoline: For use in Collector Vehicles, Vehicles Eligible to be Licensed as Collector Vehicles, Off-Road Vehicles, Motorcycles, Snowmobiles, or Small Engines Only'
So, I figured it would be for my lawnmower, snowblower, and later my chainsaw.
I don't know if the 91 Octane is the same beast on our side of the border, but I've never had an issue with either source that I can tell.
I guess either way I need to pick up some seafoam. I've been meaning to give it a try anyway.