How to winterize a chainsaw: clean it, empty the fuel tank, then start it and let it idle until it dies so the carburetor is dry, and store it somewhere dry and frost-free. In spring, start with a fresh batch of 50:1 fuel mix, never the gas you bought in the fall.
That’s Stihl’s own advice, and it’s close to what I do with the MS 251 C and MS 230 on our 10 acres. Below are Stihl’s storage steps first, then where my habits differ, labelled as mine. If you’re still picking out a saw, start with my gas chainsaw buying guide.
Stihl says to let the saw cool down before you touch it, and to wear protective gloves when you handle the bar and chain.
Stihl’s steps to store a chainsaw for winter
Stihl’s storage tips are written for gas two-cycle tools put away for 30 days or more, which covers a chainsaw over a Texas winter.
1. Clean it first
Stihl says to clean the equipment before storage: brush the air filter and cylinder fins with an old toothbrush and clear debris from under the sprocket cover. Stihl’s chainsaw storage guide adds: take off the bar and chain, wipe out old bar oil and sawdust, clean the bar groove, and make sure the oil holes are clear, because blockages can cause poor oiling. When you put it back together, Stihl says to flip the bar over so it wears evenly.
2. Check the air filter, spark plug and starter rope
Stihl says to clean or replace a dirty air filter, look over the starter rope for wear, and pull the spark plug to check it for carbon and set the gap. Stihl says you may want to replace the plug once a year. Mine is in my Stihl MS 251 maintenance guide.
3. Empty the fuel tank
Stihl’s words: “Empty the fuel tank.” If your saw has a primer bulb, pump it until it’s dry and put the cap back on.
4. Run it at idle until it stops
Start the saw and let it idle until it dies. Stihl says “it is important that the engine is run only at idle speed, so there will be lubrication in the system,” and not to rev it. On a chainsaw, engage the chain brake first.
5. Lightly oil the metal parts
Stihl’s fuel FAQ says to lightly oil metal parts to keep rust off.
6. Store it dry and out of reach
Stihl says a dry, and if possible dust-free and frost-free, place is ideal, and to store it out of the reach of children. Hanging it on a wall works too.
7. Start spring with fresh fuel
Stihl says pump gas “quickly deteriorates and should not be kept over 30 days in any season,” and “you shouldn’t use the fuel you bought in the fall for next spring.” Mix a fresh batch at 50:1. Mine is in my Stihl chainsaw fuel mix guide.
What I do, and where it’s different
I learned this one from a gummed-up carb. Now I run my saws dry before winter, then add a little Sea Foam, which is my habit and not a Stihl step. Every Stihl I own gets Stihl HP Ultra or HP oil in the mix, and I keep one 1-gallon can marked for 2-cycle gear only. Stihl’s rule still applies to that can: fall gas doesn’t go in the saw next spring.
If you’d rather not mess with draining at all, Stihl’s fuel FAQ points to its MotoMix premixed fuel, which it says can stay in the machine over the off-season and has a storage life of up to two years with no ethanol. I don’t use it; I’m telling you what Stihl says.
Bar oil in storage
Some saws seep a little bar oil while they sit, and my older MS 230 sometimes leaks bar oil, so don’t store a saw over anything you care about. Why saws leak, and what’s normal, is in my Stihl bar oil guide.
Spring start-up
Put the bar and chain back on if you took them off, check the chain tension cold, fill the bar oil, and mix fresh fuel. If it won’t fire after a few pulls, don’t keep yanking on full choke. My routine for that is in Stihl chainsaw won’t start?. If it still won’t go, take it to your Stihl dealer.
The bottom line
To winterize a chainsaw, clean it, check the filter and plug, empty the tank, idle it until it stops, oil the metal lightly and store it dry. Start spring with fresh 50:1 fuel. A gummed-up carb is how I learned that.
How to winterize a chainsaw FAQ
Should I drain the gas from my chainsaw for winter?
Yes. Stihl says to empty the fuel tank, then start the saw and let it idle until it stops, for any two-cycle tool stored 30 days or more.
How long can mixed chainsaw gas sit?
Stihl says not to store or use fuel older than 60 days, and preferably no longer than 30 days, even with a stabilizer.
Can I leave fuel in my chainsaw over winter?
Stihl says its MotoMix premixed fuel can stay in the machine over the off-season. With regular pump gas mix, Stihl says to empty the tank and run it dry.
Where should I store my chainsaw in the winter?
Stihl says a dry, and if possible dust-free and frost-free, place is ideal, out of the reach of children.
Should I take the chain off for storage?
Stihl’s storage guide has you take the bar and chain off to clean them and the saw, then put them back on before you store it.
Sources
Every source below was opened and checked on 9 November 2026.
