Went down to the camp yesterday to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day with plans to do some chainsaw work. Saw cranked up fine and idled but when I started to cut, it sputtered out. Tried several times with the same result. I used the saw about a month ago and it ran fine. This saw is about 15 years old and I only use it once or twice a year at best. I'm embarrassed to say I have never done anything to the saw other than replace the chain once and put gas and oil in it. This is the first time I've ever had a problem with it

Any ideas?

Carburetor problems, either the fuel diaphragm is bad or a blockage somewhere. Buy a new carb, it’s cheaper than cleaning that one.

Ethanol Gas is the Enemy.

Your chain ain't locked by the safety bar is it??

I have saws that old and a couple years back I went through them and replaced the fuel lines and filters. One even needed a new carb which was only 12 bucks online. I got them running like a scalded dog. Fresh treated gas is a must too. I have my dads stihls and both were made in the early 80's.

No. It cranks and idles fine. When you start to cut, it runs for four or five seconds and then dies.

Try it on 1/2 choke or back the high speed jet out some.

Change the spark plug? That’s fixed my problem in the past. Or at least clean it.

I would for starters give it a little tune up

New air filter and spark plug may not fix your problem but they can stand to be replaced and at minimum will make it run better when fixed.

Replace the fuel line and filter

Ya good point, I would add these two to the just go ahead and replace list.
May or may not solve the problem but it’ll run better when fixed.

fuel line, filter and spark plug if it hasn't been changed in a while.
Another thing is to run some seafoam through it with your mix and see if it will help the carb before replacing it.

First thing I would check since it's as old as it is, and probably the easiest to do, is check the spark arrestor. If it's clogged up, the saw will usually idle,but will go dead as soon as you try giving it some gas.

Pour the old gas out, refil with fresh, and clean the spark plug and it’ll crank.

Recently had to replace the spark plug on a 4 cycle. It would run great for 30 secinds to a minute and then sudden death. Ended up being the spark plug in the end.

Both my husky's leak bar oil and I hate it. My Stihl did not.

Mine does too and it’s leaking gas somewhere. Filled it up with oil and gas before I went to the camp and when I got down there the carrying case was full of gas.

Adjust the bar oiler...flat head screw on underside of saw housing where bar attaches to power head. Only adjust 1/2 turn at a time. A little goes a long ways. YouTube can walk you right thru it

Gas leak is probably cracked fuel line unless your o-ring on the cap failed.

I will check that, but my smaller one needs an adjustment pretty bad. The last time I used it, I had bar oil all over me.