550xp first tank ...

[Bluegill2]

Ahh! I think I have it. I was pulling the switch out and all the way up. Then trying to push it down "one click".

So fast idle is "out , then all the way up, then all the way down, then release"

Start is basically where the switch springs back to after you stopped the saw the previous time.

Your choke was probably still on, or partly on. This will flood a warm saw.

When you pull out and up it engages choke and fast idle, then all the way down for no choke. The fast idle stays engaged until you hit the trigger.

Switch is always on and ready to start, you only need to decide if the saw needs choke and/or fast idle.

 

[Scooby074]

Right! Thanks for the clarification. :thumbsup:

 

[Bluegill2]

Right! Thanks for the clarification. :thumbsup:

It's so simple you have to get used to it.

Some of, if not most of the warm start issues with the new auto tune saws are user era. Most folks are used to doin something with the switch, to re-start and are likely choking the saw.

 

[Oldpath05]

Had my 550XP for ten month's now, and for me it's the hardest starting saw I ever had. I thought with AT, it would automatically start easy all the time. The best starting saw I have is a 5 year old 51 Jonsered, 1-3 pulls every time, hot or cold rain or shine.

 

[Bluegill2]

Had my 550XP for ten month's now, and for me it's the hardest starting saw I ever had. I thought with AT, it would automatically start easy all the time. The best starting saw I have is a 5 year old 51 Jonsered, 1-3 pulls every time, hot or cold rain or shine.

Hard to start cold or hot? Are you using the purge bulb? Must use it with these saws cold or warm, but not hot.

My 562xp AT is the easiest starting saw I've had in 35 years. 346xp is close to as easy though.

 

[Oldpath05]

I haven't been using the purge bulb unless the saw hasn't been started in a few weeks, I thought it would flood the saw, but after re-reading back through the post, where someone was saying that it just flushes in in fresh fuel in the carburetor, I'll use the purge bulb more often.

After I get the saw started, what bothers me the most is when I give it the gas, the saw cuts out, worse after I re-fuel, I have to keep squeezing the trigger in and out for a couple minutes. I hate that, I want AT to adjust the carburetor so when I start the saw, I can just give it the gas and start cutting, I had the 346XP a couple years ago and I could adjust the L speed on the carb. and the saw wouldn't do that.

 

[Tollster]

On my 550, cold start, I lock the chain brake, push the decompression, "tickle" the primer bulb as much as I can, maybe 5-10 times, until I think I feel pressure. Then pull the on/off switch all the way up, pull start.

If there is just a hint that its going to start, but fails, push compression button back in, toggle on/off switch down one notch, and pull. It always catches then.

Let it warm up, disengage brake, and run a little more, then spike the throttle to take off high idle.

Oldpath, it sounds like your saw may not be running at the optimum or you ECU may not be set fully. If you have a 18" log, I would suggest running it very hard for at least 5 minutes, with no idle time. I had to do this to set break it in and establish a set point for the ECU. (very different than what we always did). I ran almost a tank through it before I let it idle, lopping a 18" log into 6 inch cuts, one after another.

 

[Oldpath05]

Last week,my 550XP wasn't running right, again, it would start ok but the second tank of gas is where it bothers the most, it starts up then when I give it the gas, it keep's cutting out, some time's it take's 5 minute's for the saw to come out of it. I had my son take it to the saw shop where I bought it, and last Saturday afternoon, I was trying it to see if it was better, but only got to use it for 10 min. when the sprocket on the bar broke. I ordered a new one online, .058 gauge this time. Got the new chain bar today, but I got so busy doing this that and the other thing, that I ran out of day light, so I don't know if it's fixed yet or not.

This saw is just barely a year old now, only on my 3rd 18" chain, and last year when I bought it, the guy didn't have a .058 gauge bar like I wanted, only a .050 bar. I think the .050 gauge drive link is to thin for an 18 inch bar. The next chance I get, I'll put the new .058 bar and chain on. But now I have a spare brand new .050 gauge chain, I wonder if it would work on a new .058 gauge bar, or should I just take it back and exchange it for a .058 chain?

 

[Tollster]

I would swap it out, simply because I would personally want to keep the tip sprocket mated to the gauge, once you use the .050, it does mate, and could wear prematurely over the long haul.. Its likely nothing though.
I di a muffler mod on my 550, and it seemed to have woke it up. it had just a slight hesitation off the bottom before the mod.
Are you running 50:1?

Its odd, that's it only when you fuel up. Hard to find the common denominator.. Shake the can up well, perhaps.. hard to say.
I'm running 50:1 in the can that's already pre mixed.. tru fuel I think its called.

I was running Aviation fuel in my 51 at 50:1 with good results, have not tried it in the XP, because I'm happy with the performance, but the Av gas would surely kick it up a notch or two..

Maybe if nothing else works they can remap the ECU on the computer, i'm not sure if they have a revision out or not. I did hear some of the early ones had an issue, but forgot what it was, I saw a few threads on arbor forum when I was scoping it out prior to purchase, but the odds of getting one was low, and they corrected the issue.
I'm wondering now if perhaps you have the same thing going on..

 

[Bluegill2]

On my 550, cold start, I lock the chain brake, push the decompression, "tickle" the primer bulb as much as I can, maybe 5-10 times, until I think I feel pressure. Then pull the on/off switch all the way up, pull start.

If there is just a hint that its going to start, but fails, push compression button back in, toggle on/off switch down one notch, and pull. It always catches then.

Let it warm up, disengage brake, and run a little more, then spike the throttle to take off high idle.

Starting and letting a saw run at fast idle with chain brake on will severely limit clutch life! I don't use the brake when starting, but if I did, I would get it off of fast idle ASAP.