Chain Saw ate plug

   / Chain Saw ate plug #1  

chopped

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New England yankeee
:confused2:I just wanted t o make a post to see if anyone has ever had or heard of this happening.
I have a johnsered chainsaw, and its about 5 years old. Never had the plug out of it until today.
I was cutting thought three tanks of fuel when I heard a tinny noise much like a loose piece of tin. I shut the saw right down, and it wouldnt start again. I then removed the cover and when I touched the plug it was already loose with some black smoke marks around it. I thought OK loose plug NP.
I then removed it to find that the small metal that is bent over to the inner electrode was gone:licking:
The engine would crank over fine and I made sure that that metal part wasn't int he cylinder I put in a new plug and it runs so far..
its it possible that it broke off? burned up? and got passed through the exhaust valve?
Or possibly slow wore down to nothing?
Either was I assume it was just vibrations and expansion that made it loose to begin with.Maybe I should a checked it for tight before.
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #2  
Wow. Sounds like a bum spark plug. Was it the original?

Lots of use out of the chain saw this year. Am using mostly my 38 year old Stihl 009L. These were still on sale up until about 3 or 4 years ago, at a slightly less price than I paid for mine in 1972. It's harder to start cold (unless I squirt some starting fluid into it) than the newer Craftsman with the little pump thing, etc., but it STARTS immediately once warm and shut down. The Craftsman often won't restart once hot. Not something you want to take into the woods a mile or so from the house.

Ralph
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #3  
Hard to say without seeing a picture of the plug.
It could have eroded away, but I'd think you would have had hard staring before it eroded too far (gap would be too long).
Did you replace the plug and start the chainsaw?
BTW, spark plugs should be torqued when installed. It's a good idea to use an anti-seize paste too, especially if the head is aluminum or magnesium.
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #4  
It's a 2 stroke, no "Valve", rather an opening in the cylinder wall... thats the good part. Glad to hear you looked in to see if there were any metal bits floating around.
Did the wall look scored at all? and did the new plug thread in easy and torque down ok?

From just reading it could have been corrosion or "hot running" and burned through it... I'm thinking the sound you heard though was "detonation" and that in and of it's self may have done the deed to your plug. It would have shut down quite fast after that unless there were "Hot Spots" to light off the mix in the cylinder.

Take the plug out and double check the piston head for damage though. Hopefully no damage and no scoring on the walls.

Fingers crossed.
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #5  
High content ethanol in gasoline is causing detonation in a lot of 2 cycle motors. I use Startron in my chain saw and sled fuel for this very reason, the cars that require high octane get a dose of it at fill up too.

Use high octane fuel in your saw, specially good ones like a jonsered, husky or sthil..... Bad fuel is all over......... and the gd gubmit could give a rat's patoie about it.

Guys are burning up 2 cycle motors with the crap stuff sold at the pumps......... don't believe it..........??????

Check out Skidoo's experience with their HO 800 cc motors!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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   / Chain Saw ate plug #6  
I'd pull the muffler and check the piston, make sure it is not scored. Sounds like it might have got hot.

I would also double check your fuel. Is it fresh, and mixed to proper ratio with a good quality oil? Make sure you did not accidentely grab the straight gas; that is the death of a saw.

I only use premium gas, with premium Stihl or Husky oil, mixed per the bottle of oil. The other thing, I only mix a gallon of gas at a time, so I keep fresh stuff cycling thru. One other thing, I have my 2-stroke mix in a clearly marked can so it does not get confused with straight gas. Same with diesel for the tractor; it is in it's own yellow fuel can.

Ask my Husky 1100CD; it is from the early 70's and still runs like a champ!
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #7  
Lots of use out of the chain saw this year. Am using mostly my 38 year old Stihl 009L.

I have a Beard-Poulan 306A that's at least that old. Rebuilt the carburetor and replaced the fuel lines/filter over the winter and it runs like a champ.
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #8  
anyone here ever add a lil diesel to their fuel mix to help with pre-det?

soundguy
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug #9  
Most likely the ground electrode broke off and quickly made it's way out the exhaust passage. It's probably still in the muffler, take it off and shake it and you might hear it in there.

Like others have mentioned, this useless Ethanol enriched fuel is causing more problems then it "supposedly" fixes so I use an Ethanol treatment in all my 2-cycle motors to help with this and the tendency of this crap fuel to grow algae very quickly when stored. They tend to run pretty lean with this fuel which means they are running hotter and that would cause the ground electrode to weaken and break off under load. I also run one heat range colder plug in my 2-cycle motors to offset the hotter engine temps. For example if your plug is an NGK BP6ES then use a NGK BP7ES for a colder plug.
 
   / Chain Saw ate plug
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Good tips
this post has got me wondering. Maybe I should mix some new fuel myself..And see what others say about the diesel in it also..Is the idea the diesel would do the same as the stabil?
 
 
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