Stihl 026 hard to pull

[Coyote machine]

To remove the in tank filter usually a bent piece of copper wire will retrieve the filter and a pair of needle nose pliers to hold the fuel line while removing/replacing the filter. The new filter should be able to sit near the bottom of the tank when installed.
Have you verified spark? If you don't have a good spark it won't ever start.
Post back answer to spark question.

BTW, to pull the starter cord properly it is not necessary to yank one's shoulder out of it's socket to get the saw to start, assuming everything else is in working order. If you pull, without yanking the cord, as far as it will come out of the case, then just give it a rapid tug, it should allow for less 'crank yanking' and arm shock.
You may have a dead or intermittent ignition that only produce spark when it wants to...was the saw in running condition when you boiught it?

 

[timsch75]

To remove the in tank filter usually a bent piece of copper wire will retrieve the filter and a pair of needle nose pliers to hold the fuel line while removing/replacing the filter. The new filter should be able to sit near the bottom of the tank when installed.
Have you verified spark? If you don't have a good spark it won't ever start.
Post back answer to spark question.

BTW, to pull the starter cord properly it is not necessary to yank one's shoulder out of it's socket to get the saw to start, assuming everything else is in working order. If you pull, without yanking the cord, as far as it will come out of the case, then just give it a rapid tug, it should allow for less 'crank yanking' and arm shock.
You may have a dead or intermittent ignition that only produce spark when it wants to...was the saw in running condition when you boiught it?

The saw was running when I got it, and I got it to run a couple of times before this no-start. It was not easy to start, but not too bad. The PO had said that it was harder to start than it should be and that he had it serviced for that reason a while back. That would explain the new-looking impulse line, pickup line and filter. I did fish the line and filter with a hooked piece of wire. I just couldn't pull it out of the hole, only up to it, once I had it with my fingers.

I verified spark before by pulling the plug and cranking the motor with the plug grounded. I could see the spark in daylight.

I am pulling the rope as you describe. I'm getting a dozen or so good pulls before I start to tire.

It's 93 octane ethanol free gasoline.

 

[Winmac]

It's a long shot but I'll mention it anyway. I had a husky that was hard to pull over, turns out the pullcord spool In the recoil was cracked. When the load came on the cord it would wedge down spreading it apart, binding on the housing.
Pull cord functioned normally otherwise.

 

[Clay45]

Sounds like you've done everything right. I know if it were me I'd put a new plug in it before throwing in the towel. Sometimes that's all it needs.

Best of luck,

Clay

 

[timsch75]

Sounds like you've done everything right. I know if it were me I'd put a new plug in it before throwing in the towel. Sometimes that's all it needs.

Best of luck,

Clay

That's worth a shot. Thanks.

 

[Coyote machine]

Are you getting fuel at the spark plug? You said you rebuilt the carb, yes?

 

[lennyzx11]

I take the plug out of my ms250 when it won't start. Pull a couple three or four times to empty the cylinder. Then squirt a TINY bit of starting fluid in the plug hole and immediately install the plug.
Then crank it. I
Keep STABIL in mine and the fuel can also but it does go flat for me also. I usually dump it in the farm truck.

 

[timsch75]

Are you getting fuel at the spark plug? You said you rebuilt the carb, yes?

Yes, I rebuilt the carb. As far as fuel goes, I'll have to investigate further. I've not pulled the plug after cranking to see if it is wet.

I have not yet done a vacuum test on the impulse line to make sure that fuel is flowing, but will do so this evening. I did a pressure test after rebuilding the carb as outlined in the service manual for this saw in the fuel/carb section, and it held pressure as specified.

 

[Coyote machine]

Regardless of any other tests you can perform, the fuel to spark is needed, obviously, otherwise no start, blown out shoulder/elbow and no wood cut.:confused3:

 

[timsch75]

Regardless of any other tests you can perform, the fuel to spark is needed, obviously, otherwise no start, blown out shoulder/elbow and no wood cut.:confused3:

No doubt. I'll crank and pull the plug tonight.

 

[timsch75]

I tried to start it several times last night, each time with at least 12 pulls. I pulled the plug and it was dry each time. I hooked up my vacuum gauge to the impulse line that connects to the carb nipple and fuel flowed easily with very little vacuum.

I did the pressure test on the carb as outlined in the service manual again, where I hook up a pressure gauge to the same carb nipple mentioned above and apply 11psi to see if it bleeds down. It held pressure without bleeding.

I verified spark again with the original plug. I didn't change the plug last night.

I tried starting it with and without the air filter installed. I had previously cleaned the tank vent.

What I've NOT done: Try starting it with starter fluid or gasoline put directly into the cylinder. I've stayed away from the starting fluid option based on its reputation of being not-so-good for engines. I probably ought to do something like that now just to narrow down the possibilities. I've also not checked the ignition switch/wiring to make sure that everything is good there. I suppose that since I have spark, the wiring is not the problem. I do have some question about the settings of the switch. There are four settings for this switch (off, run, semi-choke (after sputter), and cold choke). There does not seem to be a great difference in switch position between the two choke settings. I wonder if the switch is properly getting into the cold choke position.

 

[davesl708]

If your plug is dry after 12 pulls you are not getting fuel to the cylinder.
I would go back and recheck the carburetor and fuel line connections and look for leaks.

 

[Coyote machine]

No fuel = no start. Don't care what test you've run so far, without fuel delivery to the spark plug it will never start. Don't use ether! EVER. Only gas/mixed with oil to proper ratio.
Get an eyedropper and drop some fuel in the spark hole and see what happens. Start with cold choke, 1st off of off position. If/when it sputters kick to next position up. IF it starts kick up once more to run.
Stop yanking on it- it will not make it start by continually yanking. You need to find out WHY it is not getting fuel delivery. See first if it will start, or attempt to start by doing above details. If it even tries to start you will know it's all about not getting fuel and not about electrical issues, (most likely).

 

[timsch75]

No fuel = no start. Don't care what test you've run so far, without fuel delivery to the spark plug it will never start. Don't use ether! EVER. Only gas/mixed with oil to proper ratio.
Get an eyedropper and drop some fuel in the spark hole and see what happens. Start with cold choke, 1st off of off position. If/when it sputters kick to next position up. IF it starts kick up once more to run.
Stop yanking on it- it will not make it start by continually yanking. You need to find out WHY it is not getting fuel delivery. See first if it will start, or attempt to start by doing above details. If it even tries to start you will know it's all about not getting fuel and not about electrical issues, (most likely).

Thanks for all of the help and the patience. The testing I did with the vacuum/pressure was to find out why I'm not getting gas. I verified that the fuel can get through the filter and impulse line. The pressure was to see if the carb has leaks. Both of these could cause my problems, I'm thinking. If there are better ways to diagnose it, I'm all for it.

I'll drop some fuel/oil and see what happens. I'm a little confused with the directions for starting selector position. I have OFF-RUN-"CHOKE AFTER SPUTTER"-COLD CHOKE. 1st off of run position in my mind would be RUN rather than choke, which would be 2 or 3 from OFF.

 

[Ford850]

Thanks for all of the help and the patience. The testing I did with the vacuum/pressure was to find out why I'm not getting gas. I verified that the fuel can get through the filter and impulse line. The pressure was to see if the carb has leaks. Both of these could cause my problems, I'm thinking. If there are better ways to diagnose it, I'm all for it.

I'll drop some fuel/oil and see what happens. I'm a little confused with the directions for starting selector position. I have OFF-RUN-"CHOKE AFTER SPUTTER"-COLD CHOKE. 1st off of run position in my mind would be RUN rather than choke, which would be 2 or 3 from OFF.

You are correct. Cold choke/start position is all the way down. After the brief sputter, you move it up one to the half throttle position. Once it starts, you bump the throttle trigger and it moves from half throttle to the idle position.

 

[Coyote machine]

Thanks for all of the help and the patience. The testing I did with the vacuum/pressure was to find out why I'm not getting gas. I verified that the fuel can get through the filter and impulse line. The pressure was to see if the carb has leaks. Both of these could cause my problems, I'm thinking. If there are better ways to diagnose it, I'm all for it.

I'll drop some fuel/oil and see what happens. I'm a little confused with the directions for starting selector position. I have OFF-RUN-"CHOKE AFTER SPUTTER"-COLD CHOKE. 1st off of run position in my mind would be RUN rather than choke, which would be 2 or 3 from OFF.

Sorry for the confusion; my mind works slowly, if at all at 1:20 am, at best!
I'm so used to the pattern from starting my saws I have trouble visualizing it. Ford 850 is right that once it sputters....
So let's get some sputter to get on track.

PS. I knew why you were running the tests; they don't help figure out if there is fuel delivery or not- you have to step back to square one, then go forward to figure out what is causing the problem, AFTER determining that the problem is NO fuel delivery. Once you verify that, then and only then can you logically trace the WHY.

You're making progress - no fuel delivery is a condition that can then be traced to why....
Few more days or so...

 

[timsch75]

I pulled off the carb last night to soak it in cleaner. I don't know how far to take it down for the soaking. I took off the top and bottom covers, removing two gaskets. I had replaced these gaskets when I 1st started trying to get it running. I assume that the gasket selection was correct, as well as the orientation. I did not use all of the gaskets in the Walbro K10-WAT 904 kit. One of these pictures shows which gaskets I did not use.

Would it be sufficient to soak the carb as far as I have it torn down, or do I need to go further? I have already removed the rubber boot from the adjustment screws shown in these pictures

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[Coyote machine]

I pulled off the carb last night to soak it in cleaner. I don't know how far to take it down for the soaking. I took off the top and bottom covers, removing two gaskets. I had replaced these gaskets when I 1st started trying to get it running. I assume that the gasket selection was correct, as well as the orientation. I did not use all of the gaskets in the Walbro K10-WAT 904 kit. One of these pictures shows which gaskets I did not use.

Would it be sufficient to soak the carb as far as I have it torn down, or do I need to go further? I have already removed the rubber boot from the adjustment screws shown in these pictures

<snip>

Not sure what answer you're looking for at this point? So you've decided to teardown the carb again? In hopes of what exactly?

 

[timsch75]

I've pulled the carb and disassembled it for recleaning because that seems to be the point that I've narrowed it down to. I have checked the fuel line and filter, visually and with a vacuum pump and see that I should be getting fuel to the carb. I've checked compression, at least with my arm, as well as verified spark. I've pulled the plug after cranking it and detected no fuel on the plug. In my mind, that indicates that operations on both sides of the carb are good, so maybe I didn't get something clean in the carb. I've never cleaned a CS carb before. It looked much simpler than the carbs I've dealt with in other small engines, but maybe that was just me missing something.

Other options are that there is no vacuum getting to the carb to take up fuel when cranking it. I'd guess that would be an engine teardown, and before I go there I want to make sure that I got the simple stuff right. I'm not sure I rebuilt the carb right, so here I am, asking what I'm asking. Specifically, does an acceptable rebuild of the carb typically involve more than only those two diaphams/gaskets that I replaced last time. Yes, there are springs, etc., but I've not usually changed the hardware when I've rebuilt carbs in the past, especially when I see that the diaphragm is stiff, and it usually works out alright. Maybe I was wrong this time. I was hesitant to pull out that screw that held the small metal pieces in the carb, but maybe it was critical that I do that. If so, I'll do it this time.

Anyway, I'm more ignorant than most of you fine folks who've responded to this thread so far, so I'm hoping for guidance, or even better, someone to put their finger on exactly what I'm missing so far, because I'm apparently missing something significant.

Thanks again.

 

[Ford850]

Here's a good step by step:
How to Rebuild a Stihl 26 Carburetor – Wood Shop Mike