I HATE CHAINSAWS! - HATE'EM!

[joshuabardwell]

This is going to sound dumb, but what other way is there to start a chainsaw, other than 1) full choke, 2) pull until it fires, 3) half choke, 4) pull until it starts. That's how I've always done it, and it's kind of funny to me that there's an alternative.

 

[crankshaft21]

You can get lemons in any brand. I know, I bought a stihl ms 210 about 4 years ago and that thing was nothing but a piece of junk. The only time the saw ran like it was suppose to was the day I bought it. It stayed in the shop more than at home. Finally about 2 weeks ago, I had to take it back because it wouldn`t crank and the piston had cracked. The dealer made all kind of excusses, and then offered me 25 dollars for it. I said I would get more pleasure throwing it in the junk pile than having 25 dollars. I do have a 32 year old poulan that will crank better, run faster, and out cut that ms 210 ever would. The only problem is, can`t get parts for it any longer, because its so old. Right now, it stills runs great.

 

[LastSTRAW]

With chainsaws and weed whackers I was told they you should always use the highest octane gas you can buy. The engines will run too hot with the lower octane gas when you push them for power.

Can anyone confirm if this is true?

 

[murphy1244]

With chainsaws and weed whackers I was told they you should always use the highest octane gas you can buy. The engines will run too hot with the lower octane gas when you push them for power.

Can anyone confirm if this is true?

Run what your owners manual say's to run. Echo uses 89 octane.

 

[JoeBuyer]

This is going to sound dumb, but what other way is there to start a chainsaw, other than 1) full choke, 2) pull until it fires, 3) half choke, 4) pull until it starts. That's how I've always done it, and it's kind of funny to me that there's an alternative.

It seems intuitive to me as well so I never think much of it. However, many (most?) engines will actually start on full choke. If I recall (long ago) when I left a Stihl on full choke after the original sputter, it would flood. So once I learned how to start them I never really thought about it again.

 

[Topkicker]

Dunno about the Pull-on, but with the Stihl, try this.

Set choke full on
Pull 2 to 3 times till you hear it fire once
Set choke to half and pull one or two more times till it starts

Don't know why, but every Stihl I've ever run starts that way.

These 2 have started this very way for many years. No probs here.

 

[meburdick]

Read the docs from Stihl and you will see that they tell not to store the saw with gas in the carbeurator. The recommended procedure is to empty the tank then START THE SAW and let it run until it dies. If you do not do this, ESPECIALLY with ethanol gas, you are asking for the carbs to get varnished when the gas goes bad. At that point, a professional cleaning is likely and a complete parts replacement of the carb parts may be in order to get it back into proper running condition.

Higher octane gas doesn't do a thing for you. The octane is higher, so it should take longer before the gas deteriorates below the minimum required rating for the saw. BUT... "Super Unleaded" fuel sits in the tanks at the stations MUCH longer than 87, so it's shelf life is much shorter.

Use a quality fuel stabilizer for ethanol gas, a little SeaFoam now and again isn't going to hurt, and a quality 2 cycle oil. Drank the fuel reservoir on the saw and run it dry before putting it away.

For starting, the steps have been outlined numerous times: full choke pull until it fires once, half choke until it starts. When it's warm, simply throw it to the "on" position and pull. If it won't start in the "on" position, repeat the process.

The MS-290 is about the hardest starting saw they have because it's the biggest motor that doesn't use the decompression option. My 290 starts within three pulls EVERY TIME unless I somehow flood it. Even then, no more than six.

FWIW: It needs a legitimate pull. I use the "hold in right hand, grab pull cord handle in left, hold tight, and throw saw toward ground while pulling up on starter cord" method.

 

[meburdick]

These 2 have started this very way for many years. No probs here.

Are those both 290's? I have one from last year and just bought a 250 as well.

 

[JoeBuyer]

I am guessing 250 and 290. Size wise that would make sense. Good looking woodpile and saws by the way, now you need to put the whole Famn Damily in front of it and take your Christmas pictures.

 

[meburdick]

I am guessing 250 and 290. Size wise that would make sense. Good looking woodpile and saws by the way, now you need to put the whole Famn Damily in front of it and take your Christmas pictures.

Could be... The oil reservoir cap is in a different position on the one in the back. Why doesn't the 290 have the Farm Boss bar on it? Is it a 20"?

 

[haroldy]

i have a little squeeze bottle with 4 or 5 oz of gas
before cold starting i spray a little fuel on the air filter ,set choke
works every time
saves a lot of pulling
2 --15 year old sthils

 

[cheif]

WHATS YOU GAS MIXTURE STIHLS ARE 40/1 YOUR OLDER MACHINES ARE 32/1

 

[kf4uda]

WHATS YOU GAS MIXTURE STIHLS ARE 40/1 YOUR OLDER MACHINES ARE 32/1

Actually Stihl is 50:1 when using their oil. I copied the text below from the faq's on their website:

"STIHL recommends a 50:1 mix when using STIHL branded two cycle mix oil (2.6 oz. of STIHL branded oil for 1 gallon of gasoline) on all of our gasoline powered equipment."

 

[deerseeker001]

i use the same method on my stihl as i do with my husqvarnia weed trimmer,choke it when it fires then take it off choke and they are running.there is a procedure you have to follow.

 

[sea2summit]

choke it when it fires then take it off choke and they are running.there is a procedure you have to follow.

That's exactly what my Stihl dealer told me and it works for my trimmer and saw no issues, neither take more than three pulls.

 

[scollins]

Run what your owners manual say's to run. Echo uses 89 octane.

I had a friend, many years ago, who was a pilot and decided to run 110 octane aviation gas in his chain saw mix. He said the saw ran fantastic like a bat out of "H" right before it blew up. (Don't know what brand it was)

One thing I have heard time and time again, from Stihl, Honda and other small engine dealers - stay away from gas with Ethanol - it eats the H out of fuel lines and causes all kinds of problems.

So, I buy my lawn tractor and saw mix gas at the one filling station with regular gas without 10% corn oil.

I use ONLY the little 1-mix Stihl 50:1 2-cycle oil and now buy the Stihl 50:1 synthetic oil.

I buy only the Bosch WSR-6F German spark plug for my Stihl units, even though NGK plugs are good plugs. Bosch plugs for my German saws, NGK plugs for my Kawasaki 17hp Japanese engne on the JD LX188, and Champion plugs for all my B & S powered amrerican-made equipment.

I would also like to add that not all "STIHL" dealers are equal. I get my saws 1-1/2 hours away where they have a Factory Trained Stihl mechanic - not just some little store where they are just parts changers. Look on their web site for dealers that show the "wrench" icon. Some of the dealers are not trained and experienced mechanics and just want to sell you a new saw.

The biggest problem is when I think that the Fall weather is going to hold out - it doesn't, and the saws and 2-cycle power tools sit with old gas in the carb too long (over 30 days). I will be out in the shed, today, starting each saw, dumping the fuel, and running each saw until it runs out of gas.

If you want a "better" Stihl saw, don't go any smaller than an MS-250 (025). We traded in my dad's dependable Stihl 025 for an "easy start" version as he is 86 now. They did not have an EZ start MS250, so they gave him $75 for the 025 for trade-in on a Stihl 021 EZ start. What a dissapointment! OK for trimming trees, but not for cutting oaks across the trails all day long. The following year, we kept for EZ start homeowner saw for him and we bought a Stihl MS-260 Pro with .325 20" bar.

I bought a Stihl MS-362 that I absolutely love. Cuts like a hot knife through butter with the 3/8 Rapid Super instead of the "safety chain". HOWEVER, the thing is sometimes real contankerous to start. I changed plugs, took it back in a few days and they found nothing wrong. However, they said there is not always that distinct "pop" like on the older saws when they are ready to have the chock set back to half. Then it "floods out". The problem seems to be a lot less now that the saw is broken in.

SC

JD 2305
JD LX188
JD BC1324 brush cutter
JD #15 garden cart
JD LX4 rotary PTO cutter
JD power washer
Stihl 026
Stihl KM 110 Kombi-Unit wth weed wacker, tree trimmer, KM-FS brush tool
Stihl BR-600 powered backpack blower
1980's Green Machine 3500 series Forestry model brush cutter, resurrected with a Shindiawa fuel tank and Stihl brush blade
Fimco 25 GL trailer sprayer with home-made modifications
Agri-Fab cart w Fimco 15 GL sprayer home grown "fire tool cart"

 

[turnkey4099]

I had a friend, many years ago, who was a pilot and decided to run 110 octane aviation gas in his chain saw mix. He said the saw ran fantastic like a bat out of "H" right before it blew up. (Don't know what brand it was)

One thing I have heard time and time again, from Stihl, Honda and other small engine dealers - stay away from gas with Ethanol - it eats the H out of fuel lines and causes all kinds of problems.

So, I buy my lawn tractor and saw mix gas at the one filling station with regular gas without 10% corn oil.

<snip>

I bought a Stihl MS-362 that I absolutely love. Cuts like a hot knife through butter with the 3/8 Rapid Super instead of the "safety chain". HOWEVER, the thing is sometimes real contankerous to start. I changed plugs, took it back in a few days and they found nothing wrong. However, they said there is not always that distinct "pop" like on the older saws when they are ready to have the chock set back to half. Then it "floods out". The problem seems to be a lot less now that the saw is broken in.

SC

"

I run 4 saws cutting 10 plus cords year sinch 1976. Never used anything but regular gas which is mixed with ethanol here. Nevery have had a rpoblem and the only precaution I take is to drain and run them dry before putting away for extended periods - usually once a year except for the 'using saw' which gets used around the property pretty much year round. Yes, I know that is against Stihl recommendations and contrary to other's experience but it is what it is.

Yes, the 36x series (I have the 361 bought back at the early years of the production) have that starting problem. Mine has no "pop", there is only a slight change in sound, it is more a 'feel' on that last pull. One pull past that on choke is almost gauranteed to flood it.

Harry K

 

[kiotiken]

Dunno about the Pull-on, but with the Stihl, try this.

Set choke full on
Pull 2 to 3 times till you hear it fire once
Set choke to half and pull one or two more times till it starts

Don't know why, but every Stihl I've ever run starts that way.

Here that??? Echo!!!!! pull choke, 2 primes and pull. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrorrrrrrr.Starts every time.

My Stihl 361 starts exactly as described, every time, easy as that. My Echo trimmer on the other hand doesn't seem to have any pattern, rhythm nor reason or hope in H@%L of starting easily. I'm in no way religious, but I say a little prayer every time I walk up to it, usually followed by a bunch of other decidedly non religious things.

 

[Rogerandpetrina]

If Honda ever makes a saw, it will be a single pull to start cutting wood.
And I'm not joking.
Why can't the existing manufacturers learn from this ?

Roger McGuigan

 

[buck12]

If Honda ever makes a saw, it will be a single pull to start cutting wood.
And I'm not joking.
Why can't the existing manufacturers learn from this ?

Roger McGuigan

My Kawasaki string trimmer is almost that good. I wish my pro model Stihl saw started as easy as my bottom of the line Kawasaki trimmer.