starting a Stihl saw

Bird · Dec 13, 2006

some of us oldsters remember outboards that wound up and then released to crank the engine ...Evinrude was the one I remember

I've sure done my share of starting old outboards; Evinrudes, Johnsons, and Wizards, by pulling the rope, but don't guess I ever encountered one with a spring that wound up, then released.

Egon · Dec 14, 2006

Easiest way to " Easy start " is have a husky young fellar do the pulling!

randy41 · Dec 18, 2006

well i was thinking of this thread today. i wanted to trim some limbs from some trees and i was going to use a small hand pruning saw but the blade broke. so i thought that this would be a good time to break out my 20+ year old stihl 011 that i havent used in a long time since i use my 038 to cut firewood. a long time means a couple of years. and havent used means havent touched. so i cleaned it up a bit and without adding more gas (yes...the gas/oil mixture in there is at least 2 years old) i choked it for about 5 pulls and unchoked and started it on the next. it was louder than i remember but it cut just fine.

FaC · Dec 18, 2006

On all of my Stihl stuff (saws and leaf blower) I was told that the trick is to lock the trigger down, choke it and pull until you get the first attempt to run. Once that happens, return the choke to the run position and pull again. It should start within a couple of pulls. If you leave the choke on after the first pop it will flood the engine.

Once it is warm it starts with 1-2 pulls with no choke and idle throttle...

So far I have had good results with this technique.

FWIW - FaC

Kubotasrking · Dec 19, 2006

randy41 said:
well i was thinking of this thread today. i wanted to trim some limbs from some trees and i was going to use a small hand pruning saw but the blade broke. so i thought that this would be a good time to break out my 20+ year old stihl 011 that i havent used in a long time since i use my 038 to cut firewood. a long time means a couple of years. and havent used means havent touched. so i cleaned it up a bit and without adding more gas (yes...the gas/oil mixture in there is at least 2 years old) i choked it for about 5 pulls and unchoked and started it on the next. it was louder than i remember but it cut just fine.

Stihl's are amazing aren't they?

Kubotasrking · Dec 19, 2006

LBrown59 said:
Any one have an easy start?

Mine's easy to start...2 pulls on choke, 1 pull vroom. MS440...awesome saw.

Cottonhawk · Dec 19, 2006

I use the same technique as FaC for my Stihl MS361. It works every time. It is important to push the choke back in once it tries to start.

midlf · Dec 23, 2006

FaC said:
On all of my Stihl stuff (saws and leaf blower) I was told that the trick is to lock the trigger down, choke it and pull until you get the first attempt to run. Once that happens, return the choke to the run position and pull again. It should start within a couple of pulls. If you leave the choke on after the first pop it will flood the engine.

Once it is warm it starts with 1-2 pulls with no choke and idle throttle...

So far I have had good results with this technique.

FWIW - FaC

The above is about the proceedure in my Stihl owners manual for my MS310 chain saw. Mine has a half choke position that is used after that first attempt to run. As stated it then starts on 1 or 2 pulls.

3RRL · Dec 23, 2006

midlf said:
The above is about the proceedure in my Stihl owners manual for my MS310 chain saw. Mine has a half choke position that is used after that first attempt to run. As stated it then starts on 1 or 2 pulls.

Mine does too (of course). I do the same as you with good results. I almost got the MS361 but the MS310 is plenty of saw for what I do. I also have a small SOLO 633 that is great for limbing and pruning. I use the exact same technique on it for easy starts too.