Stihl 034 AV...Hard starting

[lobsta1]

Long time lurker. I have an 034 AV that earlier this year started giving me a hard time starting. The pull cord is real tough to pull, almost as if there is too much compression. If it does burp, it will yank the cord handle right out of my hand. If I just eeease the cord out, it makes a very distinct tug at each revolution. With the plug out, using compressed air I can spin the engine over easily. Even with the plug in & wire disconnected it is tough to pull the cord. I know nothing about two-strokes. As an experiment, I left the spark plug loose to lower the compression. Was able to start right up without killing my hand. Revved it a little bit & shut it down. Tightened the plug & tried to start it again. Didn't start but almost broke my fingers ripping the cord handle out of my hand.
The local Stihl dealer is mostly a construction rental place. My saw is so old they can't even locate it on the microfiche.
help
Al

[sawguy21]

Pull the rope slowly until you feel resistance then give it a short hard pull.

[lobsta1]

Do that & then I will have my fingers ripped off. I'm strictly an amateur, but I have been cutting 5 > 7 cords a year for the last 30 years. The 034 I bought off ebay about 5 years ago. It's been great until this year.

What is interesting is that here in Ma. we started with E10 gas this year. Since then both my 034 & the chinese 6.5 hp Honda clone on my log splitter both recoiled so hard they snapped the pull cord & tore up the pawls in the Stihl & broke the recoil spring in the clone. (I think that is what is called a run-on sentence.) I've learned on the clone to hold the handle real light. The thing is on the Stihl, SOMETIMES it will pull easily. Once warmed up, it's usually OK.
Al

[dancan]

DanG thats spooky .
I picked my 034av this morning , pulled the cord , it kicked back and broke the pull cord spool and the pawl .
I'll know tomorrow if it's that start of the same problem your having when i get her back together .

[MotorSeven]

Have you cleaned the muffler screen? If it is clogged, it will make the compression way high, and also bog the saw in a cut once it warms up......learned this the hard way :-[.  The saw can't "exhaust" very well if the screen is all gumed up with carbon. Take the screen out, hold it with some vice grips, heat it till it glows with a torch, then lightly tap it on a hard surface...the carbon will fall off.

RD

[dancan]

Got my parts from the stihl store yesterday , wasted an hour and a half trying to get it together and to make the pull-cord work right  >:( called the stihl store found out they sold me the wrong pull . >:(
Got the correct one 5 minutes later  back in buisness  8) but it's not hard to pull or pulling the cord back .