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Help with a stihl 088 hard starting (jerks out of the hand!)

Started by Kelvin, February 23, 2007, 05:05:45 PM

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Kelvin

Howdy all,
hey was wondering if anyone out there had an idea about this problem i'm having with a stihl 088 i can't start without tearing my fingers off.  Seems when its cold, but who knows about that, that when you try start it, it tears the cord out of your hand repeatedly.  Now i bought this thing off ebay "like new" and it did it to me right when i got it, even broke the cover when it ripped the cord out of my hand.  Took it in, and it simply still had gas in it and filled the cylinder, locking it, so liquid locked?  (as apposed to vapor?)  Well, i got it home and the thing still behaves the same way quite frequently.  It actually sounds like i'm hitting something metalic when it jerks out of your hand.  I've pulled the plug many times and don't find fluid this time.  The guy at the Stihl dealership looked at it, and said it was fine, that i was just being gun-shy and not pulling it good.  Well, you can't hold onto it.  I can start my 066 without depressing the relief button, i have 6 chainsaws, had two husky 395's, and never have i had this type of problem.  I hold onto it with two hands, depress the relief valve, stand on the handle, and jerk, bonk!  Right out of the hand (with my skin too!) 

This is getting to be real anoying as i need to rip a log and had to give up. I pulled the starter pawl cover off to see if the pawls were funny, nothing there.  Now i wonder if this is why the "Like new" saw was on ebay?  Maybe this was their problem too?  The saw didn't have a scratch on it and was supposidly to much saw for an old guy (yeah right) but anyhow, even if they got rid of it for this reason, what do you guess to be happening?  I think the reason it behaves better at the Stihl dealership is that they let it get warm before they tried it.  Its about 20 degrees out, but i've had it do this in the dead of summer too.  Hmmmm... 
It actually all of a sudden will become possible to pull start after awhile.  Especially after its been started once, the subsequent times are no problem.  What can be interfering?  Too much pressure?  I've got the relief off.  Maybe its not working?  Sounds like it is.  It sounds like its grabbing the pull cord mechansim, like its hit liquid inside, but sounds metalic.  Anything interfacing with the cylinder?  It runs fine otherwise, never sounds like it has a problem.  I just don't use it much to have monkeyed with it.  I just usually get it to go after ripping my hands off 10x's and then its not a problem.  Do rings stick?  Gas in cylinder, not enough to dump out, but enough to create too much pressure?  Why the metalic feel?  I would say it was a slipped flywheel if it was a regular lawn mower engine, like when the key shears.
Help!  I gotta get this log outta the drive!
Thanks
kelvin

SwampDonkey

Is there not a button on the carb you push in before starting?
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

sawguy21

That is a high compression saw and ya sorta have to sneak up on it. Pull the rope slowly until you feel firm resistance, push in the decomp valve, then give it a sharp but short yank. If you grab and run it will kick back like a rented mule.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

flht01

I bought a 084 that did the same thing, fired too soon before tdc and would rip your fingers off. I don't know if this will hold true for the 088 but the 084 flywheels have two keyways, one position is for a "2 post" coil and the other position if for a "3 post" coil. Even if this info is specific to the 084 and not the 088, being the saw came off eBay someone might have installed a flywheel from a 084 and put it in the wrong position. Drop me a PM.

That big saw is really intimidating when it does that.

Tony_T

Are you sure the compression release is functional?  Might want to see if your 066 uses the same release and if so switch it out to see if that cures the problem.

Al_Smith

That is a beast of an engine to kick back on you.

Just a wild guess,it may be firing just a tad bit early.Try this,open the air gap up to 12 thou on the coil.If possible move the coil in the direction of rotation.May help,may not.

ehp

I think you are correct on thinking that maybe the flywheel has slipped , now I have an 088 here right now that will pull the fingers right out of your hand and the reason is that the guy that owns it had the flywheel turned half a key way advanced, one thing I do to the higher compression ported woodsaws like the 088/880 is drill the hole in the decompressure out to a bigger size to let some more of the compression off to help starting , the 088 has a very small hole in the decompressure and I normally drill it out and add another hole to it

PB Logging

I've had the "rip your hand off" trouble before on various saws over the years.  Somewhere I got in the habit of "drop starting" my saws of all size and manner and can't say that I've had any such problem again.  Kinda suspect the idea of "drop starting" a saw might not sit well with everybody though...

Also strongly support/agree wtih Sawguy21: That is a high compression saw and ya sorta have to sneak up on it. Pull the rope slowly until you feel firm resistance, push in the decomp valve, then give it a sharp but short yank. If you grab and run it will kick back like a rented mule.


& where do ya rent your mules anyway?

Make it a safe day!!!

Al_Smith

Just my opinion but a 100 plus cc saw is a tad big to drop start .With a long bar,no matter what the make,it's going to tip the scales at over 30 pounds.

Luckily my big saws don't have a tendency to kick back,but a few of the 70 to 80 cc ones do.As a normal rule I start them on the ground with a foot through the handle.
Once I had flooded an 80 cc light weight saw.In my little pea mind I thought that drop starting,with the throttle held open would be the thing to do.Wrongo,that danged thing recoiled right up the starter rope back at me,oops.As luck wouuld have it,the thing did not start but it did serve as a wake up call to me not to do this.

Dale Hatfield

Dont know if its really the same problem or not. But i blame it on the elasto start handel. It seams that it will tare out of my fingers and snap me in the crotch about every time i pick up a 460 .I have never had this happen with any other saw my 395 starts without this problem. 
Dale
Game Of Logging trainer,  College instructor of logging/Tree Care
Chainsaw Carver

jack

Ouch Dale,
I have a Husky 287 Xp  and it has been behaived that way since it was new.  "sneaking up on it" seems to be the only way to get it going without that pull your fingers thingy.    I pulled the spark plug off Thus proving that it was the compression instead of mechanical "issues".  I'm soon to buy a 36" Saw.   
wondering if it will be the same issues,,,
How do you put your foot in the handle to hold it down to start?  size 6 shoe? or cowboy boots?  my size 11 Redwings dont fit.
Jack
GRAB life by the Belly fat and give it a twist!!!!!

Went from 5 employees to one, sorry to see a couple of them go.  Simplify life... building a totally solar run home, windmill pumps my water, and logs keep me warm.

SwampDonkey

Your a Redwing man too eh Jack? Well that's another thread. :D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

RandyMac

I have to go along with the timing being off. I had a hopped up Mac 797, it would do the snap back, big time. No comp release on that one, and sometimes the old "sneak up" wasn't enough on a cold day. I found that if I held the pull handle palm down, it didn't hurt as much when it was ripped from my fingers. I also used cotton gloves, less friction than leather.

RandyMac
Have you heard about the guy who claims to have felled 2 million trees?

Allison

I have an 84 that I was a little nervous of at first but found the "sneak up"method works well with it pinned to the ground.
Yes it is probably easier for me to get my size 7 inside the handle than for some of you gentlemen :)

Its a little big and out of balance for me to safely dropstart, I have no problem dropping the 460.

The old timer that I got the 84 from watched my starting technique and laughed. He was 5' tall and about the same wide, cut for 40 yrs.. "Girl this is a Man's saw, start it like a man". He put the tip of the bar(42") on a log, rested the handle on his shoulder. Grabbed the throttle and cord and stepped backwards. As it dropped it started first kick!
No thankyou!!  A little to scary for me.
I'm nearly 6' and that was obviously a "short guy technique", that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!
I continue to start it like a girl (an old one) :)
Allison

Al_Smith

 It is not safe  period, to drop start a 30 pound saw.Put that thing on the ground,your foot through the handle and grunt,groan and pull away.

beenthere

Guess I'm one who wonders what is "unsafe" about drop starting.  I'll drop start as the "on the ground" pullin is hard on my back, and shoulders. Drop starting doesn't seem to bother either. But that be me........ ::)  And I know 'drop starting' isn't PC, and according to some OSHA ideas.

With the new idea to start them with the brake on, then there is no running chain to worry about when drop starting, nor worry about when starting on the ground. I don't like starting them with throttle wide open (WOT) and the brake on either, but that is what is taught in the "game of logging" now. Starting with handle between the legs is taught now too. Awkward for me to do that, and don't get a good hard pull either, for me anyhow.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Al_Smith

In regards to drop starting a large saw,several things come to mind.Generally speaking these saws carry long bars,36" or longer.These things are ackwards enough being on the ground,let alone being handling by one hand while drop starting.If that thing hit the end of the bar on something,and by chance started,the results could be bad.That thing could slice you and dice you before you could say Jack Robinson,scares me and I'm fearless.

Now something like a little 346 or 020 T is another story,all together.The 084's ,3120's  and big old Macs however are in a class all by themselfs and need to be handled as they are are,big heavy powerfull saws.

Ax- man

Got to agree with Mr. Al Smith, I don't like drop starting those big saws either.

I know this is kind of a old thread but just to add a little to it a little,  I kind of had this problem with the 88 I have, the 88 has so much compression you really have to pull hard and fast on the starter, more so than with other saws. Make sure your carb settings are correct and it is running where it should be at idle, wot,  and the low speed is not set to lean. I set my carb with a tach according to the factory specs, I was off a little for all the different settings, ever since I did that starting problems with that saw has disappeared, I actually enjoy running that saw now, starts easier and has more grunt for the big cuts.


joe_indi

In a used saw there are just 4 possibilities.
Excess carbon or sediment on the cylinder and piston top.Lift the cylinder and get rid of the carbon/sediment.
while you are at it you could check out the second possibility. A worn out piston needle cage.
Fit a new needle cage.
Finally check the high tension wire from the ignition module to the spark plug for worn out insulation.
Check the black wire from the ignition module to the switch for any earthing against the metal parts of the engine

AJB

I have similar problem with a Stihl 044.
My lightly used 25-year old Stihl 044 chainsaw has sat for a year unused in a heated garage after being run dry (fuel emptied then run to stop). Before that it had been working fine, drop-starting (don't tell) readily on second or third throw. Now fueled with new gas/oil mixture.
Problem is that the cord will not allow a normal crank either jamming or often jerking from my hand.  However, saw did start at first and ran for a couple of seconds before dying, but only once.  What should I try now?  I have read some of the entries in a thread on a similar situation, but nothing there works or fits my situation.  Much appreciate suggestions.

Guydreads

So, drop starting. This has been faught over by many people. My method: Decomp first. Choke. Chain brake. Grab the "left hand" handle with your right hand, starter with your left. Don't mess with the throttle. Find the compression stroke when about to pull. When you hit compression, give er a yank, it'll pull. If you need a video, I could probably manage uploading to to my YT channel ;) In fact, on my J'red 2071 Turbo I don't use the decomp generally.

sawguy21

Being left handed that is how I drop started at the start of my career. Until I noticed a hole in my jeans that had not been there five minutes before. Keys or a lump of change saved my leg, nobody had chain brakes in those days. I was working in the shop so no chaps either. I  NEVER did that again!
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Al_Smith

On that 044 it would not be unusual if after a period of idleness for it not to start .Most times the carb needs rebuilt .Some think they can just "clean " them out but that seldom gets it done .Rebuild kits are inexpensive and a rebuild is simple to do .

Guydreads

I'm glad you're ok! We'd hate to not have the experience of @sawguy21 during rebuilds of chainsaws and knowledge in general!

Gearbox

I have a 394 and the only way to start it is drop start it . those big saws need to spin . I kind of sneak up on it . Kind of like kick starting a Harley .You want to keep the shop door closed those big saws will sneak out and cut wood on their own .
A bunch of chainsaws a BT6870 processer , TC 5 International track skidder and not near enough time

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