Figured Out My Efco 251 Fuel Starvation Problem (shuting off after 4 or 5 min.)

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

1st of All my son put >> oil in the gas side and gas in the oil side but the saw was shuting off before that.

I bought this saw as a open box sell about a month ago. The problem started after the 3rd or 4th tnk of gas. I was careful with the fuel and it was always clean and cleaned around the caps to make sure dirt did not get in the tank.

The saw started acting up with about a half a tank of gas left. It was starved for fuel and I pulled out of the cut and leveled the saw and was off & on the gas for it to recover and run ok.  I thought that the filter in the tank was loaded up and pulled it out & cleaned it with brake clean and it was fine, not loaded with dirt and good clean color of the white felt material. I gassed the saw up and still No fuel getting to the carb. after several pumps on the pressure bulb thing.  I tried blowing in the tank and this brought back memories of the old days and trick my dad showed me. Anyway, it was not a great tasting experience with lip locking onto the gas opening and I could not push any fuel into the carb.

I removed the tank filter again and checked it over again... looking at the filter and thinking.. that's as clean as it can be, why No Gas. I removed the filter deal & blew in the line and got results that way into the carb. .  I looked in the back side (where the fuel line connects) and saw something black and could not blow through the filter element from the back side. I took the two side clips off and removed the front side of the filter element and took a saw file tang and pushed the disk filter out. This little disk or mesh filter was (nearly) completely blocked.

I put everything back together less the internal disk filter and tried the saw out. The saw cranked up and ran one tank of fuel and worked 100%. I need to look at this disk filter tomorrow with my mag. glass and see what type of material it is.. mesh or what ?  If not re-cleanable I'll have to find it on the internet I guess to replace it.

The purpose of this post was to let ya all know what little problems are out there and a heads up to Ya All !

Also, if you have some Saw Related Problem's.. I'd or We'd Like to Hear Them.

Avery


 

[isawlogs]

 Why not just get a new filter for it  ???

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

I will get a new filter, did not know that it was two part filter with center disk inside. The outside part of the filter was very clean. The inside disk, about 5/16 OD was loaded up and threw me off with the very clean outside filter element (like new) and 3 or 4 tanks of gas through the saw.

Not my 1st rodeo with filters, does not add up. Yes, the simple answer is replace the filter and I understand all that but the outside should have been loaded too!

Avery

[Cut4fun]

You say outside filter should be loaded too. I say not. Explain how all the tiny wood particles stop up the screen in the carb? But no stoppage on or around the filter.

My guess the tiny particles are smaller then the filter mesh and get by and over time create the build up we finally see when blockage accrues.

[Rocky_J]

With only 4 tanks of fuel through the saw I would guess it to be trash introduced during manufacturing. Or else the saw was a display unit and sat on a shelf with no gas cap for a year or two and filled up with dust.

[H60 Hawk Pilot]

This may have been a display unit because it was an open box saw. It was never run though and it threw me off with the (nearly) snow white filter condition that I saw on the outside. The inside waffer disk was black & loaded and couldn't blow through it with my little test. It will be a little my mystery and fooled me once. I know it was not from the gas can, it was brand new and I rinsed it out with gas prior to mixing the fuel up and cleaned around the tank cap before I opened it up... just a little strange and it may have been a un-clean tank with fine dust in there from the get go.

Don't matter, I need to find a saw shop and buy a 4 or so tank filters and a have couple xtra for my other saw. I really like this little saw and has enough power & light weight  and still have enough power to do soemthing with. I have not had a new saw in 40 years and saws have changed.

All in All, Just wanted to share the experence of having a new saw and the tank filter plugged up already;  and hear about your saw problem's & fixes.

Be Careful Out There !

Avery

[isawlogs]

Thanks for sharing , I also think that it was sitting and collected the dust off the shelf, that my story and sticking to it  ;) ;D

[sharkey]

Hi H60,
Usually the walbro filters only have three parts to them.  The white cotton pieces go around a cast or plastic center body and then a clip holds the cotton filter pieces on to the filter body.  The older filter bodies were aluminum and the newer ones are plastic with a weight on the bottom.   

Im curious if your saw uses an air purge bulb?  Maybe that was the check valve out of the bulb that you found down inside the hose?