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Are Stihl saws always hard to start?

Started by welderskelter, June 09, 2021, 03:49:25 PM

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grabber green

welderskelter ,No, stihl saws aren't always hard to start. Mine have always started easy and I had never heard of anybody having trouble starting one until this thread. I can recomend an electric chainsaw to replace your smaller saws. A friend of mine use to keep one plugged up at the tail of his mill for trimming ,just hit the trigger and cut.Worked great and  saved alot of starter rope.

welderskelter

Grabber Green, I dont have any trouble starting my stihls. It just seems like the 10 pulls it takes to start mine is too much. I thought when I started this that I would find some guys that had already solved the problem for me and I wouldnt have to invent the wheel to do it.( An electric chainsaw. Now thems fighten words.) Ha. :snowball:                                
I thought about getting a Husky for a starter motor. :D
Any other suggestions?

btulloh

None of the suggestions above help at all?
HM126

welderskelter

btulloh. Yes they might. Only I have just changed the plug. And the way I start mine is pretty much as everybody else says. I do clean the air filter regularly.  Dont know what else to do. Thanks everybody.

donbj

Quote from: welderskelter on June 12, 2021, 09:32:21 AMI thought about getting a Husky for a starter motor.


Well at least you'll have a dependable starter motor! :)
I may be skinny but I'm a Husky guy

Woodmizer LT40HDG24. John Deere 5300 4WD with Loader/Forks. Husky 262xp. Jonsered 2065, Husky 65, Husky 44, Husky 181XP, Husky 2100CD, Husky 185CD

thecfarm

Pulling it over slowly with the choke on does not help?   ???  Made a BIG difference with my 372 husky. 
I also have a new 450 that I do the same thing. The slow start. That sometimes will catch and start on me.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SwampDonkey

Only Stihl I've run was a clearing saw. Never started hard. Push in decompression. Prime 3 or 4 times, two pulls. And the pulls was short not like starting a lawn mower. Couple quick snaps and you're off. Husqvarna was some getting used to, on those choke/switch button gizmos. Push decompression, prime 5 times, 3 or 4 light pulls, then she fired up. And it don't run smooth at first either, same with their clearing saws, gotta trigger feed it a few times for it to wake up. And that's brand new to. Now if we had the real Husqvarnas without those primer bulbs and switch gizmos you'd see a world of difference start'n them. You can't always improve upon what already worked, you just make a mess of it. :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)))

Spike60

I was being a goofball before, but on the serious side, some of this is often the case of guys getting older and not being able to to snap the rope as quick as they used to. And looking at the age of some of the posters, I wonder if that's part of it. Please don't anyone get offended. But this happens quite frequently in the shop. Often with someone I've known for years. Natural to think it must be the saw, but blanket statements suggesting everything a company makes being hard to start means we ought to look at the bigger picture.

Ignition coils need certain RPM's to fire at all. Traditionally, most saws would fire at about 1400-1500 RPM's. Less than that and there's just no spark. Some newer coils fire at 700 RPM's. This is the deal on some of the newer Huskys without a deco on them. Decos have their own downside in that they make the saw easier to pull, but now you're trying to start a saw with minimal compression. A problem that's worse with both new saws that aren't broken in and older saws that might be getting tired.

One thing we can't see here is anyone attempting to start a saw. When I run into this at the store, I usually ask a customer to "show me how you start it". It's then obvious if they are struggling to pull the starter rope. Then I have to diplomatically explain what's going on. As I'm almost 65 myself, I say "we" when talking about getting old. Can't just start the saw and embarrass the guy.

This is something to consider as we get older, among a whole list of things we'll all be dealing with. Part of life.
Husqvarna-Jonsered
Ashokan Turf and Timber
845-657-6395

Al_Smith

Chainsaws are like women. They are all sisters  but not identical twins .Some no matter what brand or age you just have to handle differently .Stihl as a whole aren't any harder to start than any other brand .
Three examples ,038 Magnum ,modified .On a cold start maybe 10 pulls .After first start nearly every time on one .Stihl 024 usually 5 or 6  cold ,1  or 2 warm .Husqvarna 2100 CD .Cold  1 with the choke ,after just one no choke else it will flood .maybe 4 or 5 after .BTW you do not want to flood a 99 cc chainsaw with no de-comp . :o
Stihl blower and weed wacker .Usually 3 or 4 prime bulb, choke .They always start easy .

Al_Smith

To add to what Spike said what will help is a D-Handle where you can get a good grip on .Of all I've ever used the D from a Stihl 460 rescue saw is the best I've found .
A story on hot mags .My modified 038 mag will fire on a relatively slow pull .It nearly pulled good old Fred ( Stihl Boy ) through the recoil once .I scolded him .Any time you see a D on a chainsaw it's on there for a reason .These are not the trim the apple tree in the back yard twice a year type saws .

gspren

Quote from: 421Altered on June 11, 2021, 11:31:50 AM
I should have said the ms261cm is the sole exception to this starting method.  For a cold start move lever all the way down and crank it.  Let it idle 3-5 minutes and it's ready to work.  For a warm start, don't do anything but pull the rope!
That sounds like an awful long time at idle, I don't think I let mine idle more than 20 seconds before I blip it a time or 2 and get cutting.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

barbender

I could go back in and have coffee if I let my saw warm up for that long!😂😂
Too many irons in the fire

421Altered

Maybe I'm letting mine idle too long.  I know a 2 stroke air cooled engine is different than a 4 stroke water cooled engine.  But, I was thinking with the longer idle time that the bearings, piston and rings would be pretty much heat soaked before I started making heavy cuts with the saw, thereby helping the saw to last many more years.

barbender

I wouldn't say what you are doing is incorrect, just that most of us are too impatient to leave ours idling😊
Too many irons in the fire

Al_Smith

The Amsoil crowd give me the raspberries about my old school 32 to 1 mix .They fail to realize my saws seldom idle so how could they carbon up ? ;D

barbender

Amsoil can keep their raspberries😂 I do like their Sabre oil, but I sure don't run it at 100:1. 32:1 for me, no fouling either. 
Too many irons in the fire

donbj

Quote from: Spike60 on June 13, 2021, 05:51:24 AM
I was being a goofball before, but on the serious side, some of this is often the case of guys getting older and not being able to to snap the rope as quick as they used to. And looking at the age of some of the posters, I wonder if that's part of it. Please don't anyone get offended. But this happens quite frequently in the shop. Often with someone I've known for years. Natural to think it must be the saw, but blanket statements suggesting everything a company makes being hard to start means we ought to look at the bigger picture.

Ignition coils need certain RPM's to fire at all. Traditionally, most saws would fire at about 1400-1500 RPM's. Less than that and there's just no spark. Some newer coils fire at 700 RPM's. This is the deal on some of the newer Huskys without a deco on them. Decos have their own downside in that they make the saw easier to pull, but now you're trying to start a saw with minimal compression. A problem that's worse with both new saws that aren't broken in and older saws that might be getting tired.

One thing we can't see here is anyone attempting to start a saw. When I run into this at the store, I usually ask a customer to "show me how you start it". It's then obvious if they are struggling to pull the starter rope. Then I have to diplomatically explain what's going on. As I'm almost 65 myself, I say "we" when talking about getting old. Can't just start the saw and embarrass the guy.

This is something to consider as we get older, among a whole list of things we'll all be dealing with. Part of life.
Yes, for sure! And I can only toss a non starter 30' now vs 50' back in my younger days! :D 
I may be skinny but I'm a Husky guy

Woodmizer LT40HDG24. John Deere 5300 4WD with Loader/Forks. Husky 262xp. Jonsered 2065, Husky 65, Husky 44, Husky 181XP, Husky 2100CD, Husky 185CD

421Altered

With our church volunteer group's ms261cm the guy that runs it nearly always when the saw is cold, when he cranks it, immediately, and I mean as quick as he can, he pulls the throttle.  Most of the time it shuts down. It has to run a little bit before it will run and cut.  The saw is still fairly new, not more than 6-7 tanks through it.  
   He also has trouble cranking the ms250's, and ms 361, like a lot of people, he can't tell when it 'pops", and keeps choking it till it''s hopelessly flooded.

Skeans1

Out of the couple Stihl saws I have the only decent starting one is a 500i I don't think I've pulled on the cord more the. 5 times to get it to start since day one. The 462 is ok just requires a lot more pulls even with the cylinder primed it also seems like it's more sensitive to how long it sits vs my Huskies I've ran previously.

zippski

My MS461 was always a hard starter when cold.  About 8-10 pulls, but only 1-2 after being warmed up.  

So far, my MS500i is a huge disappointment in the starting department.  It gets a lot harder to start as the temps rise.  Many, many pushes in the primer, and many start-miss-run-out-of-fuel misfires before it finally lights up and stays running.  I have tried every starting technique I can think of to get rid of this annoying issue.  I have already had it back to dealer who says "it checks out fine on our computer".  It's not fine and I am starting to get peeved - I expected much more from an CAN$1800.00 saw that was supposed to have "computer fuel injection".  Apparently I am not the only one with this issue with the MS500i.  There is a discussion going on in the other-forum-that-shall-not-be-named about exactly the same starting issues and symptoms. 

Best starting Stihl I have ever owned is my MS362.  That thing starts super easy, even when cold.  One pull once warmed up. 

Leigh
zippski
Leigh
zippski

Greenhighlander

The only Stihl saw I have is a ms 251 .  No matter the temp it takes 3 pulls with the choke on , then one pull with it off to start cold. When warm it is one pull .  It has been that way for all the years and the many hundreds of hours I have used it. 

realzed

Gotta love the original rhetorical question that began this thread..
Struck me as something one would hear like: "how come all Husky type of saw clutches have so many problems and issues and why haven't they changed the design?" or "why do all Echo tools need so much service, and why is so hard to get decent service - is it poor dealerships or bad parts availability?"
This all sounded and hit me as if it was one of those 'have you stopped beating up your wife yet?' type of questions meant to smear someone or in this case a brand with a wide brush with no means of logical response that sounds or seems valid..
I'm sure all types of saws (or any manner of yard and small utility equipment for that matter) have a wide range of users who have experienced various difficulties using or getting them to perform the way they expected when they first acquired them - some of those issues obviously stemming from an inability to properly read operator's manuals and/or follow instructions well, and some could be due to poorly set up equipment - possibly even from new..
But just maybe, many the expectations of those who use them are also unexpectedly higher than they should be in many cases, due to naivety or even advertising hype..
Just my own take on it obviously, but I have had experiences with many various brands of saws and a lot of other small equipment that gave me both fits and pleasures using, but seldom have I blamed the brand before I blamed the setup of the pieces themselves or the condition they were actually in by the time I got to use them!
Just say'n..

welderskelter

Realzed.There were about 40 some different posts on here about starting chainsaws. That was my intent when I posted it. I gave away my old 700 McCoulloh when I bought my 066 because my neighbor needed a saw and it couldnt keep up with the Stihl.  That 700 would pop on the second pull and lots of the time I would get the choke in before it stopped. So excuse me for wondering if it was a thing with Stihls to take longer to crank. I do realize that the 700 carb was bolted to the block. The stihl carb is on a rubber hose about 2 and a half inches back from the block. That might be a factor.
But I reread your post and I still beat my wife when playing scrabble quite often. And I am not blaming Stihl. If I was I would be a hypocrite because the only kind of saws in my shed are Stihl 025,3-038s, 045, and an 066. I am kind of stuck on stihls. I bought the 066 new in 04 for 750 dollars.so I am sure it wasnt hurt.
I dont think you posted to try to help anybody. And you certainly didnt hurt me as I am used to posts like this one.
I do hope you have a nice day. Thank you.

lxskllr

What's the definition of a hard to start saw? My Stihls I can get running in ≤5 pulls most times, doesn't matter how long they've been sitting. After warmed up, they're one pull starts. That's not as good as my echoes, especially the 2511t. About all it takes to start that is a stern look. I can sometimes start that in one pull cold if I'm fast turning the choke off. My echoes are small though, so it's not an apple-apple comparison.

How many pulls does it take before someone thinks "This saw starts hard"?

Real1shepherd

My definition on a well tuned, no air leaks saw....excessive would be more than 5 pulls to start cold. If you're pulling your saw 10 times to start it cold, that's ridiculous and either a bad design or some problem in the saw itself. I wouldn't tolerate that and I run older saws.

In my mind, the newer saws should start better than older saws.....unless EPA requirements have messed that up.

Kevin

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