Accidently let my 261cm run out of gas today. Any hints to get it restarted?
If it doesn't have a purge bulb, choke it and crank it. It shouldn't be too bad to get it going again.
Not recommending this, but I have been known to practice rescue breathing with particularly stubborn subjects.
I have read that there is a procedure for burping a cm back to life which I would assume is in the Operator's Manual.
Possibly running out of fuel is one reason why my dealer recommended for me not to buy the cm series saws.
Quote from: trapper on March 18, 2025, 08:56:36 PMAccidently let my 261cm run out of gas today. Any hints to get it restarted?
My firewood helpers have ran mine completely out of fuel a couple times and it wasn't a big deal to get it running again. Just choked it and cranked on it. It does take a bit of time running it for it to reset it self before its back to running completely right.
May need to let it cool some if you are a fast refueler. :thumbsup:
I was going to suggest the first thing to do is fill the fuel tank but I didn't want to sound like a smart alec ffcheesy
My logic says that as the chainsaw is running out of gas it is getting leaner so the computer should try to increase the richness because it does not know the low fuel situation. After you refuel and crank it, the computer should have to readjust from the rich side back to the normal running state.
If/when you take it to the shop, they connect the saw to a laptop and see/do whatever. The laptop situation is why my dealer advised me to avoid the cm because he knows that I will never wear the saw out or get rid of it and 20 years from now that computer program might not be supported. I have and use my chainsaws at the farm that are all 30+ years old. have one that is 49 years old but without a chain brake, I don't use it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/2410/DSCN0568.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=79717)
I retired it after hitting hidden fence wire causing a kickback and 16 stitches on my forearm.
Yes, Al thanks but sounds like you could not help yourself ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy . I had trouble with the 661 if it ran out. It helped to let it cool when out of gas (after refilling). I had all kinds of trouble and eventually returned it for a refund towards my 880. I often could not re-start it warm. weather it ran out of fuel or not. my 261 did that but they replaced the solenoid fuel controller, and I have had no further problems.
Just ran across this thread. When I have run my 261C out of fuel I start it like normal but always recalibrate it by letting it idle on "choke" for 90 seconds, then shut it off. Start up again and good to go.
I know on a FS561ecm clearing saw, it needs primed and choked. Starts in 1 or 2 pulls. If you try to start with no choke, you'll be cranking awhile. :uhoh:
I'd like to know why in the name of good sense did they ever come up with a computer operated chainsaw .I'd venture to say they probabley don't run any better or any faster than my 40 year old antigues .Besides that I don't need a bunch of high priced equipment to even work on them .-----don't get me started .This is as bad as the great oil wars ,humbug .
Reminds me of the early days of tractor logging in the PNW or so the story goes .The bull wackers and mule skinners were replaced with "Cat skinners " and the weapon of choice was the Caterpillar 60 .Big old slow moving thing that in low gear almost impossible to stall. It too got replaced with more modern crawlers but the cat skinners revolted .
The first thing they did was take an axe to the muffler because after decades of listening to those old 60's they were half deaf .They didn't need a tachometer the big old engine talked to them .