The Forestry Forum

Good Afternoon all.....  new user with an odd problem, hope  some can help.

I've got a Husqvarna 55 rancher chainsaw... few years old but seldom used. Need to remove some trees so I pulled it out to get ready... here's my problem

when I pull the starter rope it will only pull out about 6" and I get serious resistance.

Chain brake is off
choke is set to on
chain moves when pulled manually.. ?????

so I remove the spark plug and try it again... rope pulls freely likke it should) and I can see piston moving up and down the cylinder...  so the reciprocating parts are working????

so I'm thinking maybe got a valve stuck and compression is holding the saw... this saw has no compression release

I'm stumped ...any suggestions ?? Right now it's sitting on the bench with the piston at TDC and full of penetrating oil.. thinking maybe something might free up...
hoping I don't have to tear this thing down..

help ??

thanks

john

That sounds normal to me, there is no 'valve' to get stuck like a 4 stroke. Bring it up until you feel resistance then give the rope a sharp pull.

Check if the starter pulley is chacked, or maybe the cord has been shortened.

I rebuilt a 55 with a FarmerTec top end. The compression was ~200 PSI. I broke 2 recoils (and almost my shoulder) until I tapped in a decomp valve.