Easy to start saw

Ken · November 15, 2012, 07:01:26 PM

I could start asking questions at the saw shops but thought I would start here. My grandfather who will be 90 in a couple of weeks needs a new saw. He has an older than dirt 630 Jonsered that is completely worn out. He still cuts up a couple of truckloads of wood every year.

We are going to get him a new saw for Christmas. I know that the new Stihl thinning saws are extremely easy to start. Are the power saws the same? We have a Husky Rancher saw that is only a couple of years old but he has a hard time starting it. Suggestions anyone?

Cheers
Ken

Caloren · November 15, 2012, 07:20:55 PM

Friend of mine just bought one of the new Quick Start Stihl's after his other two saws were stolen. :( Starts VERY easy, don't know how it will be 'down the road', but he loves it now. Can't remember which Stihl it was though. :

Loren

beenthere · November 15, 2012, 07:30:43 PM

I'd for sure let him pick out his saw. Treat him to a shopping trip.

Just might be that he is looking for a good excuse to stop sawing a couple truckloads of wood a year and surprising him with a new saw may just ruin his plan. ;D

sprucebunny · November 15, 2012, 07:36:17 PM

I recently bought a MS192. It's very easy to start but there are more buttons to mess with and that takes a little getting used to. Has good performance for it's weight which is very light.

sawguy21 · November 15, 2012, 10:13:11 PM

90 and he still packs a 630? He is one tough hombre, my hat is off to him. 8) Personally I don't like that so called quick start feature, gotta pull the rope out the full length to make it work, but that is just me. That MS192 is an amazing little beast, decent power and yet so light.

Al_Smith · November 16, 2012, 09:43:52 AM

My father RIP ran a PM 610 Mac until he was around 8o-82 years old but it got a little too much for him .I sent him out a little Poulan of around 2 cubic inchs which suited him just fine .

Towards the end he was only maybe cutting two truck loads a year if that because they spent the winters in Florida .I'd have the trimmers drop off some small good stuff every so often which I could have cut up for but the old gent liked to run a saw .What the hey ,might take him three days on one pick up load,big deal .He'd already ran his race in life by that time .

Ianab · November 16, 2012, 11:39:14 AM

Go and have a look at the "E" series Stihls. The starter on those doesn't actually turn the motor over, it just winds up a spring. Once it gets enough tension it releases and kicks the motor over. It is easier for an old guy, small lady, or someone with a dodgy shoulder to start.

Take your Dad down to the local dealer and let him hang onto one and see how he likes it.

Ian

ed in idaho · November 16, 2012, 01:14:59 PM

i've got an echo 530 that is the best starting saw, 2 or 3 pulls every time.

Ed

shelbycharger400 · November 16, 2012, 04:02:08 PM

I like my 630, even thou it has issues with the pull cord wanting to hang out, not shure whats wrong with it, anyway It usually will start even dead cold with only about 4 or 5 pulls of only 2 inches. I checked it yesterday and has 145 psi cold and it wasnt ran for a few months.
Seems most easy to start saws are the little ones with not much cubes.
although my very tired deere 50v ( but has 130-135 psi) usually pops off the 2nd or 3rd pull, runs then dies out, throw the choke open, next pull its running!

Al_Smith · November 16, 2012, 08:49:46 PM

I don't think size has anything to do with it .You can have stuborn little saws and stuborn big saws .The diff being you can tug on little saw longer before it wears you out.

shelbycharger400 · November 16, 2012, 09:51:58 PM

I have one little saw, it starts fine cold, til you use it for a while til the tank is empty.
You fill it up, Usually you pull your guts out , wont start. unless it gets stone cold and fires up.
It went sailing one day ! I picked it up after I cooled off and it did too and fired right up. It dosnt matter if its good gas or cheapy gas, and it did get a carb kit, i removed the limiter caps, and tuned it, it ran better but nothing changes its personality. Its a pouland / deere 3816. I dont feel bad limbing like a mad man wot non stop with it anymore.

Al_Smith · November 17, 2012, 05:57:51 AM

Every so often evidently the solid state ignitons become over heated on a shut down and they absolutley will not start until they cool down .

I had one that stumped me for years and caused much frustration .Finally I got the bright idea to give the saw a little cool down prior to shut off and the problem went away .Fact I also had a Briggs mower engine do the same thing .Excepting in that case it had a self advancing coil that would go to full advance and even with electric start it wouldn't go until it cooled down .

Cut4fun · November 17, 2012, 10:08:19 AM

I had to work on a ms250 the other day and it had the stihl easy start system on it. Very impressed with the easy start system they use. I even showed a older friend and my dad that is in his 70's.

You can even use small easy pulls several times only moving rope inches and it will wind it up to work.

cuterz · November 17, 2012, 10:20:28 PM

Check out the Echo's cs400 very nice saw 8)

CTYank · November 18, 2012, 02:24:12 AM

Or ... with the Husqy Rancher, use the compression release. Presuming it has one.

I've a 455r, and find it really easy to start without touching the compression release. Purge carb, pull carb blue thingie to set [ignition on, fast idle, full choke]; it fires on second pull, push thingie in to un-set choke. One pull- it fires at fast idle. Maybe set saw on ground with right foot in rear handle. Not much force required to crank, really.

billm67 · November 21, 2012, 09:18:06 AM

I have a CS400 and once you richen up the high and low circuits...they are easy to start. My stihl 026 takes 5 pulls to start when cold....3 on choke...turn the choke off and one or two pulls on high idle and it starts right up. After it is warm...all you have to do is pull the starter once and it usually starts as soon as the engine turns over. Having the carbs rich enough really helps them start. There is nothing worse than a saw that is running lean and trying to start it when it's hot.

Al_Smith · November 21, 2012, 10:31:02 AM

Quote from: billm67 on November 21, 2012, 09:18:06 AM
. Having the carbs rich enough really helps them start. There is nothing worse than a saw that is running lean and trying to start it when it's hot.

A common problem and one I have myself it seems .Several saws I have it seems I neglected to properly tune the low speed jet .The results on a hot start after a hard run requires somehow opening the throttle wide open .

I don't condone it nor push the issue but I drop start them which is something you cannot do on a high displacement saw .It would be handy in a case like that if a person had three hands but I've not seen an example of that as of yet .

I've got a little sweety of an 024 I used yesterday .After about 10-15 seconds at an idle it dies .Tiny little thing that weighs about as much as feather fires right back up on a drop .

Al_Smith · November 21, 2012, 10:40:19 AM

Rambling on like a lunatic as usual all saw engines have a personality .They may be akin to old girl friends in the fact they all sisters but they vary .Unlike old girl friends you can figure them out then you've won the battle .

That little 024 on a cold start you choke it ,make two pulls and wait 5 seconds ,fires on the third .Keep tugging on it without the wait you'll pull til the chickens come home to roost.Why I have no idea but I got Mr Stihls little baby boy figured out and ainta gonna do a thing to change it .Good enough is good enough .

irvi00 · November 22, 2012, 10:15:19 PM

As far as starting goes, my dads ms260 starts very easily.....but.....the stupid flippy caps have bumfuzzled us both. They market them as "tooless", but he brought it to me the other day and couldnt get the gas cap to seal. (He's 76). 30 minutes, two screwdrivers and a pair of channel locks later I got it sealed. Is that tool less? It seems he got the cap out of time and didnt flip down in the right place. Needless to say Stihl has lost our business with this new junk.

beenthere · November 22, 2012, 10:45:51 PM

I like the flip caps. Have had no trouble at all with them. Sorry, can't agree with they are "junk".

Caloren · November 22, 2012, 11:04:08 PM

Some people like the flippy caps - and some don't. I only have one saw with them, but I like 'em.

JohnG28 · November 23, 2012, 06:31:20 AM

I had something trouble with the original one on my 361 and ended up breaking it. Since then the replacement has been flawless.

Al_Smith · November 23, 2012, 09:44:47 AM

The o-rings swell on the flippy caps is why they cause so much grief .You can replace the ring for about 29 cents or the whole cap for about 8 bucks .I've done both .

Here's what likely happened .The rings are made of Buna-N which is impervious to straight gasoline but over time the ethanol which is alcohol worked on the rings of which Buna-N is not impervious to .Stihl either used a slightly smaller thickness ring or a slightly altered blend of synthetic rubber on later flip caps .I do know as fact that later crank case seals are using a slightly different material so Stihl is addressing the problem .

JohnG28 · November 25, 2012, 07:53:20 PM

I remember something about a recall on the caps, but wasn't broke at the time, so didn't fix it. Then broke it into 3-4 pieces, time to replace it. When it was a pain it wouldn't close no matter how many times I realigned it, so swollen o ring makes sense.

Ken · November 28, 2012, 06:31:50 PM

Thanks for all your input. I am picking Grampy up a ms250 with easy start. I realize that the saw is not professional grade and a little small but grampie will be 90 next week and will only use the saw for 10 - 12 cords a year. As near as I can tell it will handle 6-10" clean wood relatively well.

Ken