# hard starting chainsaw



## kumma (Jul 12, 2002)

ok I read the chainsaw thread and im wondering why my Stihl MS310 is an absolute bear to get started. It took me 15 minutes to fire the damn thing up this week. It even laughed at me when I sprayed some starting fluid in it. After I was done I doused it with carb cleaner and it was still finicky. Me and 2 strokes do not get along I have thrown out just about every one I have used because I cant start them. So what makes them hard to start? bad gas mix? varnished carb? misaligned planets? what?


----------



## tracker14 (Jun 1, 2007)

I have a sthil 28 superwood boss. That was hard to start. I had the carb rebuilt and a new plug and it did wonders. If its not used very often it wouldn,t hurt to store it with stabil in the gas and start if you walk in the garage and see it on the floor. It will help keep the carb in better shape.


----------



## Fishcapades (Mar 18, 2003)

Chrck out www.arboristsite.com there is some stihl tec's over there that should be able to help...

If that dont work and your sick of it just let me know ill buy it off of you.:coolgleam


----------



## BFTrout (Sep 27, 2002)

i would start out with putting a new plug in the saw. drain out the gas. . .especially if it's a few months old and give it new stuff. most stihl's require 89 octane gas or better. instead of running stabil in the saw once a year, get a can of seafoam and ALWAYS run it in your gas mix. in fact, it's not a bad idea to run seafoam in all of your 2 strokes. . . in my opinion, of course. a can of that stuff is a lot cheaper than carb-rebuilds. 
BFTrout


----------



## InTheRiver (May 15, 2006)

+1 for that ^^^^ gas goes bad b4 you will ever use it and two strokes are very finnieky(sp?)


----------



## Taxidermist (Jan 3, 2002)

I just took my dads ms260 in to d&g in howell because I gave up on it. I was with the tech and he heated the plug end up cherry red then placed it back in the saw and it ran. He then took off the carb and in a little screen in the carb it had small saw dust in it. He cleaned it and checked all adjustments and it purs like a tiger now. Also never blow out the air filter with compressed air as it opens the filter and alows larger particals in the carb. Also I was told never run stabil in your mixed gas as it is mosty alcahaol(sp?) and it washes the oil from the cylinder walls and belive me it does. I just rebuilt a Johnsered saw today from stabil treated gas.



Rob

ps let me know when you are throwing out that saw


----------



## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I bought a new Stihl a little over a year ago. That thing fired up like a champ last year and early this past spring. But it sat in the garage until about a month ago. I had a bear of a time getting it to start. I fought it for a while on two or three different occasions but finally got it to start and it's been OK since. But I think I may pull the carb off of it and clean it up thoroughly. I might replace the plug too. But talking to a guy who knows chainsaws he told me that I should empty the tank and run it dry whenever I'm done using it. That way the carb won't get gummed up and cause starting problems. It sounds like a good plan and that's what I'm going to do from now on.

John


----------



## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

I have to wonder about the gas too, but doesn't most 2-cyle oil have some sort of stabilizer in it?


----------



## bigair (Apr 16, 2004)

The stihl branded oil has a fuel stabilizer built in. Ditto on running the gas out every time.


----------



## Tecumseh (Aug 13, 2004)

I have Echo saws and they get tough to start when the gas isn't fresh or the mixture is a little off.


----------



## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

I turn the switch to "off" and give it 5-10 pulls. Turn the switch to "on" and have the gas on full throttle and it usually starts on the first pull.


----------



## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Mine will only start with the above techniques


----------



## shadow (Feb 14, 2005)

bigair said:


> The stihl branded oil has a fuel stabilizer built in. Ditto on running the gas out every time.


i always went by the rule to not ever ever let your 2-cycle engines run out of gas ever....ever.

unfortunately i cant remember why. the years are bad to my memory and im only 25 :lol: something about the cylinder walls and rings will be dry from lack of oil

i run quite a few 2-cycle equipment and before winter i just dump out the gas in the tank. starts right up always in the spring. i also only use good oil, stihl or echo or any of the expensive stuff


----------



## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

As advised a couplte times-new plug and some fresh highest power gas. A fellow at the local marina told me some years ago to always run high power in small engines-mostly for startability.


----------



## mwp (Feb 18, 2004)

I've got the Stihl Farm boss-best running saw I've ever owned.Thing starts like a champ every time after about 5 pulls.After I'm done using it every time I take apart the air filter and open it up to see the carb,than take the air compressor to it to clean it all up.Also had a big Homelite I used to do it to,but then switched to buying Stihls,In my opinion,nothing runs like a STIHL!!!


----------



## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

Good ideas, I have a Johnsered that is stuburn as can be. Once it's running it's a hot knife through butter. I'll be giving these suggestions a try. Thanks


----------



## jim84 (Mar 14, 2005)

With the new gas blends, it will be getting harder to keep most two cycles running right. fresh gas and keeping carbs clean is about all that can be done. gl


----------



## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

Not sure if this was posted of not but this is my starting routine. This was suggested by the place I bought my Stihl about 10 years ago. I also use this on my Stihl weed whacker and its going on 5 years now. Unheard of for weed whackers.

Full choke: pull it until it burps a little. Usually 2-3 pulls.
Half choke: Pull 1 or 2 times until it starts, let it warm up and then give it gas to release the choke and cut away!

Been using mine about 10 years now and I have never had a problem starting, NEVER. I would never buy another brand with how good this thing runs. I never use stabil in the gas, but I do use it during the winter...


----------



## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Topshelf,

that's exactly how I start ALL of my two-stroke equipment. Works great. By the way, I've got an Echo trimmer that I've had for about *twelve* years and it still starts like a champ and never had one problem with it. 

John


----------

