New chainsaw won't start.

Gautama

Hi,

I bought a new chainsaw two weeks ago, a Stihl MS 170.
It's my first petrol saw, I previously had an electric.

I used it for the first time yesterday. It started and ran well from both a cold start and a warm start.
This morning it started and ran well from cold start. However, when I tried a warm start, and all subsequent starts, it would not fire.
Any suggestions?
I've dried/wiped the spark plug.
I'm a novice when it comes to petrol engines but thought I'd try a few troubleshooting acts this evening before going to the dealer tomorrow.

Thanks.

celticmicky

Gautama wrote: »

Hi,

I bought a new chainsaw two weeks ago, a Stihl MS 170.
It's my first petrol saw, I previously had an electric.

I used it for the first time yesterday. It started and ran well from both a cold start and a warm start.
This morning it started and ran well from cold start. However, when I tried a warm start, and all subsequent starts, it would not fire.
Any suggestions?
I've dried/wiped the spark plug.
I'm a novice when it comes to petrol engines but thought I'd try a few troubleshooting acts this evening before going to the dealer tomorrow.

Thanks.

When you tried to start it when warm did you engage your choke like when starting from a cold start?

If so it may be flooded. As you said, dry off the spark plug and with the plug out give a few good pulls to the engine to clear any petrol in the cylinder (even leave it with the plug out for a while - or if you have an air compressor blow into the cylinder). Make sure the plug is good and dry and put it back in. With the throttle on fully and the choke off give it a pull and see if it fires - it might help if you remove the air filter.

On a side note, I take it you used the correct mixture of two stroke oil when you had the saw going?

Gautama

celticmicky wrote: »

When you tried to start it when warm did you engage your choke like when starting from a cold start?

Nah, when starting from warm I'd it set to half-choke whereas when cold I'd it set to full choke.
If it was flooded, wouldn't there be a strong smell of fuel?

celticmicky wrote: »

...with the plug out give a few good pulls to the engine to clear any petrol in the cylinder (even leave it with the plug out for a while - or if you have an air compressor blow into the cylinder). Make sure the plug is good and dry and put it back in. With the throttle on fully and the choke off give it a pull and see if it fires - it might help if you remove the air filter.

Yeah, tried it both with the plug in and out. Been doing a bit of troubleshooting googling.

celticmicky wrote: »

On a side note, I take it you used the correct mixture of two stroke oil when you had the saw going?

Yeah, I took fuel mix from the jerry can I've been using. I always give it a good shake and turn to make sure it re-mixes should the oil separate from the petrol.

I also emptied out the fuel tank, and gave it a fresh fill. The old mix looks clean to me. I always use a funnel with a gause, so if dirt is the issue, I can't imagine where it's coming from!

Thanks for your suggestions. Given that today is only the second day of it's use, and the dealer did start it up the day I bought it, it hardly needs a new spark plug already?
Also, elsewhere online they suggest to connect the spark plug but not have it inserted to the engine body, so that the sparking can be seen. This is a safe enough procedure, yeah? So long as the jerrycan is not nearby?

celticmicky

Yea that is safe enough to do as long as there is no petrol in the immediate area.

It is more than likely something simple that is wrong. Very rarely are there ignition coil issues with brand new stihl chainsaws. Although I have seen new spark plugs being faulty in different machines - so that could be your problem.

Give the dealer a call in the morning and tell him the problem, he'll likely be able to repair it within a couple of minutes.

Gautama

As suspected, the problem was with the novice rather than the tool. The engine was flooded. When I tried to start the chainsaw when it was warm, I had it set to half-choke, whereas it should have been set to on.
The dealer got it started in about 30 seconds.

For future reference and information, when the engine is flooded, set it to on, the rip the cord repeatedly like a m'f'er. I mean, really REALLY go at it, and use the drop-pull start method. It'll leak and spit petrol, but it'll start.

Think of Pete Townsend's windmill method of playing guitar. Replace plectrum with cord, replace guitar with chainsaw. Get bystanders to stand back.

BeeDI

Gautama wrote: »

As suspected, the problem was with the novice rather than the tool. The engine was flooded. When I tried to start the chainsaw when it was warm, I had it set to half-choke, whereas it should have been set to on.
The dealer got it started in about 30 seconds.

For future reference and information, when the engine is flooded, set it to on, the rip the cord repeatedly like a m'f'er. I mean, really REALLY go at it, and use the drop-pull start method. It'll leak and spit petrol, but it'll start.

Think of Pete Townsend's windmill method of playing guitar. Replace plectrum with cord, replace guitar with chainsaw. Get bystanders to stand back.

Shoud'a gone to specsavers:D

oleras

Gautama wrote: »

As suspected, the problem was with the novice rather than the tool. The engine was flooded. When I tried to start the chainsaw when it was warm, I had it set to half-choke, whereas it should have been set to on.
The dealer got it started in about 30 seconds.

For future reference and information, when the engine is flooded, set it to on, the rip the cord repeatedly like a m'f'er. I mean, really REALLY go at it, and use the drop-pull start method. It'll leak and spit petrol, but it'll start.

Think of Pete Townsend's windmill method of playing guitar. Replace plectrum with cord, replace guitar with chainsaw. Get bystanders to stand back.

Dont be doing this, that thing will take a chunk out of you leg by drop starting it oneday.