Starting a Stihl chainsaw is not difficult. In this guide, you will get useful tips for starting a chainsaw. Before starting the chain saw, make sure that there is enough fuel in the correct ratio in the chainsaw and that the chain oil is filled up. Additionally, check the guide rail and the chain tension. There are two ways to start a chainsaw, on the one hand, the ground start and on the other side, the knee start.
The cold start of a Stihl chainsaw
A cold start is when the motor of the chainsaw is cold or has been off for a long time. In this condition, two to three start attempts are usually required. It is highly recommended to do a ground start. Place the chainsaw on the ground. The machine should stand as straight as possible.
Now, press the fuel pump (rubber bubble) once or twice if your chainsaw has it. Then move the switch to the choke position. Place your left foot in the handle, hold the strap with your right hand, and lightly pull the starting rope with your left side until resistance is felt. Pull the starter cord vertically upwards several times.
As soon as the engine of the chain saw starts up, stop again. Then move the switch to the idle position and perform the start again, then the chainsaw should start.
Note: Some chain saws also have a half throttle position on the switch, which must be inserted after the choke. If the engine runs on the chain saw, press the throttle once lightly, then the switch will jump to the idle position.
The warm start of a chainsaw
If the chain saw was in operation, it is effortless to restart. The engine and the chainsaw should start again after one or two attempts to start. For most Stihl chain saws, it is sufficient to start the engine from the neutral position, the start from the choke position is not necessary.
New chainsaw has a catalyst, which achieves very high temperatures after only a short time, pay attention to this at the start.
If several start attempts are in vain, do not carry out any further starting operations. First, check the air filter for possible contamination and the spark plug, clean both components if necessary. Leave the chain saw for 5 to 10 minutes and then re-start.
Do not try to start your chainsaw with all your might, look for the cause as soon as possible and fix it. Constant attempts to start can damage the chainsaw.
Other useful tips for starting
Check the sharpness of the chain before starting the chainsaw. Clean your chainsaw after each use, so many starting problems can be eliminated because the machine is in perfect condition. Please do not forget your protective equipment. Only this can provide adequate protection against the risks of a chainsaw.
What to do if the chainsaw does not start
Usually, when you have stored the Stihl chainsaw for so long, it is hard to start it back. This guide will help you fix the problem.
It may happen that at the time of need the tool, it does not start. Primarily, if the chainsaw is not used often. So let’s try to summarize what to do when our chainsaw doesn’t want to be turned on. With a few techniques, we could be able to solve the source of a nuisance without going through the mechanic. Some simple precautions can be accommodated even without great mechanical skills, saving time and money.
Below we show a summary of the main checks to be carried out to understand if a chainsaw is in the right conditions to start and function properly. Some of these checks may seem trivial, but often the simplest solution is the right one, after having checked our tool well, if the ignition problem persists, it will be necessary to contact a specialized workshop.
It must always be kept in mind that to prevent the ignition failure, it is essential to periodically carry out maintenance on the vehicle and keep it clean in its entirety.
#1 Check the fuel level and the stop button
If the chainsaw does not start, we must begin by looking at two obvious things, but which can always happen to forget.
First of all, check that there is enough fuel in the tank to allow the chain saw to start. If there is no mixture, a full tank is enough to quickly remedy the forgetfulness, solving the problem without touching the engine.
The second check is that the shutdown switch is in the “on” position and has not been set to “stop.” The circuit-breaker in question interrupts the passage of current in the electric circuit and to guarantee the start of the chainsaw it must be on “on,” to allow the supply of the spark plug.
It would be good practice also to check that the circuit cables are not damaged, but due to the confirmation of the machine this operation is not feasible without disassembling the bodies. Instead, it is recommended to check that the cap with the electrical contacts is well positioned on the spark plug at the head of the engine.
Then, recoil starter petrol-driven chainsaws start by pulling a rope, in doing so, manually put the crankshaft in motion (and therefore the piston), which thanks to the alternator produces current to feed the spark plug.
The latter has a spark at its end inside the combustion chamber. With this, it starts combustion, starting the combustion engine of the chain saw. The starter cable is wound on a spool with a spring that automatically rewinds it inside the machine after each tear.
If pulling to turn on the chain saw you hear the cable pull abnormally, the contrast spring or lever system that connects the sprocket to the crankshaft may have broken. Why?
- The thread is soft and non-contrasted.
- The thread is excessively hard.
- The thread is not rewound after being pulled.
By removing the side body on the engine, it is possible to change or rewind the spring, even if it is an operation that requires patience, the right tools, and excellent manual ability. Generally, although it is a minor inconvenience, we recommend that you contact your mechanic because of the difficulty posed by the replacement.
#2 Check Air lever, semi-accelerator and fuel pump
Unfortunately, it can happen that the checks just illustrated are not enough to start working, and then our attention will shift to some aspects of the carburetion. To facilitate ignition, we have two straightforward tools available: the air / semi-acceleration lever and the fuel pump.
The air lever is a heart that controls the access of the air in the carburetion. In some models, it is a tongue to push or pull, or a selector to slide. In others, it is still a selector open/closed by rotating (the latter is generally characteristic of pruning chainsaws).
When starting the cold engine, it is useful to close the air. Each internal combustion engine has carburetion that regulates the air/fuel ratio and allows it to function ideally. However, it happens that this adjustment is not suitable for the first start-up: starting with a cold engine is facilitated by a more oily carburation.
For this reason, near the gas control, we find the mentioned lever or button which allows us to make the mixture richer. To further simplify the starting in all conditions the air control is often connected to that of the gas and from activated it blocks the throttle control in a slightly accelerated position. Doing so forces the tool to start accelerating: be careful because as soon as the engine starts the chain will begin to flow on the bar! It is therefore essential for your safety to start the chainsaw by scrupulously respecting all the safety procedures provided by the user manual, starting from the chain brake that must always be inserted.
Check that you have activated this command only if you are starting the engine from cold. Otherwise, you risk engulfing the engine. Even if you have already tried many times beginning with the control activated, it is advisable to wait a few minutes before trying again.
All the most recent petrol chainsaws also have a pump to fill the carburetor with fuel, to be operated manually by pressing it with the finger. Before cold starting, since the carburetor is empty unless it has been used very recently, it is good to pump about ten times. This can help a lot to ignite, facilitating the start of the chainsaw, another small trick often underestimated.
#3 Check and clean the spark plug
Disassemble to see the candle we have mentioned. The spark plug is the element that triggers fuel combustion. If the chain saw does not start it is possible that the reason is in the spark plug which is dirty or not working. In a two-stroke engine, especially if fed with a typical mixture of petrol and oil, it is normal for the spark plug to become covered with carbon residues which could cause it not to work optimally.
How to remove the spark plug. If the chainsaw still has its whims we have to remove the body at the head of the engine, which hides the carburetor and the spark plug. This we can unscrew it with the supplied key. If covered with sludge it will be necessary to clean it with a wire brush and check the correct distance between the electrodes. If the candle is wet, it means that the engine has been flooded: we can merely dry it and clean it if necessary.
Check the spark plug. To check its functioning, we proceed by connecting it to the power cable and placing it in contact with a metal part of the motor (generally on the head, near its hole), pulling the starter rope with the off button in the “on” position we should see a series of sparks in rapid succession between the spark plug electrodes. If we do not notice strong and regular sparks, we will proceed to replace the spark plug.
Attention to the shock. Be careful, however, bearing in mind that the spark plug works with electricity: in making this test, it is advisable not to touch the spark plug directly but hold it through the rubber cap of the power cable, in order not to get a shock.
#4 Check the tank vent and the air filter
The motor of the chainsaw is located precisely close to the bar, a source of dust and shavings during the work phases. For this reason, over time, the shape and layout of the cooling fan and the body have been studied in such a way that the material does not deposit in the recesses of the engine or prematurely clog the carburetor air filter.
When the dirt gets to occlude the tank vent does not allow air to enter to occupy the space left empty by the gasoline sucked by the engine. For this reason, it is always useful to check that the vent is free. Generally, it can consist of a small tube that protrudes from the tank into the carburetor compartment with a filter at its end.
In the same way, check that the air filter is not clogged. In this case, it is possible to clean the surrounding area by hand, perhaps with a brush, and only once the area has been cleaned can the filter be removed and cleaned with compressed air from the inside to the outside. The clogged air filter causes an extremely greasy carburation and therefore can cause flooding of the engine, causing the chain saw to stop running.
#5 Check the fuel filter
The tank filter is used to stop dirt particles that may be present in the fuel, with time it can get clogged due to all the filtrate. When the filter is clogged, it does not allow the flow of fuel to the engine of the chain saw, and therefore it affects its functioning.
To solve the problem, we can help ourselves with a piece of wire from the curved end, extracting the feed tube through the mouth of the tank and checking that the filter at its end is not blocked
If the Stihl chainsaw still doesn’t start
If you have checked everything we have explained in this article and your managers are yet determined not to start, all you have to do is contact a mechanic. If the chainsaw is still under warranty, it is strongly advised to bring it to those who sold it or in any case to a workshop authorized by the brand, so that it could enforce this guarantee.