I Am Stumped Starting a Chainsaw--Bet Someone Here Will Know What I Am Missing...

**Li'l Toy** · 09-11-2017, 10:05 PM

OK, I know I should have gotten it going in prep for Irma, but my chainsaw has been unused since Wilma. Got the generator running fine--but power came back up quickly, and my neighbor's giant black olive is in my pool, on my roof, and across my fence. He is doing the right thing, cut away most of the tree on the roof today, but I would love to get my chainsaw going to lighten the load.

I expect that I will have to clean out the carb, but I started with making sure it had spark (pulled plug, held it against the block, pulled through, saw spark) then shot some starting fluid into the throat of the carb thinking if it hit a few turns with that stuff then all I have to do is clean the carb (or, fingers crossed, once it fires it may just pick up on the carb). But I get nothing--not even a single pop. I would be tempted to go out and buy a new plug, though this one looks clean and not fouled, but that just is not happening in the next week in South Florida.

Ideas? ....and thanks

**olboatman** · 09-12-2017, 05:38 AM

Being piston ported motas (most anyway) the starting fluid may have disapaded before gettin to the cyl. Try spraying some down the plug hole and quickly cranking it. Either way the diaphrams may be streached in the carb.....the E-10 fuel really f's them up. Reason I only use E-10 fuel in my cars and trucks. JMO
Gary

**NICE PAIR** · 09-12-2017, 06:18 PM

We used to be in construction, the only way I would store any of our small engine tools is with the tank drained and the motor run until it's dry.

Pull it off the shelf next week ... next year didn't matter, put fresh fuel in the tank, pull rope, starts every time.

**flabum1017** · 09-12-2017, 08:10 PM

A lot of places already opened up all over Ft Liquordale. Should not be hard to find a plug..... Get some powertune or similar and pull the bowl off the carb.... spray/soak for a while and blast it with brake cleaner and try it. Brake cleaner does nice on the plug too. Probably don't want to be trying to start a dry two stroke with ether..............

**tunnelmike** · 09-12-2017, 09:19 PM

Mix fuel in the plug hole. Won't cure a ethanolated carb though. Might suck a minor obstruction thru though.

As stated earlier , drain and run till it dies with the choke on everytime you put it away and this should be the last problem you have. I too only run ethanol fuel in my truck. Mike

**Li'l Toy** · 09-12-2017, 11:28 PM

Several years ago, went to non-ethanol in any of my small motors, and also drain and run dry. Generator started first pull, but it gets fired up every hurricane season, and it may run on ethanol (any port in storm) but gets non ethanol run through it then run dry each year. But I stated that that after this saw was put away.

Neighbor did a bunch of help with his Stihl today, I hauled. I ordered new plug and carb to be delivered Friday. I have to work until Saturday anyway, use my saw to break down the pieces to get them to the front yard. By the way, I hate replacing a perfectly repairable part, but the rebuild kit was $30 and the new carb $32; hard to beat $2.00 for the rebuild work.

Flabum--hadn't thought about the dry motor, and if I have time tomorrow night to work on it I will try the brake cleaner.

Thanks for the help.

**Flightplan** · 09-13-2017, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by tunnelmike

Mix fuel in the plug hole. Won't cure a ethanolated carb though. Might suck a minor obstruction thru though.

As stated earlier , drain and run till it dies with the choke on everytime you put it away and this should be the last problem you have. I too only run ethanol fuel in my truck. Mike

I would try this before i replace the carb. Worked for me on my Echo trimmer that I used last week after a 5 year storage. Pour some mix in the plug hole give her a few pulls with no plug. Then cover the plug hole with your thumb for a few more pulls. Add a little more fuel and install the plug. Couple easy pulls and then give her hell with a normal start sequence. Worked for me, took 5 minutes.

also check the fuel supply hose in the fuel tank. I've seen them in pieces.

**outasite** · 09-13-2017, 03:04 PM

Five gallons of mixed 100 av gas will be just as good five days, or five years from now.In your tank,carb,or can.I flew an aircraft off a field with twelve year old fuel!!! A sample showed no difference from pump fresh. Sorry about off topic,but its worth having a can around.

**olboatman** · 09-13-2017, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by outasite

Five gallons of mixed 100 av gas will be just as good five days, or five years from now.In your tank,carb,or can.I flew an aircraft off a field with twelve year old fuel!!! A sample showed no difference from pump fresh. Sorry about off topic,but its worth having a can around.

The term "can" is worth noting. I only store in metal containers with closed vent and have no problems!
Gary

**Markus** · 09-14-2017, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by NICE PAIR

We used to be in construction, the only way I would store any of our small engine tools is with the tank drained and the motor run until it's dry.

Pull it off the shelf next week ... next year didn't matter, put fresh fuel in the tank, pull rope, starts every time.

Use alkylate gasoline.

I use that in all handhelds as well as my big mower.

**NICE PAIR** · 09-14-2017, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by Markus

Use alkylate gasoline.

I use that in all handhelds as well as my big mower.

huh? what's that?

**home made tunnel** · 09-14-2017, 10:02 AM

Welcome to Rhode Island... Home of the lib-tards.
Where the entire state only has 2 stations that have Kerosene at the pump.
Oh, and ethanol-free fuel ?! GOOD LUCK haha. Doesn't exist.
Oh yea... how about Av-Gas? Good luck getting anywhere near an airport.

Y'all can drive on beaches down there, and shoot fireworks. Do any of that around these easily-offended lib-tards, and they go bonkers.

And if the youth weren't getting enough participation trophies, the state now pays for anyone graduating 2015 and after... FREE 2 YEARS OF COLLEGE !!!
More hand-outs to millennials. ::shake my head::

But I digress.... My Husqvarna leaf blower starts up easily with any gas / sludge / ethanol / etc. It's a beast.
My homeless Depot homelite chainsaw will be clogged after sitting only a month.

**mr fun** · 09-14-2017, 09:14 PM

Had a chainsaw and a family of tree trimmers stop by and ask to do dome work, turns out their chainsaw wasn77t working, i replied i have one but i can't get it to start. He said lemmie see it brought it out, had fuel in ethanol free, yanked a few times, nothing, opened tne air filter *nd pulled out the filter. He said " go in there a chunk of foam outta your sofa coushen and bring it to me" he sttuck the clean foam, next pull,,, fired right up. Hope this helps. Fun Out

**Markus** · 09-15-2017, 02:20 AM

Originally Posted by NICE PAIR

huh? what's that?

Alkylate is the component of regular gasoline that has the best properties in many ways:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkylation_unit

Over here, you can buy pure alkylate gasoline in plastic cans everywhere from building supply stores to gas stations.

Some gas stations even sell it at the pump.

In the US, it seems like you can get Stihl Motomix:

http://www.arboristsite.com/communit...ix-yet.161505/

**NICE PAIR** · 09-15-2017, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Markus

Alkylate is the component of regular gasoline that has the best properties in many ways:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkylation_unit

Over here, you can buy pure alkylate gasoline in plastic cans everywhere from building supply stores to gas stations.

Some gas stations even sell it at the pump.

In the US, it seems like you can get Stihl Motomix:

http://www.arboristsite.com/communit...ix-yet.161505/

Thanks, we used to use what they called white gas over here. I believe it's still used in Coleman camp stoves and lamps if you can still buy them.

We actually had mixed white gas @ the marina docks called Ready-Mix. If I remember correctly we paid $0.60 a gallon for it. (1960's)

It was a purer blend and used to last for a long time, not degrading or plugging anything up. Good stuff.