Chainsaw grips but won’t start

After winter, I can not start the chainsaw, what can you tell me

If the chainsaw is not used in winter or summer, then with the onset of spring, when it becomes necessary to harvest firewood, a malfunction is often observed in the form of the impossibility of starting the engine of the tool. The reasons may be different, but the first step is to check the presence of gasoline in the tank. If the chainsaw has not been used for a long time, but fuel remains in the tank, then the difficulties in starting a two-stroke engine are associated with the cause of stagnation of fuel.

If the fuel in the tank was not drained before storage, then there is a high probability that a plug has formed in the carburetor. You will need to disassemble the carburetor and clean it. In order not to resort to these steps, you can do the following:

• Unscrew the spark plug and inspect it. If it is dry and has the correct brown color, then no fuel is being supplied to the cylinder.
• 20 grams of the fuel mixture is drawn into a syringe and sprayed into the cylinder
• The spark plug is twisted and the engine is started
• If the ignition system is working properly, the chainsaw will start.

When the engine is started, the resulting plug in the carburetor will break through and the engine will operate normally. If the engine starts and stalls on a chainsaw, then the procedure for adding fuel to the cylinder should be repeated several times. If the attempts end unsuccessfully, then you need to clean the carburetor, but first check the serviceability of the fuel and air filters, the ignition module and clean the exhaust duct (muffler).

Difficulties with starting a chainsaw cannot be ruled out due to the following reasons:

• Damping the electrodes of the candle
• Oxidation of the contacts of the wires of the ignition module
• Damage to the insulation of the high-voltage wire
• Failure of the ignition coil
• The need to adjust the carburetor

Difficulties with starting chainsaws arise sooner or later. It all depends not only on the quality of the tool and its price, but also on the features of the care, operation and storage of the tool. With proper care and storage of the tool, you will never have problems starting the engine of your chainsaw.

Chainsaw does not start all causes and troubleshooting

One of the most unpleasant phenomena is when I was going to cut a tree, and the chainsaw would not start. Many people are faced with this phenomenon, and not only the owners of cheap Chinese chainsaws, but also branded professional tools. If you are faced with a situation where the chainsaw engine does not start, then do not rush to take the tool in for repair. Simple preventive actions will help you quickly restore tool performance. The procedure for carrying out preventive measures to restore the performance of the gasoline unit is described in the material.

Chinese and new chainsaw won’t start what could be

The popularity of Chinese chainsaws has no boundaries. This is due to their main advantage. affordable cost. At the same time, often among the owners of Chinese chainsaws, questions arise about the problem of starting the engine of the tool. Before you find out why the Chinese chainsaw does not start, one feature should be noted. the design of these tools is no different from Russian, German and other manufacturers. That is why the reason why the chainsaw does not start can be found based on the above algorithm.

Chinese chainsaws are very sensitive to fuel quality, therefore, in the diagnostic algorithm, checking the fuel quality is in the first place. The use of low-quality fuel leads to the fact that the tool does not work at full power, its service life is reduced, and also there are difficulties with starting. The instructions for the tool indicate the recommended type of gasoline and oil, which are important to use in order for the Chinese chainsaw to work for a long time and at full power.

Is there fuel in the tank and what is its quality

Checking for the presence of fuel in the tank is the first thing to start diagnostics with. Even if visually there is still fuel in the tank, make sure that the fuel line is lowered into it. If the fuel in the tank is at the bottom, then this is the main reason that it is impossible to start the engine. After adding fuel to the tank, it is necessary to pump the system, and only then carry out a test run of the engine.

If there is enough fuel in the tank, check that the supply hose inside the tank is not detached. On some models of chainsaws, such a malfunction is a “disease”. If the tank is full, this does not mean at all that the breakdown is not related to the fuel system. Check the quality of the fuel (oil and gasoline). Gasoline for chainsaws is used mainly of the AI-92 brand. As oil, you need to use only a special two-stroke, but not a motor or even working off.

The prepared fuel mixture cannot be stored for more than 2 weeks, as the mixture begins to lose its properties, which negatively affects not only the operation of the engine, but also its starting. How does a poor-quality mixture affect engine starting, you ask? Everything is very simple, with long-term storage of the mixture, the oil precipitates, which leads to clogging of the channels and jets of the carburetor.

The instructions for each brand of chainsaw indicate recommendations on the ratio in which gasoline and oil should be diluted. It is this recommendation that should be followed when preparing a mixture for a two-stroke engine of a chainsaw, otherwise it will significantly reduce the life of your tool.

If the chainsaw won’t start anyway, what to do

The above are the main reasons why the chainsaw does not start. And this applies to tools of different brands Stihl, Husqvarna, Partner, Makita, Champion and others. The Druzhba chainsaws have a different principle of operation, but in general, the search for a malfunction should begin with the ignition system, or rather, inspect the condition of the spark plug electrodes. If the manipulations carried out do not help to obtain the desired result, then it is necessary to resort to more serious actions. This means that you need to do the following:

• Check the serviceability of the carburetor and adjust it
• Measure the amount of compression of the engine, and then make an appropriate conclusion about its serviceability
• Compression in the crankcase is checked

Checking the compression in the cylinder allows you to assess the condition and serviceability of the CPG. To measure compression, you need a compression meter. It is screwed into the spark plug hole, after which the starter handle is pulled. The compressor shows the corresponding cylinder pressure. This value should be at the level of 8-12 atmospheres.

If the pressure is significantly lower, then this is a direct sign of a device malfunction. In case of malfunction, the cylinder-piston group is replaced with a new one. When installing a new CPG, it is necessary to carefully treat all parts with oil so that chips and scuffs do not form at the time the engine is started.

If there is no compression in the crankcase, then the chainsaw will also not start. The reason for the decrease in the pressure in the crankcase is the gasket, or rather its damage. This gasket is located between the cylinder and the crankcase and, to make sure it is working properly, the following manipulations should be performed:

• Disconnect the fuel line from the tank
• Lower the tube into a container with a prepared mixture of gasoline and oil
• Start the chainsaw engine
• If the engine starts and fuel is sucked in, then this indicates the serviceability of the gasket.

If the fuel is not sucked in, then you need to replace the crankcase gasket.

The carburetor is the most important and most difficult part of a chainsaw. If all the above steps did not help to get a positive result, then this indicates that the carburetor is faulty. The main malfunction of the carburetor is the clogging of its channels and jets. Membranes and other elements fail less often. In any case, you will need to disassemble the chainsaw carburetor, clean it and replace the failed parts.

As you can see, there are enough reasons why the chainsaw does not start. To find out what exactly happened in your case, you need to remember the symptoms the day before. Perhaps before the chainsaw stopped starting, engine malfunctions were observed, power and performance decreased, and other breakdowns were also appropriate. Based on these technical symptoms, it is necessary to begin the search. If you do not know where to start, then the diagnosis should be carried out in order, as described in the material.

Exhaust duct or muffler cleaning and influence on engine starting

When the chainsaw is operating, resinous deposits. carbon deposits are deposited on the walls of the exhaust channel and muffler. Periodically, this carbon deposit needs to be cleaned, but most tool owners remember this only after the chainsaw does not start. Why is this happening? The reason is that the burnt food has nowhere to go, so the engine will not be able to start. When the exhaust channel is dirty, the chainsaw not only loses power, but also its independent engine stops working.

Deposits on the walls of the muffler are caused by the following factors:

• Use of low-quality gasoline and oil
• Incorrect gasoline to oil ratio when mixing
• Long-term operation of the tool without carrying out preventive measures

There is no difficulty in cleaning the muffler of a chainsaw. The cleaning sequence is as follows:

• To begin with, unscrew the screws securing the muffler
• The cooling panel with a gasket is dismantled
• Next, you need to remove the spark arrester
• The resonator body is disassembled
• All elements are cleaned and washed from carbon deposits with kerosene or other cleaning fluids. This must be done exclusively with a respirator and goggles. Carcinogenic substances are very dangerous for humans
• Wait until the cleaned elements dry
• Assemble in the reverse order of removal.

When cleaning the walls of the outlet channel, it is necessary to close the cylinder opening with a rag. This will eliminate the possibility of dust and sand getting into the cylinder. After cleaning the muffler and the exhaust duct of the chainsaw, you can start starting the engine of the tool. At the same time, you will feel how the chainsaw will work at full power.

What is a breather and how does it affect the reasons for the inability to start a chainsaw

Few of the sawers know about the existence of such an element on a chainsaw as a breather. This is one of the important parts of the tool, which is responsible for balancing the pressure in the fuel tank. The principle of operation of the breather on a chainsaw is that when the amount of fuel in the tank decreases, a vacuum or vacuum occurs. The less fuel in the tank, the higher the pressure, which becomes an obstacle to the passage of fuel into the carburetor. To reduce the pressure in the tank, a breather is used, which is a valve that allows air to pass in one direction.

If the breather inlet is clogged, then air does not enter the tank, which means that the pressure begins to increase. There is a breather on the fuel tank cap of the chainsaw (depending on the model), and if the two-stroke engine of the tool does not start, it is necessary to check that the breather is working properly. It is quite simple to make sure that the breather is faulty:

• Unscrew the fuel tank cap. If air bleeds, then this indirectly indicates a malfunction of the pressure regulator
• Screw the gas cap back on, then try to start the engine again. If the engine starts, but after a while it stalls, then the breather needs to be cleaned
• Another way to check if the breather is working is to disconnect the fuel hose from the carburetor. If fuel flows out of it intermittently, then the device is working properly. If the trickle is weak and intermittent, then you need to clean the breather on the chainsaw to start the engine.

The breather (fuel tank cap valve) is cleaned with a needle. If the breather is heavily clogged, you will need to remove the filter element and clean it. On different models of chainsaws, the location of the breather is different (on most models it is located in the gas tank cap). The video below shows the process of cleaning the breather using the example of a Husqvarna chainsaw.

Doesn’t start on cold and hot main reasons

If there is a spark on the chainsaw, but at the same time the tool does not start on a cold one, then the reason lies directly in the absence of compression. Measure the amount of compression on the engine to verify this problem. If the compression value is not lower than 8 atmospheres, then everything is in order. If not, then the engine has worked its way out, and needs to be replaced by the CPG. When metal parts are cold, they taper, thereby reducing compression. To start the chainsaw on a cold one with low engine compression, you should do the following:

• Pull the starter handle until the internal parts are warmed up by friction
• When parts are warmed up, compression will increase, so the engine will start
• These manipulations are recommended to be carried out in the warm season, since it is almost impossible to start a chainsaw in winter with low compression.

It should be noted that working with a low compression instrument is very harmful. In addition to low performance, such operation will lead to permanent damage to the chainsaw engine.

Another situation is when the chainsaw does not start hot. This is primarily due to flooding of the engine. If it starts up well on a cold chainsaw, but when there is a break after work, and there are difficulties with starting, then it is necessary to start without closing the air damper. The damper must be fully open (air supplied) to start the engine hot. If you cannot start the chainsaw, then you need to half-close the choke. Try to start the engine, and as soon as it starts, you can open the throttle completely.

If you cannot start a heated chainsaw engine, then proceed as follows:

• Loosen the idle screw in a clockwise direction by ¼ a turn.
• By increasing the number of revolutions, the process of starting the motor is simplified
• Start the engine with the choke half open
• After starting the engine, return the idle screw to the opposite position if the chain movement is observed at idle

Filling the spark plug may be due to a malfunction of the ignition module, as well as a large gap between the coil and the magneto. If the reason for the inability to start the engine of the chainsaw is in the carburetor, then it should be correctly adjusted as soon as possible.

Features of return and warranty obligations

In order to carry out warranty service, you will need to present a completed warranty card.

Doesn’t start on cold

One of the most common problems is failure to start or poor engine performance in cold weather. Especially often this situation is encountered in winter. Experts say that this can happen due to the implementation of incorrect actions at startup. Before starting the launch, it is advisable for the owner not to rely on his knowledge, but to familiarize himself with the instructions that are included in the delivery kit. The sequence of actions when starting a chainsaw on a cold one is similar for most two-stroke engines:

• Close the air intake with a damper;
• Fuel leaks (depending on the model);
• The ignition is switched on. If you forget about this point, the saw will not start;
• Carry out movements to start the starter. It is important to perform them before the first start of the engine, because otherwise there is a possibility of motor failure.
• Open the air damper;
• Start the chainsaw by pressing the gas.

Engine jammed

Why the chainsaw stalls at idle?

If the saw stalls at idle, then you should pay attention to the carburetor adjustment. You can make repairs yourself using a special screwdriver. Another way to solve the problem is to disrupt the operation of the fuel pump due to air leaks into the crankcase.

Why does a chainsaw stall under load or high speed?

There are times when the device starts up well, but when the load increases or rpm rises, it starts shooting, sneezing and stalling. There are several reasons why the device may stall under load. The most basic are the following:

• The chain is dull;
• Not enough power;
• The carburetor is not adjusted;
• Air leaks are possible;
• Clogged air filter;
• The gap between the candle and the cap is broken.

Chainsaw Maintenance Tips

In order to prevent the saw from shooting, sneezing, grabbing well when starting, serving for a long time and not breaking, you must adhere to the following operating rules:

• Carefully read the instruction manual before turning on the chainsaw.
• Check chain tension. Here it is necessary to reach the golden mean: the chain should not sag, but it is also not necessary to tighten it too much. The fuel mixture must be fresh and stored for no more than 2 weeks. Stick to proportions when mixing oil and gasoline.
• You need to hold the saw confidently and evenly, while taking a comfortable position.
• Do not use for a long time without interruption.
• If the model is equipped with a primer, then pump fuel before starting.
• Check the saw chain for sharpness. Avoid severe bluntness. Observe the rules for sharpening cutting tools.
• The saw must be cleaned of sawdust and shavings after each use. Select detergents individually.
• Observe the rules for storing the saw. Prepare it especially carefully for long-term storage.

Malfunctions in the fuel system

It is necessary to proceed to the diagnosis of the fuel system if it turns out that the spark plug is dry, but there is a spark. The first thing to check is how dirty the fuel filter is. Then check the integrity of the hose and the quality of its attachment to the carburetor. Check for fuel leaks. If during visual diagnostics it was not possible to identify the cause of the inoperative saw, then then you need to proceed to a more detailed examination of the carburetor.

One of the characteristic signs of a breakdown in the fuel system is the multiple appearance of fuel in the cylinder. This is evidenced by a wet candle, but a spark appears on the contacts. If you tilt or turn the saw with the spark plug hole down and you find that the fuel mixture is flowing from the cylinder, then the cause of the malfunction is the engine overflow.

Chainsaw stalled and won’t start

If the tool stalled and does not start, first check the presence of fuel in the tank. Oddly enough it sounds, but many people forget about it and when a similar situation arises, they immediately try to repair the instrument, which can lead to serious damage.

In a situation where the saw has stalled, and there is still gas in the tank, you need to evaluate how the saw has worked up to this point. Maybe at the last moment, there was an extraneous sound, grinding, ringing, a loss of power, or the instrument stopped abruptly. All this will allow a preliminary assessment of the situation.

Fuel system problems

If during inspection it was found that there is a spark, and the spark plug is dry, then there are problems in the fuel system. Checking it should start with the fuel filter. Next, you need to inspect the fuel hose and its attachment to the carburetor, pay attention to fuel leaks from the carburetor and the presence of gasoline in the air filter housing. It is advisable to start removing the carburetor only if visual inspection did not allow determining the cause of the breakdown.

A common symptom of a problem in the fuel system is excess fuel in the engine cylinder. Typically, this is indicated by an overly wet spark plug and the presence of a spark at the plug contacts. In this situation, it is necessary to turn the chainsaw so that the plug hole is directed downward. If, at the same time, gasoline flows from the cylinder, then the reason that the chainsaw does not start is the overflow of fuel into the engine.

“Fills” with fuel, sometimes due to improper adjustment of the carburetor, or its malfunction.

You can familiarize yourself with the process of adjusting the carburetor using the example of the Champion 254 saw, by watching the video instruction.

Broken fuel line

During the operation of the chainsaw, vibration occurs, which can cause damage or breakage of the fuel line of the chainsaw. In this case, the chainsaw will stall and it will be impossible to start. To diagnose a malfunction, you need to conduct an inspection and determine the presence of fuel leaks.

Chainsaw does not start well when cold

Carburetor adjustment

Incorrect carburetor adjustment will cause the chainsaw to not develop full power. It will be difficult to start, or not at all. The carburetor setting directly affects the quality of the air-fuel mixture, which is necessary for normal starting and further engine operation.

If the carburetor is incorrectly adjusted, more or less gasoline will be present in the fuel-air mixture than required, and the mixture will not ignite even with normal sparking.

An excess of gasoline in the mixture is called overflow. A characteristic sign of overflow is a wet spark plug, after several unsuccessful attempts to start the chainsaw.

Engine jammed

Quite often there is a situation when the saw worked and stalled abruptly, the cause of which was the engine jamming, which in turn occurred as a result of a broken piston skirt, destruction of the crankshaft bearing, protrusion of the cork ring of the piston pin or fracture of the piston ring.

Quickly Unflood A Chainsaw Using NO Tools. Video

A jammed engine can be easily identified by pulling on the starter cord. In the case when the starter does not turn, most likely, it has jammed, and further repairs are possible only at the service center.

Malfunctions in the engine

CPG seizure, ring sticking, CPG wear, air leakage through oil seals and gaskets, compression loss, all these problems can make starting the chainsaw impossible or significantly complicate it. For example, if the CPG is not significantly worn out, the compression in the engine decreases. In this case, starting on “cold” will be significantly difficult, or the saw may stop starting, and on “hot”, the tool will start well.

It is quite difficult to accurately diagnose problems in the engine associated with problems in its starting, and it is better to turn to a specialist in this field for this.

Spark plug

The spark plug is one of the main elements of the ignition system. A spark is formed on its electrodes, and if this element fails, it will be difficult to start, or it is not possible at all.

The plug can fail completely, or work intermittently or give out a weak spark. It is quite simple to check the spark plug, for this you need to unscrew it from the engine, attach it to the high-voltage wire cap and, putting it on the cylinder, pull the starter. If the candle is in order, the spark will be powerful with a bluish tinge. A faint reddish spark is a sign of a problem. Defective spark plug needs to be replaced.

Flushing the carburetor and checking the condition of the jets

If, in the process of the work performed, a stable start is not established, we are looking for a malfunction in the carburetor. In the absence of proper experience, disassembly should be entrusted to an experienced specialist.

• contamination of the jets;
• water ingress into the float chamber and depressurization of the float itself;
• loose fit of the float valve that stabilizes the fuel level in the carburetor;
• refueling the fuel system with a fuel surrogate, or an expired mixture.

Serious malfunctions blocking the standard start, such as air leakage through worn out gland seals of the crankshaft shanks, a change in the ignition angle, due to the lack of appropriate tools and technological equipment, are eliminated in the conditions of repair shops.

Pro tips for mixture control

If the performed checks did not give the proper result, proceed to the ignition check. An inverted wet candle indicates an excess of fuel and a lack of air, the mixture that fills the candle at startup cannot ignite even a powerful spark in such a proportion.

To bring the quality and quantity of the air-gasoline mixture to the optimal parameter, a wide range of operational adjustments is used. The cause of fuel overflow in old chainsaws may be leaks in the fuel supply valve and the carburetor float valve.

In standard situations, after a short purge of the cylinder with the plug removed or the decompressor turned on, normal start-up is restored completely.

Mechanical seizure of the piston or crank mechanism

This malfunction occurs due to the sticking of the piston in the cylinder or the destruction of the crankshaft bearing. This happens when the engine overheats or if it runs on clean gasoline for a long time.

In the first case, it is recommended to cool the power unit, then pour a few drops of engine oil into the spark plug hole. In most cases, the engine can be wedged, but the consequence of this incident may be the appearance of scoring on the piston. The tack is not reflected on the chrome-plated surface of the cylinder mirror.

If the measures taken did not give the proper result, the saw must be repaired in a specialized workshop.

Limitations in self-debugging of the warranty tool

Even in the presence of an easy start system, new equipment that has not been run in is relatively tight. It is not recommended to disassemble the recoil starter before the end of the warranty and repair period.

• For service departments, such a revision may become an excuse for refusing a free replacement of more valuable equipment that has failed.
• In case of self-elimination of minor deficiencies, such as “no gasoline is supplied” or “the fastening of the air intake is weakened”, penalties are not applied.
• Practice shows that problems with the launch of budget range chainsaws appear after 2-3 years of operation. In such a situation, the owner has to put up with additional repair costs or rely on their own locksmith skills.

Due to the higher quality of materials and factory assembly, branded models have an order of magnitude less launch problems. Nevertheless, the recommendations given in this article may be useful for owners of medium and high-end chainsaws.

The information received will tell you the direction of solving the problem when the Chinese chainsaw does not start. Almost all Chinese chainsaw imports are developed on the basis of European models, therefore, structural and operational differences are insignificant.

Possible Causes of Problematic Startup

In most cases, there is:

• unqualified tuning of the fuel system;
• malfunctioning ignition;
• dirty air intake filters.

Most often, a chainsaw does not start on a cold one or does not start well after long-term storage, refueling with substandard fuel, a large gap in the spark plug electrodes.

In the private sector, the peak of operational failures occurs after winter and in late autumn, after the completion of intensive work on the harvesting and sawing of fuelwood.

Checking the tightness of the connection between the carburetor and the body

When the threaded fasteners are loosened, air is sucked in, which leads to a depletion of the gasoline-air mixture and, accordingly, a deterioration in its performance.

To replace a damaged gasket, it is recommended to use a repair kit, if it is not available, a gasket can be made from a gasoline-oil-resistant material identical in thickness.

Consequences of operating on a rich and lean mixture

• Due to the operation of the engine on an over-enriched mixture, a layer of conductive carbon is formed on the insulator of the central electrode, which can cause interruptions in sparking.
• A white or gray color of the center electrode insulator indicates high temperature combustion in a lean mixture. Both options negatively affect the traction performance and durability of the powertrain.
• Setting the carburetor to a lean mixture can cause the phenomenon when the chainsaw does not start hot, in another version it grabs, but does not start.

Confirmation of the normal, in a ratio of 16: 1, quality of the air-fuel mixture is the brown color of the insulator and the absence of traces of carbon deposits.

Air intake and muffler condition

The cause of a problem start may be a clogged air cleaner filter with sawdust. If the engine starts with the air intake removed, special attention should be paid to cleaning the filter. A large amount of carbon deposits in the muffler affects the power and thrust of the power unit, but the engine should start without much effort.