Replacing the STIHL STIHL chain saw 180 starter motor cord

Replacing the STIHL chain saw starter cord

STIHL chain saw. This is a tool designed for woodcutting, plant care, landscaping, and other home use. If any parts are malfunctioning or the unit is broken you need to have your STIHL chain saw repaired.

The basic faults

Always use your chain saw according to these instructions so it will last a long time and not break down. STIHL chain saw faults can be independently identified and repaired. Let’s take a look at the main problems that can occur with the components and construction of the device, and how to repair your STIHL STIHL 180 chain saw with your own hands.

Filling the spark plug

If you notice that the spark plug is pouring out on your STIHL chain saw, the fuel system may be defective. The engine must run on a mixture of gasoline and oil. If the mixture is bad, power is lost, the cylinder overheats, and the saw systems wear out. Wet spark plug on STIHL chain saw caused by an imbalance in the fuel mixture. A lack of air in the mixture prevents the emulsion from burning properly.

Use of low-grade gasoline can lead to engine wear.

Blurred spark also causes 4-stroke oil use and piston wear. If this problem occurs, remove the fuel filler cap and adjust the fuel supply. The air intake should be in good working order. A clogged filter should be blown out, but it is better to replace it. See your chainsaw manual for information on how to properly clean the filters.

It will be possible to determine the quality of the mixture with the help of a spark plug insulator. If it shows brown, the mixture quality is normal. White or soot indicates a poor or excessively rich mixture.

The cause of lubrication is a candle. Interruptions in spark formation are observed if the gap is not set correctly. Spark plug pin spacing is indicated in the repair and operating instructions. If you do not have this information, you can set it to 0.7 to 1 mm.

If the gap is smaller, the ignition efficiency of the mixture is reduced; if it is larger, the formation of sparks is intermittent. To eliminate unnecessary mixture enrichment, blow out the engine. In this case, remove the spark plug and turn the crankshaft several times with the hand starter.

The chain is not lubricated

During chainsaw repair, you will notice that oil is not getting into the chain. If the chain is not lubricated, the lubrication system is interrupted. There are the following faults:

• The chain is dry and light in color.
• The chain is stretching too fast.
• The tire is too hot and the paint has melted.
• The oil in the tank is not diminishing.
• Cutting is worse with a sharp chain saw.

These signs indicate a failure in the lubrication process. To check the oil supply to the lubrication unit, remove the bar and operate the chain saw. Then increase the speed and observe the end point of the oil line. If the oil has disappeared, its volume is insufficient for proper lubrication. If not, clean the filter. The oil flow also has to be adjusted. If there are no malfunctions, further diagnosis and repair is required by yourself. If no substance is found, the oil system will be repaired.

Let’s look at the main faults and how to fix them:

• Oil hose is broken. This can be seen during inspection. In this case, replace the hose.
• If there is no thread on the oil pump shaft, replace it.
• If the thread is faulty, it must be replaced.
• If there is no corkscrew of the main shaft, you can install a nail of the same diameter in its place.
• The filter can become clogged. This happens all the time with the STIHL MS 180. You can wash it with gasoline. If this doesn’t solve the problem, replace the filter.

STIHL 180 chain saw often has a depressurized oiled mower line. This occurs when the oil line coming from the tank is inserted into the body of the tool. Breakage can be detected by oil spots at the base of the saw.

To fix the problem, remove the saw handle, pull out the hose. Then clean the hose. Then apply sealant to it and place it in the tool body.

The chainsaw’s starter mechanism includes the following elements:

• ignition system screw;
• return spring;
• the starter system coil;
• deflector;
• cover;
• magneto;
• drum
• spark plug;
• electronic unit;
• electrical conduit;
• power button;
• handle and cable.

Main parameters of chainsaw starting system:

After the power button is pressed, the flywheel begins to rotate, along with the magnet that is on it.

An electromotive force appears in the system. The generated current is converted by an electronic unit into electric signals, which are transmitted to the driving elements. A spark is created, which provokes the ignition of the fuel-air mixture.

How to disassemble, repair and reassemble a STIHL chain saw

To repair the device, it must first be disassembled. Side cover, saw chain and guide bar must be removed. Then you need to clean the tool, blow with a compressor and brush all the parts. Then remove the knob. To do this, remove the plugs from the shock absorbers with a screwdriver. After that remove shock absorbers and handle.

Then remove the starter. Remove the housing cover and unscrew the starter‘s screws. Remove the part. Then the handwheel is removed by unscrewing the nut that holds it, unscrew the handwheel nut. Turn it to the left. Remove the flywheel. Then the clutch, the oil pump and the carburettor are removed.

Then the engine is removed and disassembled. It is held by 4 screws on the bottom of the saw. Unscrew them and take out the engine. Then the engine must be disassembled. Unscrew the crankcase screws and remove the crankcase. Then remove the crankshaft, oil seals, bearings and piston rings. When disassembly is complete, repair and correct problems.

After the repair the tool will need to be assembled back. To do this, install the piston on the connecting rod. The arrow on it should look in the direction of the chain, and on the left side of the piston will be the side of the crankshaft where the flywheel must be mounted. Assemble the piston in the cylinder. Install bearings, oil seals and retaining ring in cylinder. After that, degrease the crankcase mounting area and install it in its place. Reassemble in reverse order of disassembly.

How to remove the clutch

Before unscrewing the clutch, you must remove the drive sprocket. Remove the cotter washer and remove the sprocket and needle bearing. Unscrew the clutch. The deflector plate and pump are removed.

How to remove and replace the sprocket

Chainsaw sprocket replacement is needed when:

To replace the chainwheel, the chainwheel must be removed. The sprocket teeth should not be misaligned, or the saw will vibrate and cause damage to the crankshaft and bearings. Sprocket life is twice as long as the chain life. Use 2-3 chains until their cutting surface is worn. After that the sprocket is replaced. It is located behind the clutch. Remove the clutch cover.

Remove the bar, chain and clutch. But first you have to fix the crankshaft. Then insert the puller into the opening of the coupling and turn it clockwise. Remove the clutch. Behind the clutch is the sprocket. Then the sprocket can be removed. If it is faulty, it is replaced.

Repair and replace oil pump

Let’s see how to change the oil pump. If the element is leaking, the gasket between the two parts should be renewed. If this part of the oil pump is intact, wipe it down and put it back. Now check the hose. There must not be any cracks on it. If the hose is damaged it must be replaced. Then we clean the outlet passages with a compressor.

Replace the piston

Consider how to diagnose and replace the piston group. You need to check the condition of the cylinder and the degree of piston wear. After dismantling the motor, unscrew the sump, remove the crankshaft and piston from the cylinder. Unscrew piston pin retainers. If the piston is defective, it must be replaced. Retaining rings are fixed with the cut downwards. Before installing the piston group into the cylinder, oil the piston. Before installing the crankcase degrease its surface and apply sealant.

How to set the ignition

It is necessary to set the ignition on the chainsaw. The ignition is adjusted as follows:

Lubrication system. no oil flows to the chain

If the chainsaw chain is not lubricated, you can not work, because it threatens serious repairs. at that moment the chainsaw chain is dry, it is quickly stretched, the oil level in the tank is not reduced, and the bar is hot. The primary cause could be air intake due to leaking oil tubing. It should be sealed and if this does not help, it should be replaced.

• Breakage of the worm (oil pump drive), which is manifested by a broken thread on the plastic gear. This problem can be solved by replacing the spark plug with a new one;
• clogging of the line pump filter, which should be cleaned or washed in clean gasoline.

STIHL chain saws most often have an oil pipe rupture where it is installed in the housing. It is not difficult to fix, using heat shrink tubing.

The trouble with the STIHL MS 180 chain saw is no spark between the electrodes on the spark plug. Signs of this malfunction can be found if you unscrew the spark plug and inspect. Having found upon inspection that the spark plug is wet, you must begin to find the cause of the lack of spark on the spark plug.

The spark plug is defective

The first thing to do is to check the performance of the spark plug.

This is quite easy to do. The spark plug is inserted into the cap of the high-voltage wire and pressed to the engine cylinder, then several starter motions are made, if no spark is observed between the electrodes of the spark plug, then it is faulty or the ignition module is defective.

Check the spark plug for spark formation is carried out with the ignition on.

In order to know for sure that the problem is in the spark plug, it is necessary to check a known faulty one in the same way. If the check results in a spark, then the problem is found and to fix the problem we replace the plug of the saw with a new one.

Problems with the ignition coil

The ignition coil, it is also called the module, is not dismantled, so it is very difficult to determine its performance without a special tool. If the spark on the working spark plug still does not appear, suspicion arises that the coil is to blame. But do not immediately remove the old coil and run to the store, the problems may be of a slightly different nature.

There is no gap between the flywheel and the ignition module

In some cases, the lack of spark on the spark plug is due to an incorrect gap between the ignition module contacts or the flywheel. It can be larger, or there can be no gap at all, and then there are scratches on the flywheel surface resulting from contact with the coil contacts.

To check and set the gap, without having a special tool, you can. To do this you will need to remove the starter, loosen the two coil mounting screws and put a plate, cut from a plastic bottle, between the contacts of the handwheel and the ignition module, tighten the module mounting screws.

If after such clearance adjustment the spark appeared, all is well, you can continue to work with the STIHL 180 chain saw, if not, you must re-inspect and check whether the flywheel is not touching the contacts of the coil again. After the test, you may find that the play is not present again after adjusting the clearance. The problem is probably the bearings on the crankshaft.

Defective crankshaft bearings

If the crankshaft bearings are defective, there is little play on the crankshaft. Check for play by turning the STIHL 180 chain saw flywheel from side to side. If there is play, then under the action of its magnets, the flywheel is attracted to the contacts of the ignition coil, t. к. Bearing play is allowing the bearings to do this and therefore no spark is developing.

Another possible cause is that the STIHL MS 180 fails to rev up, feels like it is floating or just does not reach its maximum rpm.

Crankshaft bearing replacement

It is best to have the crankshaft bearings replaced at a professional service center. к. When changing the bearings it is necessary to completely dismantle the STIHL 180 chain saw and remove all of its major components.

Without some experience or at least the skills of repair of similar chainsaws to replace the crankshaft bearings qualitatively, will not work.

So, with the lack of spark we figured out, but what to do if there is a spark, but the answer to the question of why does not start the chain saw STIHL 180, no. The cause can be in the fuel system.

Although the 180 model is the most popular, but apart from it there is a range of other interesting chain saws by STIHL, for example: MS 170, MS 210, MS 230, MS 250, MS 270, MS 280.

By the way, many buyers are wondering whether to take the 170 model or not, it is very similar to the 180, in more detail, read the comparative article, here.

Removing and disassembling the engine

The engine is held in place by four screws on the bottom of the STIHL 180. To remove them it is necessary to unscrew them, and then carefully remove the engine from the seat and the rubber spigot of the carburetor.

Stihl MS180c Chainsaw Pull Cord Repair With “Easy2Start” Feature

To disassemble the engine loosen the 4 screws on the crankcase and the engine can be removed so that the crankshaft can be removed and the oil seals, bearings and piston rings can be assembled.

Removing bearings and oil seals normally requires no tools, but if the bearings were pressed on the shaft with force, a special puller is needed to remove them.

To remove the piston from the connecting rod, you need to remove the retaining ring from the seat with a thin screwdriver, then from the opposite side press out the piston pin, and then the piston is removed to the side.

Repair procedure

The peculiarities of starter operation imply brutal and harsh impact, which sooner or later will result in a breakage. Fortunately, there is nothing much to break in this mechanism, and the following instructions touch on all possible causes of failure. From how to rebuild or how to insert the spring into the chainsaw starter, to installing the dogs with the removal of the flywheel. Step-by-step guides, step-by-step, for each problem.

Repairing the spring

The most popular case of failure is associated with shear of the attachment ear of the main strap spring, which provides the winding cable. It is not necessary to look for and buy a new part, because the procedure requires a minimum of time and tools. You just need 2 things: a light source (gas torch or stove) and pliers.

Carefully take out the spring from the housing. You can pick it up with a slotted screwdriver.

At the place of a broken off ear, a new one should be made by making an ordinary ribbon bend. To prevent the metal from breaking, before bending it should be heated to redness and bend until it cools down (better to do it directly over the fire).

The shape and size of the bent part should be identical to the original, so that it fits snugly against the protrusion of the limiter. How to tuck the spring into the chain saw starter and save your nerves, told below. Wait until it has cooled down completely before installing.

How to Install a Chainsaw Starter Gear

The basic dexterity and standard manual dexterity, combined with a simple technology, will reduce the time required, allowing you to perform the operation quickly and almost effortlessly. The adjustment of the return spring starts with locking the ear on the notch, counterclockwise (when looking at the inside of the spring housing).

Inserting the tape is done gradually, layer by layer. The thumb of the right hand holds the already placed part of the spring, while the finger of the left hand lays the new section. Putting about 1/3 of a circle in the housing, the band is pressed with the thumb of the left hand, the right hand is brought to it and the cycle is repeated. The entire installation process takes no more than a minute.

It is even easier to insert a new spring, purchased as a starter part. It can be in a fixing winding, which is gradually removed during installation. Already twisted element is simply inserted into the housing. The easiest option is a ready-made set with a tape spring in the housing, which are put in place of the old elements in one motion.

Replacing the cord

The cases of breaking the cable of the crank, are fairly common and characteristic of both Chinese models, and branded manufacturers. Since this binding element is subjected to serious stress and periodically tears, the process of replacement is extremely simplified. First of all, you need to know how long you want the cord on your chain saw. Depending on the size of the drum and the diameter of the rope, the value is around 120. 140 cm (necessarily with a small margin). Having prepared a suitable cut, you can take a Phillips screwdriver and proceed to the replacement.

We remove the starter from the chainsaw and unscrew the central screw on the ratchet.

Remove the drum and remove the old cord.

Pull the new cord through the hole from inside the groove of the drum (for convenience, the ends can be melted with a lighter).

We pull the end out of the hole for about 10 cm and tie it in a knot to prevent the rope from breaking.

Let’s put the knot and the rest of the rope into the special hole under the drum. It is desirable to leave about 1 cm to avoid resting on the spring housing.

Install the drum in its place, aligned with the ear of the spring, and tighten the screw with a washer (do not wind the cord).

The opposite part of the cord is put through the body of the starter and the hole in the handle, and then make a fixing knot at the end.

The cord is wound by a spring. Simply pull the cord slightly from the hole in the drum to its edge, and holding it at this point, rotate the drum clockwise. The spring strains and winds up the cable itself when released. Repeat the procedure until the knob is firmly pressed against the housing.

Replacing the ratchet

The main element that transmits the rotation to the flywheel is subjected to serious wear at the contact points. The teeth of the plastic ratchet (pulley) that rest on the pawls (especially the iron ones) tend to chip or wear out, seriously complicating the starting process. The second problem applies to the easy-start ratchet, which connects to the drum through a spring that can break at the attachment point. Ribbon spring can be restored by following the above instructions, and if the screw spring is chipped, the construction will have to be replaced. How to remove and install the chain saw starter ratchet is shown below:

Remove the starter and unscrew the main construction screw with a washer.

If the chain saw starter pulley is non-disassembled, then its replacement will require removal of the cord. Simply untie the knot on the handle and pull through all the holes (handle, body, drum). If the ratchet is collapsible and the drum does not need to be replaced, just separate them carefully so the spring does not come out.

Fix the pulley with the screw and washer and install the starter on the chainsaw.

Replacing the dogs on the chain saw flywheel

Wear or damage to the thrust elements, leads to complete or partial cranking of the ratchet when the lever jerks. The problem can be expressed by a deformation of the plastic dogs or broken springs. In both cases, the defective components should be replaced with identical parts. The most difficult part of the process is removing the flywheel from the engine shaft, although installing new parts will also require skill.

Removing the flywheel begins by jamming the piston so that the shaft does not rotate when unscrewing. Just unscrew the spark plug and stick a small piece of thick rope into the combustion chamber.

After fixing the crankshaft in place, the center nut may be unscrewed.

Even without the locking nut, the flywheel sits on the shaft extremely tight and it is almost impossible to remove it with bare hands. A normal slotted screwdriver will do the trick here. To get easy access, you need to remove the cylinder head and disconnect the coil connection wires (if they are in the way).

Once the space is free, proceed to “docking”. Turn the flywheel with its strongest side (opposite to the magnets) and put the screwdriver in the gap between it and the crankcase. Never push against the thin part with the impeller as it is extremely easy to deform it. Gradually drive the screwdriver deeper and loosen the flywheel on the shaft until it pops out.

The fasteners of the dogs are located on the back side of the flywheel and can be made in the type of e-clips or ordinary screws. To remove the deformed element, it is sufficient to remove or unscrew the fasteners.

Before installation, a spring is put on the foot of the part and rests against the upper tab. The lower protruding tail of the spring is pulled up by the same line as the upper and held in place with a pin.

The completed and “loaded” pawl is set into the hole. The pin is removed from the spring when it begins to rest against the flywheel wall.

Holding the mounted dog against popping out, the handwheel is turned over and the part is fixed with a screw or a clip.

The neighboring doggie is replaced in an identical way, then the handwheel is mounted on the shaft and clamped by a washer and nut.

The device chainsaw starter

Almost all of the leading chainsaw manufacturers supply their products with starters that work by the same principle. It is no coincidence that specialized stores offer universal designs of starters that are equally successful for chain saws STIHL, Husqvarna, Makita, and for the Chinese semi-official imitations of the named brands. Only chainsaw starters of domestic production (Lesnik, Ural and others) have some peculiarities.

The chain saw starter operates as follows. In the housing slot is installed handle, through which the cable is passed. If the handle rises sharply, the cable is pulled out and engages the drum of the ratchet mechanism which transmits the motion to the drum with slots provided on the shaft.

in the process the crankshaft makes several revolutions, and the working mixture in the space between the piston and the cylinder head is compressed. Accordingly, when the handle is lowered the contact between the ratchet and the splines is lost and the shaft stops.

As the engine volume increases, so does the amount of fuel-air mixture required for its subsequent ignition, so the number of jerks for the starter rope for high-powered saws increases. Therefore, in order to speed up the return of the drum, forced return springs made of steel with high elastic properties are used.

This makes it easier to start the chain saw in the following ways:

• Pre-enrichment of the working mixture, for which there is a special flap in the carburetor design.
• Installation of an automatic decompression valve to reduce the working pressure in the chainsaw cylinder.
• An additional spring which makes it easier to turn the crankshaft when the cable is moved.
• Certain chainsaws (e.g. Partner S series, Maxcut, etc.) have a starter motor that speeds up the engine.) primer. a pump for pre-pumping the fuel.

STIHL 180 ignition tuning

STIHL MS 100 chain saw has an electronic ignition system which can be adjusted by adjusting the gap between the handwheel and the ignition coil of the STIHL 180. To remove the starter motor starter motor

, unscrew the two screws fixing the ignition coil and place between the flywheel and coil contacts a strip cut from a plastic bottle, tighten the fixing screws.

To check the backlash, turn the handwheel and check whether the contacts of the coil are touching.