Stihl problems !

[backhoeboogie]

My new Stihl chainsaw is a MS 250. Its probably got 20 hours on it and it quit. When you pull the rip cord its almost like there is no compression. I've never seen a Stihl do this.

Got out the 44 and got it started then broke the chain. No spare.

The 25 is probably 30 years old. The chain on it is stretched. Not sure what my brother in law did to it but the brake bar is gone too. It started blowing gas. The return fuel line is gone.

I finished the down limbs with a Stihl pole saw. I didn't break it.

The old saws have been die hards. All of them are going to the shop for a make over. But I am concerned about the newest one. I've never had a Stihl do this.

 

[ga.prime]

My new Stihl chainsaw is a MS 250. Its probably got 20 hours on it and it quit. When you pull the rip cord its almost like there is no compression. I've never seen a Stihl do this.

Spark plug fell out.

 

[ddd75]

should be under warranty

 

[backhoeboogie]

My new Stihl chainsaw is a MS 250. Its probably got 20 hours on it and it quit. When you pull the rip cord its almost like there is no compression. I've never seen a Stihl do this.

Spark plug fell out.

:lol: :lol: My first thought it must have broken. But that is how it seems indeed.

 

[backhoeboogie]

should be under warranty

That would be nice.

 

[jltrent]

My new Stihl chainsaw is a MS 250. Its probably got 20 hours on it and it quit. When you pull the rip cord its almost like there is no compression. I've never seen a Stihl do this.

Spark plug fell out.

If not the plug then usually not good as those MS250 are loaded with compression new and that one should still be like new. If you want to check yourself pull the muffler off (two small nuts/taps and see what the piston looks like. I had a Stihl MS 260 I was sawing with recently go to almost zero compression and the spark plug middle blew out.

Also get a good chain for the 044.

 

[backhoeboogie]

My new Stihl chainsaw is a MS 250. Its probably got 20 hours on it and it quit. When you pull the rip cord its almost like there is no compression. I've never seen a Stihl do this.

Spark plug fell out.

If not the plug then usually not good as those MS250 are loaded with compression new and that one should still be like new. If you want to check yourself pull the muffler off (two small nuts/taps and see what the piston looks like. I had a Stihl MS 260 I was sawing with recently go to almost zero compression and the spark plug middle blew out.

Also get a good chain for the 044.

I put them all in Glen Rose Auto parts, an authorized dealer. If the MS 250 has warranty, its best that I don't blow it. They said the 25 is just missing a vent tube. Looks like it is routed back to the carb on the others. I never really paid attention to it. Told them to check the bar and put a new chain on the 44.

Tune them all.

I am about to go on a 6 day, 12 hour day work shift for the next 6 weeks. Don't want to buy piece parts and not have everything I needed. Too many times in my life I didn't have everything needed in the end. So I just chose to spend the nickels and let them put them all back in shape. I can't use anything until Friday anyway. Its dark by the time I get home. Gonna use all the daylight I can on Friday to cut wood versus spending half the day hustling parts and working on them.

 

[greybeard]

I'm pretty sure there's a kit to mount tac lights on a chainsaw.......they get mounted on everything else.. :roll:

 

[Kjfred]

I've had an MS250c for a long time and cut a ton of wood with it. Other than a few minor repairs over the years it's been a great saw. Here's hoping its something minor with yours

 

[JMJ Farms]

I've got a MS360. Never has given a minutes trouble over the years. I was cutting with it last Wednesday and it just died. Wouldn't crank and didn't sound right at all while I was pulling. Took it to the shop. Got the call today. Engine is blown up. Mechanic said it had a small hole in the fuel line which caused it to run a little too fast. Said other than that he didn't see any problems. It has leaked a little gas for several years unless you laid it on it's side but I figured it was the cap. Guess I know better now. $350 but a new one is $800 so it's a no brainer to fix it. Been a good saw.

 

[hdrockn]

I have an MS250C with the tooless tensioner.....great idea but needs more time in development....the chain will not stay tight. The repair shop insisted there was no way to remove that and make it like our regular tension saw. After $170 repair and six months later same thing again I found a youTube showing an after market kit for $14.45 to replace the chainless mechanism with the regular....Yessireee, that made me a happy camper.

 

[jltrent]

I have an MS250C with the tooless tensioner.....great idea but needs more time in development....the chain will not stay tight. The repair shop insisted there was no way to remove that and make it like our regular tension saw. After $170 repair and six months later same thing again I found a youTube showing an after market kit for $14.45 to replace the chainless mechanism with the regular....Yessireee, that made me a happy camper.

Those are a POS.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The piston busted on the 250. I didn't want to throw good money after bad. So I just bought another one. Pulled the sprocket, bar, and chain off of the busted piston 250 and put it on the old 25. Went ahead and kept it for parts still. Carb and clutch and gas tank are good. Etc. lots of pieces I can use some day.

44 is fixed. 25 is fixed. 250 is brand new but I'm now scared of it. I've never had a Stihl do this.

 

[jltrent]

The piston busted on the 250. I didn't want to throw good money after bad. So I just bought another one. Pulled the sprocket, bar, and chain off of the busted piston 250 and put it on the old 25. Went ahead and kept it for parts still. Carb and clutch and gas tank are good. Etc. lots of pieces I can use some day.

44 is fixed. 25 is fixed. 250 is brand new but I'm now scared of it. I've never had a Stihl do this.

Just a SWAG on the MS250 it was set to lean from the factory since it had low hours and fairly new. (very common problem) They are set right on the border of melt down so they want pollute. I always tach check every saw and mix 40 to 1. I have found saws new just out of the box running >14k and they were rated no more than 13.5k. The air to fuel ratio is out of wack. Sometimes you have to even pull/clip the limiter caps to get it tuned right. Usually everyday when I use a saw I will tach check it as sometimes I don't trust my ears. If you saw much it can save you a little money.


Here is one I had to slow down a little, turn more fuel to it on the "high" side. The "H" adjuster is always the one furthest from the intake. Usually when you turn a little more fuel on the "H" side you have to do the opposite on the "L" side to get it finely tuned. If the saw want tune right usually it is a diaphragm problem in the carb or air leak (I do a pressure/vacuum test). Vacuum test the fuel tank, pressure test the fuel line also.

Keep the air filter clean as it also messes with fuel/air ratio. It causes slugest running and carbon buildup which can lead to early death also.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Just a SWAG on the MS250 it was set to lean from the factory since it had low hours and fairly new. (very common problem) They are set right on the border of melt down so they want pollute. I always tach check every saw and mix 40 to 1. I have found saws new just out of the box running >14k and they were rated no more than 13.5k. The air to fuel ratio is out of wack. Sometimes you have to even pull/clip the limiter caps to get it tuned right. Usually everyday when I use a saw I will tach check it as sometimes I don't trust my ears. If you saw much it can save you a little money.


Here is one I had to slow down a little, turn more fuel to it on the "high" side. The "H" adjuster is always the one furthest from the intake. Usually when you turn a little more fuel on the "H" side you have to do the opposite on the "L" side to get it finely tuned. If the saw want tune right usually it is a diaphragm problem in the carb or air leak (I do a pressure/vacuum test). Vacuum test the fuel tank, pressure test the fuel line also.

Thank you for the info. I squeeze full throttle when I am cutting. That is just most comfortable and I've never tried to regulate speed. Its not like I am cutting for a living. Mostly just clean up and firewood for myself. If it takes a few seconds longer to get through the log, its not a big thing.

 

[jltrent]

Just a SWAG on the MS250 it was set to lean from the factory since it had low hours and fairly new. (very common problem) They are set right on the border of melt down so they want pollute. I always tach check every saw and mix 40 to 1. I have found saws new just out of the box running >14k and they were rated no more than 13.5k. The air to fuel ratio is out of wack. Sometimes you have to even pull/clip the limiter caps to get it tuned right. Usually everyday when I use a saw I will tach check it as sometimes I don't trust my ears. If you saw much it can save you a little money.


Here is one I had to slow down a little, turn more fuel to it on the "high" side. The "H" adjuster is always the one furthest from the intake. Usually when you turn a little more fuel on the "H" side you have to do the opposite on the "L" side to get it finely tuned. If the saw want tune right usually it is a diaphragm problem in the carb or air leak (I do a pressure/vacuum test). Vacuum test the fuel tank, pressure test the fuel line also.

Thank you for the info. I squeeze full throttle when I am cutting. That is just most comfortable and I've never tried to regulate speed. Its not like I am cutting for a living. Mostly just clean up and firewood for myself. If it takes a few seconds longer to get through the log, its not a big thing.

I squeeze full throttle when I am cutting.
You should be able to if set right. If the saw is screaming it maybe a little to air lean. I listen for a saw to four stroke sound and I like to keep them just a tad on the rich side. You lose chain speed but will have more power and they will burnt a little more gas, and also lubricate better.

That Stihl 044 you have is legendary in the saw business. If it was mine it would be wearing a new 25" ES bar with a new Stihl full chisel skip chain and be put in like new condition. I have three MS440s which is basically the same saw except the compression release button.

 

[backhoeboogie]

That Stihl 044 you have is legendary in the saw business. If it was mine it would be wearing a new 25" ES bar with a new Stihl full chisel skip chain and be put in like new condition. I have three MS440s which is basically the same saw except the compression release button.

There are not many of those 044's around here. When an old timer passed away, one of his sons called me. They were cleaning out his barn for an estate sale. I wanted an anvil but they kept them. That 044 was there. I got it and a bunch of odds and ends. Mostly stuff they thought wouldn't sell. They couldn't crank the saw.

The shop checked it out for me. Put a carburetor on it and it ran like a champ. The old guy had some big pecans so I assume that's why he had that saw.

My 25 has a 16 inch bar it will cut most of the stuff I have here in this part of TX. We don't have a whole lot of really big trees unless you're on the river. When they cleared that gas line on my grandfather's place in East Texas, we used the heck out of the 044 on hickory trees. I can't say I really need that saw, but at the same time I am not willing to part ways with it.

 

[hurleyjd]

I have a 044 stihl and it is bugger to crank. Wish it had a compression release. I bought a Dolmar 510 several years ago for $25 and had to spend another $90 for a new piston and cylinder. I use it a lot probable more that the 044.

 

[jltrent]

I bet your MS250 looks better than mine. I bought these two yesterday. A MS250 for $25 and a Husky 350 for $40. Done ordered $40 parts for the 250 that will put it in good shape and $20 for the 350 that will put it in good shape. In my spare time I probably rebuild/recondition upwards of 100 saws a year.

MS250

Husky 350

 

[backhoeboogie]

I'd give you the old 250 (with the busted piston) I kept it for the parts which are mostly new. I swapped the bar, chain and sprocket with the 25 just because they were essentially new parts