electric chainsaw

[hurleyjd]

Spent today fixing fence where a dead tree fell on it not much cutting required. Chainsaw had not been cranked in a while pulled on the rope about a dozen times and finally fired up. I am not as strong as I once was. I think I might buy one of the electric saws with a large battery to use in cases like this. Only think to take along would be the chain bar lube. Any one have experience with these saws.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Spent today fixing fence where a dead tree fell on it not much cutting required. Chainsaw had not been cranked in a while pulled on the rope about a dozen times and finally fired up. I am not as strong as I once was. I think I might buy one of the electric saws with a large battery to use in cases like this. Only think to take along would be the chain bar lube. Any one have experience with these saws.

JL Trent posted a favorable review on one a few months ago. I don't think it was a Stihl but I expect they make a good one.

 

[M-5]

Dad bought a kobalt one a few months ago. Loves it. I used it some just to try it. It's not made for heavy duty work but occasional use it does fine. Light and handy.

 

[wbvs58]

I have a cheap Chinese one that shares the battery's with a number of other tools. It is only small but is surprising what it will cut. Very handy for the situation you described, just pull the trigger.

Ken

 

[jltrent]

For limited use they work good. On a single charge one of these listed below will cut up a tree fully about 10" at the trunk.

For a best buy get a Greenworks 80V Li-Ion Pro 18 in.

If you want the best get a Stihl MSA 200 C-BQ

There are a lot of less expensive ones, but like most everything you get what you pay for.

A lot of tricks to getting a gas chainsaw to start easy.

1. Never leave/store old gas in one, always startup pour the gas out and run dry, especially if it will be setting for a while.

2. Get a small one with a primer bulb and decompression valve which makes starting a lot easier if using for small jobs.

3. Only use pure gas as ethanol will shorter the life of any gas lines, rubber parts, diaphragms, needle tips in the carburetor and goes bad quicker.

4. Start the gas chainsaw about once a month as this is no more trouble than keep a battery charged.

5. After pulling the starter several times check the plug. If it is not wet not getting gas, if you smell and see to much gas maybe flooded.

6. This is what I use as I hate pulling recoils on saws, especially saws above 70ccs if they have been setting for a while. On most larger Stihls/ Husqvarnas it takes less than a minute to take the air filter off and spray in the carb.

Take the air filter off and spray a little in the carburetor or take the plug out and spray a little in the cylinder and if the saw is getting fire will start right up. This is Walmart's Super Tech Lubricant and it works great. Ether is not recommend to use as I know some will say they use it all the time.

I repaired/rebuilt 7 Stihl/Husky chainsaws last week (4 total rebuilds.) Saturday at what I thought would be an easy repair on my neighbors Stihl 036 didn't turn out that way. Done a pressure test and leaking at the PTO seal, when I pulled the seal the bearing was bad. So I have every part of the saw a part, case split, with the bearing pressed out waiting for one I order to come in and will replace both sides while a part.

Here is what I found after pulling the oil seal.

The top end is in great shape with 160 lbs compression.

 

[Silver]

I've been eyeing up the Milwaukee Fuel One Key. If it's anything like the 3/4" impact I have for power and build it would be a great tool on the fence line.

 

[pdfangus]

finding ethanol free gas is a chore around here.
I use high test gas for my small engines and always add fuel conditioner and ethanol treatment.....it is blue and I believe called blue star....still have issues with mowers and generators if not run regular.

I use a generator for lights and power at my barn and I just bought a dual fuel electric start chinese made generator for this and run it only on propane. I am loving it....

the gas generator I had, even though I run it almost every evening would be problematic in starting about every third night and I got tired of pulling my guts out and spending money on it...

 

[sstterry]

When I get toward the end of a job, I always fuel up with Tru-Fuel premix. It is expensive, but the saw can sit all winter long and start like a dream. I always keep a couple of cans with my saw equipment.

 

[Texasmark]

I have a Remington and decided I could do better. Went online, forget where and a tomato green one popped up, funny name I never heard of, for 50 bucks free shipping, either Amazon or ebay probably. Super super saw. Put that with a Poulan Pro tree trimmer gas and set aside the Remington electric and I'm in business.

 

[Silver]

2. Get a small one with a primer bulb and decompression valve which makes starting a lot easier if using for small jobs.

Funny you should mention that. I have a Husqvarna 455 Rancher with the priming bulb. I hate it. I never use it anymore. Every time I have used it I have flooded it and wore myself out trying to start it. Even one push on the bulb. My rule of thumb now is just pull the choke, and 5 or 6 pulls on the chord if it hasn't ran for awhile.
Nothing like being ten miles from home and find trees over the fence you can't cut off. And spending your time pulling the plug and trying to dry things out. Did I mention I hate those bulbs?
That's my little rant on the bulbs lol

 

[jltrent]

2. Get a small one with a primer bulb and decompression valve which makes starting a lot easier if using for small jobs.

Funny you should mention that. I have a Husqvarna 455 Rancher with the priming bulb. I hate it. I never use it anymore. Every time I have used it I have flooded it and wore myself out trying to start it. Even one push on the bulb. My rule of thumb now is just pull the choke, and 5 or 6 pulls on the chord if it hasn't ran for awhile.
Nothing like being ten miles from home and find trees over the fence you can't cut off. And spending your time pulling the plug and trying to dry things out. Did I mention I hate those bulbs?
That's my little rant on the bulbs lol

What those primer bulbs do is pull fresh fuel through the carburetor as the carburetor has and inlet from the tank for the fuel to come in and a outlet that the primer bulbs pulls the gas through and it goes back into the tank (putting new lines and primer bulb on those is a fairly good job). Usually leaving the choke on too long which pulls the fuel into the cylinder through the front of the carb is what floods them. If everything is working right a 2 cycle should pop on the 2-3 pull then take the choke off or set 1/2 way and it will start.

If the saw has good compression it will pull the fuel into the cylinder quick working properly. Were problems arise is an air leak in the fuel system (bad fuel line, needle not sealing good in the carburetor, intake boot, impulse line, tank vent not working right, clogged air filter, stiff diaphragm in the carburetor, carburetor inlet screen clogged, carburetor loose, carburetor gasket not sealing properly and I can go on and on.

After starting if the 2 cycle doesn't run right it can be and many as 1 of 20 different things could be the problem. Pretty boring working on them.

 

[Silver]

2. Get a small one with a primer bulb and decompression valve which makes starting a lot easier if using for small jobs.

Funny you should mention that. I have a Husqvarna 455 Rancher with the priming bulb. I hate it. I never use it anymore. Every time I have used it I have flooded it and wore myself out trying to start it. Even one push on the bulb. My rule of thumb now is just pull the choke, and 5 or 6 pulls on the chord if it hasn't ran for awhile.
Nothing like being ten miles from home and find trees over the fence you can't cut off. And spending your time pulling the plug and trying to dry things out. Did I mention I hate those bulbs?
That's my little rant on the bulbs lol

What those primer bulbs do is pull fresh fuel through the carburetor as the carburetor has and inlet from the tank for the fuel to come in and a outlet that the primer bulbs pulls the gas through and it goes back into the tank (putting new lines and primer bulb on those is a fairly good job). Usually leaving the choke on too long which pulls the fuel into the cylinder through the front of the carb is what floods them. If everything is working right a 2 cycle should pop on the 2-3 pull then take the choke off or set 1/2 way and it will start.

If the saw has good compression it will pull the fuel into the cylinder quick working properly. Were problems arise is an air leak in the fuel system (bad fuel line, needle not sealing good in the carburetor, intake boot, impulse line, tank vent not working right, clogged air filter, stiff diaphragm in the carburetor, carburetor inlet screen clogged, carburetor loose, carburetor gasket not sealing properly and I can go on and on.

After starting if the 2 cycle doesn't run right it can be and many as 1 of 20 different things could be the problem. Pretty boring working on them.

This saw has done this from day one. Other than that one thing I think it's a great saw, always starts (if I don't use the bulb) has good power, and puts up with my abuse.

I do have a handfull of saws that don't run all with the same symptoms. Full choke they start, run alright, but once the choke is off half way or more and throttle applied they "run out of fuel". I assumed clogged impulse line, impulse diaphram, tank vent, etc. but they checked out or were replaced. But now I'm wondering if low compression would cause this? Seems like low compression would give a low impulse signal? I guess a fella should have a compression tester gauge.

 

[greybeard]

I have a low hrs Stihl ms290 that is absolute he// to pull the rope on when cold. Kicks back and will jerk the cord handle out of your hand. Once you get it running and warmed up a little, you can shut it down and can start it with ease afterwards. I don't think it has more than 5 hrs running time on it. Has had nothing but Stihl 2 cycle oil/gas mix used in it.
Dunno what the deal is on it...I have another just like it that has never given me any trouble.

 

[jltrent]

I have a low hrs Stihl ms290 that is absolute he// to pull the rope on when cold. Kicks back and will jerk the cord handle out of your hand. Once you get it running and warmed up a little, you can shut it down and can start it with ease afterwards. I don't think it has more than 5 hrs running time on it. Has had nothing but Stihl 2 cycle oil/gas mix used in it.
Dunno what the deal is on it...I have another just like it that has never given me any trouble.

Check the starter dogs (oil, and/or replace the spring that holds them on), try the other recoil on it. Also could be the clutch springs stiff/drum and once gets warm loosens up. Something is not releasing like it should once the engine fires. I have had 15-20 of those and worked on a lot more and not seen that problem. I'd fix that whatever it takes.

The hard pulling could be the compression or on one saw I worked on had a stiff bearing/bearing issue in it. If the saw was not that low hours could be the muffler stopped up.

 

[sstterry]

I have a low hrs Stihl ms290 that is absolute he// to pull the rope on when cold. Kicks back and will jerk the cord handle out of your hand. Once you get it running and warmed up a little, you can shut it down and can start it with ease afterwards. I don't think it has more than 5 hrs running time on it. Has had nothing but Stihl 2 cycle oil/gas mix used in it.
Dunno what the deal is on it...I have another just like it that has never given me any trouble.

Check the starter dogs (oil, and/or replace the spring that holds them on), try the other recoil on it. Also could be the clutch springs stiff/drum and once gets warm loosens up. Something is not releasing like it should once the engine fires. I have had 15-20 of those and worked on a lot more and not seen that problem. I'd fix that whatever it takes.

The hard pulling could be the compression or on one saw I worked on had a stiff bearing/bearing issue in it. If the saw was not that low hours could be the muffler stopped up.

This man knows his saws!!! ;-)

 

[Nesikep]

Another idea is a shorn flywheel key and the timing is too advanced?

 

[snoopdog]

My mom bought a dewalt for christmas and likes it so far, the ms290 I bought about 20 years ago was the best 300 dollars I have EVER spent.

 

[ddd75]

I have a low hrs Stihl ms290 that is absolute he// to pull the rope on when cold. Kicks back and will jerk the cord handle out of your hand. Once you get it running and warmed up a little, you can shut it down and can start it with ease afterwards. I don't think it has more than 5 hrs running time on it. Has had nothing but Stihl 2 cycle oil/gas mix used in it.
Dunno what the deal is on it...I have another just like it that has never given me any trouble.

mine has been like that since new.. i'll pull 2 tugs . just to tighten it.. not enough to rotate.. then on the 3rd, I pull it tight.. then do a full pull.. and its does it everytime like that.

 

[jltrent]

I repaired/rebuilt 7 Stihl/Husky chainsaws last week (4 total rebuilds.) Saturday at what I thought would be an easy repair on my neighbors Stihl 036 didn't turn out that way. Done a pressure test and leaking at the PTO seal, when I pulled the seal the bearing was bad. So I have every part of the saw a part, case split, with the bearing pressed out waiting for one I order to come in and will replace both sides while a part.

Here is what I found after pulling the oil seal.

Got new OEM bearings pressed in with oil seals, new intake boot and the 036 Pro is ready to go. Cleaned the saw up put a new ES pro bar on with a full skip, checked compression 160 lbs. Ran like a top.

 

[jltrent]

When I get up that way, I'm going to need a new saw jlTrent. Maybe you can see fit to part with one in 16-18"

I will fix you right up.