Thread: Chainsaw died

Originally Posted by halfcut

My Stihl MS390 will not start. This is odd since when I used it last - no problems. Got it out today, put in fuel and oil, pulled the string and nothing ( after a few pulls)

I'd check the exhaust is clear and not blocked with mud wasps or similar.

Originally Posted by halfcut

Then it was hard to pull. Felt like it was working against compression. What could it be?

Have you removed the plug and tried to turn it over? Might be compression locked with fuel.

Originally Posted by halfcut

My Stihl MS390 will not start. This is odd since when I used it last - no problems. Got it out today, put in fuel and oil, pulled the string and nothing ( after a few pulls) Then it was hard to pull. Felt like it was working against compression. What could it be?

That's normal. The more you try to start it the more fuel is drawn in and the lube in the fuel makes a better seal between the rings and the piston/cyl.

Have you
got spark?
cleaned the carby
using fresh (I mean out of the petrol pump that day) fuel ?

How old is the saw?
When was it last serviced.

G'day Bedford, with the plug out it turns over OK. I'll have another crack at it today.

BobL, I will have a look at your suggestion today. Thanks all.

Is the plug wet? if not use some Start Ya Bastard or similar and if it doesn't start then investigate things further. If the plug is wet then dry out the excess fuel in the cylinder and the plug, install it and not using the choke try and start the motor.

My Stihl manual (not your model) advises pressing the decompression valve button "before each fresh attempt to start the engine."

Cheers,
Joe

Joe, my chainsaw does not have a decompression button. Since my last response I have pulled the carby and muffler off. Emptied the fuel tank, air dried all I could get access to and still have the problem. So, with the saw partly stripped and the plug removed I get good rotation of the crank etc. Put the plug back in and and I get the same "compression resistance"feeling. Really don't want to go to the Stihl dealer if I can help it, not at $60 / hr.An hourly rate to me is like a blank cheque.

That sounds totally normal to me. Did you try to start it, Did you confirm you had spark?

I understand your reluctance but if they have a good reputation then they will pretty quickly pinpoint the issue. I had a 15 YO Greenfields ride on mower and the guy at Aldinga Mowers was able to tell me what the problem was likely to be as soon as I rolled in with the item in question. In fact he had an identical motor with the same issue on the bench so he could show me.

These guys repair these things all day and the good ones are usually on the ball.

Oh, and the wife took our quad to a "really cheap place down south" and after getting it back having paid $80 with nothing done we are never going back there again. I have written off the $80 as a total loss and am taking it into Aldinga.

John

Aldinga is my local Stihl dealership too. Great guys in there. Pitty the old shop burnt down but I hear they are rebuilding it now. I've bought several saws and a polaris quad from them.

Originally Posted by halfcut

My Stihl MS390 will not start. This is odd since when I used it last - no problems. Got it out today, put in fuel and oil, pulled the string and nothing ( after a few pulls) Then it was hard to pull. Felt like it was working against compression. What could it be?

(Hope) you did not forget and put plain gas w/o OIL in it?

Talk about feeling like a richard, I did not pull the rope hard enough. The pull and drop method got the bludger going. At least it got a good clean out. Not just getting old and feeble but bloody weak as well. Now, where can I get an electric starter for the chain saw??

Originally Posted by halfcut

Talk about feeling like a richard, I did not pull the rope hard enough. The pull and drop method got the bludger going. At least it got a good clean out. Not just getting old and feeble but bloody weak as well. Now, where can I get an electric starter for the chain saw??

Glad you got it sorted but bear in mind there's an unwritten rule about chainsaws amongst serious CS users.
If you can't start it you shouldn't be using it.

No shame there Halfcut. I have an old 064 and no one can start that without me giving a full rundown on the the procedure. We have all been made soft by the makers fitting decompressors to everything and I wouldn't have it any other way. Starting the 064 involves stripping naked, putting on warpaint [used sump oil is good] and dancing around the saw thinking of all the people you want to choke the life out of, then when your anger has peaked, quickly leap on the saw and reef the hell out of the starter cord. Works every time although onlookers are inclined to think your a bit weird.