Strimmer or hedgecutter will not start? Probably an easy fix.

[clivehorridge]

I will agree up to a point about disposability, although I actually think it's more down to the arrogant pricing of spare parts. Similar to car manufacturers. I do have three/four machines that need two or three bits to be serviceable, but what ends up happening is finding a s/h machine that has what I need and making one good one out of two. As an example, I have just written off a long reach hedge trimmer as it needs the bevel gears doing, I can but a new attachment for sun £200 yet the bevel gears (a small part of the overall machine) are £265 to buy.
Honda are no different. Try rebuilding a mower gearbox. Theres not much there, but the bits that you generally need cost circa 25% more than a new 'box. I suspect its partly down to internet shopping driving down new machine/attachment prices to a falsely low level, so they need to make their money somewhere.
Frank - I have two Toro ride-ons here that I am gonna market in feb/march. I agree about the build quality, far superior than the Deere's that replaced them, however deere parts are about 40% of the price of Toro, so a cleft-stick.
What I will say is this. I only ever use Stihl's own two-stroke oil, and we're very careful to get the mixture spot-on. Cheap 2# sells the machine short IMHO.

Clive
If you send me the machine model number/serial number/a picture of what you need, I'll look into it. My pal works in the spare parts quotation section at Stihl UK, which is about a half mile from my house!

That's mighty generous of you Jon, how come Stihl don't have the same attitude?

It's dark now and we're about to leave, so it will be a couple of weeks before I can photo. Even a part number may help.

Thanks mate, I'll take you up on your kind assistance. I'll PM you.

 

[Rob Cowell]

I like Stihl products but they have an infuriating policy only to allow their dealers to sell parts, and not to sell the mail order. To me this is utter contempt for their customer's time, not to mention travel costs. Happy with my Chainsaw and Strimmer. But wouldn't buy another for the hassle when something breaks or wears out.

 

[jonnyboy54321]

I just go to my local Stihl dealer.....



Clive, you're welcome.

 

[clivehorridge]

I just go to my local Stihl dealer.....Clive, you're welcome.

I don't have one that's very local, the nearest is out of town, shuts at 5 and at lunch time and closed all weekend, can you believe that!

 

[clivehorridge]

I don't have one that's very local, the nearest is out of town, shuts at 5 and at lunch time and closed all weekend, can you believe that!

Back to my old Chainsaw, I took these photos today Jon,

this is the inside of the cover, where the black blob in the Centre is a "turnkey" type receiver to lock the cover in place.



This is the outside of the cover showing the "turnkey" button in the open position



Same, but in the closed or locked position



So, I would expect to find on the machine, something that locates into the inside, to lock against. The only thing close is the air filter box...



There is a strange looking "hole" visible between the mounting screws. It could be that something has broken off there. It seems strange to design a cover to lock to the air filter, but it's the only part that sits any where near the position of the cover "turnkey".

Air filter off...



Air filter in place...



So so it looks to me that I need to source a new air filter assembly.

Here's with the cover in place...



Any assistance, advice, offers whatever, would be greatfully received, just thought, some kind of serial or model no would be useful I suppose, back to the shed.....

Edit: Can't find any serial or model numbers other than 036 on the top of the engine cover.



General views...





Stinking dirty admittedly, but not much point in cleaning it when I can't get it to run

 

[StarCruiser]

Different saw I know but if it helps any the black stub with stainless wrapped around it in the centre if the photo is what mine latches onto. Looks like you are right with your diagnosis on a bit being broken off the air filter.

A further look on eBay shows this filter with the missing part present.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/262269006776

 

[Iwan]

Nice old stihl you have there Clive a good sized saw. I have the newer ms390. I will try to peel myself off the sofa and have a look at mine. The cover looks the same and seem to remember that it falls off from time to time! Is it sparking with the plug out?

 

[Shayne]

I thought the same Iwan looks very similar to mine which is only about 3 years old but no mines an MS181 and doesn't have that separate cover on the back .

 

[jonnyboy54321]

As said already the filter isnt right.
Let me know if you need me to get you one.

 

[StarCruiser]

If you're having trouble starting it Clive, have you had the carb apart? There's very little to them really the Walbro ones but if you get a hole in the diaphragm or the fuel pulse pump then you're on a loser straight away. The jets can all be cleaned out with an air line and a pot of carb cleaner to slosh it round in. Count the turns of the jet screws in till they stop and note it for reassembly. They can be very tricky to set up otherwise.

Also check the crank for any sign of play in the bearings as this lets air in and fuel air mix out rather than where it's supposed to go.

As above, check you've got a spark as the coil packs can break down as can the electronic ignition modules. Check for shorting to case of the stop wire.

Finally, if it's any help for starting from cold, I set mine to choke and pull it till it fires the first time and stops. I then take it off choke and pull it till it runs.

Another trick is to remove the plug, pop about a thimble full of fuel mix in there (you don't need to be too accurate) and refit the plug. Then try and start it as above. This is good after a long time unused as it helps seal the rings again.

 

[clivehorridge]

Wow, thanks Rich, nail on the head first time!!

TBH, the saw has cut hundreds of trees and logged them, it owes me nothing. It came to me second hand too, but ever since the cover has come "unfixed" its a bugger to start because there's nothing holding the choke open.

I recon once I have the cover locked in place it will be fine again. I've got sparks and all the stuff, but it's so frustrating trying to hold the choke, hold the machine, pull the chord... you can imagine, an octopus might get the hang of it ok...

I'm gonna have a go at making a button, now I see exactly where it goes, as I've said before, PayPal have chosen to blacklist me and have permanently blocked my account, so buying off e-bay is not an option

Thanks guys, if my home-made doesn't work then I'll try to get one ordered of the dealer. If that fails, maybe I'll be back at Jonnyboy.

You've all been very helpful and have boosted my incentive to get my little saw back to health.

It's great to chuck in the truck to do some trimming on my lane...

 

[Shayne]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Air-Filte...970075?hash=item2edaa87a5b:g:NcIAAOSwuMFUhVJG

they are available .

 

[frank rabbets]

I know the plastic membranes in the carb can fail. They had terrible trouble in France when they put a higher amount of alcohol in the petrol. On holiday there and my mower and all the neighbour's mowers would not run!!!

Here I gave my neighbour some petrol that had about 5% diesel in it and it did the same to his. The membrane looked OK but was either too brittle or too soft.

 

[clivehorridge]

My little saw will have a damn good clean up if I can fix it or get that part.

Believe it or not, I used to clean it before and after every heavy usage.

 

[Shayne]

There is a non ebay email on that link Clive if you would like to contact them to sort out delivery they can send a payment request to me .

 

[clivehorridge]

There is a non ebay email on that link Clive if you would like to contact them to sort out delivery they can send a payment request to me .

Ill have a go Shayne, but it's the air filter I need (Rich's link) not the orange cover.

Thanks mate...

 

[Shayne]

ah well if it turns out to be cheaper i will have to up the daily interest rate is all

 

[StarCruiser]

I can order it, to be delivered to you Clive. Save faffing about for a fiver.

Also, you say you can't get the choke to stay on. I may be barking up the wrong tree here (or just plain barking which is more likely) but the Stihl saws have a throttle lock that brings the throttle up a bit from idle.

IIRC you hold down the safety lever, pull in the throttle trigger, then release the safety lever which should hold the throttle in. Then the choke can be put on and will stay put. Then follow the starting sequence as per my previous post.

 

[clivehorridge]

I can order it, to be delivered to you Clive. Save faffing about for a fiver.

Also, you say you can't get the choke to stay on. I may be barking up the wrong tree here (or just plain barking which is more likely) but the Stihl saws have a throttle lock that brings the throttle up a bit from idle.

IIRC you hold down the safety lever, pull in the throttle trigger, then release the safety lever which should hold the throttle in. Then the choke can be put on and will stay put. Then follow the starting sequence as per my previous post.

Things are moving very rapidly Rich, very kind of you to offer but Chas is already on a mission!

I can't believe all the offers to assist, Jon, you Chas and Shayne... Amazing! Thanks guys.

The choke problem is because the cover, when locked into place, acts as the retainer for the choke actuation / pivot rod. Worth the cover loose, or not held in place, the choke does what it wants!

I am aware that the choke on and release is actuated by the throttle trigger, that's what I was referring to by needing to be an octopus when the cover isn't doing what it should

 

[StarCruiser]

Ahh, I see, that's different to mine where the cover plays no part in the choke. And I see what you mean about being an octopus.