Husband knows more about the chainsaw than I do, but he is out-of-town dealing with family matters and will not be back until late Tuesday night. I leave town first thing on Wednesday and will not be back until April 27 (next Sunday). So, I could just button everything up and leave it for him and odds are...well who knows... Anyway, we had a few trees fall this winter after ice storms. Both he and I bucked them up to get them off our driveway, etal in February. Then, I decided to work on a few of them this weekend. I was using our light saw (Stihl 029). Which I still thinks weighs 476 pounds or so. Having a bit of trouble starting it, until I noticed that I had it set on full open choke. So, I shut down the choke and finally got it to start. But, it smoked like it was going to catch fire. So, I shut down the saw. I poked around and found the air filter was really, really, clogged. Cleaned it. Let it dry. Put it back together today. Want to start the saw, but a bit afraid. Was the smoking at start-up possibly because I tried to start said saw many times with the choke fully open? Or possibly because of the air filter? Or is it the work of radical rodents....In other words, should I just start it up and see what happens? Or will I burn out something or other?
when you say you 'shut down the choke' did you close it or turn it off (open it)? who mixed the gas and oil? maybe too much oil? i would try it again, it was probably running too rich due to the clogged air filter.
Had the choke on the fully open setting for when the machine is warm. Of course, should have been in the fully closed position for starting. The Stihl is pretty simple in this regard. Husband mixes gas and oil and is always very careful. It is the same mix we have been using for about a month two months with no problem (has fuel stabilizers added and is no ethanol premium). So, taking your notion of running too rich, that could be caused by either/or both the choke setting and the filter, right? Maybe the perfect storm of chainsaws>>>>
Probably was too rich as noted above, plus 2 cycle engines smoke a lot anyway. It should be better after you cleaned the filter. My dad was a timber faller for over 30 years. He didn’t like Stihls much - he owned a lot of different McCullochs but he said the best saw was the Husqvarna.
have you fired her up yet? btw, chainsaws should always be used with the buddy system for safety. especially when you live in the middle of nowhere.
Not to worry. Yes a 2 cycle engine will smoke when the choke is ON full. There should be click stops on the choke. Full on to start only. After 30 seconds or so, down one click. After another 30 seconds, down another click. You should NOT actually use it until you can rev. it up at no clicks.....fully open. P.S. I recommend that you NOT use things like chain saws and ladders to get on the roof when you are the ONLY person around. Accidents happen. It's better to have someone there to pick up the pieces.......so to speak.
My Stihl only needs to be choked for the first 1-2 pulls, then open it up (un-choke) and it starts right up. My saw is only 2 years old. Even with my old saw I would pull a couple of times on full choke, then switch to partial choke, where it would start. After about 20 seconds I could completely un-choke it. I'm guessing you should be fine now that you've cleaned it. Don't forget to add the bar oil, and make sure you put it in the correct opening - different spot than where the gas goes.
You didn't hurt the saw. In fact....cleaning it up helped out quite a bit. Stihls are easy. Prime if cold....4-6 times, choke on, pull till it sputters, choke off, pull again. Run for 30 seconds till warm. Obviously you want to make sure that the lube oil tank is full and oiler isn't clogged....especially if you weren't the last person to run the saw. I run the saw above some paper or cardboard and make sure that the chain is slinging a mist of lube oil. As stated above, I try to make sure that somebody else is on the hill when I'm dicing up tree limbs, but I'd be lying to you if I said that I always do this or wear all of the safety gear. Good Luck.
Once again, all of you have come through!! Thanks very much. Debated starting it up around 6:30 this morning, but my blood felt like sludge. Fired it up around 8 a.m. and after a bit more smoke (not much), it seems to run fine. I put a new chain (actually an old sharp chain) on it this morning also. I don't have any time to use it today, but possibly this evening since it is now staying light until 8 p.m. or so. Thanks again! Unfortunately, while that is excellent advice, it does routinely get ignored around here. Not a death wish, just practicality. No accidents yet...And, for those men in the audience, it is basically impossible to get some of the protective gear for saw work that fits the <average> female form. Anyway, a quick story and then I have to go to work.... Husband was on the roof one day (second story roof). Cat climbed partway up the ladder and proceeded to tease dog. Dog knocked down ladder. Husband hung out on HOT HOT (August) roof for several hours until I came home. Now he takes a cell phone up with him when he goes on the roof....
Everything I know about Chain Saw usage comes from watching Slasher Horror Flicks. So....I'd just be really, really careful.
Well that is ALMOST a perfect example of my point. Had he been ON the ladder at the time, it could have been MUCH worse........and having a cell phone in his pocket might not have helped any.
