Early Stihl 026 Starts & Runs! on Full Choke

[SteveSr]

Hello,

My experience with early 026's is limited. This is the one with the narrow air filter to make room for the tall tank vent. I have recently reincarnated one and found it extremely odd that it will actually continue to run with the full choke on. Is this normal?

In examining the choke plate in the filter it doesn't seem to fit especially well when closed. I know the newer wide filters have a self centering choke plate whereas this one does not. Is this enough of an air leak to allow the saw to run on full choke? And, yes, I did check that the choke lever on the filter is being pushed all the way to the closed position.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[pioneerguy600]

Remove the filter and start the saw, let it run a min or so and then cover the carb throat completely, if the engine still runs you have an air leak. If it stops then the choke may not be closing tightly, this is a well known problem with the older 026`s and usually make them more difficult to start when cold.

 

[SteveSr]

Remove the filter and start the saw, let it run a min or so and then cover the carb throat completely, if the engine still runs you have an air leak. If it stops then the choke may not be closing tightly, this is a well known problem with the older 026`s and usually make them more difficult to start when cold.

Thanks, I'll check this. Yea, I also noticed that it was a pain to start when it was cold. Now I am beginning to understand the wear on the starter cord for a relatively low hour (homeowner) saw.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Hard start likely points toward a mis aligned choke but then an air leak also will make it harder to start but causes a higher idle condition also.

 

[SteveSr]

Hard start likely points toward a mis aligned choke but then an air leak also will make it harder to start but causes a higher idle condition also.

The whole saw was just rebuilt and crank seals changed. The saw passed pressure and vac testing with flying colors. Unless there is a leak at the carb/ boot interface I think it is good. Once I got it started and the carb dialed in it ran good for several tanks of fuel.

 

[John Lyngdal]

Running on full choke happens. My 026 Pro pawnshop find had a enough wood goo built up on the kill switch that it didn't function when I started it. Tried putting the choke on and it didn't kill it. That got me an additional price reduction and after a little cleaning the kill switch works perfectly.

 

[chuckwood]

Running on full choke happens. My 026 Pro pawnshop find had a enough wood goo built up on the kill switch that it didn't function when I started it. Tried putting the choke on and it didn't kill it. That got me an additional price reduction and after a little cleaning the kill switch works perfectly.

I think the odds are it still might be an air leak. I recently got an old L77 that did that when I first test fired it. It had a massive air leak in the intake assembly that had a badly damaged part in it. I rebuilt the saw from the ground up and it runs fine now.