Dolmar 5100s died

[Brian VT]

I need to get a new driver to get the bolt out that is down by the dog, I tried to use the allen wrench that came with the saw but it seems to be a little light and the bolt seems stuck, so I stopped before stripping the head.

Don't worry about that. The wrench will probably break before the head strips. Mine broke while trying to remove a cylinder bolt from a Stihl.
Good luck with the saw. I'm anxious to hear how it turns out.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

If it is scored, the first place I would look is to see if the carb bolts are loose. I've seen this take out a couple of Dolmars. (1-5100 and 1-7300)[/QUOTE]

thats what happened to the GF's 5100 i bought her just before christmas. the threads came out on the bolts, thinking whoever tightened them at the factory ate their spinach that day. waiting for a new p&c she's not impressed. lol she wont cut, let her use the 630 and it's too heavy . lol
thats why i like the heavy ones. no one wants to borrow em.

 

[CHEVYTOWN13]

Just a wild guess before you take it in...

If it has not scored the jug/piston, I'd take a QUICK look at the airfilter next.

Clean it with compressed air. But remember to take it appart using a small screwdriver. Pop it open, and clean both parts with shots of air.

My 5100 once was running really bad only after a couple hours of usage. It was BOGGING BIG TIME!!! I thought maybe it was the tuning or scored piston/jug. But in fact, it was the airfilter. These airfilter's are not the best and get clogged quicklike...

The only thing is you said it quit DURING a face cut...where as in my case, it just wasn't running correctly not getting in enough air.

Rick

 

[SawTroll]

This saw is only 7 months old and used only on week-ends, do nothing. My bet is its fried. Most saws that drop dead in the middle of a cut are usually scored. Its under warranty. Take it back and let the dealer find out what is wrong. Did you buy it local or through the mail?

If your really curious remove the muffler and have a look at the piston but don't go disassembling the entire saw, that may void your warranty...

:agree2:

 

[SawTroll]

If it has not scored the jug/piston, I'd take a QUICK look at the airfilter next.

Clean it with compressed air. But remember to take it appart using a small screwdriver. Pop it open, and clean both parts with shots of air.

My 5100 once was running really bad only after a couple hours of usage. It was BOGGING BIG TIME!!! I thought maybe it was the tuning or scored piston/jug. But in fact, it was the airfilter. These airfilter's are not the best and get clogged quicklike...

The only thing is you said it quit DURING a face cut...where as in my case, it just wasn't running correctly not getting in enough air.

Rick

You sure have a point, those filters need to be cleaned pretty often......

 

[Edge & Engine]

Don't worry about that. The wrench will probably break before the head strips. Mine broke while trying to remove a cylinder bolt from a Stihl.
Good luck with the saw. I'm anxious to hear how it turns out.

I broke a Craftsman Pro T27 removing the muffler bolts on a PS-7900. Pity, I liked those Craftsman Pro tools.

 

[stipes]

Are they lock tighted in????

I broke a Craftsman Pro T27 removing the muffler bolts on a PS-7900. Pity, I liked those Craftsman Pro tools.

Kinda odd cause I never had any trouble unless on my older says thet the bolts been rusted bad,,and then I'll give em a shot of PB blaster and let em set for a few hours,,and break loose ok... I wish I can give ya some good advice ,,,but I never had a Dolmar apart.... Good luck to you....

 

[huskystihl]

That's the problem with them is they fail allowing dust to run through the jug. Mine slowly lost power under the daily grind to the point that the compression was nothing on one and the other just crapped out. Unlike my stihls the plastic and paint looked good but the saws were garbage and luckily under warranty. When is dolamar gonna ddress the 5100 problem? If they have the 7900 right why can't r&d transfer it to the 5100 while there are still potential customers?

 

[Andyshine77]

It is a shame Dolmar doesn't get these saws straightened out, they have the potential to be a really good saw at a low price point.

 

[atvdave]

hmmm... riding along.. Just got a 5100 a few weeks ago. Just have 2 tanks of gas ran through it, so far so good...

 

[Andyshine77]

If you keep the filter clean and make sure it's not running to lean you should be fine.

 

[SawTroll]

If you keep the filter clean and make sure it's not running to lean you should be fine.

I suspect a lean carb setting from the outset could be the culprit here.

 

[windthrown]

Maybe this is another one of those, 'tuned at the German factory with German gas' Dolmar saws? Seems that they are a problem if using USA lower octane gas with ethanol in it. They burn lean and burn up.

Of course, it might be something else.

 

[atvdave]

OK.. one question..

My dealer set-up & tuned my saw when it came in. I have check the plug after each use, and the plug has a light brown color witch indicates to me it has the right fuel/air mix running through it. I run Dolmar 50:1 mix with 93 octane fuel.

If I try to richen the saw out more, or mess with the carb setting's and something happens, will this void my warranty?

 

[Rocosil]

This weekend was out cutting firewood and the saw died in the middle of a face cut.

I had been using it for a little over an hour felling and cutting up a 30' tree and it ran fine without any problems.

Got to the next tree and it just died while making a face cut.

I use 91 octane and mix with Stihl synthetic mix, the gas I was using is at most two months old. I also use stihl winter weight bar oil.

I pulled the spark plug and it has spark, I put my thumb over the spark plug hole and feel compression on stroke. If I pull the cord a few times without the spark plug in I get gas-mix in the combustion chamber.


My thought was the gas, so I got a fresh 2 1/2 gallons of 91 octane and mixed it with the Stihl synthetic mix, poured out the old gas and replaced it with the new gas and it still won't start.

I use the saw every weekend, have had it for about 7 months.
I always do the same thing, start it, idle it down and let it warm up for a couple of minutes before I start using it. Usually as long as it takes for a marlboro break.

I can't figure out why it won't start?

Anyone else have this issue, or recommendations on what to look at?

Sounds very much like what happened to mine. I didn't check for damage but took it directly back to the dealer. My dealer is only eight miles away. Had he been 60 miles away, I would have checked for scoring and done a compression test like others have suggested here.

It turned out that the saw needed a piston and jug replacement. The dealer first told me that the regional Dolmar distributor might not honor the warranty because the damage resulted from using E10 in the mix and the owners manual warns against using fuel with alcohol in it. The new version of the manual on the Dolmar website contains no such warning however, so I showed him a printout of that.

A week later, the dealer had repaired the saw, but was waiting for the regional distributor to authorize the repair under warranty. When that still hadn't happened a week later, I told him that I would publicize Dolmar's failure to stand behind its products and consider legal action. Then I called Dolmar in Georgia. They referred me to the regional distributor. I called the regional distributor three times and left a vehement recorded complaint each time (No way of getting a warm body on the phone. I guess they don't talk to individual customers - just to dealers). A couple of hours later the dealer called to say the regional distributor had approved the repair under warranty.

I hope the problem with your saw turns out to be something minor and that if it isn't, your dealer, or regional distributor, won't give you any static about the warranty, but if they do, maybe my little story will be of some use to you.

 

[windthrown]

Another lovely Dolmar story!

Have to wonder about Dolmar.

 

[epicklein22]

Sounds very much like what happened to mine. I didn't check for damage but took it directly back to the dealer. My dealer is only eight miles away. Had he been 60 miles away, I would have checked for scoring and done a compression test like others have suggested here.

It turned out that the saw needed a piston and jug replacement. The dealer first told me that the regional Dolmar distributor might not honor the warranty because the damage resulted from using E10 in the mix and the owners manual warns against using fuel with alcohol in it. The new version of the manual on the Dolmar website contains no such warning however, so I showed him a printout of that.

A week later, the dealer had repaired the saw, but was waiting for the regional distributor to authorize the repair under warranty. When that still hadn't happened a week later, I told him that I would publicize Dolmar's failure to stand behind its products and consider legal action. Then I called Dolmar in Georgia. They referred me to the regional distributor. I called the regional distributor three times and left a vehement recorded complaint each time (No way of getting a warm body on the phone. I guess they don't talk to individual customers - just to dealers). A couple of hours later the dealer called to say the regional distributor had approved the repair under warranty.

I hope the problem with your saw turns out to be something minor and that if it isn't, your dealer, or regional distributor, won't give you any static about the warranty, but if they do, maybe my little story will be of some use to you.

:jawdrop: :jawdrop:

Let's not jump to conclusions about the OP's saw. There might be some minor problem that needs fixed. Until we know, it is all speculation.

As for the other problems people have been posting about, thanks for telling the truth and letting everyone know. More knowledge and first hand experiences are never a bad thing to know. Obviously these saws aren't perfect, but there is still tons of 5100s doing work and putting smiles on the operators face.

 

[Brian VT]

I've got @ 7 tanks through mine and all seems well so far.
Fwiw, I just got a nylon fine filter to replace the stock one. Maybe these are better unless it's a dry, dusty day ?

 

[excess650]

I've got @ 7 tanks through mine and all seems well so far.
Fwiw, I just got a nylon fine filter to replace the stock one. Maybe these are better unless it's a dry, dusty day ?

nylon vs what? flocked?

The more open the filter, the more air it will flow, and the leaner the mixture will be. I would try and err on the RICH side rather than score a piston and cylinder.

Likewise, the more open the filter, the more dust that will pass through.

 

[THALL10326]

Sounds very much like what happened to mine. I didn't check for damage but took it directly back to the dealer. My dealer is only eight miles away. Had he been 60 miles away, I would have checked for scoring and done a compression test like others have suggested here.

It turned out that the saw needed a piston and jug replacement. The dealer first told me that the regional Dolmar distributor might not honor the warranty because the damage resulted from using E10 in the mix and the owners manual warns against using fuel with alcohol in it. The new version of the manual on the Dolmar website contains no such warning however, so I showed him a printout of that.

A week later, the dealer had repaired the saw, but was waiting for the regional distributor to authorize the repair under warranty. When that still hadn't happened a week later, I told him that I would publicize Dolmar's failure to stand behind its products and consider legal action. Then I called Dolmar in Georgia. They referred me to the regional distributor. I called the regional distributor three times and left a vehement recorded complaint each time (No way of getting a warm body on the phone. I guess they don't talk to individual customers - just to dealers). A couple of hours later the dealer called to say the regional distributor had approved the repair under warranty.

I hope the problem with your saw turns out to be something minor and that if it isn't, your dealer, or regional distributor, won't give you any static about the warranty, but if they do, maybe my little story will be of some use to you.

Skipping all you went through with your saw and knowing any saw, not just Dolmar, can fry I don't understand this "waiting for the regional distributor to authorize the repair under warranty". What the hell is that. Where I work I pick up the phone, explain the situation and within 10 seconds the decision is made. To date the answer has always been the same, fix it and send us the bill. This waiting around for someone to approved a warranty issue for days on in is BS. Same for the E10 claim, total BS. I note too you said he had it back together but was waiting on warranty approval. More BS. Thats a slick deal in itself. Your saw is done but he can't give it to you unless you want to pay for it because he doesn't have warranty approval yet. It shouldn't have been fixed untill either they approved the warranty or you approved the work. Thats a deal of I hope he doesn't tell me to take it back apart, unreal.

If I sold Dolmar or any brand for that matter that made me wait days for an approval on a warranty issue, forcing me to face the customer that is waiting on his unit as well, I wouldn't sell that product. No dealer or customer should have to put up with that non-sense. Two weeks to get a cylinder and piston replaced and the saw back in the customers hand is BS.

I can understand a wait for a unit a few months out of warranty or a iffy situation in which the customer ruined his unit on his own but wants warranty anyway and is fighting with a dealer that says no way. In those cases I can see sending the entire unit back to the distributor and let them look at it and make a decision but for something simple as a fried cylinder while under warranty what is the wait for approval for.

I have to wonder if this regional distributor even see's the saw and parts they are debating on. I know my rep never looks at anything I call in for warranty and neither does the distributor. I call, they listen and say fix it, simple as that. Seems the only time my distributor wants to see the unit is when I deny warranty to the customer and he isn't taking no for an answer. I've been overridden once with a "awwwwww hell give em a new unit, its not worth arguing over even though your right, they ruined it. I guess all warranties aren't created equal...