028 problems and new 044's

[Unionvillecountryboy]

I'm Josh and I'm new here. This is my first post and I'll keep it brief. I'm a tinkerer and my dad gave me his 028, more on that in a sec. He now relies on his 044 solely and let me use it not to long ago, so now I own two of those by chance, one 10mm KS. and one really clean 12mm I believe... deciding if I should sell one.

On to the main reason for my post. I know there is a lot of info here and I read through as much as I could find, but nothing seemed to fit my problem to a T, so here goes. The 028 is in good shape and wasn't used much. It doesn't like to start. Like 30+ pulls and nothing until a shot of ether. When it does fire up it idles and runs nice. I believe this is because of the main control switch. I don't believe the switch is engaging the choke. I have tried to see if the little tab on the right side does hit the choke inside the air filter, but I can't tell. I can get the throttle to move a little when the switch is all the way down, but I don't think its doing anything. I am also not sure whats goin on with the spring for the kill mechanism. The saw won't start in the first position down on the switch, metal on metal contact. In the up position (I believe to be the kill position) it's like the switch is too far up and the spring hits the plastic and breaks contact and allows the saw to run. Should I just go for a new switch and rod set up? Or if a prefer a simple toggle switch, is there a way I can put a choke lever on the right side of the handle?

Thanks for any advice. Here are some pics of the 028, still waiting on the 044's to come in.




And the best picture of the culprit I could get..

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

You're going to need to clean it up a little bit so you can get a better picture of the entire switch control arm. Compressed air nozzle or gasoline and a tooth brush.
As far as I can tell it looks like it could be the metal arm that's bent out of shape.
Maybe get some real good lit up pics of it with the switch in each position.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

Yea, that's on the agenda. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Big_Wood]

Sounds like you did you homework on the subject for sure. In that picture it looks like you lever is in the run position. As long as the wire end is not making contact with the spring it should be fine. If it need some fine tuning that spring can be bent a little bit. If the spring doesn't end up going passed the metal tab and cause the control lever to get stuck in the off position then it is likely fine and don't need adjustment. Need a pic of the air filter from the carb side. I would stop with the ether and figure out that issue. Never had an 028 take more then 3 pulls to fart on choke.

 

[pioneerguy600]

The 028 has the choke in the airfilter and are a known source for hard starting if that choke flap does not close tightly when the master control is in the choke/start position. Most often the problem is inside the filter where anything from a worn shaft, bent or misaligned parts prevents the choke from fully closing. The switch problem mentioned is being caused by that metal contact spring , its bent out of position and that is caused most often by the operator trying to operate the master control switch while the filter is off the saw, this saw needs the filter on to position that contact spring into the proper position for the brass ferrule on the wire to contact the steel spring. Operating the master control switch with the filter off will always bend the spring out of shape on a 028.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

The 028 has the choke in the airfilter and are a known source for hard starting if that choke flap does not close tightly when the master control is in the choke/start position. Most often the problem is inside the filter where anything from a worn shaft, bent or misaligned parts prevents the choke from fully closing. The switch problem mentioned is being caused by that metal contact spring , its bent out of position and that is caused most often by the operator trying to operate the master control switch while the filter is off the saw, this saw needs the filter on to position that contact spring into the proper position for the brass ferrule on the wire to contact the steel spring. Operating the master control switch with the filter off will always bend the spring out of shape on a 028.

I've not had the saw very long, or at least in terms of using it, but I'm sure I'm guilty of moving the switch with the filter off. I just put a new filter on, as well as some other maintenance stuff. The switch has been troublesome since my dad gave it to me.

It makes sense the spring is bent. It will run in the off position, but if you apply slight downward pressure it will die.

Would it be more reliable to figure out a motorcycle type lever for the choke? Also the throttle linkage has quite a bit of play in it. The saw idles and revs fine, but when watching the linkage, it deffinetely has excess movement.

 

[pioneerguy600]

I think you would find rigging up a choke linkage quite a bit of work, the 028 has been a round for a long time and if the mechanisms that come with the saw are working correctly/maintained they work and run very reliably. I have owned, ran, fixed more 028`s than any other Stihl model, they are highly sought out firewood saws in my area and I usually have a half dozen or more of them at any one time. The throttle linkage is supposed to have slack in this saw, the linkage just sits in a slot of the actuating lever on the carb. Your starting problem may also be carb related, when was the last time it was cleaned and kitted?

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

I think you would find rigging up a choke linkage quite a bit of work, the 028 has been a round for a long time and if the mechanisms that come with the saw are working correctly/maintained they work and run very reliably. I have owned, ran, fixed more 028`s than any other Stihl model, they are highly sought out firewood saws in my area and I usually have a half dozen or more of them at any one time. The throttle linkage is supposed to have slack in this saw, the linkage just sits in a slot of the actuating lever on the carb. Your starting problem may also be carb related, when was the last time it was cleaned and kitted?

I'm going to guess at the factory... That was my next thought.

 

[pioneerguy600]

A good deep carb cleaning and a new properly installed carb kit really makes a difference in how these saws start, they also need the low side tuned to the fat side or so I have found. I usually go just a tad further out on the L side and then open the throttle stop slightly to keep the saw idling properly, the H side may have to be leaned out a little but just a little like 1/16 of a turn to let the saw reach WOT and a safe cutting speed. Carb tuning may be a bit difficult for those that have not been tuning them for several years , best done with the saw under load.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

A good deep carb cleaning and a new properly installed carb kit really makes a difference in how these saws start, they also need the low side tuned to the fat side or so I have found. I usually go just a tad further out on the L side and then open the throttle stop slightly to keep the saw idling properly, the H side may have to be leaned out a little but just a little like 1/16 of a turn to let the saw reach WOT and a safe cutting speed. Carb tuning may be a bit difficult for those that have not been tuning them for several years , best done with the saw under load.

I agree about the tuning and many years. I got it to idle alright or pretty good by sound, no chain spin. But I have no idea if the RPM is where it needs to be.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

So does this saw have points or electronic ignition? I saw there are like 4 iterations of the 028 all slightly different. I was hoping the "electronic quickstop" also meant electronic ignition.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

Also, I had an idea and it may be crazy. I was thinking of throwing a 20" bar on the 044 and a 24" on the 028. I understand this may sound weird, but my reasoning is this, I cut firewood and 90% of the time the tree is already on the ground or its a top from loggers. My thought is the 028 is lighter and a longer bar would allow me to de-limb as well as trim around the house, not ever cutting anything too big. Then I'd grab the 044 to section up the trunk. I've read on here where some guys don't like the longer bars for that type of stuff because its easier to hit the ground or get tangled up in brush.

Any thoughts? Will the 028 keep a 24" bar oiled? The plan was 2 sugi light bars with .050 3/8 semi chisel. I've got to convert the 028 over, but it seems like it may work.

 

[pioneerguy600]

The electronic quickstop means electronic ignition with a chainbrake. I have only run up to a 20" bar on a 028 and found they do better with a 18" with a .325 chain on them, they can run a 20" but that`s about their useful limit.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

The electronic quickstop means electronic ignition with a chainbrake. I have only run up to a 20" bar on a 028 and found they do better with a 18" with a .325 chain on them, they can run a 20" but that`s about their useful limit.

That's kind of what I mean. Limbs and such up to maybe 6" but the reach of a longer bar to take it easy on the back. The army was hard on me.

 

[Wood Doctor]

You do realize that the choke on a Stihl 028 can be engaged only of the air filter is installed. The air filter has a pivoting flap that closes off the carb. That must function with the choke lever, otherwise you never choked the carb and that's likely what caused the 30 pulls or so to start. If that flap was not closing the carb intake, it's amazing that it started. Check your air filter. I don't see it except lying next to the scrench in Pic 1. And, read Post #5 again.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

You do realize that the choke on a Stihl 028 can be engaged only of the air filter is installed. The air filter has a pivoting flap that closes off the carb. That must function with the choke lever, otherwise you never choked the carb and that's likely what caused the 30 pulls or so to start. If that flap was not closing the carb intake, it's amazing that it started. Check your air filter. I don't see it except lying next to the scrench in Pic 1. And, read Post #5 again.

I did have the air filter on to try to start it. That's when I thought the flap on the right was not engaging the choke. So I took it off to get pictures and a better look at the switch mechanism.

 

[Matt_Ellerbee]

I have a few 028's. Good saws. You can see how the kill switch/choke work with filter off. Might take some bending to the spring or moving the wire in the switch.

I had to bend on one of mine to get choke to work without binding up on the switch it self,not the flap in filter.

Also,some light grease on all pivot points will keep stuff smooth.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I have a few 028's. Good saws. You can see how the kill switch/choke work with filter off. Might take some bending to the spring or moving the wire in the switch. I had to bend on one of mine to get choke to work without binding up on the switch it self, not the flap in filter. Also, some light grease on all pivot points will keep stuff smooth.

+1. A little TLC is all that it usually requires to get an 028 Super to run. After you give her that attention, she will be one of the best saws that you ever started. Unfortunately, many owners beat these saws to death, not realizing what they have on board.

 

[Unionvillecountryboy]

Still haven't gotten the 028 back apart for more pictures yet. But one of the 044's came in from ebay and the other fell through. I may have overpaid for this saw, I'm not sure. I paid more because it was clean. I saw a clean one in the classifieds go for 700 and I'm under that, so it may not be to bad of a deal.
The 044 runs nice, but it had a super high idle. I turned the L screw all the way in and went out 1 full turn like the saw recommends. It brought the idle down, but the chain was still spinning pretty good at idle though. So I turned the air screw to get the idle down low enough the chain wouldn't spin and then it would bog when you first squeezed the throttle. So the L screw has about an extra 1/8 or 1/4 turn out and that got rid of the bog... Does that sound about right?

Also, I didn't mess with the H screw, but I stuck the saw in some wood that was laying around, and it seemed to hit the rev limiter. The wood was old and slightly soft, but I'm not sure if the way its running up top is normal. Guess I need to find some good hard wood to test it.

 

[Matt_Ellerbee]

Saw is clean! Have you pulled muffler and looks at piston/cylinder? I know it runs,but never hurts to look. Post a pic of your findings.

Why do you think you overpaid?