My old Fluke 77 just has setting for ohms, no range. I as guessing the 1.0 primary is 1000 and the 7.03 secondary is 7003. The secondary spec is 7700- 10300 The readings I am getting are with coil off the saw.
Help with Stihl 031 av
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Nothing of value to add, but this thread brought back memories to me. I bought an 031AV in 1979 - used but like new from a guy who worked at the Hormel plant in Fremont, NE. I think the repetitive nature of his job on the line had caused what he termed as "holes" in his shoulders, and he just was unable to use it.
I used it a ton, and several years later (I want to say probably in or around 2005 or so) it just wouldn't run any longer. I took it to the local Stihl dealer and didn't hear anything back from them so I called. I was told that the031AV was never intended for the US market, and that he had no parts to repair it - that I could come and pick it up.
When I got there it was in pieces in a box and the plug wire had even been cut in two. I wasn't happy but took my box of saw home and at some point it just got sent to the dump.
All this predated my stumbling upon chainsaw forums. I often wondered after reading on here if I'd known about these chainsaw sites if my 031AV could have been fixed up.
Anyway - I told you it was of no value... just rambling and bumping the thread!
I used it a ton, and several years later (I want to say probably in or around 2005 or so) it just wouldn't run any longer. I took it to the local Stihl dealer and didn't hear anything back from them so I called. I was told that the031AV was never intended for the US market, and that he had no parts to repair it - that I could come and pick it up.
When I got there it was in pieces in a box and the plug wire had even been cut in two. I wasn't happy but took my box of saw home and at some point it just got sent to the dump.
All this predated my stumbling upon chainsaw forums. I often wondered after reading on here if I'd known about these chainsaw sites if my 031AV could have been fixed up.
Anyway - I told you it was of no value... just rambling and bumping the thread!
It has value. Sorry for you loss. I have had this saw longer than I have had children.
According to the Fluke 77 owners manual it should have a symbol to the right of the number reading which designates if it is ohms, kil ohms, or meg ohms. My keyboard doesn't have the ohms symbol on it or I would type it out for you but it is the omega sign like you see on a fraternity house with a K in from of it if it's kil ohms.
There is a button in the dial that switched from Ohm. M ohm or K ohm. In ohm x 1, the primary reads 1.0 ohm, the spec is 0.7 - 1.0. The secondary reading in K ohm is 7.2 x 1000-7200, the spec is 7.7-10300.
If my meter is correct, the primary is OK, the secondary is bad. I have talked to the guy on Ebay that offers a rebuild service on the coil. I first had to email him with the saw conditions I was experiencing. He emailed me back and said he would accept my repair request. According to him he will repair the coil and install a module with the CORRECT TIMING. He says he has a 100% satisfaction with this repair. The charge is $95.00. I am to send the coil and all wiring, switch and flywheel. I asked why he needed flywheel. He said that was just in case he had to convert to an OEM electronic flywheel. Turnaround on the repair is 10- 14 days. I am going to give it a shot. I will certainly post my results.
IMO kind of an expensive repair for a saw that can be bought locally here for around $100...
I guess I have to agree on that point. In my case the old saw is just something to tinker with. If it had no been for a recent ice storm and downed trees the saw would still be in the shed where it has been for the past 30 years. I went to use it and have been trying to make it run since. All of my equipment is old, 1985 Honda riding mower,1991 Grasshopper mower,1986 Toro/Suzuki push mower. I keep them all running. If I really needed a saw for frequent use I would just buy a new one. It is just a personal challenge, and by farming the work out to someone else, I feel a sense of having been defeated. Hopefully the repair will fix the problem.
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I use that line all of the time at the strip club.....
It takes several bills to get them warmed up to things..
From the resistance readings you gave I'm not convinced that your coil is bad. Have you checked to make sure you don't have a wiring short in the primary side? That includes the kill switch and wiring. If I get time tomorrow I'll check one of my coils and see what my readings are.
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So, in the start, the saw would start?
But after all of this "futzing" around,
the coil is bad?
Just watching....
But after all of this "futzing" around,
the coil is bad?
Just watching....
When the ice took some trees down, I got the saw out. It was all I could do to crank it over. I discovered that the rewind pulley was cracked and the pulley had opened up and was dragging against the shim.
Got a new pulley on Ebay. Saw was now easy to turn over but hard to get started. Once it started it ran fine. After a few weeks it got to the point that it would not fire. I had spark, weak white, and I guessed that it was not enough spark under compression. Bought a WIMA capacitor and new points, old ones burned. Saw fired right up, but would not rev unless I feathered throttle. I went back in and reset timing and points, same result. You said to set points @.016. That is where they were set. I went back in again and looked through plug holes in flywheel and I could see that the points were not fully open @ TDC. Reset the points @ .016 and made sure they were fully open @TDC. Put saw back together and no fire. The only thing I did from one day to the next was change point gap. I looked at the wiring , moved it around, and I got a slight spark. Stuck it back together, nothing. I am farming it out. I will get you some pics, but wife just told me the camera batteries are charged.
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Forum rules state that now you mentioned it!!
We need some "wife" pics!!!!
We need some "wife" pics!!!!
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As far as trying to fix a 40 year old piece of crap, well.....
One man's trash is another man's treasure. I must be the latter. Hopefully there are some pictures. Not much to see other than WIMA capacitor location.
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Bump for a quick question...
Do the MegaFire chips still require the flywheel timing advance? I've somehow gotten the impression that they don't -- with the implication being that an advance is integrated into the module. Wishful thinking maybe? I've read so many threads and posts with so many completely opposite and differing opinions on this subject that I'm not sure anyone can conclusively say which solution works how with what except the WIMA cap in the points ignition being a dead nuts fix when reviving a points saw vs. converting points/condenser to a module, and the general consensus is that either a points flywheel advance or electronic flywheel is required for the conversion of a points ignition to a module...., depending on which module, of course. LOL
I've also heard from the only reliably informed Stihl dealer in the area that the currently available OEM replacement points sets are junk, have fitment issues, and that I should stay away from em and go NOS if necessary / possible. Anyone else have any experience with em?
As usual, TIA for any enlightenment.
Do the MegaFire chips still require the flywheel timing advance? I've somehow gotten the impression that they don't -- with the implication being that an advance is integrated into the module. Wishful thinking maybe? I've read so many threads and posts with so many completely opposite and differing opinions on this subject that I'm not sure anyone can conclusively say which solution works how with what except the WIMA cap in the points ignition being a dead nuts fix when reviving a points saw vs. converting points/condenser to a module, and the general consensus is that either a points flywheel advance or electronic flywheel is required for the conversion of a points ignition to a module...., depending on which module, of course. LOL
I've also heard from the only reliably informed Stihl dealer in the area that the currently available OEM replacement points sets are junk, have fitment issues, and that I should stay away from em and go NOS if necessary / possible. Anyone else have any experience with em?
As usual, TIA for any enlightenment.
+1 I think your coil readings are fine.
You can always find out the way I did, with a timing light. Pull the spark plug and turn the engine over with an electric drill. Of course you have to mark the flywheel at TDC and case at about 20 degrees before TDC or so to see if it's in the ballpark. I don't do this much because it takes awhile to set it up but it worked for me before.
Snowchaser
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On a 031av points saw does require flywheel advancement with the module or purchase an 031ave electronic flywheel. Stihl got smart and used the same flywheel on the 032 so swapping points for a module in those is as simple as snipping the wire and mounting it in the airbox. Done both and still run both. Compared my 031ave with my converted points saw swapping the same bar and chain and they ran side by side within a second or two. I green loctited the flywheel on the taper to make darn sure it doesnt slip. Been 4 years and probably 15 cords later, still runnin strong.
I think I may have put this in here earlier but again you advance the flywheel about 3/4 inch measured at the outer edge.
Thanks for the input, fellas.
Yessir. Duly noted.
I agree on the coil probably not being the problem and wouldn't consider a couple hundred ohms out of spec "bad" at that range. Lower range = higher percentage out of spec, of course.
But as to the original question about the MegaFire module itself. Not sure it's any different than the Stens, Oregon, etc. Look the same to me. I suppose a timing light setup would indeed be the way to go for a definitive answer on any or all of em. Matter of fact, it would be cool to test all the available chip variants, polarity reversals, and flywheels back to back with an actual timing light setup to get to the bottom of the subject once and for all. One thread. One post. All the 031 chip conversion information right there in one place. Would make too much sense. LOL
Anything special about your timing light or will any old cheapie do the trick? A dial gauge or degree wheel to get TDC would probably be the way to go there, too.
Yessir. Duly noted.
I agree on the coil probably not being the problem and wouldn't consider a couple hundred ohms out of spec "bad" at that range. Lower range = higher percentage out of spec, of course.
But as to the original question about the MegaFire module itself. Not sure it's any different than the Stens, Oregon, etc. Look the same to me. I suppose a timing light setup would indeed be the way to go for a definitive answer on any or all of em. Matter of fact, it would be cool to test all the available chip variants, polarity reversals, and flywheels back to back with an actual timing light setup to get to the bottom of the subject once and for all. One thread. One post. All the 031 chip conversion information right there in one place. Would make too much sense. LOL
Anything special about your timing light or will any old cheapie do the trick? A dial gauge or degree wheel to get TDC would probably be the way to go there, too.
