Hello all I have a problem with my Husky 266xp when I go to start it, the pull cord is very hard to pull to start it. I thought it was seized so I took off the head and checked piston ring,and piston,and clylinder walls all look ok to me no scoring or scraping or broken parts?? Once I reassembled the head I tried the saw and away she went... After using it for a while it happened again, real stiff to pull recoiler??? I once again took apart head and same result all looks ok??? I tried to change spark plug and no difference,still hard to pull...I called a local dealer and explain the problem to him and he couldnt believe it. He did ask me to bring it over and he would take a quick look at it.When i took it over to him he couldnt believe what the saw was doing,he did a compression check and found that it had 180lbs of compression,and he said that its usually the opposite that u lose compression and not gain it.. He couldnt tell me what was wrong,so thats why Im posting here to see if anyone can help...The dealer gave me a 800 # to call for tech support and when I did they couldnt help me either??? All I can see is maybe a bearing is going somewhere in side and its causing the saw to lock up??? But who knows? Hope someone here can help....Thanks
Husky 266xp
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Dwayne Ferguson
ArboristSite Member
Check the coil hasn't come lose and is touching the flywheel it may not be this but i have a Friend that pulled his saw down because he thought it seized put it back together and it did it again i had a look for him and thats what i found and it hasn't done it again hope this helps 
formersawrep
ArboristSite Operative
Early models of the 266 family were famous for the starter pulley spreading. This allows the rope to double over on itself and become very difficult to pull. Relieve the resistance by pulling the spark plug or taking the starter off and it functions just fine.
songercarving
ArboristSite Lurker
You don't prevent it. The pulley has a crack in it. It is broken. Get a new one.
Stevie
Stevie
songercarving
ArboristSite Lurker
Recoil pulley, starter pulley, Pulley with the rope around it, whichever we call it, that one.
Stevie
Stevie
Ok I guess I will have to take it apart, and see, but off hand I dont see any cracks in it on outside. So u must be talking inside of it will check out.I did take it off and check coils and there not loose as suggested above..thanks again
formersawrep
ArboristSite Operative
It might not be cracked. Sometimes they just spread on one side enough that the rope doubles over itself and binds. You might also have too small a rope in there?
Stihl 044 doing exactly the same
Interesting....my Stihl 044 is behaving the same. I usually loose grip of the pull cord because the compression is too much.
I looked at the piston also and it is very nice. Checked the entire rewind starter and nothing looks wrong there.
I was advised to replace my pull cord to elastostart and bought it already. Haven't replaced it yet but will post it here next week if it helped or not. I am doubtful though since it turns very smoothly when I take the sparkplug out.
Will be watching this tread.
Dario
Interesting....my Stihl 044 is behaving the same. I usually loose grip of the pull cord because the compression is too much.
I looked at the piston also and it is very nice. Checked the entire rewind starter and nothing looks wrong there.
I was advised to replace my pull cord to elastostart and bought it already. Haven't replaced it yet but will post it here next week if it helped or not. I am doubtful though since it turns very smoothly when I take the sparkplug out.
Will be watching this tread.
Dario
Mange
Addicted to ArboristSite
Is it correct plug? remove it.
Is there no fault with the starter cover, spring, lineweel, starter claws and their annoying springs?
Turn the saw by hand without starter and plug.
All visible parts is OK? Does the chain move when turned by hand?
Then you remove the and muffler and have a look at the piston / ring / cylinder.
If all is OK, now turn the saw by hand in both directions gently.
If you still can't find any problems, put it back in together.
Pull gently the first times, with out plug, then with.
If all still is OK, I would say you had a unknown foreign material in the wrong place. Look at the place you where taking the saw appart, there could be the answer.
Is there no fault with the starter cover, spring, lineweel, starter claws and their annoying springs?
Turn the saw by hand without starter and plug.
All visible parts is OK? Does the chain move when turned by hand?
Then you remove the and muffler and have a look at the piston / ring / cylinder.
If all is OK, now turn the saw by hand in both directions gently.
If you still can't find any problems, put it back in together.
Pull gently the first times, with out plug, then with.
If all still is OK, I would say you had a unknown foreign material in the wrong place. Look at the place you where taking the saw appart, there could be the answer.
JJackson
ArboristSite Operative
After re-assembling mine with a new recoil/side cover assembly I had romove the coil and such to fit the new back plate on. I had trouble turning it over and keep acting like it was siezed, I had to adjust the coil to keep it away, this was just last weekend on my 266xp.
I think it's a recoil problem from your descriptions. If all the parts look good, take it apart and install a new rope, make sure it's the right size rope. I find on saws that I have bought used that there is a tendency for folks to stuff too much rope, too big a rope, or both into the starter. The tension on the spring might not be set correctly either. I would try this first, then troubleshoot from there.
