Master Control on Stihl 026

[max2cam]

Guys,

My cousin gave me his old Stihl 026 that doesn't run properly. More about that later but the saw has another issue and that is the choke.

According to the Instruction Manual and the label on the saw's rear cover, the Master Control lever should have 4 positions and should also partially set the trigger when in the choke position. But this saw only has three positions. Choke full on, run, and off position. There is no partial choke postion and the trigger (throttle) does not set. I can't see any provision in the mechanism for those two functions although the label by the Master Control switch says the saw should have them. So does the book.

Question: Is this thing just broken and I can't see it or was there an update that simplified the Master Control on the 026? The saw was bought new in 1992 so it's old enough for an update. Still has very good compression, was lightly used, and well maintained.

Thanks!

 

[nmurph]

It should have 4 positions-

Off
Run
High idle (no choke)
Choke

 

[max2cam]

It should have 4 positions-

Off
Run
High idle (no choke)
Choke

Thanks.

I'll take another look at it today. It does not seem to be working like the instruction booklet says it should. But the pieces all look to be in good shape and operating correctly.

When the trigger set is working, you should see the trigger pulled up towards the handle a little bit, right? That doesn't seem to be happening at all. I know the saw only starts when I hold the throttle open but there seems to be another problem with it too as it will NOT rev up at all. Bad fuel line maybe?

The problem puzzled my cousin and the guy who worked on it for him to the point where they gave up on fixing this saw and that's how I got it. But it looks like a good saw to me.

 

[nmurph]

I would start with a fuel and impulse line. I believe there are at least two different fuel lines. I might as well pull the carb apart and make sure the passages are clean while you are changing the lines. You will have to remove the back two AV mounts to get the impulse line onto the nipple.

 

[max2cam]

I would start with a fuel and impulse line. I believe there are at least two different fuel lines. I might as well pull the carb apart and make sure the passages are clean while you are changing the lines. You will have to remove the back two AV mounts to get the impulse line onto the nipple.

Thanks.

The carb was supposedly rebuilt but that didn't fix the problem. (H/L needles I set one turn out). And yes, I will start with the fuel and impulse lines. I don't think those were changed. At least my cousin did not mention that.

First off, however, I'm going to clean out the muffler screen. I found that mentioned a few times while searching similar problems. Around the muffler saw does have a carbony/dirty/oily look to it.

Maybe it was never cleaned in the 19 years of its existence. Plus I can do that easily without new parts or tearing much anything down.

 

[nmurph]

You might as well open the muffler while you're there!!

 

[albert]

The fast idle is part of the control lever and the trigger. Make sure the air filter is in place when working the control lever. You can mess up the "spring" tab for the lever/kill switch by try to move the lever without hte filter in place. The filter rests against the spring tab when installed.

 

[max2cam]

The fast idle is part of the control lever and the trigger. Make sure the air filter is in place when working the control lever. You can mess up the "spring" tab for the lever/kill switch by try to move the lever without hte filter in place. The filter rests against the spring tab when installed.

Thanks for the tip. I'll watch that.

Muffler screen was perfectly clean. Gotta tear into the fuel line and filter I guess. I'm gonna assume the carb rebuild is okay. Will probably peek inside the carb since it has to come off anyway.

But first the Master Control switch. That doesn't seem to be working right. It does not operate the same as my 024 which does set the trigger and then releases the lever when you press the throttle. Can I assume the 024 & 026 work exactly the same? (My 024 is a 1981 model and the 026 a 1992 model) The parts look very similar. I will take the 026 handle off today and see what is broken or out of spec.

Why Stihl uses such a complicated/weird on/off switch & choke is beyond me. The simple choke lever and toggle kill switch on my Echo CS-510 seems more logical and simple. I'd make a crack about "perfect" German engineering except for one little thing!

This summer while traveling on my 1985 K100 BMW motorcycle ("the Red Baron"), I encountered a no-start condition due to dirty starter brushes and dirty commutator. Being a thrifty do-it-myself type, the idea of taking it to a dealer in Milwaukee horrified me greatly due to sky-high dealership prices and the shame of letting somebody else fix it.

Guys on the internet, however, said that it wasn't too hard to fix yourself. But all I had for tools were the tools in the bike's supplied toolkit and a few cheap kitchen junk drawer tools that my less-than-handy brother-in-law and sister own. But I went at it anyway. Got the starter out with the toolkit tools alone -- amazing! And then using a $2.99 bargain bin screwdriver from the kitchen junk drawer and with the starter C-clamped to the deck railing outside the back door, I got the starter apart. That baby I sweated! Then a little steel wool cleaning of the commutator and reassembly and the bike ran like new. The brushes themselves were just fine.

Total cost ZERO!

Most motorcycles don't even give you a toolkit, but the BMW toolkit and one cheap screwdriver let me get the starter out of the bike and fix the thing myself. Both my pride and wallet remained intact. So I guess I shouldn't badmouth the Stihl Master Control before looking at it more closely and giving it a chance.

 

[jus2fat]

Most motorcycles don't even give you a toolkit, but the BMW toolkit and one cheap screwdriver let me get the starter out of the bike and fix the thing myself.

Are you saying the BMW toolkit did NOT have a screwdriver included..??
Just curious...:msp_confused:

J2F

 

[max2cam]

Are you saying the BMW toolkit did NOT have a screwdriver included..??
Just curious...:msp_confused:

J2F

I left that part out, but since you asked...

The K100 BMW toolkit does come with a screwdriver. A cute little unit with both Phillips and flat blades at both ends of the shaft which you slip in and out of the handle. But it's rather small, almost dinky. The long screws holding the starter together called for a bigger #2 Phillips screwdriver and they were very tight. The junk drawer screwdriver fit the screws better and had a bigger handle and it did the trick. One screw broke loose easily but the other one was a ##### and I was worried I would marr the head. But I was careful and it too came out with more effort. Nor did the crap screwdriver break like I thought it would. Whew!

 

[max2cam]

I popped the handle off the 026 and removed the Master Control lever and sure enough it was broken!

The little part or teat that "sets" the throttle was broken off and lying down inside. Possibly I broke it off but I don't think so. I've been using my 024 for years and never broke that one. Plus the broken ends are dirty and old looking like it happened a long time ago. But I don't think this is the problem causing the saw to run poorly. Just something else to fix.

For the fun of it I put the 026 air filter on my old 024 which smokes and doesn't make very good power. Lo and behold! No more smoke and a good power increase. Looks like my old air filter is trash. Probably it's the one that came with the saw. I think that I need the early type filter as my saw is a 1981 model, SN#112488674. Anyone know for sure? Part number on old filter is somewhat bashed up but looks like 1121-120-1615. It is smaller than the 026 filter. With the 026 filter installed, the 024 filter cover does not fit.

I'll get both of these Stihls running right yet!

 

[bennn*e]

air filter for non comp carb 1121 120 1625 only used on early 024's
air filter for comp carb 1121 120 1618 which is the same as the later 026/ms260's

 

[max2cam]

air filter for non comp carb 1121 120 1625 only used on early 024's
air filter for comp carb 1121 120 1618 which is the same as the later 026/ms260's

Thanks. My 024 must be the early model then.

I'm going out today and will pass a Stihl dealer on my way to Farm & Fleet. I plan to stop and get a new control rod for my 026. I'll ask about the 024 air filter too.

But even with the control rod fixed the 026 still has another problem. No time yet to tear into the fuel system. Too busy working in the woods clearing blowdowns and using the tops and limbs to make new deer exclosures for white cedar and hemlock trees. But today is a nice day for an October motorcycle ride. Also will get a firewood cutting permit from the county.