My Jonsered 2139t appears to be wounded after the second use!?!

[MichiganMadMan]

So a friend of mine had a pair of Ash trees that were "standing" but had died from the Emerald Ash Borer, one split a limb off and it ended up in a pretty big road at the edge of his property. He asked me to give him a hand before the county "helped" him out, so I grabbed the saws and headed out. I mixed up fresh premium gas and oil on the way to his house (used the Jonsered oil for warranty purposes).

I used the 2139t to top what was left and limb them out a little so they would surely fall away from the road (which they did).
I went to clean up the saw last night and noticed the flywheel was moving when I hit it with the blow-gun. I expected it to stop at some point but it went a lot further than I though it should.

I grabbed the flywheel by hand, and I can spin the engine around completely with almost no resistance. I took most of the plastic off to see if there was anything obvious wrong, but couldn't find anything. I don't hear anything that sounds like kibbles 'n bits moving around inside the engine. If I had to speculate, it sounds like the reed valves aren't touching and the air is escaping back through them as the piston comes down but I don't have anything to back that up yet. I am hesitant to fire it up again in case it really is hurt badly and I make it worse.

Notes: I used the same fuel can for all the saws that I ran that day, so I know I didn't straight gas it. The 2188 was working great, and the other one was an ancient Dayton that I had just bought and didn't run right in the first place, I eventually got it going as well as expected. It was pretty hot that day, but I wasn't running it at high load continuously. It would occasionaly quit running, but would start back up quickly, I chalked it up to being a new saw and a hot day. I also loosened all my chains when I shut the saws off so they wouldn't be pulling on the crank as they cooled.

Questions:
1. Should I look into it more, or just bundle it up and take it to the dealer?
2. Any ideas on what went wrong? Ever heard of this with these saws?

Thanks in advance,
MMM

 

[rob066]

As to not void your warranty by removing the muffler. I would take out the spark plug and peep at the cylinder. I dont really know anything about these saws. Alot of saws are set lean from the factory these days.

 

[SCHallenger]

Whoo, that sounds scary. I will be following this thread closely to see what the "diagnosis" is, because I have a 2135 which is the exact same saw without a little rise on the top handle to prevent accidently turning off the switch while working. I'm sorry that I don't have any useful information, but I've not had any problems with mine. Good luck, & I hope it is not serious. I would be very interested in hearing how your dealer handles this situation, since J'red dealers are hard to find. I do, however, know of a couple in Michigan that I think are honest & capable. If you are interested let me know via a post or PM. One is in the Royal Oak-Ferndale area, & the other is in Big Rapids, I think.

So a friend of mine had a pair of Ash trees that were "standing" but had died from the Emerald Ash Borer, one split a limb off and it ended up in a pretty big road at the edge of his property. He asked me to give him a hand before the county "helped" him out, so I grabbed the saws and headed out. I mixed up fresh premium gas and oil on the way to his house (used the Jonsered oil for warranty purposes).

I used the 2139t to top what was left and limb them out a little so they would surely fall away from the road (which they did).
I went to clean up the saw last night and noticed the flywheel was moving when I hit it with the blow-gun. I expected it to stop at some point but it went a lot further than I though it should.

I grabbed the flywheel by hand, and I can spin the engine around completely with almost no resistance. I took most of the plastic off to see if there was anything obvious wrong, but couldn't find anything. I don't hear anything that sounds like kibbles 'n bits moving around inside the engine. If I had to speculate, it sounds like the reed valves aren't touching and the air is escaping back through them as the piston comes down but I don't have anything to back that up yet. I am hesitant to fire it up again in case it really is hurt badly and I make it worse.

Notes: I used the same fuel can for all the saws that I ran that day, so I know I didn't straight gas it. The 2188 was working great, and the other one was an ancient Dayton that I had just bought and didn't run right in the first place, I eventually got it going as well as expected. It was pretty hot that day, but I wasn't running it at high load continuously. It would occasionaly quit running, but would start back up quickly, I chalked it up to being a new saw and a hot day. I also loosened all my chains when I shut the saws off so they wouldn't be pulling on the crank as they cooled.

Questions:
1. Should I look into it more, or just bundle it up and take it to the dealer?
2. Any ideas on what went wrong? Ever heard of this with these saws?

Thanks in advance,
MMM

 

[MichiganMadMan]

Hey SCHallenger,
Could you do me a favor and take the side cover off your saw, remove the plastic air deflector, grab the flywheel and spin it and see what you get? It would be really nice to have a reference.

I grabbed my POS Homelite last night just to compare the pull (it's the only other sub-50cc saw I have), it's firmer on the Homelite than the J'Red which is disappointing....

The dealer is in Holly, and has treated me very well so far. He's pretty clever with saws too as far as I can tell. The owner is on vacation now but he will be back on Saturday so I'll bring it in then. I really have to resist the urge to take it to pieces on my own, but I don't want to be on the hook if it truly "done blowed up".
Thanks,
MMM

 

[Roanoker494]

Is the crank turning when you spin the flywheel? I just read a thread where someone thought they had trashed a saw but it turned out to be a sheared off flywheel key. Any way it goes you need to take it back to the dealer, if the saw is still under warranty.

 

[SawTroll]

Have you tried to start the saw after this appeared?

 

[MichiganMadMan]

Have you tried to start the saw after this appeared?

No. I did pull on the starter rope to compare it to other saws. If I get enough rope speed (like I'm angry at it), it will firm up momentarily. Had the kill switch on so it wouldn't start.
I'll check the flywheel when I get home. I would be thrilled if it just needed a tightening.
MMM

 

[SawTroll]

Does the engine turn over when you turn the flywheel?

 

[MichiganMadMan]

Does the engine turn over when you turn the flywheel?

Yes it does, which is why I'm so concerned.

 

[rob066]

Back to checking the cylinder for scoring. Take the spark plug out shine a flashlight into the cylinder see how it shines, scoring will be very evident.

 

[T_F_E]

decomp valve?

 

[SawTroll]

Yes it does, which is why I'm so concerned.

It hardly is the flywheel key then - time to take it to the dealer!

 

[SCHallenger]

Sorry to be late in answering. I was busy until 9:30PM & just now checked my 2135. The flywheel presents very little resistance to hand turning with a definite ploop,ploop,ploop sound as the piston cycles. I think that a blast of compressed air around 60psi or more would turn it. I did not fire up my compressor to try that. If you think that might be helpful, let me know & I will do it tomorrow when I get back from trailering my horse to a clinic(nothing serious).

Hey SCHallenger,
Could you do me a favor and take the side cover off your saw, remove the plastic air deflector, grab the flywheel and spin it and see what you get? It would be really nice to have a reference.

I grabbed my POS Homelite last night just to compare the pull (it's the only other sub-50cc saw I have), it's firmer on the Homelite than the J'Red which is disappointing....

The dealer is in Holly, and has treated me very well so far. He's pretty clever with saws too as far as I can tell. The owner is on vacation now but he will be back on Saturday so I'll bring it in then. I really have to resist the urge to take it to pieces on my own, but I don't want to be on the hook if it truly "done blowed up".
Thanks,
MMM

 

[SawTroll]

decomp valve?

Hardly on that saw!

 

[SCHallenger]

Hey SCHallenger,
Could you do me a favor and take the side cover off your saw, remove the plastic air deflector, grab the flywheel and spin it and see what you get? It would be really nice to have a reference.

I grabbed my POS Homelite last night just to compare the pull (it's the only other sub-50cc saw I have), it's firmer on the Homelite than the J'Red which is disappointing....

The dealer is in Holly, and has treated me very well so far. He's pretty clever with saws too as far as I can tell. The owner is on vacation now but he will be back on Saturday so I'll bring it in then. I really have to resist the urge to take it to pieces on my own, but I don't want to be on the hook if it truly "done blowed up".
Thanks,
MMM

I have some information which may now be helpful &, maybe let you sleep a little better tonight. Just to satisfy my own curiosity, I cranked up the compressor & blasted the flywheel. At 40psi-no movement. at 60psi it wiggled. At 80psi I could make it turn 180 degrees. Still, my saw runs like gangbusters. OK, here comes the good part. When I bought the 2135, the 2139 had just come out, & the dealer gave me a flyer on it. Under the features listed, the fourth one down says AUTOMATIC DECOMPRESSION VALVE. To verify this, Google Jonsered chain saws; click on Tilton Equipment: Home; click on Product Lines; click on Johnsered; click on Professional; click on Chain Saws; click on CS2139T; click on Download Information Sheet; You will now be reading the copy of the flyer which I received. My horse's clinic visit took much of the day, but he is OK. I'll bet your saw is, too.

 

[MichiganMadMan]

Now that is interesting!

**runs to the garage and grabs the IPL and the saw**

I'm a little curious why that would only be listed in the flyer from Tilton, but not on the Jonsered website or in the operator manual. I looked up the Husqvarna twin to this saw (338XPT) and it's not mentioned anywhere on the website or the product flyer for that saw.

Sure enough, it is on the IPL!
**does a touchdown dance**

So it looks like it's some kind of spring loaded jiggle-pin deal that closes off when there is enough pressure in the cylinder. Sounds a bit Rube Goldberg to me, like putting power steering on a go kart. I'm a little suspicious of decomp valves when they are not really needed in the first place, and those are the manually operated ones!
It lives on the left side of the saw and has a bypass hose between the lower crankcase to the side of the combustion chamber. I'ts almost completely obscured by the plastic on the saw. The IPL has part numbers for the plugs, which I'll probably be ordering.

I wish it was a little more obvious than the brochure from Tilton that it is equipped with a "scare the crap out of me for no reason" device.

I'm still taking it to the dealer, he has my new brushcutter!

Thanks a ton for the help, and I'm glad your horse turned out to be OK.

 

[SCHallenger]

Now that is interesting!

**runs to the garage and grabs the IPL and the saw**

I'm a little curious why that would only be listed in the flyer from Tilton, but not on the Jonsered website or in the operator manual. I looked up the Husqvarna twin to this saw (338XPT) and it's not mentioned anywhere on the website or the product flyer for that saw.

Sure enough, it is on the IPL!
**does a touchdown dance**

So it looks like it's some kind of spring loaded jiggle-pin deal that closes off when there is enough pressure in the cylinder. Sounds a bit Rube Goldberg to me, like putting power steering on a go kart. I'm a little suspicious of decomp valves when they are not really needed in the first place, and those are the manually operated ones!
It lives on the left side of the saw and has a bypass hose between the lower crankcase to the side of the combustion chamber. I'ts almost completely obscured by the plastic on the saw. The IPL has part numbers for the plugs, which I'll probably be ordering.

I wish it was a little more obvious than the brochure from Tilton that it is equipped with a "scare the crap out of me for no reason" device.

I'm still taking it to the dealer, he has my new brushcutter!

Thanks a ton for the help, and I'm glad your horse turned out to be OK.

I like your "power steering on a go cart" comparison. I have the forerunner to your 2188. It is a 920 (87.9cc), & it does not have a decomp valve?!? Sure wish it did. The 2135-39-Husky338XPT certainly doesn't need it. Maybe they want to market it as capable of being started by a 6 yr old?! I'll bet Saw Troll is as surprised as we were to find this out. He seems to be an encyclopedia of information. I greatly appreciate his input & knowledge. Anyway, I'm glad to have been of use. SCH

 

[SawTroll]

I like your "power steering on a go cart" comparison. I have the forerunner to your 2188. It is a 920 (87.9cc), & it does not have a decomp valve?!? Sure wish it did. The 2135-39-Husky338XPT certainly doesn't need it. Maybe they want to market it as capable of being started by a 6 yr old?! I'll bet Saw Troll is as surprised as we were to find this out. He seems to be an encyclopedia of information. I greatly appreciate his input & knowledge. Anyway, I'm glad to have been of use. SCH

I was, as I thought that they scrapped that feature with the new edition of that saw family late 2006 or so. All the 2139Ts belong to the new generation.

 

[T_F_E]

Start simple boys.

 

[Boskaerm]

I like your "power steering on a go cart" comparison. I have the forerunner to your 2188. It is a 920 (87.9cc), & it does not have a decomp valve?!? Sure wish it did. The 2135-39-Husky338XPT certainly doesn't need it. Maybe they want to market it as capable of being started by a 6 yr old?! I'll bet Saw Troll is as surprised as we were to find this out. He seems to be an encyclopedia of information. I greatly appreciate his input & knowledge. Anyway, I'm glad to have been of use. SCH

I have never tried to start this series of saws, but guess the de-comp is usefull, when starting the saw in the top of a tree??