There is only one choke position on all Stihl saws. The middle position is fast idle with no choke.
starting a MS361
- Thread starter LHJim
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Country,
Yeah...probably should have tried to start the saw w/o the decomp but its pressed in now so I will have to get it to run with it in but when it pops out I will not use the decomp and see how it starts. This problem has been after it has sat for a few days so I will have to try that w/o the decomp.
I forgot to mention in one of your previous post when you mentioned you used to live in Gainesville. You know the intersection of RT29 and I-66 in PW County...as you get off I-66 and onto RT29 there used to be a lig Atlas Iron Works neat the railroad tracks. Its all torn down and replaced with all of these shops Laz-Boy/Lowes/Petsmart etc etc and its all been build up. When I moved out here around 8 years ago it was more open and now its congested. Cannot get away from the sprawl. I do not know when you were last here but its probably different from when you were here back then.
fast idle = half choke?
I thought the middle choke is fast idle which is like half choke?
I thought the middle choke is fast idle which is like half choke?
goodnough56
ArboristSite Lurker
Mine has started all the time choking till it sputters and then put it on fast idle,after I put fuel in it I start it on fast idle.
But it's not choked at all. Just the same control switch.
Country1
ArboristSite Guru
Yeah Jim, I know exactly where you're talking about. I used to live down Linton Hall RD there. Right after we moved in they widened Linton Hall at 29 and started building the Giant shopping center. We were moving as they started the tear down of the Iron Works. I worked for VA Power in Fairfax and then in Alexandria. We live out in Orange County now and I travel to Fredericksburg for work. I'm glad I don't have to fight that Northern VA traffic any longer.
Don't loose heart in your 361. It is a little temperamental in starting, but once you get the procedure down, it's easy and you won't have the flooding trouble. Once you get it to fire and the decomp pops out, I wouldn't use it again. After you get it to run this time, use it and put it away. The next time you get it out cold, you should be fine with the procedure. If not I'd take it back to Tom and let him give it a look over. Heck, at this point maybe you should take it back to him "as is" and get him to start it for you. Let him show you the procedure. Practice starting a few cold. I don't know how far away you are from him. Sounds like it's a pain for you to get over to him. Whatever you decide, good luck!
Don't loose heart in your 361. It is a little temperamental in starting, but once you get the procedure down, it's easy and you won't have the flooding trouble. Once you get it to fire and the decomp pops out, I wouldn't use it again. After you get it to run this time, use it and put it away. The next time you get it out cold, you should be fine with the procedure. If not I'd take it back to Tom and let him give it a look over. Heck, at this point maybe you should take it back to him "as is" and get him to start it for you. Let him show you the procedure. Practice starting a few cold. I don't know how far away you are from him. Sounds like it's a pain for you to get over to him. Whatever you decide, good luck!
I find nothing about the 361 temperamental to start, at least once muffler modded. I've dealt with several. My guess is that you're missing the pop and flooding the engine, or there's something wrong with your saw.
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
Dang near every time anyone has probs with a small cc decomp saw... this seems to be the culprit.
Gary
THALL10326
The Champ
Still will not start. You would think after I got it started I have a fairly good handle on how it starts. Plug has been out two times and still cannot get it to fire up. I think I am going to haffa pay ole' Tommy a visit. It is time to pay him a visit and pick up some things anyway. I will say this...getting the plug out to dry up the spark plug is going to get tiresome but on the other hand...if someone stole this saw and could not get the darn thing run they may sneak the saw back to me thinking its broke
I cannot imagine having to mess with the plug every time I attemp tp start it. Heck...maybe I gotta bleed orange a bit more...
Will not start, how can that be, I started that saw, it will start, hehe
Jim bring me that saw and don't feel bad. I bet I start over at least 10-15 units a month, be saws, trimmers or whatever for folks that have flooded them. Tant no biggie, I only charge $20.00 per crank until it clears out and fires up. I love the ones that require 10 cranks, fastest 200.00 I make during the week,LOLOLOLOL
Seriously bring me that saw and together we'll get the starting down pat. I know it can be agervating but once you get it down pat its a piece of cake. I've always said the 361 is alittle more fussy than the rest of Stihl's pro saws, it must be that dayummm Husky copy that Sawtroll keeps commenting about,hahaha
I used my 361 yesterday and made a few bucks. Ran perfecto, I like that saw. You will like yours too once we getcha up and running, you'll see..
THALL10326
The Champ
Well ya gotta remember Jim is deaf and can't hear the engine pop. Far as temperamental the 361 is the saw that comes back in my door flooded more times than any other pro Stihl. Each and every time its a first time buyer. Sometimes I think its due the 361 being so quiet even guys with good hearing do not catch that first pop and wind up flooding the saw. Tant no biggie though, all that come back flooded rarely ever come back with it flooded again. Must be that 20.00 per crank I charge,LOL
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SawTroll
Information Collector
Jim's deaf, for real
Well no wonder, lol Sorry, I didn't know that
I have had stock 361s that were very hard to hear the pop on. As you said, harder than probably any other Stihl.What do you think of this? So Jim is deaf? Let him pull the saw cold. You'll obviously be there to hear it pop. I bet when you tell him it popped he'll have felt it and be able to recognize it from then on. If you're just pulling my leg...we'll then you just got me good. That's OK too
SawTroll
Information Collector
THALL10326
The Champ
Jim's deaf, for real
What do you think of this? So Jim is deaf? Let him pull the saw cold. You'll obviously be there to hear it pop. I bet when you tell him it popped he'll have felt it and be able to recognize it from then on. If you're just pulling my leg...we'll then you just got me good. That's OK too
No no no, if you go back many posts you will see the part about Jim being deaf.
It won't matter how he learns to start it, when he pays that 20.00 per crank he'll get it and never forget it, LOLOL
Naaaaaaaaaaaa him and me together will get that saw going and we'll figure out a way for him to know when its ready to get off choke. I look forward to seeing him again so I can shoot the bull with him, he's a cool guy. He says I talk too fast, wait till he see's how fast I start that saw, I'm gonna razz him abit, all in good fun of course,
woodyman
Addicted to ArboristSite
My brothers 361(2 years old now)never has a problem starting.Full choke,full throttle,chainbrake off and decompress not pushed in.First pop take off choke and a couple more pulls it goes and you blip the throttle and goThe same on most saws.
The same on most saws.
Would a muffler mod make the pop feel stronger?
GASoline71
Mr. Nice Guy
Mine didn't Brad...
Gary
Gary
THALL10326
The Champ
Brad, Sawtroll, I'm surprize at both of ya. I would request you go take the air filter off your 361 and pull it all the way down in the choke position. Look at the choke flap, it will be fully closed. Come up one notch on the lever and watch the flap. It will open but not all the way. Now pull the trigger while watching the flap, it will then and only then open fully. Thats why we dealers call the first notch up on the lever half choke fast idle. True on most all Stihl's the choke flap opens fully once you raise the lever up one notch from choke. The 361 is one that does not, it does indeed have a half choke position. Thats why the 361 will load up on fuel and smoke in fast idle position. You have to get it off that position sooner than most Stihls. The 441 is the sameway, it too has a half choke position that doesn't open fully until the saw is in the idle position. The 441 choke flap barely opens at all on the fast idle position. Both the 361 and 441 will load up on fuel in the fast idle position because both are in half choke, though the 441 is close to being in the full choke even at one notch up. We at the shops just call that one notch up half choke fast idle to make it easy for everyone to understand.
THALL10326
The Champ
Might make it louder but thats not going to help Jim much. Far as stronger I don't know, possible I guess...
