261 c-m running LEAN?

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MountainHigh

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My new 261 c-m, with only a few tanks through it, was run dry on idle and drained after last use. Pulled it out to do some yard cleanup yesterday and filled about 1/4 tank of 3 month old non-ethanol 40/1 mix - Same non-ethanol mix that is running fine in my 562xp. 261 c-m started after 12 pulls, ran rough, then quit in the cut.

After many pulls and no restart, I dumped the gas and put in 50/1 Premix. Pulled plug and it was a little wet but not bad. (Pulling the plug entails first removing annoying rubber dam held by 2 screws - WTF). Only way it would start was with toe depressing throttle and pulled a few dozen times (grrrrrr!). Sputtered, coughed and then ran lean, lean lean - REAL LEAN! NO burble out of the cut, just a HOWLING, screaming banshee! A little worried this thing is going to burn up. Is the carb so slow to adjust on this saw or is there a fault here?

I wrote the reset procedure down somewhere but lost it. Any feedback on this little piggy?

Any way around not having a purge bulb to get fuel to the carb faster on previously drained cold starts?

My arm does not like having to pull 15 times to get this thing running.

Yes, I know the saw start routine as per the manual, says to place lever in start position (only possible after first holding trigger open simultaneously) and then pull it over until it starts (or in my case, until arm gets sore and the swearing begins) :nofunny:
 
I'll look when I get back to the shop at my manual. Not sure if reset procedure is in it. Real men don't read saw manuals. LOL. I just got mine and ran it for the first time Saturday . Less than a tank. I went to pull the plug for a look see this morning .I thought I grabbed the wrong scrench. I was able to push it through the hole and got the plug out. PITA. Guess I'll read the manual on plug removal
 
I remember seeing someone post the reset procedure on a thread here somewhere, but I'll have another look at the manual as well. How is yours starting so far?
I remember reading that too. Just checked. Nothing in the manual. Gonna be stopping by my dealer tomorrow and I'll chat with the tech. He's top notch. The manual says to just push the scrench thru tho rubber seal to remove plug. Don't even have a tank thru mine yet. It did get run a bit Saturday here at the GTG. Everyone liked it.
 
i was at dealer last week asking about doing reset, seems people vary on procedure
but it sounded to me like you warm up saw shut it off, restart ,let idle 90 seconds, then shut it down
and i think thats supposed to reset it
but im a hobbiest not a professional
 
i was at dealer last week asking about doing reset, seems people vary on procedure
but it sounded to me like you warm up saw shut it off, restart ,let idle 90 seconds, then shut it down
and i think thats supposed to reset it
but im a hobbiest not a professional
That sounds familiar. Thanks
 
does your saw 4 stroke/burble a bit when lifting in cut? Mine seems to be running scary lean! Have to step away for a bit but will test it out some more tomorrow. I may pull the muffler soon to see if anything is scoring.

I didnt get a new scrench with the saw, but my old ones sure won`t fit easily. Anything unusual about the scrench that came with your saw (question mark broken on my laptop).

Thanks for kicking this around with me.
 
does your saw 4 stroke/burble a bit when lifting in cut? Mine seems to be running scary lean! Have to step away for a bit but will test it out some more tomorrow. I may pull the muffler soon to see if anything is scoring.

I didnt get a new scrench with the saw, but my old ones sure won`t fit easily. Anything unusual about the scrench that came with your saw (question mark broken on my laptop).

Thanks for kicking this around with me.
I haven't run mine enough yet. My 462cm has some type of rev limiter in it and it kinda sounds like 4 stroking . I get you a pic of the new scrench in the morning .
 
i was at dealer last week asking about doing reset, seems people vary on procedure
but it sounded to me like you warm up saw shut it off, restart ,let idle 90 seconds, then shut it down
and i think thats supposed to reset it
but im a hobbiest not a professional


Start with cold saw.
90 sec on choke, move switch to off without touching throttle.
Move switch to run, start and idle for 90 sec, cut wood.
 
What you describe is abnormal. Seems like you have a leak. Pull your muffler before doing anything else. Make sure to look past the top of the piston at the intake side of the bore.

If it’s not scored, check your fuel line for a kink or hole. Test your filter as well. I know you said it’s a new saw, but check anyway. Look over all the mechanical carb functions as well.

If all checks out, try a reset. If that doesn’t help, do a pressure and vacuum test. With a pass, I might suspect the M-Tronic system.

Don’t assume it’s the M-Tronic components, but it certainly could be. A faulty solenoid could cause the problem you describe. Bad carb internals could cause the same behavior (metering lever, needle or diaphragm).

I assume the saw is out of warranty. If not take it back to the Stihler and look angry.

Hope it’s an easy fix!
 
I have a 261C that is 1 year old and it also screams if I back off of it when noodling. Doesn’t really seem to do it during bucking though. I just assumed it was due to the M-tronic adjustments during long hard noodle cuts. But it does sound kinda scary, is it normal??
Also mine won’t start cold with less than 5 pulls, always hits on 5th pull but nothing before that. Warm it’s not a problem, 1 pull.
Other than those concerns I absolutely love the way it cuts, it pulls an 18” bar in hardwood with ease. Hope my observation helps someone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have a 261C that is 1 year old and it also screams if I back off of it when noodling. Doesn’t really seem to do it during bucking though. I just assumed it was due to the M-tronic adjustments during long hard noodle cuts. But it does sound kinda scary, is it normal??
Also mine won’t start cold with less than 5 pulls, always hits on 5th pull but nothing before that. Warm it’s not a problem, 1 pull.
Other than those concerns I absolutely love the way it cuts, it pulls an 18” bar in hardwood with ease. Hope my observation helps someone.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting to hear your experience with this saw .... I dropped my saw off yesterday and they are usually backed up so may take a while before I see it. Cold start on my saw has been disappointing from the get go (minimum 8 pulls) and it only got way worse.

My habit has been to drain saws that are not used for a while but without a purge bulb, no purge seems to add to the number of pulls it takes to get this c-m saw going. My saw seems to have more issues than just a lack of purge bulb, but am all ears if there is any technique to cut down on the number of pulls it takes to get gas into the carb of previously drained 261 c-m?

Wondering if putting saw in start position and letting sit for a minute or 2 before starting to pull might help on a healthy 261 c-m, or is it just pulling of the start rope that primes the gas?
 

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