Confused

[sb47]

Been using my MS290 for weeks with no issues at all. In fact I just ran a tank of fuel through it yesterday.
Put on a new bar and chain today and pulled the air filter off and blew it clean and sprayed the carb with carb cleaner and blew it dry with the air compressor. Now she wont start. It hasn't hit a lick yet.
I blew it clean before I took of the air filter and put the carb on choke to keep debris out then I opened the throttle and blew it dry.
After it wouldn't start I went ahead and put in a new plug and replaced the pull rope.
Still nothing. I even tried starter fluid but nothing.
What could I have possible done to keep it from starting?
I pulled the plug again and blew the cylinder dry just incase it was flooded. Still nothing.
Tried a shot of starter fluid directly into the cylinder before I put the plug back in. Nothing.
What is going on?

 

[JimM]

Been using my MS290 for weeks with no issues at all. In fact I just ran a tank of fuel through it yesterday.
Put on a new bar and chain today and pulled the air filter off and blew it clean and sprayed the carb with carb cleaner and blew it dry with the air compressor. Now she wont start. It hasn't hit a lick yet.
I blew it clean before I took of the air filter and put the carb on choke to keep debris out then I opened the throttle and blew it dry.
After it wouldn't start I went ahead and put in a new plug and replaced the pull rope.
Still nothing. I even tried starter fluid but nothing.
What could I have possible done to keep it from starting?
I pulled the plug again and blew the cylinder dry just incase it was flooded. Still nothing.
Tried a shot of starter fluid directly into the cylinder before I put the plug back in. Nothing.
What is going on?

I’m not familiar at all with those. Could you have accidentally knocked a wire off or fouled the kill switch somehow?

 

[sundance]

Can't help with your issue other than asking if you possibly unhooked a wire with all the blowing? Did you maybe blow something into the carb with all the compressed air work?

I do have to be curious enough to ask what changing the pull rope was supposed to accomplish?

 

[sb47]

Can't help with your issue other than asking if you possibly unhooked a wire with all the blowing? Did you maybe blow something into the carb with all the compressed air work?

I do have to be curious enough to ask what changing the pull rope was supposed to accomplish?

The rope broke several weeks ago but had nothing to do with the starting issue. I just included it so you would know exactly what was done to it.
I had been starting with the old short rope that had broke weeks ago with no problems. I basically just gave it a cleaning when I replaced the bar and chain.
I blew off the dust before I removed the air filter and put the choke on. With the choke on it completely blocks the intake so nothing could get blown into the carb.
I've done it many time when I do a saw cleaning.

 

[sb47]

It acts like the ignition is shut off. It hasn't hit a lick.

 

[smokey7]

Do you have spark? Was the spark plug ever wet? Is there fuel in the tank?

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

The carb cleaner you sprayed on the carb likely seeped in the cover plate vent hole and ruined the metering diaphragm.

 

[sb47]

Do you have spark? Was the spark plug ever wet? Is there fuel in the tank?

Yes, yes and yes.

 

[sb47]

I have spark and I have fuel. It should at least try to fire on starter fluid but nothing.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Do you have spark? Was the spark plug ever wet? Is there fuel in the tank?

Yes, yes and yes.

You have spark but you couldn't get it to pop with ether? Hmmmm....

 

[Chainsaw Jim]

When I say ruined the metering diaphragm I mean it made it stiff enough to hold the lever open and foul the plug. No pop.
Unhook the fuel line from the carb and plug the line. Then pull the spark plug and dry it off. Leave the fuel line unattached and plugged off so it doesn't squirt fuel. Next put the plug back in and with the choke in the off/half throttle position give it a good pull. If no pop and the spark plug comes out dry then give a half teaspoon squirt of mix down the throat of the carb and repeat the very last step mentioned. If there is no pop and the spark plug is wet then it is too flooded and needs drained out more.

It isn't advisable to use carb cleaner or starting fluid on this type of two stroke equipment. Either will damage crankshaft seals, rubber av, fuel lines, filters, and carb internals.

 

[sb47]

You have spark but you couldn't get it to pop with ether? Hmmmm....

Nope, not a single pop. Got good spark to.

 

[sb47]

When I say ruined the metering diaphragm I mean it made it stiff enough to hold the lever open and foul the plug. No pop.
Unhook the fuel line from the carb and plug the line. Then pull the spark plug and dry it off. Leave the fuel line unattached and plugged off so it doesn't squirt fuel. Next put the plug back in and with the choke in the off/half throttle position give it a good pull. If no pop and the spark plug comes out dry then give a half teaspoon squirt of mix down the throat of the carb and repeat the very last step mentioned. If there is no pop and the spark plug is wet then it is too flooded and needs drained out more.

It isn't advisable to use carb cleaner or starting fluid on this type of two stroke equipment. Either will damage crankshaft seals, rubber av, fuel lines, filters, and carb internals.

I only used starter fluid a few times because giving it a shot of fuel wasn't working. I don't like using starter fluid but I gave it a few shots and still nothing.

 

[Canyon Angler]

You have spark but you couldn't get it to pop with ether? Hmmmm....

Nope, not a single pop. Got good spark to.

Flooded? Bad spark timing? We're running out of options...have you recently moved somewhere that has an oxygenless atmosphere?

 

[Okie]

If it started and ran good with the old pull rope, put it back on and test.

A friend called me once and asked me why his jeep would not start. He said all he done was change the oil and filter and it would not start afterwards. I asked him if he still had the old filter and oil and he said yes. I told him to put it back in the engine and it should run ok if that is all he done to cause the problem. He said OK, I'll try that. He was actually going to do as I said.

I told him to hang loose with the old oil and filter and I'll bring my electrical tester and test. He had a bad just failed fender mounted starter solenoid.

I told him to save his old oil and filter if a new solenoid did not fix all, we might have to re-install the old stuff. He is a good carpenter but he is mechanically challenged and should not even attempt changing his oil. (and I've told him so)
Cannot believe how gulliable some people are.

 

[sb47]

Got a chance to look at it again tonight. I pulled on the rope for about 5 min putting the throttle lever in different places and I jot a little bump. Then I got more little bumps as I continued pulling the rope.
Slowly it started hitting better as I went, then she finely started. I let it run and reved it a few times for less the 30 sec, then I shut it off. She started right back up on the first pull. I shut it off and re started it several times and she starts like a charm now. I still have no clue why it wouldn't start, but at least I can use it again.

 

[Okie]

I suspect it was flooded. (and a sign of possibly needing a new CORRECT TYPE spark plug)

AND the NEW pull rope you installed may not have been a OEM Stihl type.

 

[mountainlake]

You had it flooded bad. Steve

 

[sb47]

You had it flooded bad. Steve

That's what I think to. Not sure how it got that way but at least she's running. I had pulled the plug and blew clean air into the cylinder and I removed the air cleaner and blew clean air through the carb. That should have dried it out enough to start. Letting it sit over night and all the next day should have dried it up to. I just ran 2 tanks of fuel through it this morning and she ran fine. Man I love a new bar and chain. SMOOOOOOTH!!!

 

[sb47]

I suspect it was flooded. (and a sign of possibly needing a new CORRECT TYPE spark plug)

AND the NEW pull rope you installed may not have been a OEM Stihl type.

Nope, all genuine OEM parts. I had been starting it with half a starter rope, cuz the old one broke.