MS 362 Hot Starting issues

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Montana_Sam

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2017
Messages
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Location
NW Montana
Hello all,

I'm a wildland fire fighter here in Northwestern Montana, new to the site, looking for some information.
We recently bought a whole bunch of new Stihl 362's...and subsequently opened up the mufflers on them all, just a bit. Now we are having a lot of issues with the saws (all of them) dying in the middle of limbing up trees or slashing brush...finding that you have to constantly touch the throttle to keep them from dying. This is obviously a serious problem, especially when climbing trees or doing wildland fire work.

Stihl technician told me to run the saw full choke for 1 minute at the start of each day for it to adjust to elevation and climactic differences...which has not helped, but I do it.

Can anyone point me to a helpful thread or provide some information, I'd hate to sell these and try to find used 361's but that seems to be where I'm headed.

Thanks
 
There is an air adjustment on the carb for idle. It's factory set and supposed to be no need to adjust. I've had the very same issues with the 362Cs. I adjust the screw so it doesn't engage the clutch while idling. It's a very small hex set screw that touches the throttle bore linkage. Its the only thing I've found to improve the situation.
 
When you say a whole bunch of saws how many are giving you this issue? Also what would possessed you to invalidate your warranty by messing with the muffler? All of the emergency services we sell saws to stay bone stock, for them it is all about reliability... :eek:
 
Hello all,

I'm a wildland fire fighter here in Northwestern Montana, new to the site, looking for some information.
We recently bought a whole bunch of new Stihl 362's...and subsequently opened up the mufflers on them all, just a bit. Now we are having a lot of issues with the saws (all of them) dying in the middle of limbing up trees or slashing brush...finding that you have to constantly touch the throttle to keep them from dying. This is obviously a serious problem, especially when climbing trees or doing wildland fire work.

Stihl technician told me to run the saw full choke for 1 minute at the start of each day for it to adjust to elevation and climactic differences...which has not helped, but I do it.

Can anyone point me to a helpful thread or provide some information, I'd hate to sell these and try to find used 361's but that seems to be where I'm headed.

Thanks



Good info here from Frogfarmer...... That might be just the ticket!


I have a customer whom I have sold him 6 saws, all used and with adjustable carbs, and he also has an almost new 362cm that he bought 2 years ago..... it is stone stock and it has the same issues, but is more random about when it decides not to hot start, like a pouty teen-ager. He literally HATES that saw because he can't trust it to work when he needs it. I haven't ever worked on that saw because it is within warranty.... I know that a good Stihl dealer replaced the carb on it and it improved, but it still is not perfect....

This is in Denver (5280 Elevation, all the way up to Bailey (7,500 Ft)....

in saying this, the head mechanic at this Stihl dealer loves the 362's when they are working right, but he admitting to seeing more issues with the M-tronic on these saws than all others combined.....
 
Well, this kinda answers my question--would I trust my MS362 on a fire and the answer is NO. After running a personal 041 since 1978, I busted it and while I fixed it, figured it was time for a new one anyway, and picked up an MS362 last year. Ran a number of Stihls in my dozen years in forestry/wildland firefight and tossed a few Mukluks in the dump. But I've never seen a saw boil gas like the 362 does after running a single tank--filling a hot saw and trying to start again is an absolute crapshoot--ten minutes last week. Several times I opened the gas tank lid and had very distinct pressure relief--one wonders if that's part of the problem. Cold starting isn't much better. I've hit other threads and tried every variation I can on starting the MS362 and simply put, nothing seems to work reliably. There are things I love about the saw, but the starting issues (known to Stihl now for at least a decade!!!) may well send me back to my good old 041, and get rid of the MS362. I can live with a bit of weight and vibration--which is a whole lot better than a bit less weight and no vibration BECAUSE THE CRAPPING THING WON'T START RELIABLY! Never thought I'd be so fed up with a Stihl....
 
Good info here from Frogfarmer...... That might be just the ticket!


I have a customer whom I have sold him 6 saws, all used and with adjustable carbs, and he also has an almost new 362cm that he bought 2 years ago..... it is stone stock and it has the same issues, but is more random about when it decides not to hot start, like a pouty teen-ager. He literally HATES that saw because he can't trust it to work when he needs it. I haven't ever worked on that saw because it is within warranty.... I know that a good Stihl dealer replaced the carb on it and it improved, but it still is not perfect....

This is in Denver (5280 Elevation, all the way up to Bailey (7,500 Ft)....

in saying this, the head mechanic at this Stihl dealer loves the 362's when they are working right, but he admitting to seeing more issues with the M-tronic on these saws than all others combined.....
Same problems here . . . Best fix I've found so far is to immediately open the fuel cap after shutting off the saw. Not a 100%fix, but helps. Yes, took it to the dealer, hooked it up to the computer, no help. They ran it through the paces, hot packed it, couldn't reproduce the issue.
 
Well, a bit of an update here: late last summer after another arm-wrenching go-around with a stupidly stubborn won't-hot-start event, I hauled it in to my local dealer (shout out to AZ Loggers Supply!) who tweaked it (was running rich) and followed his recommendation to go with premium vs. 89 octane gas. Seems how the local Chevron had it, I went ethanol-free premium, and I finished out the bit of cutting I had for the season without any significant hitches. Given the grief I've had so far, I am reluctant to say "problem solved," but that's certainly encouraging. As to the boiling I saw when opening the gas tank, dealer said that was actually akin to the CO2 in a soda bubbling when the can is opened and not heat-induced boiling. Apparently this is a consequence of the (flaming idiot California bureaucrat's dream) CARB rules that manufacturers have to deal with nowadays. So I'm happier than I was, and will update once I'm out and about whacking next winter's firewood. Well, to be honest, 2023's firewood--who doesn't keep at least two year's supply on hand??
 
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