Chainsaw mechanic tips, tricks and advice.

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

I have really enjoyed playing and fixing saws over the last 8-9 months. I’d love to know what chainsaw mechanic tips, tricks and advice you wish you knew when you were starting your journey to rebuilds that you know now?

I’m keen and excited to learn as much as I can and really appreciate the generosity of anyone willing to share.

Thank you!

 

[stihl86]

Don’t screw around with carbs unless absolutely necessary. Use OEM parts.
And don’t waste money on snap on tools.

 

[Pioneer]

Tools, tools, and more tools. You will use them for the rest of your life on everything.
Exploded view diagrams, helps take the guesswork out of a rebuild.
Take pictures of the disassembly. Especially useful for older stuff.
Ask questions. Beats guessing wrong.
Use common sense. Sometimes a rare commodity these days.
Have patience. Put it aside instead of using it for target practice.
Visit threads you might not have originally. You may learn something new.

 

[MacAttack]

I'd have to say rewinding a recoil spring with a piece of plywood, a nail, and the recoil spool was a gamechanger for me. I used to DREAD having a recoil spring unravel. Now I've gotten several back into the recoil housing using this method .

 

[HarleyT]

Curved hemostats.

 

[MacAttack]

Curved hemostats.

View attachment 831586

I need me some of those.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

If you're going to be opening anything up, be it fuel line, top end, oiler, Anything beyond the filter...clean the saw. I have seen more issues, working behind other mechanics, related to contamination than any other single thing on saws. A clean saw runs cooler also. I take off the bar, clutch cover, top cover, air filter, recoil...muffler. Rotate the engine til the exhaust port is covered. Hose it all down with 50/50 purple power or simple green...let it soak while i fire up the power washer then i give it hell. Then i blow it all off with air, blow out the port, and assemble. Always fires right up...every saw. I don't have to worry about dirt getting sucked in or into the tanks, and its just good maintenance.

My saws stay nice and it looks good when a customer picks up a saw and it shines.

This MS-311 has been used commercially with a 25" bar all its life and the oiler, clutch, etc was smoked out. I did a teardown, clean, and new parts installed...and it looks great.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[rupedoggy]

Looks like the aluminum termites been after that chain catcher.

 

[Stan R]

I'd have to say rewinding a recoil spring with a piece of plywood, a nail, and the recoil spool was a gamechanger for me. I used to DREAD having a recoil spring unravel. Now I've gotten several back into the recoil housing using this method .

Can you put a pic up how you do recoil springs ,me and my wife were fighting with 1 last week with no luck!! thanks

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Looks like the aluminum termites been after that chain catcher.

It chucked the clip off the clutch side and puked the bearing out...made a mess haha

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

 

[Dean-O]

Curved hemostats.

View attachment 831586

Agreed 100%

I have two pair hanging on my magnet strip on my work bench at the shop. I have two pair if for some reason one pair disappears (AKA walks off in the hands of another mechanic) because I can not go more then 30 mins without using them

 

[Dean-O]

Can you put a pic up how you do recoil springs ,me and my wife were fighting with 1 last week with no luck!! thanks

You can also put two zip ties together making a small circle that will hold the spring when doing it by hand. I use the starter housing or the small holder that the spring comes in (like on Stihl cut off saws) or the pulley like on 372s (which is the easiest by far) or just do it by hand. I do multiple starter repairs everyday so most of the time doing it by hand and using needle nose to install it is the fastest. Just watch for the fingers cramping up

 

[lone wolf]

Can you put a pic up how you do recoil springs ,me and my wife were fighting with 1 last week with no luck!! thanks

Put it right in the starter where it goes and wind it back tight .Use a needle nose vice grip at the end.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Thank you all very much for these suggestions, I have a chainsaw area with a white board and I’m going to list them there as a reminder

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Tools, tools, and more tools. You will use them for the rest of your life on everything.
Exploded view diagrams, helps take the guesswork out of a rebuild.
Take pictures of the disassembly. Especially useful for older stuff.
Ask questions. Beats guessing wrong.
Use common sense. Sometimes a rare commodity these days.
Have patience. Put it aside instead of using it for target practice.
Visit threads you might not have originally. You may learn something new.

I love these suggestions thanks mate!

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

If you're going to be opening anything up, be it fuel line, top end, oiler, Anything beyond the filter...clean the saw. I have seen more issues, working behind other mechanics, related to contamination than any other single thing on saws. A clean saw runs cooler also. I take off the bar, clutch cover, top cover, air filter, recoil...muffler. Rotate the engine til the exhaust port is covered. Hose it all down with 50/50 purple power or simple green...let it soak while i fire up the power washer then i give it hell. Then i blow it all off with air, blow out the port, and assemble. Always fires right up...every saw. I don't have to worry about dirt getting sucked in or into the tanks, and its just good maintenance.

My saws stay nice and it looks good when a customer picks up a saw and it shines.

This MS-311 has been used commercially with a 25" bar all its life and the oiler, clutch, etc was smoked out. I did a teardown, clean, and new parts installed...and it looks great.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

I’m quite the clean freak so hearing this sits well with me ha. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Looks like the aluminum termites been after that chain catcher.

Could do with some of them to remove transfer in cylinders.

 

[olyman]

Don’t screw around with carbs unless absolutely necessary. Use OEM parts.
And don’t waste money on snap on tools.

explain your hatred of snap on tools....

 

[MacAttack]

Can you put a pic up how you do recoil springs ,me and my wife were fighting with 1 last week with no luck!! thanks

There are some Youtube videos that I learned how to do it from, if I have a chance today I'll take some pictures with some parts i have lying around .

 

[MacAttack]

If you're going to be opening anything up, be it fuel line, top end, oiler, Anything beyond the filter...clean the saw. I have seen more issues, working behind other mechanics, related to contamination than any other single thing on saws. A clean saw runs cooler also. I take off the bar, clutch cover, top cover, air filter, recoil...muffler. Rotate the engine til the exhaust port is covered. Hose it all down with 50/50 purple power or simple green...let it soak while i fire up the power washer then i give it hell. Then i blow it all off with air, blow out the port, and assemble. Always fires right up...every saw. I don't have to worry about dirt getting sucked in or into the tanks, and its just good maintenance.

My saws stay nice and it looks good when a customer picks up a saw and it shines.

This MS-311 has been used commercially with a 25" bar all its life and the oiler, clutch, etc was smoked out. I did a teardown, clean, and new parts installed...and it looks great.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

Do you dilute Purple Power with water? I have some in a spray bottle.

I've also good result with regular old Gunk engine degreaser. You are absolutely right about cleaning them before doing work, little bits of sawdust in carbs, bearings, oilers, etc is no good.