Why is the 361 so easy to flood ? Anybody know ?

Is it the choked up muffler ? Design flaw ? Something else ? There must be a reason. I have never had a saw so easy to flood out.

I don't know what it is either with the 361, but it is really easy to flood, along with the MS250, the most common saws that comes in extremely flooded.
I stopped using the decomp release on mine and most of my problems went away.

I run 4-5 different 361 saws,in different configurations,all stock/no mods. I have heard of this problem,but never have had this problem w/my saws. I do think that this saw does not snap very much at all,during the cold start procedure. What i mean by this,is when you have the saw at full choke/throttle lock,after 2-3 pullls cold,the saw will let you know it has enough choke.it can be very hard to hear,i have been around stihls' all my life. I can see where the 361 could be a little tricky,if you were not paying close attn. Does this make any sense??????

stihlthedeere said:

i run 4-5 different 361 saws,in different configurations,all stock/no mods. I have heard of this problem,but never have had this problem w/my saws. I do think that this saw does not snap very much at all,during the cold start procedure. What i mean by this,is when you have the saw at full choke/throttle lock,after 2-3 pullls cold,the saw will let you know it has enough choke.it can be very hard to hear,i have been around stihls' all my life. I can see where the 361 could be a little tricky,if you were not paying close attn. Does this make any sense??????

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i know most will frown on this,but i never use the decomp button,never lock the brake, and i always drop start the 361! Mine start perfectly every time.

Jtheo said:

Is it the choked up muffler ? Design flaw ? Something else ? There must be a reason. I have never had a saw so easy to flood out.

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The 361 and 441 both are two Stihls that have a half choke position, not just a one notch up fast idle like most of the line up. Both can and will flood easily. Unlike the rest of the line up when you come off the full choke position you go to half choke, not just fast idle. If you run the 361 and 441 in the half choke position for very long you will see and hear its getting way too much fuel.

The problem most encounter with both units is cranking it several times on full choke and not hearing the motor fire. They go up one notch thinking thats fast idle but its not, its half choke meaning its still being partly choked when cranking.

If you got fuel coming out the muffler the best thing to do is have someone hold the throttle wide open which allows alot of air in the cylinder without alot of fuel and start cranking till she fires, bellers smoke and clears out and runs...

thall10326 said:

the 361 and 441 both are two stihls that have a half choke position, not just a one notch up fast idle like most of the line up. Both can and will flood easily. Unlike the rest of the line up when you come off the full choke position you go to half choke, not just fast idle. If you run the 361 and 441 in the half choke position for very long you will see and hear its getting way too much fuel.

The problem most encounter with both units is cranking it several times on full choke and not hearing the motor fire. They go up one notch thinking that fast idle but its not, its half choke meaning its still being partly choked when cranking.

If you got fuel coming out the muffler the best thing to do is have someone hold the throttle wide open which allows alot of air in the cylinder without alot of fuel and start cranking till she fires, bellers smoke and clears out and runs...

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yes this is what was trying to explain,i agree 100%

I blame it on the fact that the muffler is so restrictive that you can't hardly hear it pop. I've never had a problem with my 361 flooding. It's always been muffler modded.

blsnelling said:

i blame it on the fact that the muffler is so restrictive that you can't hardly hear it pop. I've never had a problem with my 361 flooding. It's always been muffler modded.

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it is very hard hear the stock saw/muffler pop,i agree.

BloodOnTheIce said:

I don't know what it is either with the 361, but it is really easy to flood, along with the MS250, the most common saws that comes in extremely flooded.
I stopped using the decomp release on mine and most of my problems went away.

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Good point and that does help with the problem alot. The customer though is going to use it, he bought it with it on there and he's gonna use it. Stihl shoulda made that saw and the 441 without a deco valve. Neither one crank very hard anyway.

blsnelling said:

I blame it on the fact that the muffler is so restrictive that you can't hardly hear it pop. I've never had a problem with my 361 flooding. It's always been muffler modded.

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Thats true as well. I resovled alot of flooding issues with everything I sell by telling the buyers don't try to start your unit with a big jet going over head. Start it when you know you can hear it. Thats sounds dufus as hell I know but but but it works...

my BIL's brand new ms361 is a major PITA to start. It never burps under full choke, it just floods. This is the only saw that I have trouble starting. THall, I'm not sure I understood how you start yours, can you go through a step by step for us. My 361 starts like a dream....

It seems that on a cold start, feeling for the started-cord to buck is time to take it to half choke, or two clicks up to high-idle.

STIHLTHEDEERE said:

i know most will frown on this,but i never use the decomp button,never lock the brake, and i always drop start the 361! Mine start perfectly every time.

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Not me, thats exactly how I start all saws except my 880. I did try to drop start my 880 with the deco valve out and man did I get a surprise. It fired, snapped the rope handle out of my hand and it felt like I stuck my hand in a hornets nest, ouch. Thats the only saw I have that I start on the ground using the deco valve...

FATGUY said:

my BIL's brand new ms361 is a major PITA to start. It never burps under full choke, it just floods. This is the only saw that I have trouble starting. THall, I'm not sure I understood how you start yours, can you go through a step by step for us. My 361 starts like a dream....

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Ha, I seen a pic of you, your a big ole boy. No doult when that you pull that rope on yours you pull it. Thats the main secret to starting both the 361 and 441 if you really want to hear the engine fire, pull that dayumm rope with some pyhton muscle and you'll hear it fire..

THALL10326 said:

Not me, thats exactly how I start all saws except my 880. I did try to drop start my 880 with the deco valve out and man did I get a surprise. It fired, snapped the rope handle out of my hand and it felt like I stuck my hand in a hornets nest, ouch. Thats the only saw I have that I start on the ground using the deco valve...

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Tried that once, about as pleasant as pull starting a snowblower w/ a sheered flywheel key.

THALL10326 said:

Ha, I seen a pic of you, your a big ole boy. No doult when that you pull that rope on yours you pull it. Thats the main secret to starting both the 361 and 441 if you really want to hear the engine fire, pull that dayumm rope with some pyhton muscle and you'll hear it fire..

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That's just it, I try and start them the same way, but I get 2 different results. Mine pops after 3 or 4, then fires 1 or 2 after. I drop start both. So should we avoid full choke, because that's where it seems to flood?. Or should we go 2 pulls full choke and go right to fast idle? I'm not as experienced with saws as most here, but I've never seen a piece of OPE this hard to start. Of course once it does start, hot starts are a breeze and it's such a sweet saw to run.

OK, I now have a better understanding of how to start this animal.

I think the 2 clicks up will be a help, and I am going to have listen close for the saw to pop. No doubt a muffler mod would help there.

Thanks guys, I learn something new on this site just about every day.

I guess chainsaws is about to become a hobby as well as cuttin firewood.

Nik,

Joes 361 is like my 5100 in that if you have pulled it over 3 times on choke and didn't hear it pop, you missed it.
Kick it down to fast idle and pull it again.

Both of those saws can have a very faint pop.

In my opinion,using the decompression valve the engine is drawing gas into the engine, but the decompression valve is letting the much needed air out. This is why it is easily flooded,the air that is needed is bleeding out buy the valve, Ken

FATGUY said:

That's just it, I try and start them the same way, but I get 2 different results. Mine pops after 3 or 4, then fires 1 or 2 after. I drop start both. So should we avoid full choke, because that's where it seems to flood?. Or should we go 2 pulls full choke and go right to fast idle? I'm not as experienced with saws as most here, but I've never seen a piece of OPE this hard to start. Of course once it does start, hot starts are a breeze and it's such a sweet saw to run.

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Welp if both saws are in tune they should for the most part start about the same. You can't really avoid full choke on a cold saw. Its needs that shot of fuel to fire. If I were having starting issues I would try the ole shake the saw, 2 crank full choke and then up one whether I hear it fire on choke or not on the 361.

I've had alot of 361's come back flooded. I've had one guy bring his 441 back twice flooded. They are touchy starters for sure and easy flooders. Both my 361 and 441 start easy as can be. I've never flooded either of them. Course my saws know I have no love affair with them. They tremble when I walk in wondering which one is gonna get it,LOLOLOLOL