I have the above saw. It is awesome no issues. It is probably 10 years old. I bought the same saw for my dad and his is about 2-3 years old. When we go to start it it starts no problem. Once the saw is hot and we shut it off or runs out of fuel we can't get it started again. We have had this problem since day 1. We have taken it to different dealers and they all have told us something different. 1 told us it was the fuel and oil mix we were using. I use 87 fuel and xp oil in mine and never an issue. We use that in dads and have the above problems. I have tried 91 or 93 fuel and it does the same thing. 2 told us it was the spark plug and air filter. Changed that. Same thing. 3 told us it needed a tune up. Not sure what that even is on a chainsaw but im sure he charged dad for oil change, plugs, wires and to rotate the tires and we still have the same problem with it. lol. The last guy we took it to said he has same saw and it does same thing. He said just wait for it to cool down and then use it. He actually tried to get us to buy another saw so we could use one while the other one cools down which I thought was pretty funny. I am just having a hard time wrapping my head around this since I have the same saw and I don't have any issues. I can leave old fuel in mine for a year and it will start up on 2 pulls and run like an animal. So what do you guys think? Maybe time to go to electric? lol
372xp starting problems
- Thread starter je_cdl_00
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Never go electric! 
The fuel/oil mix ratio is extremely forgiving and is almost never the issue. To me it sounds like your carb is doing what every older stihl does and that is it will flood itself whenever you shut the saw off. The heat from the saw can sometimes cause fuel to continually expand and said fuel will evaporate through the path of least resistance. If your fuel tank vent is plugged, then the only path for expanding fuel vapours to escape is through your carburetor. It will try to go through your air filter which is naturally the logical path of choice since it is at the top of the carb and provides the least resistance. However, all this fuel vapour expanding and moving towards an exit will undoubtedly push liquid fuel along its path as well, thus forcing more fuel into your carb along the way. Even if you run the tank empty it will still have plenty of fuel vapour left in the tank to do this. Even if there is no fuel to push through the lines, not all the vapour may escape. Some may cool and condense during its travel through the lines and can also collect within the carburetor, somewhat like dew on grass. The air filter will also collect fuel on itself, further richening your air/fuel mix. Some saws tank vents will lead into the air box so that really doesn't help. So in summary, it sounds like your saw has a plugged tank vent and is flooding itself while sitting. To solve this I would start with a new carburetor kit and tank vent. The carb kit will solve issues you might have not even been aware of, and it's probably due for one anyways, and the tank vent will ensure your tank can properly breathe. If these don't solve the issue, you may have an air leak somewhere. But replace the parts I mentioned unless they have already been done, and we can go from there. The carb kit and tank vent shouldn't cost you more than $30 combined.
The fuel/oil mix ratio is extremely forgiving and is almost never the issue. To me it sounds like your carb is doing what every older stihl does and that is it will flood itself whenever you shut the saw off. The heat from the saw can sometimes cause fuel to continually expand and said fuel will evaporate through the path of least resistance. If your fuel tank vent is plugged, then the only path for expanding fuel vapours to escape is through your carburetor. It will try to go through your air filter which is naturally the logical path of choice since it is at the top of the carb and provides the least resistance. However, all this fuel vapour expanding and moving towards an exit will undoubtedly push liquid fuel along its path as well, thus forcing more fuel into your carb along the way. Even if you run the tank empty it will still have plenty of fuel vapour left in the tank to do this. Even if there is no fuel to push through the lines, not all the vapour may escape. Some may cool and condense during its travel through the lines and can also collect within the carburetor, somewhat like dew on grass. The air filter will also collect fuel on itself, further richening your air/fuel mix. Some saws tank vents will lead into the air box so that really doesn't help. So in summary, it sounds like your saw has a plugged tank vent and is flooding itself while sitting. To solve this I would start with a new carburetor kit and tank vent. The carb kit will solve issues you might have not even been aware of, and it's probably due for one anyways, and the tank vent will ensure your tank can properly breathe. If these don't solve the issue, you may have an air leak somewhere. But replace the parts I mentioned unless they have already been done, and we can go from there. The carb kit and tank vent shouldn't cost you more than $30 combined.dsell
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Before you put any money in it, pull the muffler and look at the piston and cylinder for scoring. My friend's 61 acts the same way and it's scored badly and he's still using it. He knows when he shuts it off that it won't restart until it cools off. You have the most aggravating issue to figure out. Scored, vent, coil, carb, fuel line, fuel filter, spark plug are all things to consider. It's nice when you have a pair of saws to do some parts swapping to help diagnose.
I have a Lawn Boy that won't start when hot and it has very little compression.
Bad saw shops. Thats unreal?? Plug and filter? 87 and xp mix? Idiots!
Never hurts to try another plug but if you don't know then say you don't know.
It must be an X torque if its 3 yrs old unlike your. If its not staling out and its always done this then you could pretty much rule out it being a compression isue, as was mentioned
Same with the vent. It will lean out and the chain will start to spin on it's own then sputter out from lack of fuel in about 15 -30 seconds. In that case when revs come up you can always put the saw on its side quickly and crack the gas cap.
If the revs drop down to normal then its a vent. You could try opening the cap after you shut down though. another thing is pulling of the top cap and filter after shut down and fire it up with it off, if it will. It may be more of it not getting enough fuel opposed to a needle drip down as as you say it happens when it runs out of fuel too. Metering level? Do you check if the saw plug is wet or dry? after you fill up. Do you choke it? Things you need to find out before buying parts.
Never hurts to try another plug but if you don't know then say you don't know.
It must be an X torque if its 3 yrs old unlike your. If its not staling out and its always done this then you could pretty much rule out it being a compression isue, as was mentioned
Same with the vent. It will lean out and the chain will start to spin on it's own then sputter out from lack of fuel in about 15 -30 seconds. In that case when revs come up you can always put the saw on its side quickly and crack the gas cap.
If the revs drop down to normal then its a vent. You could try opening the cap after you shut down though. another thing is pulling of the top cap and filter after shut down and fire it up with it off, if it will. It may be more of it not getting enough fuel opposed to a needle drip down as as you say it happens when it runs out of fuel too. Metering level? Do you check if the saw plug is wet or dry? after you fill up. Do you choke it? Things you need to find out before buying parts.
