Difficult to cold start 361

[777ER]

I've had 4 tanks thru my 361 already and always empty the fuel out of the saw back into the fuel jug because never gonna know when I need it next...could be weeks or months.

Usually it takes about 4-5 pulls when it's around 55-70 deg out to start it for the first time of the day.
When it's warm, it always fires on the first pull.

Fuel is shell 89 octance with HP ultra oil mixed 50:1

Today it was time to bring the Christmas tree into the house...being that I had a bad day with traffic coming home from work...I was too lazy to saw the tree by hand and the branches...The GF wanted to saw it by hand and I told her if you can finish it before I get my chainsaw fired up, otherwise I'm using it on the tree!

Took it out of the case, filled it up with 50:1 mix, throttle held down and choke lever set to full down. Release handle, press decompression button in and pulled the starter while holding it on the ground. After 10 mins of attempting to start it, it won't start.
I smell fuel fumes after 5 pulls of the starter.

I feel a weak combustion effect in the starter cord like it fires for a stroke or two then stops.

Selected warm choke and tried that setting, same thing.

Tried starting it while holding the throttle WOT to clear out a possible flooded engine but no help.

the GF won 10 mins later by hand sawing it and I decided to stop and drain the fuel out of it and put it away...defeated

It's giving a good spark but won't fire up and run.

I even re-read the owners manual and don't see I'm doing anything wrong...I'm following the starting prodecure correctly.

What should I check for....any tips on starting a cold 361? It was about 35-40 deg in the garage today.

saw is 4 months old.

Maybe the fuel wasn't primed in the fuel hose to the engine due to a dry fuel tank at first?

Any suggestions or troubleshooting tips would be great!

 

[volks-man]

sounds like a simple flooding to me. pull the plug and let it dry out.
my 361 is one of the stronger 'poppers'. when you start on choke i get a fairly strong sputter, then switch up to the next notch and run. some 361s barely pop/sputter and you may not here it. good rule of thumb is to pull on choke a few times and then switch off choke whether it sputtered or not. hard to flood it this way. and if it doesn't start you can always choke the saw again.

 

[Lakeside53]

Just don't use the decomp... you hear the "cough" better..

 

[SLlandscape]

My 192T is the same way. It takes 5-6 pulls to make it start the first time of the day, regardless of temp outside. Once I get it started I let it sit for about 2 min in idile to warm up. I do the same thing with my poulan. But the poulan starts in 3 pulls.
Hey Lakeside, I modded my poulan yesterday, so far so good. It took a while to figure out how to retune the carb because it has some weird bolts on it.

 

[777ER]

good rule of thumb is to pull on choke a few times and then switch off choke whether it sputtered or not. hard to flood it this way. and if it doesn't start you can always choke the saw again.

Gonna try doing that tonite...hopefully I'll learn how to get the 361 fired up quick.

 

[777ER]

Just don't use the decomp... you hear the "cough" better..

Didn't bother with the decomp valve after it wouldn't start for the first few mins.

 

[blsnelling]

More than likely, you simply flooded the saw. The 361 muffler is so restricted that it's hard to hear the cough.

1. Pull the spark plug.
2. Turn the saw upside down.
3. Pull the rope several times.
4. If a lot of fuel sprays out, let the saw set with the sparkplug out for several hours to dry out.
5. Replace the spark plug.
6. Do NOT push in the decomp.
7. Depress throttle and push master control lever all the way down. Then bring it back up one notch. There is NO choke in this position, it's simply a fast idle.
8. Pull the aggresively rope until the saw starts.
9. There's a chance it may need choked if it sat without the plug long enough. If you do have to choke it, don't pull it more than 3-4 times before moving it too high idle.

 

[litefoot]

Just don't use the decomp... you hear the "cough" better..

+1

 

[SawTroll]

Just don't use the decomp... you hear the "cough" better..

..or move the lever to fast idle after 3 pulls - "pop" or not.

Lots of newer saws are like that.

 

[777ER]

Seems like I got it figured out now.

Filled it up again tonite, full choke and one brisk pull of the starter cord, the engine sputtered for 2-3 sec and died...moved choke to fast idle, 2nd pull the engine started running and put out blueish smoke for about a min then cleared up.

From now on, I'll only do 3 pulls on full choke for a cold start before moving the lever to fast idle.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[rocky226]

My father in law has a 361 same deal as yours. What we found out 2 pulls full choke then switch to fast idle up one notch from choke position then depress trigger all the way and 1 pull it will start and run. Blue smoke pillars out and then she screams.
Git-R-Done

 

[AKRENZ02]

my 361 takes 6-7 pulls when stone cold... She fires right up. When warm she starts on the 1st pull!

 

[GASoline71]

I will admit... I have never heard of someone dumping the fuel out of their saw after every single use...

Gary

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

I will admit... I have never heard of someone dumping the fuel out of their saw after every single use...

Gary

Me neither.

 

[Lakeside53]

lol used nearly 2 gallons today alone... Oh.. the first tank was a mix of 3+ month old gas and topped up with 1 month old...



I just pull on mine (choke on) until it fires -almost aways on the 5th.

 

[Booshcat]

I will admit... I have never heard of someone dumping the fuel out of their saw after every single use...

Gary

It's Because The Oil Goes Bad Gary!

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

I just pull on mine (choke on) until it fires -almost aways on the 5th.[/QUOTE]

umm Starter rope or.........lol

 

[Taxmantoo]

I will admit... I have never heard of someone dumping the fuel out of their saw after every single use...

If you don't know when the next use will be it sounds like a good idea.
Homeowners who only cut storm damage should definitely do it that way, or buy some of that mix in the sealed quarts from Sears.

 

[SawTroll]

If you don't know when the next use will be it sounds like a good idea.
Homeowners who only cut storm damage should definitely do it that way, or buy some of that mix in the sealed quarts from Sears.

I allmost never do, but the Aspen fuel have saved me so far......

 

[iCreek]

Thanks for this information on cold starting the MS361. I was getting kind of depressed after getting a used 361 and finding it impossible to start. Took the advise of many here at AS, 2-3 pulls fully choked, then a few other pulls in fast idle, middle position, and low and behold, I have a saw that will start every time !!!

Thanks so much.