Hard starting MS361

[PaulinNY]

I just bought a used MS 361 from Ebay. The saw runs well but is very hard starting. 20 plus pulls to start.Owner was a logger and used the machine for 1 1/2 years. The muffler has a nice dent on it ,a bit loud. Im thinking of taking it to a local chainsaw repair for a tune up. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Take the muffler off and look at the piston for scoring.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

It may just be as simple as a carb adjustment. The fact that it runs well is good. You may just be out of adjustment on the "L" or "LA" screw.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

That's true Jeff, but if I just bought a used saw, I would definately take off the muffler. The condition of the piston and cylinder will tell you the overall condition of the saw.
It's just 2 bolts.
If the piston is scored, that would explain the hard start, because of low compression. If not, continue the search. It could be a lot of things, but start with the simple and obvious.

 

[manual]

I just bought a used MS 361 from Ebay. The saw runs well but is very hard starting. 20 plus pulls to start.Owner was a logger and used the machine for 1 1/2 years. The muffler has a nice dent on it ,a bit loud. Im thinking of taking it to a local chainsaw repair for a tune up. Any advice appreciated.

If it sounds a bit loud and has a dent. Might want to see if the back of the muffler is flush with the cylinder.

 

[5555555]

3 bolts on a 361. ;-)

 

[blsnelling]

Are you familiar with the proper starting procedure? Pull throttle and move master switch all the way down. Push decompression valve down. Pull starter rope until the saw "pops". Move switch up one notch. Pull starter again until it starts. Pull throttle to release throttle lock. Sorry if you already knew this.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

You can do that tune up yourself. Clean or replace the air filter, replace the fuel filter, rebuild the carb, check your fuel lines/vent and intake boot. That'll solve 75% of the "used saw" discrepancies. And do check your piston/cylinder if you haven't already or before you bought the saw.

Jeff

 

[Freakingstang]

If the saw is hard to start and the basics are covered (clean air filter, fuel filter) turn the Low jet on the carb out (CCW) to richend the low side a little. should help some, unless it is getting way to much fuel upon starting (flooding).

 

[Rydaddy]

plug

others will disagree, but since I was kid riding motorcycles and flooding the stupid Honda out I had to get used to pulling the plug. Not an expert at all on how that plug should look but.... This spring I was cutting wood one weekend and had ran a few tanks through a 361 and it suddenly would not start again, refused to even try and run. Checked all the obvious things already mentioned and no luck. Put a new plug in and it fired right up...

my 4.5 cents

 

[tek9tim]

Forget the decomp. Every time I've seen a 361 flooded it was because of using it. Seems like at least the early ones released too much compression, requiring a very strong and fast pull to start. Plus, even the ditsy college girls on my fire crew can fire one up without the decomp. And although I do realize the strain a decomp takes off of the starter components, I just haven't seen it work that well on the 361.

Also don't forget the golden flooded chainsaw starting trick: put the tip of the bar over a log, take it off choke, hold the throttle wide open and yard fast until it fires. I've never had a flooded saw that I haven't been able to start that way, including 361's with fuel spewing out of the muffler.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

...even the ditsy college girls on my fire crew can fire one up without the decomp

Ditsy college girls you say?

Got a number for me to call?

 

[Lakeside53]

Ditsy college girls you say?

Got a number for me to call?

206 555-1212

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

206 555-1212

I'm half temped to try that, other than it's in your area code....

 

[Lakeside53]

Try your area code - with 555-1212 :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Freakingstang]

Ditsy college girls you say?

Got a number for me to call?

1-900-GAY-DUDES