Help needed on Stihl 038. Hard to pull

[thecatlass]

Hi all and what a fantastic site this is. I've spent 2 days with my chainsaw in bits, trying to suss it out and i've used many of your pearls of wisdom already. Still the thing is trying to beat me though.

I'm re-building a motorbike atm and that hasn't got me half as frustrated as this little saw has!

The saw has been stored for a long time. It was started up last year then left in a dry garage. When I went to try it, the pulley was hard. this is what i've done so far:

Stripped and cleaned the carb
Cleaned the air filter
Checked the fuel filter and fuel pipe to carb
checked the pulley, spring etc
Cleaned the starter magnets
Cleaned and check spark plug (wasn't particularly bad) and check spark is ok
Checked there is compression
Looked in the cylinder and checked piston and all looks ok
Changed mix for new
Changed oil for new
Cleaned exhaust

When trying to start, i'm using the choke until it pops then closing it to a warm start. the pulley is really struggling and feels hard and lumpy. the engine is turning and i'm getting a little smoke out of the exhaust along with some fuel running down the case from the exhaust when i try start it over and over. It's obviously flooding but i don't know why. I've removed the spark plug and pulled the start and it's easy as butter then.
I'm completely stumped and hate to be beaten but i'm currently sat with plasters all over my hands from mega blisters trying to start it. I'm also going to have muscles in my arms like popeye at this rate.
I'm sure i'm missing something so very easy, but would really appreciate if someone can shed some light on what i'm missing.
I have the tree stump from hell awaiting to be obliterated and it's laughing at me at the moment!!!!
Any help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance

Gail x

 

[Swinny]

i had an 023 saw that filled the cylinder with a lot of fuel, i had to remove the exhaust and spark plug and pull over for quite a while to clear it.

 

[thecatlass]

Wow, thankyou for the quick response.

Yes, it pulls freely when the plug is out and the pulley on it's own when it's off the body. I can understand the need to clear it out but there must be a reason why it's doing it in the first place?

Gail x

 

[keith811]

I had a saw do this to me once after rebuilding the carb. come to find out I bent the lever that raises the needl valve, and it was staying open all the time.

 

[thecatlass]

Yeah, found that myself Keith. I'd not located the pin correctly and it was stuck open. Luckily I found it whilst checking everything for the 10th time!!!!!! LOL

 

[Kenskip1]

Dear sir, first off welcome to the site. I do not know all the history of your saw but I will take a stab at it. From the sounds of it, with the plug out all is well.I will guess that the starting rope is worn and binding in the spool. With the plug out, their is little or no resistance.With the plug in the rope is now binding within the spool! Best of luck, Ken

 

[Stihl088stock]

Popeye arm... that's funny...

What are your H and L needles set at? are they one turn out?

 

[keith811]

Wow, thankyou for the quick response.

Yes, it pulls freely when the plug is out and the pulley on it's own when it's off the body. I can understand the need to clear it out but there must be a reason why it's doing it in the first place?

Gail x

putting the saw on stop wont stop fuel from coming in the fuel is pulled in by the vacuum created by the piston moving through the stroke. if you want to get dry pulls you will have to unhook the fuel line or just dump the gas back in the can.

 

[Swinny]

putting the saw on stop wont stop fuel from coming in the fuel is pulled in by the vacuum created by the piston moving through the stroke. if you want to get dry pulls you will have to unhook the fuel line or just dump the gas back in the can.

:agree2:

 

[thecatlass]

The rope is ok, that was one of the first things i checked. The kickback i got from the pulley actually broke the handle so i had to replace it.

Yes, i've re-set the H and L to 1 turn off.

Thanks for that keith, would you recommend I do disconnect the line when i'm doing this?

Gail x

 

[Swinny]

The rope is ok, that was one of the first things i checked. The kickback i got from the pulley actually broke the handle so i had to replace it.

Yes, i've re-set the H and L to 1 turn off.

Thanks for that keith, would you recommend I do disconnect the line when i'm doing this?

Gail x

yes, needs doing, i had forgot to mention that

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi all and what a fantastic site this is. I've spent 2 days with my chainsaw in bits, trying to suss it out and i've used many of your pearls of wisdom already. Still the thing is trying to beat me though.

I'm re-building a motorbike atm and that hasn't got me half as frustrated as this little saw has!

The saw has been stored for a long time. It was started up last year then left in a dry garage. When I went to try it, the pulley was hard. this is what i've done so far:

Stripped and cleaned the carb
Cleaned the air filter
Checked the fuel filter and fuel pipe to carb
checked the pulley, spring etc
Cleaned the starter magnets
Cleaned and check spark plug (wasn't particularly bad) and check spark is ok
Checked there is compression
Looked in the cylinder and checked piston and all looks ok
Changed mix for new
Changed oil for new
Cleaned exhaust

When trying to start, i'm using the choke until it pops then closing it to a warm start. the pulley is really struggling and feels hard and lumpy. the engine is turning and i'm getting a little smoke out of the exhaust along with some fuel running down the case from the exhaust when i try start it over and over. It's obviously flooding but i don't know why. I've removed the spark plug and pulled the start and it's easy as butter then.
I'm completely stumped and hate to be beaten but i'm currently sat with plasters all over my hands from mega blisters trying to start it. I'm also going to have muscles in my arms like popeye at this rate.
I'm sure i'm missing something so very easy, but would really appreciate if someone can shed some light on what i'm missing.
I have the tree stump from hell awaiting to be obliterated and it's laughing at me at the moment!!!!
Any help will be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance

Gail x

Hi Gail and welcome aboard. The hard and lumpy symptoms have me a bit stumped.
Is the pully slayed, causing the pull cord to bind in the pulley? It could also be the wrong size dia. cord in the spool, ie, too small and doubling up, thus binding.
John

 

[thecatlass]

Cheers. That's the first thing on the list then. Would this really have such an adverse effect on the pulley though? It won't pull a full flywheel turn atall, unless i pull really slowly, then it seems to do 3 turns to a full pull length (crikey, that's hard to explain in words)

 

[keith811]

The rope is ok, that was one of the first things i checked. The kickback i got from the pulley actually broke the handle so i had to replace it.

Yes, i've re-set the H and L to 1 turn off.

Thanks for that keith, would you recommend I do disconnect the line when i'm doing this?

Gail x

yes or just dump the gas back into your can. that is usually easier than unhooking and re-hooking the line.

 

[thecatlass]

No John, it doesn't feel like the rope atall, feels like the flywheel that's resisting. I can turn it manually so it's not compromised. It's very difficult to put how it feels into words. As I say, if i pull the cord slowly, the wheel does a full turn but no chance when pulling hard.

 

[keith811]

No John, it doesn't feel like the rope atall, feels like the flywheel that's resisting. I can turn it manually so it's not compromised. It's very difficult to put how it feels into words. As I say, if i pull the cord slowly, the wheel does a full turn but no chance when pulling hard.

after you do a few dry pulls and blow out all the excess fuel. Put the saw back together and refuel. try to start. see if it gets harder to pull on each pull. If it is then the saw is loading up and may have something installed wrong.

 

[Gypo Logger]

No John, it doesn't feel like the rope atall, feels like the flywheel that's resisting. I can turn it manually so it's not compromised. It's very difficult to put how it feels into words. As I say, if i pull the cord slowly, the wheel does a full turn but no chance when pulling hard.

Gail, have you checked the starting dogs that engage the flywheel?
John

 

[thecatlass]

Thanks Keith. I'll let you know how I get on.

John, you've stumped me with "dogs". If that's the fins, they are all fine, perfect infact. So is the arm on the pulley.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Thanks Keith. I'll let you know how I get on.

John, you've stumped me with "dogs". If that's the fins, they are all fine, perfect infact. So is the arm on the pulley.

Gail, with the starter off and pulling on the starter handle can you see what is called a pawl rotate outward and retreat back in when you release the cord back into the starter cover?
John

 

[thecatlass]

Yes, I can John. It seems to be fine