MS201t Problem

[RED-85-Z51]

Every ms201t I've had on my bench i drop started. Putting it on the ground and yanking on the rope usually ended up with me launching headfirst into the dirt. Its a very tight saw with a small recoil spool..it responds more to speed than power. Its also physically small and light...the top handle design limits your footprint.

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[Ddogwood]

So, here is the final story to the MS201T story:
I spent the money and replaced the electric module after the old one failed. Hard-pulled the thing to life and ran it for half an hour limbing a tree that I have been slowly cutting up for fire wood, and it ran great. I noticed that once it was warm, it was not as hard to start. Let it cool, and it was back to its old tricks. Anyway, I called the owner to come get it. I couldn't charge him for all the parts and hours that I spent working on the saw, and he walked away with a smile. About a week ago, he stopped me on the street and said, "Yep, it is a mother bear to pull when starting it cold, but once warm, I can start it while up in the trees." He said that it has plenty of power, and that he loves the saw.

So, after all is said and done, mission accomplished...I guess?

Thank you all, for the many great ideas and interest in this project. The problem may be (as was suggested) as simple as a high-torque engine being started with a relatively small diameter pull-start? In any event, I have learned a hell of a lot more about the MS201T than I ever thought that I would.

Again, thanks everybody!

Ddogwood

 

[lone wolf]

So, here is the final story to the MS201T story:
I spent the money and replaced the electric module after the old one failed. Hard-pulled the thing to life and ran it for half an hour limbing a tree that I have been slowly cutting up for fire wood, and it ran great. I noticed that once it was warm, it was not as hard to start. Let it cool, and it was back to its old tricks. Anyway, I called the owner to come get it. I couldn't charge him for all the parts and hours that I spent working on the saw, and he walked away with a smile. About a week ago, he stopped me on the street and said, "Yep, it is a mother bear to pull when starting it cold, but once warm, I can start it while up in the trees." He said that it has plenty of power, and that he loves the saw.

So, after all is said and done, mission accomplished...I guess?

Thank you all, for the many great ideas and interest in this project. The problem may be (as was suggested) as simple as a high-torque engine being started with a relatively small diameter pull-start? In any event, I have learned a hell of a lot more about the MS201T than I ever thought that I would.

Again, thanks everybody!

Ddogwood

Finally , good news.

 

[lone wolf]

So, here is the final story to the MS201T story:
I spent the money and replaced the electric module after the old one failed. Hard-pulled the thing to life and ran it for half an hour limbing a tree that I have been slowly cutting up for fire wood, and it ran great. I noticed that once it was warm, it was not as hard to start. Let it cool, and it was back to its old tricks. Anyway, I called the owner to come get it. I couldn't charge him for all the parts and hours that I spent working on the saw, and he walked away with a smile. About a week ago, he stopped me on the street and said, "Yep, it is a mother bear to pull when starting it cold, but once warm, I can start it while up in the trees." He said that it has plenty of power, and that he loves the saw.

So, after all is said and done, mission accomplished...I guess?

Thank you all, for the many great ideas and interest in this project. The problem may be (as was suggested) as simple as a high-torque engine being started with a relatively small diameter pull-start? In any event, I have learned a hell of a lot more about the MS201T than I ever thought that I would.

Again, thanks everybody!

Ddogwood

Yup you learned to stay away from them.

 

[Tuniss75]

I have worked on small engines a long time, but I have come across a problem with a Stihl MS201t that has got me stumped.

The saw came to me in this in good condition, it wasn't too terribly dirty, the blade did seem to show signs of over tightening, but didn't seem to have too many hours on it. Anyway, I go to pull-start it and the engine turns, but extremely hard (It's like trying to start a much larger saw without first pushing in the compression release). My first thought is that there is something wrong with the pull-start, but after removing it and inspecting it, there is no problem there. Pulled the chain cover, chain and clutch, no problems there.

So, I figure that the engine is partially seized.

So I install a new after-market piston, rings, and cylinder, and put it all back together, go to pull-start it again, and the same thing happens.

So, then I think, maybe, the saw got over heated and it seized the bearings in the crank and it only becomes an issue when it is under compression? So, I found a used crankcase (Complete lower end) online that upon inspection seemed to work just just fine, and installed the new piston, rings and cylinder on to it, put the saw together, tried to pull-start it, and the same thing happens.

So, I scratch my head, pull the spark plug, and tug on the pull-starter, and it pulls easily!

So, I think, maybe I put the piston in backwards? I pulled it apart again, and find that the piston was installed correctly.

I have gone through every thing that I can think of could possibly be the problem: pulled the spark arrestor, pulled the muffler, pulled the carburetor, intake manifold to no avail.

I have pulled everything off of the motor and tried to pull-starter and get the same results; it is to0 hard to pull to get the motor to turn without really holding it down, or locking it in a vice. But, if I pull the spark plug, it spins easily!

In other words, this saw has a totally different motor in it than what came to me, but I am having the same problem!

Any thoughts?

Ddogwood

I have worked on small engines a long time, but I have come across a problem with a Stihl MS201t that has got me stumped.

The saw came to me in this in good condition, it wasn't too terribly dirty, the blade did seem to show signs of over tightening, but didn't seem to have too many hours on it. Anyway, I go to pull-start it and the engine turns, but extremely hard (It's like trying to start a much larger saw without first pushing in the compression release). My first thought is that there is something wrong with the pull-start, but after removing it and inspecting it, there is no problem there. Pulled the chain cover, chain and clutch, no problems there.

So, I figure that the engine is partially seized.

So I install a new after-market piston, rings, and cylinder, and put it all back together, go to pull-start it again, and the same thing happens.

So, then I think, maybe, the saw got over heated and it seized the bearings in the crank and it only becomes an issue when it is under compression? So, I found a used crankcase (Complete lower end) online that upon inspection seemed to work just just fine, and installed the new piston, rings and cylinder on to it, put the saw together, tried to pull-start it, and the same thing happens.

So, I scratch my head, pull the spark plug, and tug on the pull-starter, and it pulls easily!

So, I think, maybe I put the piston in backwards? I pulled it apart again, and find that the piston was installed correctly.

I have gone through every thing that I can think of could possibly be the problem: pulled the spark arrestor, pulled the muffler, pulled the carburetor, intake manifold to no avail.

I have pulled everything off of the motor and tried to pull-starter and get the same results; it is to0 hard to pull to get the motor to turn without really holding it down, or locking it in a vice. But, if I pull the spark plug, it spins easily!

In other words, this saw has a totally different motor in it than what came to me, but I am having the same problem!

Any thoughts?

Ddogwood

I would check maybe the crank bearings are the risk then needle bearing it could be alright without compression once you put some compression and pressure on those bearings it might be binding up on ya I got one on the table at my shop here that I kind of had the same problem with. Only on this one the bearings or crank it's bad because it's got a great amount of play in the flywheel was hitting just enough to make it hard to pull over,

 

[Abbeville TSI]

My 201tC-M is also hard to pull over when cold. After it has warmed up it's fine, and has plenty of power for a 35cc saw.
They are just tight little boogers.

 

[Tobystihl]

I had this problem once, turns out someone had bolted the intake manifold on with the incorrect bolts (too long) resulting in the tips of the bolts deforming the cylinder wall causing a bind.....

 

[CR888]

Length of starter cord if not correct and right size will change the 'gearing' involved in turning over the engine.