Stihl 044 rebuild trouble

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Jhoagg03

New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2021
Messages
4
Reaction score
10
Location
Michigan
So I recently just rebuilt a stihl 044. It has compression and I’ve had it running a couple times but I’m having trouble adjusting the carburetor. How should one start to adjust the carb? I screwed all the screws in and backed the two top screws out two turns and left the bottom alone and tried to go from there. But not having much luck. And yes I’ve replaced the fuel filter, lines, and air filter.
 
If it says C3M on it then probably the one that needs replacing. They are famous for not idling. Why was it rebuilt in the first place? Try 1 1/4 on both and in a lot on the big one. The big one only acts like having the throttle opened a little and helps get it going and then you can slow it down when the others two are dialed in.
 
Rupedoggy I bought it dirt cheap with a blown piston and cylinder. Someone ran straight gas in it. I will check the carb tomorrow.
 
Seat both top screws, then out 1 turn each.

The LA (Bottom) screw needs to be adjusted with a tach (or just until chain creeps a bit at idle).

As said above, gotta vac and pressure test first or you’ll be chasing your tail. A used saw that failed is always a long shot, the seller is rarely truthful or their misunderstanding of how to use a saw relates to their incorrect diagnosis.
 
There is a low speed screw, a high speed screw, and an idle screw. Start with the low and high 1.5 turns out and set the idle screw so it just starts to open the throttle plate. Turn the idle screw in until the saw will start and idle, then adjust the low screw till the idle speeds up, keep adjusting the low and idle till it starts to idle poorly then go the other way so you have a nice smooth idle at a speed where the chain just barely stops creeping. Then adjust the high screw will it just stops 4-stroking then back it out 1/8 turn or until it 4-strokes at WOT but clears up when cutting. Once the high is set, go back and adjust the low speed screw till you have good throttle response without it loading up and dying at idle, you will probably have to adjust the idle a couple more times while you do this. Once all three have been set go cut some wood and go through the whole process one more time with the engine hot then it should be good to go.

It's a balancing act between the three, low and idle fight each other, low and high fight each other. The goal is a saw that is rich enough at WOT to 4-stroke out of the wood but run clean when cutting, have good throttle response and idle without the chain creeping and won't load up and die if idles for 30 seconds.

I definitely recommend a pressure/vac test. leaking crank seals are common and will burn up a saw, they also make a saw very difficult to tune and that's often my first indication that I have an air leak. A good running saw will all of a sudden fall out of tune and I have trouble keeping it in tune.
 
Thank you all for the help. I don’t have a vacuum tester kit as of right now but looks like I’ll be ordering one. The only reason I think it’s the carb is because after I run it for a minute is because the engine will flood out with fuel. But I am new at this.
 
Thank you all for the help. I don’t have a vacuum tester kit as of right now but looks like I’ll be ordering one. The only reason I think it’s the carb is because after I run it for a minute is because the engine will flood out with fuel. But I am new at this.
What, if anything, have you done to the carb? May be time for an OEM kit. If it dies rich at idle it could be a needle & seat leak allowing excess fuel into the engine. It would also make it nearly impossible to tune.
 
Next one you rebuild, replace the crank seaks with factory seals while you’re in there.

Figure out which model of carb is on the saw. We can help if you share the numbers.

Then, while it’s off the saw, adjust the idle screw until you see the butterfly being held open just a pinch by the idle (LA) screw. Back both the H and L screws out one turn after fully seating them. That should get you a saw that will at least fire up after it’s reassembled. Tune from there.

Keep in mind idle and L settings affect each other. H and L settings affect each other. It’s a triangular balancing act.
 
Back
Top