Stihl ms250 problems again
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Vacuum and pressure test. CHECK the fuel using a glass jar. Water found in over 50% of saws at shop. Fuel hose crack number one. Seals next. You can try a carbs clean, but the failure rate is also over 50%. Basics first.
The wood is not being used. I am just clearing it out of passageways so that the elk and more importantly, myself can get around quietly. The wood will never be used as it is too far from any traversable road to make it worth the effort to get it out of there. If I cut into smaller pieces, it would mean more than twice the cuts and although throwing or flipping the logs out of the way would be easier with smaller pieces, it would mean many more times picking up and throwing. Most of the logs are 12 - 20 inches in diameter so that is a lot longer on the saw. I figure that even if I don't get all the logs moved out of the way, they will be at least laying in contact with the ground after I cut them and so they will decay much quicker than if they are crisscrossed every which direction. All the wood has been dead for more than a decade, it is just now rotting at the roots enough for the wind to blow them down. In the area I am right now, I would say 95% of the trees on the hill died and they are 80% blown down now. They are mostly lodgepole pine with an occasional fir in the mix.
Anyway, enough with the wood talk, the saws behavior was what I am really wanting to figure out. I am headed up this afternoon and will look at all the suggestions given here.
Anyway, enough with the wood talk, the saws behavior was what I am really wanting to figure out. I am headed up this afternoon and will look at all the suggestions given here.
If your plug leaks it would do it at all temperatures. It sounds like you did a good job of making and installing it so it's likely not the problem.
It's better to follow Stihl's instructions for setting the carb than to do it ad hoc. Their instructions do not result in a saw that runs too lean.
It's better to follow Stihl's instructions for setting the carb than to do it ad hoc. Their instructions do not result in a saw that runs too lean.
Clean the air filter first, then try a slight adjust to the carb.
Leaving it in the woods in a plastic bag in a brush pile is not a good thing.
Make a travios and bring it out of the woods if it's too heavy for you to carry..
Right now you need another saw. If you have back issues you need a lighter weight saw for that small dead wood anyway.
Here is a link to a travios:
http://www.native-languages.org/travois.htm
Leaving it in the woods in a plastic bag in a brush pile is not a good thing.
Make a travios and bring it out of the woods if it's too heavy for you to carry..
Right now you need another saw. If you have back issues you need a lighter weight saw for that small dead wood anyway.
Here is a link to a travios:
http://www.native-languages.org/travois.htm
3 months it took me to be able to do anything.
Ok okie, I hope you were kidding. A travois would weigh much more than the saw. I have tried to drag a deer on one once and after 10 minutes decided it was much easier just carrying the darned thing. I am leaving it there to make it easier on myself not necessarily that I have to. I ride a motorcycle to and from and caring it on that is a whole other story. Let’s just say that I have taken precautionary measures to where the saw is as dry and protected from the weather as it would be in my garage. I live in a very dry environment and rust or corrosion is not a problem here.
To tell you the truth I have been having some major pain in the back while bending up until the first day I started moving logs. After that day, although plenty tired from being out of shape, my back has not felt better. Little stiff but no pinching nerve feelings. So much better that I went up the very next morning and it even felt better after that. I am pretty good unless I go over about 4.5 hours in the sun. I think I just needed to give it a work out.
Dont pick anything up over 50 lbs .
You can extend that to five or six months. Just go see a chiropractor who doesn't know what he's doing. After one of those guys got through with me, I wound up that night in the ER at the local hospital, transported there by ambulance.
Patrick1903
ArboristSite Operative
Sell MS250. Buy MS261. 
I’m surprised it’s 30+ posts in before someone said to sell the MS250. (I own one, btw).
I’m surprised it’s 30+ posts in before someone said to sell the MS250. (I own one, btw).
The MS250 air filter is small and clogs easily. But remember the saw is running fine after it starts and clears out. If the filter was clogged then the saw would run poorly all the time.
I'd find a way to pack the saw in and out. Maybe an old backpack frame modified to hold the saw, gas, tools and safety gear. But if I had to leave a saw in the woods I'd rather leave an MS250 than a MS261.
I'd find a way to pack the saw in and out. Maybe an old backpack frame modified to hold the saw, gas, tools and safety gear. But if I had to leave a saw in the woods I'd rather leave an MS250 than a MS261.
I have heard really good things about the ms261.
It been a great saw for the last 9+? years. For a saw found in the ditch on the side of the road and about a 20.00 aftermarket handle. I have never had a hard time starting it like many posts I hear about. Heck it still starts and runs fine, just takes a bit of fiddling after a refuel. I’ll get it fixed though and then it will be good until I no longer can cut firewood.
matt_lamb_160
ArboristSite Operative
I found that the factory fuel tank vent on my 023 was too restrictive. I have replaced it with a bigger vent and it has ran flawlessly since. Before, the cold idle setting had to be too rich to make it idle well when hot. Now I can set the idle leaner when cold and have sufficient fuel when hot.
I was wondering how long it would be before someone mention about the fuel tank vent. Stihl had so many designs of that vent that it looks like they tried different things to see what might work. On many of my Stihl saws I use an Echo vent that looks like a mushroom, usually works well..
Ok, for the final chapter on the MS250. I took the starter rope cover off to make sure it wasn't built up with chips and such. The cylinder fins behind the magnito/flywheel? were chuck full of oiled sawdust. I cleaned it out with a small screwdriver and put the cover back on. Its going to get a good cleaning when it gets back home this weekend. I checked the needles and the L was turned out 1 1/3 turn from seated and the H was out almost exactly 1 turn from fully seated. I went ahead and bumped them both out 1/4 turn more and made sure the air filter was clear. I have been noticing that the air filter has been letting fine dust through the seal around the bottom edge where it snaps on, not sure if that is normal for this type of filter design or not. It started up just like normal. 2 pulls with choke and 2 pulls with choke off. It seemed to run just fine with the slightly richer mixture. It cut as usual starting on first pull, choke off in between moving logs and cutting. This time when I could hear the rpms rise when the tank was getting low, I shut the saw down and refueled. After refueling, the saw started on one pull with choke off just like it should. I only refueled 3 times yesterday but the saw started first pull every time I started it after the first start of the day.
So, I will still have to fine tune the carb when I get the saw back home, but I believe the problem might have been a combination of the cylinder fins being stuffed up and not cooling properly, along with running the tank dry of fuel between fill ups, and perhaps it being just a tiny bit lean.
The saw is running great again and I appreciate everybody's comments and suggestions.
So, I will still have to fine tune the carb when I get the saw back home, but I believe the problem might have been a combination of the cylinder fins being stuffed up and not cooling properly, along with running the tank dry of fuel between fill ups, and perhaps it being just a tiny bit lean.
The saw is running great again and I appreciate everybody's comments and suggestions.
Well it should tune very close to the stock settings for the H and L. What are the stock settings? Keep your gas and saw away from the sun all times possible.
Stock settings from the instruction manual are Not applicable because the limiter plugs are removed. With the low, I just go in to over peak and then back off to about a 1/4 to 1/2 turn under peak. The high speed I usually set get it a little rich without load and then get it to clean up in the cut. I have a tach to use also.
