Stupid NOOB needs help. MS260 Smoking

[Narc]

Bought a used MS260 this week for $150 after a string of disposable saws. As I mentioned in a previous thread, I am mechanically retarded and now I need a good samaritan or 5 to give me some advice.
Ok, I pulled the muffler to take some pictures although I probably shouldn't have. I put it back on today and started it after reading my copy of the owner's manual that I printed off the Stihl website. Cranked right up, but smoke start coming out of the muffler area. I turned it back off, and cranked it again. Remember, I am a moron. The smoke was heavier this time, coming from the muffler and the sound got sorta higher pitched, I think. I shut it back off and logged on here.

Other possibly relevant info- the fuel is the same fuel that the previous owner had in the tank. I did add some poulan bar oil that I had left over from the old saws.
Concerned that I may have turned what I think was a great deal on a used saw into an awesome repair bill for the local Stihl dealer.

Anyone with the patience of Job that is willing to give me some insight? I gotta take the wife to eat in a few minutes, but I'll be back to answer questions that there might be.
Oh yeah, here's a think to my first thread if anyone wants to see the pics I posted- http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=89193

 

[flashpuppy]

Narc???? Hm.......

Try to drain the fuel tank and start with a fresh mix of gas/oil. Pick up some stihl oil and mix it appropriately. Start there. Also, see what the spark plug looks like.

 

[K9-Handler]

Ok, I pulled the muffler to take some pictures although I probably shouldn't have.

No reason not to. You posted a nice photo of the piston.

I put it back on today and started it after reading my copy of the owner's manual that I printed off the Stihl website. Cranked right up, but smoke start coming out of the muffler area.

I'm not sure I'm reading this right. Is this the very first time you ran the saw, or did it run without smoke before but it smokes now after you exercised the muffler?

Other possibly relevant info- the fuel is the same fuel that the previous owner had in the tank. I did add some poulan bar oil that I had left over from the old saws.

That is very relevant. If the mixture was close before, is sure isn't now. But even if it was the gas is probably ancient. You have an unknown quality of mix. Before you do anything else, dump out that fuel from the tank and mix up a batch of NEW premium fuel and at least some Stihl dino oil (orange bottle) or Ultra synthetic (white bottle) or Husqvarna XP. Get the little bottles and mix it with one gallon of gas.

Once you've done that, fire it up, give it a couple of minutes to clear out all of the old junk, then write back and let us know what you've got.

Good luck.

 

[Narc]

That is very relevant. If the mixture was close before, is sure isn't now. But even if it was the gas is probably ancient. You have an unknown quality of mix. Before you do anything else, dump out that fuel from the tank and mix up a batch of NEW premium fuel and at least some Stihl dino oil (orange bottle) or Ultra synthetic (white bottle) or Husqvarna XP. Get the little bottles and mix it with one gallon of gas.

Once you've done that, fire it up, give it a couple of minutes to clear out all of the old junk, then write back and let us know what you've got.

Good luck.

My bad, let me clarify that I added the bar oil to the appropriate resevoir. I did nothing to the actual fuel tank.
He ran it for me before I bought it, but I honestly don't remember if it smoked or not.
I gotta run to dinner or my wife is gonna leave me!

 

[stihl025]

My bad, let me clarify that I added the bar oil to the appropriate resevoir. I did nothing to the actual fuel tank.
He ran it for me before I bought it, but I honestly don't remember if it smoked or not.
I gotta run to dinner or my wife is gonna leave me!

That was going to be my next question... did you accidently add bar oil to the gas tank...

Need more info on this smoke... What color is it? Blueish gray, white, black?

 

[Hlakegollum]

Try fresh gas and mix.

 

[K9-Handler]

My bad, let me clarify that I added the bar oil to the appropriate reservoir. I did nothing to the actual fuel tank.
He ran it for me before I bought it, but I honestly don't remember if it smoked or not.
I gotta run to dinner or my wife is gonna leave me!

It STIHL wouldn't be a bad idea to put fresh mix in. You stihl have an unknown quality of stuff in there! You don't know if the previous owner had the saw in storage for a year, and most of the gas has evaporated and left the oil.
Search around the site and see what the opinions are of fuel and oil. It's the most important variable with these beasts. You can try the old nose test, but really -- a tank of fuel and oil is really cheap compared to the aggravation of a bad-running saw.

Doesn't do a lick of good to modify the muffler when you're trying to burn two-year old ethanol! :greenchainsaw:

Hope you had a successful Valentine's dinner! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Erick]

They don't call them 2-smokers for nothing.

You need to dump that fuel and mix a fresh gallon of fuel with a known quantity of a known oil. If he's mixed it rich or used cheap oil it will clear every mosquito in the county.

Get some good fresh high octane fuel and some good (IMO synthetic) oil and mix at the proper ratio and then see what you've got.

Rest easy.... there is nothing you could have done removing the muffler that would cause it to smoke...... unless you sprayed some penetrating oil on the bolts or used something to clean the muffler while you had it off that is now burning off of the hot muffler???

Is this the first time you've ran the saw??

From the looks of that piston pic you are doing just fine, just don’t go adjusting the carb….. yet.

 

[Hlakegollum]

:agree2:

They don't call them 2-smokers for nothing.

You need to dump that fuel and mix a fresh gallon of fuel with a known quantity of a known oil. If he's mixed it rich or used cheap oil it will clear every mosquito in the county.

Get some good fresh high octane fuel and some good (IMO synthetic) oil and mix at the proper ratio and then see what you've got.

Rest easy.... there is nothing you could have done removing the muffler that would cause it to smoke...... unless you sprayed some penetrating oil on the bolts or used something to clean the muffler while you had it off that is now burning off of the hot muffler???

Is this the first time you've ran the saw??

From the looks of that piston pic you are doing just fine, just don’t go adjusting the carb….. yet.

 

[husky455rancher]

the olny saw that smokes that i have is the poolie. it smokes like its on fire. its pretty funny. i have no idea why it does it. i never use it anyway but the compression is good i think it was bout 150 if i remember right.

 

[tbuggle]

the olny saw that smokes that i have is the poolie. it smokes like its on fire. its pretty funny. i have no idea why it does it. i never use it anyway but the compression is good i think it was bout 150 if i remember right.

mine always did that too, maybe because I was less vigilant about it's fuel (or any for that matter, til i got here, now i question month old gas).


try some nice fresh mix, in case nobody mentioned that already...

 

[davidsparks]

Narc, where you at in Texas?