What does it take to get a Husqvarna chainsaw started?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I use only the Husqvarna 50:1 pre mix in a can.
If you can find e free gas it save you a lot of dough. I use regular gas and just make it a point to start them monthly when I’m not using them. Yeah I’ve replaced a fuel line randomly but not a whole lot of issues really

The canned stuff is good though
 
Choke on, choke off, prime the bulb, throttle open, throttle closed ...WTF? I have had the spark plug out more times than I count and I subject each saw to a battery of 20 consecutive pulls and it still won't start. I am having a very difficult time getting either saw to start. I got the 395 started last night and once today. But now it won't start. I have never got the 550 to do little more than pop the compression release.

Is it always this difficult? Is this a foreshadowing of how it is? If so, I am going to be so tired and wore out from trying to get them to start, I won't have any energy left to cut! Do professional loggers spend the first half of the day getting the saw started and then cut after lunch until quitting time?
You have some sort of a problem either with the saw or the "nut" holding the handle our saws used in money producing work never normally take more than 3 pulls to start from cold & first pull when warm restarting ( if they do I get handed the offending item) If it has fuel, spark,& all is happening at the correct time quantity & order it cannot fail to go If you are not up to sussing out the problem a visit to an expert to check the symptoms is a good move the more you struggle with a failure to start will get you more & more pi**ed off
 
Sounds like your saws need a bit of tuning of the fuel screws. My 372 starts in 4 pulls every time, first 3 with the choke on, that gets it to cough on the last two. Take the choke off and she fires right up on the 4th
 
No saw should be really hard to start, either something is wrong with the saw or the person operating it, in this case I believe the latter [emoji6] as the front of the 550's muffler looks wet with fuel/oil.

Some of the most mechanically inclined people I've ever known have issues starting IMHO. Maybe that right there is the problem, they think it will start like a car or lawn mower, which is not the case. Choke until it pops, push choke in pull until it fires, should only take a few pulls after the initial pop with the choke on, if not repeat from the beginning. The 550 will need to be ran in some wood right away so the system can set itself properly. If you need help with tuning the 395 I'd be more than happy to help, seeing as we live in the same town.
 
I got both of them to finally come to life. What seemed to work was holding the throttle open until the fired up. This cleared out the extra fuel.

I find that if I pull on the starter with the choke ON more than, say, 400 times
and gasoline is lapping up over the tops of my boots,
then that means it might be a good time to ease up on the choke.
Hope this helps
 
B*tch, B*tch, b*tch..every one of my late 50's, early 60's saws has its own procedure on starting.. From screwdriver holding choke either open or closed, to a wrench in/on/through the throttle for a lock. 3 pulls/ ignition off, 1 pull choke on, ignition on, choke off, rotate till compression stroke, foot in handle, push down on wraparound HARD!!, grit teeth, wipe brow, rotate saw at 16 degrees to starboard, pull like a plow horse and have one of 3 things happen.. Starts and runs, kicks back and takes rope out of your hands with middle and ring finger still attached, or the rope breaks and you give yourself a heart check with the starter handle and fist wrapped in a death grip...just gotta call that fun.. And that ladies and gentlemen is why I love AMERICA!!
 
Just a newbie problem. I will get the hang of it. Here is a video of both of them running


Two very nice saws you have there! Both need to be run and remove some of that bar paint. I have logs out back and always can find some if you need run time, I will even split and stack on my property for you, so I may burn in my wood boiler 3 years from now. Always willing to help out! :yes: Also have had to hold throttle wide open to clear saws, just a little learning curve, enjoy your saws.
 
Spending half an hour with a local member may not be a bad idea. The 'basics' like starting procedure, chain tension, filing, clutch removal, spark screen inspection, bar/chain/sprocket maintenance & and needle cage bearing grease are things most of us don't think about but are VERY important to get right and know how to do properly. Your saws are to nice to suffer negligence over little issues. Swallow some pride and make a new friend. If you lived near me I'd come and help your saws & take the CR500 4 a spin when you weren't looking. :crazy2:
 
You can take two identical pieces of O P E, and chances are, they will perform differently. My younger brother has the same blower / leaf eater (SH-86C) that I have. He swears his runs much better than mine does. His is older by a couple of years.

I bought mine new from a dedicated Stihl dealer. I took it back to have the tech check it out. He tuned it saying it was a bit on the "fat side". Got it back home and didn't notice much difference in the way it ran. Anyways, it can be a bear to get started at times. It takes at least 7 or more tugs on the rope to get it going.

The only piece of O P E that I have that starts easily enough, is my HT-131. It's pretty consistent. At least it's better than all my other O P E. IMHO, the carbs all leave a lot to be desired. No matter the brand or model. They come up way short.
 
You can take two identical pieces of O P E, and chances are, they will perform differently. My younger brother has the same blower / leaf eater (SH-86C) that I have. He swears his runs much better than mine does. His is older by a couple of years.

I bought mine new from a dedicated Stihl dealer. I took it back to have the tech check it out. He tuned it saying it was a bit on the "fat side". Got it back home and didn't notice much difference in the way it ran. Anyways, it can be a bear to get started at times. It takes at least 7 or more tugs on the rope to get it going.

The only piece of O P E that I have that starts easily enough, is my HT-131. It's pretty consistent. At least it's better than all my other O P E. IMHO, the carbs all leave a lot to be desired. No matter the brand or model. They come up way short.
That's very true.
I have a redmax backpack blower, the only thing I've done to it in about 15 yrs is changing the lines and filter, I've never changed the spark plug :surprised3:. I set the choke and prime it till the bulb stays in, turn the throttle about a 1/4 on, usually the first pull it starts:happy:. It gets run all summer and winter and get a lot if use in the fall, it's one of the few pieces of opequipment I've ever bought.
Just remembered I have blown the air filter out a few times too :D.
Most of the old 2 series saws I've had would take quite a few pulls if they had not been run in a while. I think the best thing for most gas engines whether two or four stroke is to run them on a normal basis.
 
You can take two identical pieces of O P E, and chances are, they will perform differently. My younger brother has the same blower / leaf eater (SH-86C) that I have. He swears his runs much better than mine does. His is older by a couple of years.

I bought mine new from a dedicated Stihl dealer. I took it back to have the tech check it out. He tuned it saying it was a bit on the "fat side". Got it back home and didn't notice much difference in the way it ran. Anyways, it can be a bear to get started at times. It takes at least 7 or more tugs on the rope to get it going.

The only piece of O P E that I have that starts easily enough, is my HT-131. It's pretty consistent. At least it's better than all my other O P E. IMHO, the carbs all leave a lot to be desired. No matter the brand or model. They come up way short.
Yep, I just got my trimmer back after it's 8th trip to a 4th dealer....seems to finally run ok. We'll see how it runs when it gets hotter out.

NYH1.
 
B*tch, B*tch, b*tch..every one of my late 50's, early 60's saws has its own procedure on starting.. From screwdriver holding choke either open or closed, to a wrench in/on/through the throttle for a lock. 3 pulls/ ignition off, 1 pull choke on, ignition on, choke off, rotate till compression stroke, foot in handle, push down on wraparound HARD!!, grit teeth, wipe brow, rotate saw at 16 degrees to starboard, pull like a plow horse and have one of 3 things happen.. Starts and runs, kicks back and takes rope out of your hands with middle and ring finger still attached, or the rope breaks and you give yourself a heart check with the starter handle and fist wrapped in a death grip...just gotta call that fun.. And that ladies and gentlemen is why I love AMERICA!!
Thought y'all might like to see a family picIMG_20180607_101419.jpg
 
That's quite a family that you have there. :rock2:
I'm in a fight with the 1050 now.. Put a different carb on and still no fuel a flowing.. Guess I'll run my 3 Tilly's down to my local saw shop and have Ron just do em all.. I can't see well enough for that little sh*T. AND,,,, he knows what he's doing.. Big plus..
 
Mine all start like this. Turn them on. Choke on. Pull until it's pops usually about 3 pulls. Choke off pull until it starts. Usually 1-2 pulls. I don't touch the throttle until after it starts. It will be at fast idle.
All the Husky saws I have cold start just like that. It's interesting that it makes no difference what the outside temperature or humidity conditions are. They still require 4 to five pulls, three on choke and two at fast idle.

On the other hand, my Makita saws will sometimes flood if pulled on choke twice, especially if the weather is hot. In fact, they sometimes cold start on the first pull if I ran them the day before. I have one Stihl that does that also -- the MS251C. All other Stihls start about the same as the Husky engines.
 
Back
Top