Chainsaw Recommendation

glenn57 wrote:

Thanks BC. ONLY difference i see my saw doesn’t have a primer?

On mine I squeeze the trigger 3 times. Not sure it it actually primes it or not, but I do it. Otherwise do everything but the primer.

Sell a lot of Stihl saws.

MS250 is a 4 position switch.

Off, run, high idle, choke.

95% of non starting Stihls are flooded.

If you miss the “pop” when on choke & pull another time, your saw WILL flood.

Once you hear it fire, place on high idle, them one or two more pulls your saw should rev to high idle.

If flooded, best to remove plug, blow excess gas from cylinder & start over. If you have Popeyes arms…… place switch to run position, squeeze throttle tight & pull. Be wise with this method unless you enjoy ER visits.

ok so before i go out and try this the vedeo says the bar brake needs to be in the locked position??? would that mean so the chain doesnt move????

or an i misunderstanding this. if this doesnt work……i’ll be bringing it back to runnings tomorrow……not screwing around………cant have a chainsaw that wont start when i take it back in the woods!!!!

Break is on so chain can’t move. It’s made that way so when people drop start them they aren’t high idiling with a chain just screaming and they cut there own legs or what not.

Just like mentioned at the start of the thread, older Stihls are much better than the new. Not sure if i could get used to no primer, your old poulan and my husky start the same. Hit it 3 times full choke and 1 pull it’s running. No brake for me, I always start em on the ground and not in one hand. If your skeptical yet, return it. Get something your comfortable with.

I do not own a modern Stihl, but on every other saw I’ve owned, the brake has nothing to do with starting the saw. It’s just a recommendation because on high idle, the chain will be turning at a good clip if the brake is off – an unwary user could be injured if they start a saw and didn’t expect that. I think it’s very unlikely the brake must be engaged in order for the saw to start, but in this era of lawsuits anything is possible.

Well, I had no luck as much as I hate to have to go to st cloud and drive clear across town, it’s goi g back to Runnings and there goingvro start it with me watching or I’m getting my money back

the saga continues………brought the saw back…….they couldnt start it either. now i dont feel like an idiot……..since the store manager that tried starting it said he has and older one and one just like mine that starts easy all the time.

a tech is supposed to be coming in tomorrow……in the end they will figure out whats wrong with that saw or i’ll get a different one. i was ready for a fight , but they treated me good!!!

If they find something out of wack but the so called sales guy had it running in the back before giving it to you, I’d call him out…

Swimjiggin wrote:

If they find something out of wack but the so called sales guy had it running in the back before giving it to you, I’d call him out…

Same

Guessing you already looked on google or youtube about how to start up a newer Stihl. I got a Farm Boss a few years ago and had a heck of a time starting it, then looked it up on youtube and some guy showed step by step, which differs from what the manual says..

Swimjiggin wrote:

If they find something out of wack but the so called sales guy had it running in the back before giving it to you, I’d call him out…

oh yea!! looking forward to that conversation

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Swimjiggin wrote:</div>
If they find something out of wack but the so called sales guy had it running in the back before giving it to you, I’d call him out…

Same

2nd that!!! good luck!!!

glenn57 wrote:

tech is supposed to be coming in tomorrow……in the end they will figure out whats wrong with that saw or i’ll get a different one. i was ready for a fight , but they treated me good!!!

I will be interested to know what they found. I’m guessing there’s something electrical like a wire not connected on the kill switch and grounded out, but this is an interesting one for a brand new saw.

i should get a call today………i’ll post something when i find out!!!!!!

glenn57 wrote:

October 1, 2024 at 7:48 am#2291620
i should get a call today………i’ll post something when i find out!!!!!!

From experience, I must tell you do NOT leave the store until they have demonstrated to you that it will start and run. Don’t accept any BS about how they checked it over and everything’s fine.

Dealers these days tend to be very dismissive of complaints because many of htem view everybody as a know-nothing homeowner who can’t even tie his own shoes.

I had to take back a Stihl leaf blower that ran just okay as a brand new unit but within a week, I could no longer get it started. Took it back to the dealer and he basically called me an idiot to my face and he literally said, “You’re not starting it right.” So I told him, take it outside and show me how I’m doing it wrong then.

He took it outside and proceeded to completely humiliate himself as he practically ripped the machine apart while failing to start it.

I probably shouldn’t have done it, but as he took the Walk of Shame back inside the store, I said to him, “Well, you sure showed me the right way to start that thing.” That didn’t make him very happy.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
October 1, 2024 at 7:48 am#2291620
i should get a call today………i’ll post something when i find out!!!!!!

From experience, I must tell you do NOT leave the store until they have demonstrated to you that it will start and run. Don’t accept any BS about how they checked it over and everything’s fine.

Dealers these days tend to be very dismissive of complaints because many of htem view everybody as a know-nothing homeowner who can’t even tie his own shoes.

I had to take back a Stihl leaf blower that ran just okay as a brand new unit but within a week, I could no longer get it started. Took it back to the dealer and he basically called me an idiot to my face and he literally said, “You’re not starting it right.” So I told him, take it outside and show me how I’m doing it wrong then.

He took it outside and proceeded to completely humiliate himself as he practically ripped the machine apart while failing to start it.

I probably shouldn’t have done it, but as he took the Walk of Shame back inside the store, I said to him, “Well, you sure showed me the right way to start that thing.” That didn’t make him very happy.

That’s hilarious. Wish I had been there.

Did you get your phone call back Glenn?

Not yet, but there getting a call soon. And maybe I won’t be very nice.

I’d just tell them you want a different saw.

i called them. talked to, supposedly one of the guys that helped try starting it. he told me the tech was sick yesterday and today.

i asked why they didnt call..he didnt say much. tech is supposed to be there tomorrow………they’ll call i guess. anyway he said either that one will be running or they’ll exchange it for a different saw.

i made it very clear that i wont be leaving the store until i actually watch someone start a saw and it runs. he was fine with that!!!

Those stihls are a PITA sometimes. THey can flood very easy. The process is depending on how long ago you last started it full choke, 3 primes of the primer. Pull it until it pops. Take the choke off fully and then continue pulling until it starts. I have a chainsaw and a leafblower and they are both like this. I let my buddy use the chainsaw figured he knew how to start it and he flooded it so bad I had to bring it in and have it figured out. I just had an issue with the blower last weekend, but I just held the throttle wide open and it eventually started.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Those stihls are a PITA sometimes. THey can flood very easy. The process is depending on how long ago you last started it full choke, 3 primes of the primer. Pull it until it pops. Take the choke off fully and then continue pulling until it starts. I have a chainsaw and a leafblower and they are both like this. I let my buddy use the chainsaw figured he knew how to start it and he flooded it so bad I had to bring it in and have it figured out. I just had an issue with the blower last weekend, but I just held the throttle wide open and it eventually started.

I don’t think the new Stihls have a primer….at least my Farm Boss doesn’t.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Those stihls are a PITA sometimes. THey can flood very easy. The process is depending on how long ago you last started it full choke, 3 primes of the primer. Pull it until it pops. Take the choke off fully and then continue pulling until it starts. I have a chainsaw and a leafblower and they are both like this. I let my buddy use the chainsaw figured he knew how to start it and he flooded it so bad I had to bring it in and have it figured out. I just had an issue with the blower last weekend, but I just held the throttle wide open and it eventually started.

That’s not right, I run stihls all day at work, if your flooding it you are doing it wrong. I run a ts 800 every day which is the same but in a hand saw, as well as the rock boss and the farm boss. They all start easily. Same with my old ones at home. If you had a older Husqvarna I’d believe it, those things are touchy.

well….the saga is over. had a guy that knows his chainsaws……YES these flood easy. apparently the 2 doofuses i dealt with monday didnt know much difference between the chainsaw or a pole barn nail!!!! at least what 2 over the other guys said.

anyway, i heard it running…….he brought it out but i told him i wanted to see him start it……so right on the showroom floor he did. he then proceeded to very thoroughly explain the saw to me……….then i started it.

tomorrow will be another dry run!!!!!

When a saw is prone to flooding, my protocol is to never pull more than 2-3 pulls on full choke, whether I hear it pop or not. Keep spare plugs handy.

mojo wrote:

When a saw is prone to flooding, my protocol is to never pull more than 2-3 pulls on full choke, whether I hear it pop or not. Keep spare plugs handy.

I would almost bet it didnt have a drop of gas in it to begin with.
The last 10 years the carbs on those things are junk,I have every tool Stihl made for their own diagnostics.
They are the reason I have owned Echo’s since 1977.

Bearcat89 wrote:

That’s not right, I run stihls all day at work, if your flooding it you are doing it wrong. I run a ts 800 every day which is the same but in a hand saw, as well as the rock boss and the farm boss. They all start easily. Same with my old ones at home. If you had a older Husqvarna I’d believe it, those things are touchy.

Yeah, they start easy provided you follow the process I posted. If you prime them too much OR dont take the choke off when it pops you will absolutely flood it. The issue I had with the leaf blower was I primed it too much which was definitely my mistake. Otherwise I never have issues because I have the process down.

Iowaboy1 wrote:

I would almost bet it didnt have a drop of gas in it to begin with.
The last 10 years the carbs on those things are junk,I have every tool Stihl made for their own diagnostics.
They are the reason I have owned Echo’s since 1977.

from what i experienced…..i could smell gas trying to start it.

i’ll give it a fair shot before i pass judgement!!!!

in hindsight i maybe should of asked what are the better saws nowadays!!!i’m not a logger by ant means but i do my share of wood cutting for firewood!!!!