Help with tuning my Stihl 088 Chainsaw and limiter caps

[Muddy42]

As per the title I am having problems tuning my Stihl 088 Chainsaw.  I use this saw for milling with a 36 inch bar.  I've owned it for a year and so far its worked great and I havn't needed to tune it.  Just for the record, I have replaced the fuel filter (now with orange one), cleaned the air filter, checked the fuel lines and performed a basic carb clean (the diaphrams seemed fine, so I didn't replace them, just sprayed carb cleaner everywhere).

 

Recently the chain has remained turning at idle. I would say that this issue has slowly developed, but I found I could ignore it when the chain only turns slowly in the mill. For the record the saw starts, accelerates and cuts well.

 

Easy I think, just unscrew the idle (LA) counter clockwise, but this just causes the saw to stall.  So I investigated the tuning, thinking the Low screw needs to be made leaner.  The saw still has the limiter caps on.  The manual tells me that the standard low setting is 1/4 turn out/counter clockwise and there is a 1/4 turn either side of this. Neither extreme seems to help the situation, nor alter the engine note much at all, but its hard to tell because so little movement is permitted by the limiter caps.

 

Have others found the limiter caps need to be removed to tune properly?

Or do I need to delve deeper into the carb - carb kit, specifically target the low jet areas etc.?

 

My other saws don't have limiter caps so I have not had this issue before.

Thanks,

 

Edited March 27, 2023 by Muddy42

[Macpherson]

There was a thread years ago that dealt with this exact thing, I think the conclusion was to use a wood screw to pull off the limiters 👍

[Muddy42]

Thank you. I’ll search for the thread.

[pleasant]

There is a special tool to remove those limiters, but like has been said there are ways around this. Does the idle speed fluctuate...can you set up up fine, then after revving up does it need re setting again?

 

Does it run fine otherwise?

 

Erratic idle can indicate an air leak which if not cured will lean out your fuel oil mix and result in engine damage if not nipped in the bud early enough

Edited March 27, 2023 by pleasant

[spudulike]

Sounds like the clutch springs need replacing.

[waterbuoy]

1 minute ago, spudulike said:

Sounds like the clutch springs need replacing.

 

I sooooo nearly posted that earlier but didn't want to look a muppet - I know very little about maintaining chainsaws, other than bar maintenance, chain sharpening and what I have picked up on here

[pleasant]

Yup...could be. Maybe just a gummed up needle bearing even?

[Muddy42]

13 hours ago, spudulike said:

Sounds like the clutch springs need replacing.

Of course.  That is the problem, I'm annoyed I didn't think of the clutch. Springs ordered.  I've cleaned out the brake areas whilst I was in there.

13 hours ago, pleasant said:

Yup...could be. Maybe just a gummed up needle bearing even?

The needle bearing was fine.

 

I've removed the limiter caps as well.

 

Thanks

[Muddy42]

Thanks everyone.  The new clutch springs arrived and I've fitted them using the piece of string trick to pull the ends of the springs into position.  This has settled the chain down at idle perfectly. The tuning's maybe still a bit rich, but I quite like that for the strain of chainsaw milling and I can refine it over time. 

[spudulike]

Glad it got sorted.