Stihl MS261 switch lever keeps popping off

[Muddy42]

As per the title and photos below - left photo shows it unclipped and the right photo shows it reattached.  I think this controls the choke.

 

Does anyone have any quick fixes?  I was thinking of taking the whole switch off and building up the plastic with epoxy, perhaps so the wire attached to a hole rather than a slot.

[peatff]

Tie wrap, my answer to everything that comes apart and shouldn't 😄

[Muddy42]

2 hours ago, peatff said:

Tie wrap, my answer to everything that comes apart and shouldn't 😄

Thanks.  Yes good idea. I could try and get a small cable tie (that's what I call it anyway) around the whole switch.  Or if not, I could just glue a piece of cable tie above the metal to stop it jumping out. But Id have to ensure I could work on it in the future.  Hmnnn thinking....

[Muddy42]

I tried a cable tie but it was no good - I couldn't get it to sit properly and it interfered with the movement of the switch.

 

I had a few ideas:

 

1) thin heat shrink electrical wrap on the choke lever to bulk it up a bit and make it stay put.

2) Dab of glue gun above the metal to stop it popping out. Not to permanent if this fails or I need to remove the carb.

 

3) remove and disassemble black plastic switch and heat up the plastic slightly with hot air and increase the ‘crimp’ with pliers to hold the metal better. This would be a bit more permanent, but a new switch is cheap if this was a disaster.

 

Any other ideas? I thought everyone owned a MS 261, someone must have had this issue!

 

Thanks

[GarethM]

I'm assuming the metal linkage has been bent.

 

Surely taking it off and bending it back or replacing it would be the best solution.

 

The choke rod is £1.31 & the black switch lever £5.95

Edited March 4, 2024 by GarethM

[Muddy42]

8 minutes ago, GarethM said:

I'm assuming the metal linkage has been bent.

 

Surely taking it off and bending it back or replacing it would be the best solution.

 

The choke rod is £1.31 & the black switch lever £5.95

Thanks. Do you mean that the choke rod is bent? It feels as straight as an arrow. 

[GarethM]

[Trailoftears]

Oh dear, that looks a weak point-possible to bend or replace with similar gauge wire and re-drill/reposition end of wire into plastic housing?

[spudulike]

Just fit a new part (No7), they are only a few quid. The pre mentioned methods are OK for a fix for a week until the part arrives. 

Switch Shaft for Stihl MS 261, MS 261 C Chainsaw - 1141 182 0920 | L&S Engineers

WWW.LSENGINEERS.CO.UK

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Switch Shaft Genuine Stihl Part OEM No. 1141 182 0920 Suitble for the Following Application's: MS 261, MS 261 C

 

[Trailoftears]

Not directly pertinent to the O.P's question,but I've noticed a definite dropoff of the external control handle switches.Seems to apply to my 261/441/181-all shiny thin hard plastics.One fears as with so many things-The corporate bean-counters are abroad again!