Stihl Ergostart won't engage

[RealEstate]

My Stihl 211CE has the so-called Ergostart, a sort of wind-up spring for wimps.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't engage any more so pulling the cord does just that and nothing more - can't start the saw. Typically saw is just over a year old:(

 

Stripped it and there's two plastic pawls held by a spring that should fly-out and engage when you pull the cord. However, despite cleaning and oiling there's no way the pawls want to fly out when the cord is pulled; they don't seem heavy enough to overcome the small amount of friction in the spring. So can't start the saw.

 

Anyone else had problems?

 

I'm wondering if I can mod the pawls so the spring doesn't retract them, so they're permanently engaged, ie do away with the wind up ratchet so it starts like a normal chain saw?

 

Maybe I just hope the Stihl supplier where I bought plays ball and fixes it FOC?

 

Poor design I reckon, saw has not had much use.

[spudulike]

Not worked on one of these before - post a picture of the offending part and I maybe able to offer advice unless someone else has worked on one of these units?

[GardenKit]

My Stihl 211CE has the so-called Ergostart, a sort of wind-up spring for wimps.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't engage any more so pulling the cord does just that and nothing more - can't start the saw. Typically saw is just over a year old:(

 

Stripped it and there's two plastic pawls held by a spring that should fly-out and engage when you pull the cord. However, despite cleaning and oiling there's no way the pawls want to fly out when the cord is pulled; they don't seem heavy enough to overcome the small amount of friction in the spring. So can't start the saw.

 

Anyone else had problems?

 

I'm wondering if I can mod the pawls so the spring doesn't retract them, so they're permanently engaged, ie do away with the wind up ratchet so it starts like a normal chain saw?

 

Maybe I just hope the Stihl supplier where I bought plays ball and fixes it FOC?

 

Poor design I reckon, saw has not had much use.

The system uses 2 springs, basically one winds up the other which releases to turn the pawls. It sounds like your trouble is with the pawls rather than the ergostart. The pawls are forced out by the grip of the R shaped spring on the central pedestal so it may be worth checking that the spring grips the shaft. If it spins freely thats the problem. However the R spring should not have suffered unless it had been disturbed and distorted.

[treesurfer]

should have little locator lugs on the under side of the pawls sometimes they can move if the saw gets dropped or knocked about in the back of a vehicle. if you have taken the housing off they may have moved and you may without realising put them back the wrong way round as they can still look like they fit correctly i might be off track but have seen it done before and they didn't engage.

[RealEstate]

Many thanks for the comments. Some pics below:

 

Disassembled starting mechanism

 

Pulley for starting cord, pawls retracted:

 

Pawls extended:

 

Yes the R-clip does seems to be free to rotate on the central pedestal, there doesn't seem to be anything to restrain it other than the locator lugs on the pawls. So seems to be nothing to cause the pawls to extend - I can't see how it is supposed to work?

It clearly thinks the same!!

 

The saw has never been apart till yesterday when I came to use it and couldn't start it, so I can't see that the R-clip could have been disturbed.

Thanks for your help!

[GardenKit]

Many thanks for the comments. Some pics below:

 

Disassembled starting mechanism

 

Pulley for starting cord, pawls retracted:

 

Pawls extended:

 

Yes the R-clip does seems to be free to rotate on the central pedestal, there doesn't seem to be anything to restrain it other than the locator lugs on the pawls. So seems to be nothing to cause the pawls to extend - I can't see how it is supposed to work?

It clearly thinks the same!!

 

The saw has never been apart till yesterday when I came to use it and couldn't start it, so I can't see that the R-clip could have been disturbed.

Thanks for your help!

Its the grip of the R clip spring on the centre post that extends the pawls. It grips the shaft tight enough to extend the pawls when the pulley is rotated and only when they are extended does it rotate on the post itself. It must not be lubricated. Good, pics, everything else looks good.

[RealEstate]

Its the grip of the R clip spring on the centre post that extends the pawls. It grips the shaft tight enough to extend the pawls when the pulley is rotated and only when they are extended does it rotate on the post itself. It must not be lubricated. Good, pics, everything else looks good.

Oh really!

 

I hadn't lubricated it before it stopped working, but I did spray it with WD40 yesterday. Should I degrease it and see if that makes it work?

 

Seems a slightly gash bit of design?

 

Is there a simple way I can disable it if it contines to give trouble, so saw starts like a normal saw?

 

Thanks for your help - I wouldn't have guessed this one!

[GardenKit]

Try cleaning it, and make sure it grips the post, if it does not it wont have the resistance to open the pawls. If its slack you may need to replace it, unless you can squeeze it up a bit with pliers. Of course this may not be the problem, but it does sound from your description that the pawls are not coming out.

[RealEstate]

Many thanks for the advice - haven't had a chance to follow it yet.

 

Can someone clarify whether the problematic pawls and R-clip are specific to the Ergostart system, or if all saws have a similar set-up?

[spudulike]

MS200Ts have a single sided clip and pawl - never had a problem, shared design with many other Stihl machines, the larger with double pawls but yours has a slightly different pulley and the other components would not be there on non ergo start machines.

 

If taking off the lubrication doesn't fully work, close up the spring slightly in a bench vice - that should do it:thumbup: