spudulike

Most common issue is trying to remove the cover with the brake engaged and if you can get it off.....it won't go back on again until you have disengaged the brake. The rest of the issue sounds like a blocked chain oiler hole......seen that before and on pro kit and pro outfits. Stihl aren't the saints out there as I have written off many MS261s in pristine condition but with worn cranks from Stihls attempt at cheapening the crank assembly!!!! I reckon they made ££££ on replacement clutch drums and bearings...not good!!

Perhaps someone on here is a bit closer and can swing past and see if there is life at the house before visiting/writing etc.

As Stubby said, check the compression and if unable, check the piston through the exhaust port. if this is OK, fit a solenoid upgrade kit of Solenoid and fuel filter and this should sort it. It is always worth checking the carb internal gauze strainer as well as this can get filled with fine chip cocking up the fuel delivery.

Two hour drive, I know what I would do....in the car, choose a day/time likely to be in and expect to wait...ask neighbours, local shop, pub etc. Take a letter to post through her box as a last resort stating what you need/have done etc. Always be polite and to the point unless a reaction asks for something otherwise....she has lost her husband and may be infirm and unable to cope herself so a bit of friendly help plus identification/pics of what you are looking for will help. When someone dies, solicitors place an ad in "The Gazette"....no idea what this is but it basically asks if anyone has a claim on the death estate...you have so that is another course of action. Other than that, finding out who the executors are and approaching them other than the Solicitor (who may be the executors designated advisor) will be another course of investigation.

Pretty common on 880s as their owners leave fuel in the tank, put it on the shelf then go in to a big felling cut three months later with that old fuel still in the tank and then wonder why it went pop! Clean the bore, if you can, and try fitting a new piston for a cheap repair

One thing that Sunak impresses me with is his white shirts. They are a really good fit on the shoulder, across the chest and arm length. It is often very difficult to get a white shirt to fit across the chest, shoulder caps and sleeve length and his are always bob on unlike others Stoke on Trent - always found the people very friendly, some of the girls are a bit orange but generally....friendly and open but can't comment on the economics of the place....there are always good and bad areas of all major towns and cities...it is the way it is!

The 660 has the polymer flywheel and you need to pull the saw over fast to get a spark so before lashing out on any expensive parts....pull it over hard with the plug out, connected to the cap and earthed on the cylinder. DO it in subdued light as the 660 is one of those saws that you need to pull it over fast to get it to spark. If there is no spark, check the condition of the flywheel and see if the magnet part of the flywheel has good strong magnetism and no damage as I have seen a 461 with similar and it was the flywheel that had taken a knock and not the coil! If that checks out, check the HT lead out...continuity from the cap to the laminate, it should conduct, if not, remove and check the HT lead, if it conducts, the coil is probably fooked.

Glad it is running, I hope it stays that way as those Chinese coils can be a bit suspect. The old coil - the HT lead should be screwed in to place, if you grip the HT lead near the coil and twist the coil, it is very likely to unscrew but it may be the coil has failed, it does happen and had a few 200s in like that!

Oh dear...I can tell a few stories but now is probably not the right time!

I think burning it should alleviate the problem!

Looks like there are two types (two and three legged metal laminate) although both will probably work - one on eBay for £20 if yours is bad and I would test as I trust no-one and there are a lot of lazy/misguided repairers out there: - Stihl 026 Chainsaw Coil Pack WWW.EBAY.CO.UK Stihl 026 Chainsaw Coil Pack. Condition is "Used". Dispatched with Royal Mail Signed For® 2nd Class.

My take on it is to purchase a secondhand OEM part, this looks like the same coil housing as found on MS200Ts, but I would try to get a good one off ebay rather than go for a crap Chinese one with the one caveat being if you can't get the OEM one then it may be worth a punt. They are to be found on many saw types so check for this as well - details on the link below. Have you checked the spark...using an old plug with the end electrode gap opened up considerably? Has the HT lead also been checked for continuity? Purchasing a coil is the last thing I do as they are expensive and like to be sure I am 100% right before parting with my/customers money. Had a MS461 like that - corroded HT connector!! Simple check if you have a multimeter - Ohm range and from earth to the plug cap spur connector. Ignition Module for Stihl 026, 044 - 0000 400 1300 | L&S Engineers WWW.LSENGINEERS.CO.UK Ignition module/coil Genuine Stihl Part OEM Part No. 0000 400 1300 Suitable for the following Stihl Machines: 026...

Strange one, is the carb held on with two small nuts on the threaded rods as it should be? I didn't reckon it was this as it would either be clamped or not and the fitting of the air filter wouldn't change that: -

I do understand what you mean, the later MS260 had a compensator carb but this saw may have been upgraded. In my experience, the saw will run pretty much the same with or without the filter - it certainly wont make the revs go mad high or make the machine stall.

Oi....stop this behavior, most of my work comes from aerial damage.

I know...I know but people sometimes get their facts wrong. I always find these saws damn difficult to start without the air filter as the choke is in the air filter and the saw doesn't like to go without it when cold. My thinking the air filter fitting is impacting on the throttle linkage somehow as you said, fitting an air filter shouldn't have this effect - I take it the two carb retaining nuts are fitted between the carb back end and air filter? I added the impulse line as it is the only issue I have had on three consecutive Stihl 026/MS260s so worth a look IMO. Sounds a bit like the guy with the backfiring TS400!!

The most common issue with this saw is the impulse line coming off the union just under where the cylinder meets the crankcase in the gap between the rear of the cylinder and the air box but don't see how this meets your failure description as it usually just makes the idle race and over rev at max revs. Had three in a row just before Christmas!

Oh....take a pic of the saw with the filter on.

When you fit the air filter, do you take the choke OFF and then just slide it on to the two threaded rods? The choke mechanism pushes on to the choke plastic lever and NOT behind it!

About who he works for!!

My thinking is the air filter choke mechanism (it is built in to the air filter) is somehow holding the throttle open when you refit the air filter. You will just have to look at this area and you could fit the air filter slowly and see at what point the revs start racing and what part of the air filter housing is fouling the throttle mechanism.

Are you going to tell him ADW

Only when I am singing along to She was....an "American girl"......good ol Tom Petty

Nothing to do with me and have never worked on Efco saws that I can remember! Not sure why you believed I was linked to this vid?

We have a relatively cheap block set of Sabatier knives. A few words of advice....Diamond sharpening blocks are damn good at getting an easy keen edge. If you sharpen them....let the Mrs know, mine cut her finger down to the bone and ended up splinting and bandaging it........couldn't drive to A&E due to the bottle of vino we had quaffed!! Use plastic or wood chopping boards. If you cut in to ceramic/glass, any knife will go blunt.