spudulike

Try fitting a new fuel filter if it hasn't been replaced. Having the carb apart and checking the gauze strainer if the fuel filter doesn't fix it. The tappets often need adjustment but sounds like they have been done - the pull start being difficult to pull over is a sign they aren't adjusted correctly. I have had one unit where the valve timing was one gear tooth out. The machine would never run as it should if this is the case. This would only occur if someone had stripped it down and got reassembly wrong!

I have recently replaced two chain brake springs on two MS260s. Funny thing is ( not so funny) is that both came in because both machines had packed up. I can deduct from this that both machines were being used with no working chain brake until they clapped out...both with impulse lines off if of interest. I regularly have 200s and 201s in with their chain brake mechanisms stuffed full of chip to the point it is obvious they are becoming ineffectual. These are all from pro commercial outfits....perhaps it is time saws had preventative maintenance or MOTs as the only time I see 90% of saws is when they don't run or are smashed. BTW, I am not looking for more work as am semi retired now but reporting back on how it is out there!! I agree much of the issues are with weekend warriors knowing nothing but the lack of maintenance in this industry is at odds with my past in the manufacturing industry.

OK, mapp gas torch....is that better...you know exactly what I mean...move on....and it works as a fix, proven many times through the generations!

Sounds low on compression, relatively common. A new piston and a bit of work on the bore would probably bring it back. The poor man's compression check sort of works but prefer a proper test.

Knowing the danger points of potential injury and how to avoid them is the largest part of being safe. Do you wear all the kit and not bother to switch the engine of when walking or know a trip with a running machine could cause injury and switch it off whilst walking ...two different outlooks!

Mmm, yes you should and the OEM carb is Zama so is also ' Chinesium' but are £100 new so unless it is an old OEM carb, makes the purchase much more appealing.

If the carb is a new one, that is £100 alone!

If the saw had an air leak, it would rev higher, sorting this will drop the revs to normal if the carb hadn't been adjusted. If you can wind the L screw all the way in without the saw stalling, it has an air leak of some magnitude.

Don't use the decomp, the valve lowers the compression too low IMO. Heating the plug up with a plumbers lamp can help the saw start. Worth pulling the plug out, switch the ignition off, turn upside down and pull over hard to clear unburnt fuel. You can try the redneck, hold the throttle open and pull over hard, frowned by many as being dangerous but it can get a saw running if semi flooded....if you are careful!! If the piston is free of scores and it is clean when viewed through the exhaust port and it sparks well then the carb is left. Crud in the gauze strainer is the most common fault, holes fuel line a possibility where it pushes through the wall of the fuel tank, holed pump diaphragm and weak or stuck needle valve being possible issues also.

The parts will be worth it. Worst case is that it has a Chinese aftermarket carb and top end or it has a shot crank and top end. If you can fix it, go ahead.

5-10 tanks and extend the cutting time if needed after the first five. If it is impractical to do this make sure you don't over do it for the first two tanks as the roughness of the piston and bore will lessen pretty quickly and with that, the heat build up will lessen. The important bit is flat out running from the start, no leaving it on idle and no excessively long cuts.

HP Super of Husqvarna Low Smoke, both semi synthetic and suitable for Autotune engines or fully synthetic if you have the £££. The Autotune means the saw uses less fuel i.e. less oil so using a good oil is more important as less oil means bearings and cylinder get more of a hammering. Running in - flat out but for short runs. You need to make the most of the roughness of the bore and cylinder to bed them together quickly but this generates heat hence 1-2' rings 2 or three then cool rather than long felling cuts with a 4' bar.

I sorted out my suppliers when I went pro with my business and their stance was in line with what you are suggesting. I was surprised that I was already on their radar and it gave me a comfortable feeling. Customers expect the world when a companies main business is probably generated by a handful of loyal decent mid size businesses rather than the odd fella that wants one bar and chain for rock bottom prices with no support for your business. You know your business and it is generally 20% of your customers giving your business 80% of your earnings so reward these and not the guys that just want a few quid off their once a year purchase of ....a chain!!!

....or you could put a bit of acoustic damping around it and seal it up in a cabinet to keep the noise in. Mine makes a bit of noise but ear defenders work....just supply them to your neighbours or should I say Les voisines

How do you sharpen your drill bits? Yup, bench grinder. The art is getting the pointy bit bob on middle and grinding it so the cutting part is proud of the rest of the ground top part. By eye works and you can give it a few goes if you cock up. You can clearly tell when it is good!!

On the Stone Cutter, you started by saying the spark was no problem but now it is playing up and it sounds like you are on your third coil!!! So, have you tried closing the coil to flywheel gap right down using a piece of thinner card than a business card - perhaps a magazine cover thickness - if the gap is too large, you can get a spark that lasts for a short time after starting. I have sorted many weak magnets and dodgy sparkers in this way. The fact the coil sparks for only a few pulls can be a sign of a faulty coil. I have seen this before on Japanese strimmers. You can bend the end electrode out at a 45 degree angle on an old spark plug to make a rudimentary spark tester. You can remove the kill wire from the coil to eliminate the kill switch and associated wiring. This switch actually CONNECTS the coil to earth so unless the switch is somehow closing, it is unlikely to be the switch as most fail to connect and the symptom is the machine can't be turned off rather than what you have. Sometimes kill wires chafe and you can get a faulty spark hence the comment about disconnecting the kill wire from the coil. Lastly, are these OEM coils as some of the Chinese ones are pretty Micky Mouse!!

That is the Gunson HiGuage and is fine on saws. If you have some high compression engines, you can rupture the schrader valve which causes it to leak but the gauge is fine as the valve is in the very end of the union that screws into the engine and the schrader valve is very lightly sprung.

Well done, always good when a job works out - These stud extractors and also helicoil sets are an engineers friend and invaluable. I have the Sealey easy outs that you tap in to the hole and they have fluted cutters on all four corners to grip the bolt, a set of Japanese easy out left hand screws (broke one though....that was a bad day), and a set of Presto ones. Glad it worked out....a damn good set of drills is also very worthwhile, I use the colbalt ones by Heller, German quality but not stupidly expensive and I sharpen them if they lose their edge - very effective if you get the angles right.

Looks like an earth to me and should be with the other black wire. I am sure ADW will confirm if he can tear himself away from the Downton Abbey boxed set!!

The trees haven't suddenly appeared and were there when the property was viewed, surveyed and purchased. Now it is up to the surrounding owners to do something about it as they now have a new neighbour that doesn't like it. The question is...why did the fella purchase the property with the trees that close if he didn't care for them being there and why didn't he clear their position and owners views before the purchase? It is a bit like the type that move next to a church and then campaign for the bells not to be rung on a Sunday and the clock to be silenced or moving next to a steel works and getting it closed down because of the noise!! The suggestion is to do due diligence a bit better in the future! And...YES, I have had similar with a neighbour in the past hence the comment!!

What did the surveyor say when you purchased the property? This sort of issue is generally listed!

I am used to much smaller screws so use "Easy outs" and have learnt to use the best quality drills starting with a small pilot hole to get bob on centre otherwise the hole can go all over the shop - it also gives the benefit of allowing you to tap the hole out if the bolt wont shift. If you use easy outs - don't snap it in the hole - they are hardened and won't drill out. If you can weld, may be a better idea!

Just checked the pics to see if the piston crown has been cracked...common when solid screw in piston stops have been used but it looks clean. I reckon the issue is with the compression tester. It looks like the valve in it may be close to the top of the gauge so the tube going up to the actual gauge is forming part of the combustion chamber lowering the reading. You lose so much when you can't pull the engine over to feel what it has on the recoil handle!

13 thou is OK and should give reasonable compression.

Sorry, a leak down test on a two stroke bears no indication of secondary compression (the compression between the piston and combustion chamber) and shows no indication of engine wear on the cylinder and piston. The way you determine wear of these components is inspection, measurement and if the engine is not in bits, you measure the compression on the cold engine after one pull and many pulls with a good engine giving 1/2 of its maximum compression on the first pull. Gauging the drop of compression from cold to hot is a good indication of engine wear - expect around 20 psi drop. The leak down test (pressure and vacuum) is used to check the integrity of all the gaskets, mating surfaces, seals and gaskets - a two stroke should not leak from these areas for a predetermined time as the only air entering the engine should be via the carb. Not having a go, just stating fact, perhaps you are meaning four stroke leak down which is another matter!