spudulike

Is the saw the newer Xtorq or earlier 372? The decomp sticks out of the top cover on the later model! If the saws were new, I am assuming either something in their manufacture was bad or the saws have developed a fault in your use. I always pull over a saw slowly in this instance to test the compression. Any good tech will do this and it is almost instinctive although not always 100% accurate. In your case, it may be worth popping off the muffler to check out the state of the piston. If this is clear of any seize or "nip up" marks then the issue is probably fuel related. One note - were you using the decomp valve? These saws were fitted with the incorrect decomp valve IMO as using it often means the saw doesn't start well. Don't use it if the saw isn't starting well. It may be that your saw just needs a bit of a retune but any saw that dies and bogs like yours - I would check compression.....then the colour of the plug - (pic please) and then go further in to the fuel system as it looks like it hasn't died completely so the ignition is probably OK.

What sort of condition is it? a bit ratty, clean and shiny near new looking....etc When you pull the starter very slowly, when the piston is coming up to full compression, does the engine feel really spongy at the top end like there is a lot of resistance or is it relatively east to pull over? Take a pic of the piston through the exhaust port if you get that far, it will give us an indication of the saws condition. The plug colour sounds OK but will indicate flat out running and won't indicate how the saw works at idle. Hopefully it is indicating the engine is OK. Are you using the correct starting procedure, when cold - full choke, pull it over until the engine fires - typically 2-5 pulls, push the choke lever down SLIGHTLY to the FAST IDLE setting, pull it over until the saw fires - typically 1-3 pulls and pull the throttle open to get it back to idle.

The short version of the above is that poor starting is generally down to lack of fuel or compression.

What age is your machine and has it run as it should since you have owned it? Most issues on starting are fuel system related, followed by compression then ignition. It would be good to pop off the muffler and check the look of the piston through the exhaust port. It should be grey and smooth with no vertical scoring/scrapes.....called seized. Pull the plug out and look at the colour...tan is good, black is rich, grey means the engine has probably seized, white means it is going to seize. You could turn the L screw out 1/4 - 1/2 turn and adjust the idle - saws from the factory are often set lean to meet EPA laws making them hard to start and having poor idle. You may just have a low idle setting. It should be set to idle evenly without stalling and without pinging the clutch or pulsing the chain forward. Try turning the H screw out by 1/4 turn, it may help. If this is fine, your issues are probably carb related. I rarely replace carbs, I rebuild them as it is much cheaper than for my customers. Things to check - The pump diaphragm flaps - make sure the holes in the alloy carb body haven't perforated them. Check the gauze strainer isn't full of fine chip. Change the fuel filter if the saw has had some use. That should do it for now..........and report back with what you find.

My mate Martin uses the F word...a lot at sights like that! sometimes he utters the C word when commenting on their prowess at tree reduction. I know nothing but the reductions he comments on look like bog brushes to me!

Which part was it?

That lip on the control shaft is the more common one but the throttle trigger can brake its end off giving the same issue. TBH, I didn't read your post as the pics caught my attention😉 Thought you were just posting chainsaw porn!!

No idea, just seen it on Felcos until I saw this listing.

OK, lets end the love in...the issue will either be the throttle trigger or the control shaft - that is the white plastic bit that all the kill wire contact springs run on or the bit you stick your finger on to make the saw go loud. It is always one or the other. In the picture - (pinched of Paddy) shows the fast idle mechanism latched. The two arrowed parts are the bits that need to latch and one of them will be damaged...fact.....I thank you😉

Damn...ADW will never let us forget this.....ever😭 Glad it is sorted....lets hope it stays that way....for a long time!

The plug colour is one part, the actual revs being made is the other. Your saw may take another 1000rpm but you won't know that if you haven't set it. Carbon forms on saws running rich, too much oil in the fuel or both! Mmmm on the £30 cylinder...your choice but the standard one will probably make more power!

Not sure why you didn't just helicoil the cylinder on the machine - would have been easier. Just use a quality oil and make sure the saws carb is tuned correctly, that will cut down on carbon building up.

Not a good time to get any parts. Supply chains are in a bit of a state. If the saw is going to go out and earn your living, go OEM!

Mmm, I noticed that. The black solenoid 0000 120 5110 fits the 201 and the 261 along with many other machines so the grey one will fit the same machines and think I have fitted one to a 201TC in the past.

And the other: - M-Tronic Service Kit for Stihl MS261 MS362 Chainsaws - Genuine Part - OEM No. 1140 007 1802 WWW.LSENGINEERS.CO.UK M-Tronic Service Kit. Genuine Stihl Part. OEM No. 1140 007 1802. Kit Contains: Solenoid valve Pickup body For Stihl MS261, MS361C, MS362, MS362C Chainsaws. I thank you!!

Here's one - Service Kit for Stihl MS 201, MS 201 T, MS 201 TC-M Z Chainsaws - 1145 007 1800 | L&S Engineers WWW.LSENGINEERS.CO.UK *Repair kit for carburettor with limiter cap on the low speed adjusting screw* Service Kit Genuine Stihl Part OEM No. 1145 007 1800 Suitable for the Following Applications: MS 201...

😂😂....which one......could be a long night!!!

There is an upgrade kit for the MS201t as the early ones were diabolical. The upgrade kit for the Mtronic MS201TC (which this one is) was the solenoid and a new orange fuel filter as particles were getting through to the earlier solenoids causing poor idle. I think you have got the facts all mixed up, no disrespect meant!😉

Same here, had the carb apart three times as it was just like the high speed circuit was blocked and pulled the coil off another machine in the end and bingo. These modern coils often have different levels of ignition advance for starting, low revs, mid revs and flat out. In this case, I would say that the coil had blown the last one or two stages of advance hence this issue.

Nice, like a rich stewing steak. Good with red cabbage and a bit of a creamy sauce......only had it in Germany...black forest or thereabouts!

No, I don't know the history of the saw or where the parts came from but in my world, flywheels rarely fail, the most common issue is the key getting sheared off and have had one Poly flywheel lose its magnetism by being bashed against the coil as the gap was incorrectly set. Coils are generally reliable but have seen some pretty strange issues such as no spark, spark but not under compression. No spark at all, sparks for a couple of seconds then nothing, spark at idle and dying on any throttle (very weird, probably the ignition advance circuit), spark on idle and mid revs but like the limiter is on at 7000rpm when the throttle held open. How is the coil/flywheel gap set on your saw? If the gap is too large, it may be giving you these issues.

What a poet!

Just another way of doing what I said😉

I am still at a loss as to what the issue was but hope it is sorted now. I see the way you tightened the bar nuts. If you loosen the nuts to finger tight and grip the end of the bar then lift and drop it, you will see the tension in the chain loosen and tighten. You MUST get rid of this effect when you adjust the chain otherwise as soon as you use the saw, the bar pushes up and the chain tension slackens off. There are two main ways of getting rid of this, some chock the end of the bar up with a piece of wood when tightening the bar nuts. I rest my forearm on the chain brake guard, hold the chain on the upper part of the bar with my fingers, pull it strongly upwards and then tighten the bar nuts and check the chain spins round the bar freely. Both methods work and they will take up the play in the bar mount that can cause this issue. Tightening the chain up pretty tight will lift the bar but in my experience, will over tighten the chain.

Sorry, I am North Herts and know ADW isn't local to you. Not sure about others on the site. ADW may have some contacts up near you - he will kick in if he does.