My 028 starts at partially open throttle and as soon as I blip the throttle and the trigger releases it comes back down to idle. This saw (026) must have a bent linkage since the locked throttle/choke position leaves the throttle plates in the carb in the same closed position as when the choke is in the "Run" position (choke off, trigger at idle). In thefull choke/locked throttle position the linkage is loose and sort of floppy and in my estimation should be pushing the throttle lever on the carb just a bit to slighyly open the throttle plate in the carb. Its possible that there may be some small piece broken off some part of the throttle assembly but I don't think so. I'll completely disassemble and scrub each part clean tonite and inspect them closer but my first look last night didn't reveal anything broken. One thing I did notice is that the idle speed screw doesn't seem to change the throttle plate position no matter how far it is screwed in or out. Maybe the arm on the throttle shaft is bent and the screw can't contact like it should. I may pull the carb tonite for a closer inspection.
A little history on this saw - it was Grandpa's and when he moved to assisted living last spring he gave it to Dad who put it on the shelf next to his other saws and forgot about it. My 028 tried to kill itself this winter when a wrist pin keeper lost one of its "ears" which caught in a port and gouged the piston and cylinder (which WERE in very good shape otherwise). I got the 026 from Dad with the idea of tuning it up and using it until I got my 028 back together and here I am. The 026 was always hard starting when cold but seemed to run OK once warmed up. It would often die when coming back down to idle but you could pull it once and fire it back up and keep cutting. You just couldn't set it down and let it idle or it would stall. The idle speed screw not contacting the throttle lever appears that it would definitely cause the stalling at idle since idle is at a fully closed throttle position.
I think Grandpa got this saw from one of his buddies, an old logger named "Mountain Man McCool" when it was nearly new and I'd like to keep it around for sentimental reasons more than anything. McCool was a BIG ham fisted guy (still is but now he's really old and his health is poor) who wore a big floppy leather hat, often carried a snub nosed S&W 44 Magnum inside his coat, a flask of whiskey in his pocket, and always had a wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth. He was one of those guys who just crushes your hand when he shakes hands with you just because he could. He could use more cuss words in one sentence than anyone I've ever met and usually had a bit of spit from his chew dribbled into his beard. I remember once when I was a kid seeing him pick up a 4ft long piece of an oak log that weighed at least 300lbs and put it on his shoulder. He collected all sorts of stuff, guns, old tools, Indian relics, amd more. They just don't make 'em like McCool anymore.
