Hard Starting Huskys when warm...?

[MrBlue02]

I am having some trouble figuring this one out. Saws (346XP and 445) both start fine when cold, in 4-5 pulls. However, later in the day when things warm up and the saws have been cutting for 4-5 hours, they get really hard to start. I didn't know if anyone else has experienced this problem and what may be causing it; seems backward to me. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Ronaldo]

My husky 359 can get a little finicky when warmed up too. I have not been able to figure any reason for it,either.

 

[SawTroll]

No, but don't even touch the blue choke tab when the saw is warm - just pull the "on" switch streight up! :msp_wink:

 

[pioneerguy600]

I have one here that is just the opposite, I will figure it out as soon as I get time to look into it.

 

[SawTroll]

Btw, are you sure your chains are sharp - if not, they will overheat the saws at some point...

 

[Roanoker494]

First guess is the fuel lines are collasping once they get warm, the fuel filters are clogging or the tank vents are plugged up.

 

[morgaj1]

Could it be that your Low speed needle is adjusted too rich?

 

[WarrenV]

If they still have the E-Tech mufflers :bang: get rid of the muffler and put a none catalytic muffler on there and they will run cooler by far and start easier when warm!

 

[MrBlue02]

First guess is the fuel lines are collasping once they get warm, the fuel filters are clogging or the tank vents are plugged up.

Now that you mention it there is quite a hiss when I open the gas cap. I guess I need to check the duck-bill vents in the tank. It just seems like if that was the issue it would be hard to start regardless of how hot it got. I've checked the fuel filter and they are ok, and I will watch for the fuel lines collapsing.

 

[MrBlue02]

First guess is the fuel lines are collasping once they get warm, the fuel filters are clogging or the tank vents are plugged up.

Now that you mention it, there is a pretty good hiss when I open the fuel cap. Guess I need to check the duck-bill vents on the tank. It just seems that if that was the case then every time I ran the tank low I would have the problem. In reality I can go through 2-3 tanks in the morning and have no problems and then fight it hard in the afternoon...go figure...?

 

[Andyshine77]

Sounds like the carb needs a screwdriver taken to it AKA tuning.

 

[Cliff R]

I have experienced this problem with every one of my Husqvarna saws. But let me explain in detail.

They all start fine and run flawlessly in any weather.

In the hot/humid summer months, when they are shut down for a quick chain sharpening and fuel/oil, they start right back up, no problems.

IF I let them sit for more than about 5 minutes, and fully "heat soak", they become difficult to start, and require more pulls than usual, and I MUST run the choke about half-way out for the first 10-20 seconds until they "clear up". After that, they run flawlessly for the entire tank of fuel.

This happens with every single one of them, IF I let them "heat-soak" in hot/humid weather.

They do NOT do this in the cooler/cold weather.

I suspect this new fuel boils relatively easily at low temperatures, and I'm getting a lean condition until the incoming air from the fan cools things down some.

Since I know this problem can happen, the solution is simple, I usually fuel them up quickly and keep cutting, or grab another saw and let the one I was just using cool completely down. I never had this trouble till this new fuel showed up, and have ran some of these saws for several decades with zero issues anyplace or any problem(s) with difficult hot restarts.....Cliff

 

[sunfish]

Interesting! I've never had this trouble.

 

[hamish]

No, but don't even touch the blue choke tab when the saw is warm - just pull the "on" switch streight up! :msp_wink:

Sarcasm sometimes works.............but sometimes not!

Read the manual and follow the hot starting procedure! On the 445 its printed on the top cover for you!

 

[farrell]

i was told when this happens to pull the choke out and push it back in to set the carb to fast idle it is supposed to fix the problem.

 

[imagineero]

heck your compression and pop in a new spark plug - they're cheap. A new plug can sometimes work wonders. Low compression is a common cause of hard starting. If you've got good compression and a new plug then you've got two sides of the triangle sorted - the third is fuel.

Shaun

 

[J.W Younger]

i was told when this happens to pull the choke out and push it back in to set the carb to fast idle it is supposed to fix the problem.

not just huskys but all of em. Set the fast idle on hot starts.

 

[Ronaldo]

Hard Starting

My 359 starts great when cold (full choke till it pops then off w/ the choke and it fires right up.) Most of my cutting is done in the fall or winter so I am dealing more with cool to cold weather. This would lead me to believe I am not dealing with an overheating issue. Now, after cutting several trees down or cutting some wood to size, I will shut saw off to pull trees or split some rounds. When I try to restart the saw is when it gets finicky -- cold start procedure may work just fine or it may flood it and warm start procedure may work or you may just pull and pull for a while with no fire. I just never know which method will work when it is in that "luke warm" situation. It has never failed to start -- it just requires more time and rope pulling than what I am accustomed to with other saws I have used. This is my first Husky, so I thought it just may be the way some of them are. I have experimented some and tried to start it by just flipping the ignition switch on and not pulling out the choke lever to set the high idle, but it doesn't start as well that way. After reading the O.P. I just thought I would add my 2 cents. By the way, saw is about 1 year old and I have put a new plug in it. I had to remove original Walbro carb and replaced with a Zama, so maybe I don't have the low speed jet set quite right? Other than this minor detail, very happy with the saw.

 

[SawTroll]

Sarcasm sometimes works.............but sometimes not!

Read the manual and follow the hot starting procedure! On the 445 its printed on the top cover for you!

It wasn't sarcasm - the manuals just left the best way for a really warm saw out (as do the Stihl manuals). :msp_rolleyes:

 

[Robert Ingram]

I am having some trouble figuring this one out. Saws (346XP and 445) both start fine when cold, in 4-5 pulls. However, later in the day when things warm up and the saws have been cutting for 4-5 hours, they get really hard to start. I didn't know if anyone else has experienced this problem and what may be causing it; seems backward to me. Thanks in advance for the help.

I've had that problem twice once with a Husqvarna blower and just a few days ago with a Husqvarna 395xp I fixed it by setting the coil air gap to .005 worked both times