help - husky 359 will not start

[doanh]

I am stumped with this chainsaw!

I purchased this unit new last year from Lowes. It starts right up last summer when I needed to use it. Two pull at the most.

Now, it will not start after the 12th pull! I checked the spark plug and it is quite new. It sparks easily with each pull.

The mix gas is three months old, can that be the problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dadatwins]

Originally posted by RockyJSquirrel


No, the 2 ounces of two cycle oil and gallon of half-stale gas will not hurt your car when diluted by the fresh gas already in your tank.

oh boy, I think this came up a few months ago and were major rants about all the bad things this does. Probably be a few coming in again. I do it myself, 1/2 gallon of old mix in my 36 gallon tank no biggee.

About saw not starting, like RJS said start with the basics, before tearing it apart. Probably just gas turned sour in carb. If you know the saw will sit for a while 3-4 weeks dump the gas in the tank and start fresh again.

 

[bcorradi]

Tank Gas?

What good would it do to dump the gas out of the tank, but leaving the carb loaded?

Take care,
Brad

 

[Dadatwins]

True you should run the gas out of carb if it is going to sit for a while. I run mine low idle until starts to chug and then kill it. Have seen some run dry tank at high rev until saw dies usually end up replacing pistons and head in those saws down the road.

 

[Lawn Masters]

If simply draining the gas out of it doesnt solve the issue, then the carb may have significant buildup of a substance that seems to be varnish in the carb, this will require some cleaning to get it to run again.

 

[pbtree]

Once upon a time...

I took partially apart a Husky 41. When I put it back together, the fuel line between the tank (in the lower handle) and the body of the saw got pinched.

Since it was a failry new was, I was convinced it was the darn saw - of course it was the nut that put it back together!

Bottom line is - you have spark, but you still need fuel and air!

 

[Weatherby]

I know a fews times this has happened to me all I had to do is reach down and slide the ignition into the "On" position, worked wonders.

Rob

 

[doanh]

status

Thanks for the comments.

Just a short background, the fuel has stabilizer in it when a little of it sat in the tank over the winter.

Two weeks ago, it started (not easily) and I used it to cut some black walnut branches. I used up a tank and put in more fuel.

As of today,

I went out and got some new super unleaded gas, just in case.

Mixed the fuel per instruction and put it into the tank.

Set the choke on, thus ignition is on. Push the blue pin in per instruction to make it start easier.

I even check the plug to make sure it is igniting, I do see spark.

Should I replace the plug?

The chainsaw is practically new! It was only used for about a month last summer.

 

[doanh]

updat

One additional information, the spark plug is wet when I took it out of the chain saw. Maybe there is not enough spark for ignition?

 

[lostone]

You say that you have pulled it about 12 times and still no start. Anyway can you smell the raw gas after pulling the cord that much? have you taken the plug out and is it wet like the engine is flooded? Have you tried putting a small amount of mix in the engine (I'm sure someone could tell you how much then reinstall the plug and try to start it? good way to test and see if it is the fuel this way. Have you tried it without the air filter in place? just trying to get an idea of where the problem may be.

 

[lostone]

LOL beat me to the answer before I could post the question.

 

[doanh]

attempts

thanks for the suggestions

I do not smell gas but it seems the engine is flooding, else why would the plug be wet?

I will try again with the air filter off to see but the air filter looks practically new! I inspect it already.

I will try to add some gas into the engine and see but I am a little nervous about this because I do not know how much is enough.

I will take the conservative route first by replacing the spark plug first.

 

[gr8mac]

Sounds like the engine is getting any fuel. Your carb pulse line may be clogged. Or the fuel filter in the tank. Check those as well. The pulse line is in the carb so you will have to take it apart and clean it.

 

[Lawn Masters]

Have you checked the plug gap? if its at something like .035 or 040 it will cause the hard starting issue and flooding, I experienced it myself on a Stihl BR400 blower, for months I swore it was a carb issue, then I pulled the plug out and the gap was so far off that it couldnt carry the spark to ignite the fuel.

 

[Grande Dog]

If you're flooding, leave the compression release off and the throttle wide open. The thing that could easily cause this ( if you haven't messed with the carb adjustments ) is a plugged spark arrestor screen.

Grande Dog
Master Mechanic
Discount Arborist Equipment and Tree Care Supplies

 

[doanh]

update

Well,

I checked the plug gap and it was way off! I wonder how can that happen? To be safe, I changed out the spark plug.

Then I pull the engine a few times with the spark plug still out to get some gas out.

Then I removed the air filter and spray a little starting fluid and not pull the choke on.

With the compression pin in, it came back to life again in a single pull.

Of course, it idles poorly so now I need to adjust it. Which leads to the next question, how should I adjust idle speed?

thanks everyone for all the suggestions, it really helped out.

 

[lostone]

I'm not sure if everyone on here will agree but this is the method I have been using. http://www.forestapps.com/tips/tips.htm scroll down left side to carb adjustments. Which leads me to a question, I have noticed alot of threads on here about using a tach when adjusting the carb. Is the tach used for the H setting or for both the H and L settings? and where is a good place to pick up a tach (about how much do they run?) Thanks. Here is a thread on it also and some debate on how to adjust the carb. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14385&highlight=tachometer Oops. well forget the question I asked the link explained it all for me to.

 

[Lawn Masters]

I thought the plug gap was off. Just so you know, starting fluid is very bad for a 2 stroke, my neighbor used to use it to start his hedge trimmer and in the end I had to fix it, bad rings and a scored piston/cylinder.

 

[doanh]

starting fluid

oh great! Now i probably ruin the engine.


Doanh