HELP PLEASE with "new" husqvarna 359

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As far as the off switch goes, there is a blue wire that runs from it, that is covered by a black cover for a bit before just becoming the blue wire again, am I supposed to remove the black part? Thanks, James
 
sorry, I just looked at it again and after the blue wire is covered with the black cover, it turns into the blue wire with another black wire under it. The black cover part is attached to a metal piece that contacts the blue wire when pushed to the off position. Thanks, James
 
Jmaffie,

Lets get focused on one area first. Lets make sure you have/don't have spark. we'll work through the other defaults once that is confirmed. Spark-Fuel- Air...

Are you sure you have the new plug tip grounded to the cylinder case ?

Don't mess with any carb settings until we confirm ignition.

By the way, welcome aboard.
 
If I had to bet I think I flooded it, because I did hear a pop but then kept cranking with the choke out. Also, if I flooded it, will the spark plug not spark until it dries? When you say fast idle, do you mean the idle screw on the carburetor? I am going to try adjusting the screws a bit on it, it came with the limiters, does anyone know the general position the screws should be in to start the best? Thanks, James

By leaving the choke out after you heard it pop you flooded it for sure, put that new plug in and try holding it wide open (wide open will get a flooded saw started a lot faster than fast idle, lets more air in which it needs) for 10 to 20 pulls, if it doesn't fire by then it may have unflooded itself from sitting, then just back to the normal starting routine as Doug H outlined . The fast idle comes on when you pull the choke out , when your hear it pop push the choke back but don't touch the throttle as that will take it off fast idle. On most saws after you hear it pop and push the choke in it will take at least 2 pulls and some might take 4 or 5 pulls depending on how rich the carb is set . Steve
 
By leaving the choke out after you heard it pop you flooded it for sure, put that new plug in and try holding it wide open (wide open will get a flooded saw started a lot faster than fast idle, lets more air in which it needs) ....

I'd be hesitant to recommend to any NewB to try to hold the throttle wide open and pull the cord. Unless you seriously know what you're doing, you need 3 hands to do this safely.
 
I'd be hesitant to recommend to any NewB to try to hold the throttle wide open and pull the cord. Unless you seriously know what you're doing, you need 3 hands to do this safely.


I had to do that a lot on my old Mac610, it would flood out after sitting 10 minutes. Held it down with my foot and then one hand on the throttle and the other pulling. If he had a helper that would be a lot better. Steve
 
Nooooo don't mess with any screws! No just don't.
I will post and edit this for more incase you are here now.

Well your little green light isn't on, so you are not on line...

The other day I bought a used 359. yesterday I spent time cleaning the saw inside and out. Like I ran safety kleen right thru the plug hole and into the exhaust, and cleaned to detail every part I could get off easy.

So now I have a grip on what this saw is.

With a brick and a plumber propane torch you can clean a gas fowled spark plug, and or maybe just allow it to air dry if it was clean in the first place.

I use this method for cruddy plugs coated in carbon mung..

You can pull the plug and then pull the engine over to clear a flooded clyinder.

You did flood it for sure.

Others are correct in you want to see that plug spark. Remove it and ground it on the top engine fins, then pull the saw over like you mean it in dim light.

It is harder to do than not, when you don't have 3 hands, so I made up a test plug by brazing a old large alligator clip to some used plug. But here you want to know if this plug is good. So you could use a jumper cable to clip on the hex and the other end to the engine fins.

You can push or pull the blue de-comp valve as you please. OUT is for full compression. Some guys never seem to used it, but with my saw when it is cold the cord won't pull very smoothly.

Test for and get spark first always...

If with the de comp valve OUT the saw doesn't seem hard to pull over, then because this is a E-Bay find, it would be wise to pull that muffler off.

For that you need a 4mm allen to do the front brace and the top bolt on the saw dogs. Loosen atleast the bottom saw dog bolt. 4 bolts out one bolt loose.

Then with a long 5 mm allen, mounted in a socket you can reach the (2) 5 mm cap bolts deep in the muffler. With these bolts out the paper like gasket and a heat shield will come off with the muffler can.

Then with a bright light you can see the piston. If the pull cord cover is off (4) trapped screws, you can turn the engine flywheel by it's fins. This will allow you to see any skuffing if any, on the exhaust side of the piston.

(In my case I see no signs of skuffing)

Since rusting is surface rust only on your saw, it indicates this saw was never run. If it had run for just several minutes the exhaust can would show colors on the metal from atleast a light straw temp apx 375 degrees F to a peacock blue temp of around 580 degrees F, just like a motorcycle does at the head pipes.

As another said, your starting method os all or partly wrong..

When you pull the choke the ON /OFF switch is turned ON automaticly.

If and when you hear the first pop, push the choke IN. This will leave the black plastic step cam on the carb in the high idle possition automaticly.

(to see the step cam work, pop off the top cover and pull the choke while you watch the carb linkage move. Then grab the handle control as if you were going to run the saw, and when the throttle trigger is pulled and released you will see the black step cam release as well.)

(( this step cam is located on the right side of the carb if you are in the standard user possition, wiith the throttle rod linkage ))

Once more do not tinker with these screws atleast until the engine runs.
 
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Hey all,
I am sorry but I already messed with the carb screws a bit to see if there was a prob, the users manual has a technique to set it apparently. The screws hardly turn at all, maybe a half turn for each of them total. If anyone knows a good setting to put them at before starting I would appreciate it, otherwise I am just going to follow the manual. Thanks, James

Also, I feel fairly comfortable starting the saw with the throttle held open, I have my foot in there firmly and the chain brake engaged like the manual says. I will try that later after I get the new spark plug and still have problems. Thanks.
 
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Do yourself a favor since you dont know much about chainsaws and turn that H screw as far counter clockwise as it will allow this will keep the saw rich so you dont burn it up better rich than sorry. If the saw actually popped the first time you went to start it you may actually have spark put the new plug in give it two pulls on choke then push in the choke and start pulling it should start.
 
Thanks for the carb advice, I will set it rich, but will this still allow it to start? I have been reading up on carb adjustment such as the burbling and its too lean if it has that zing sound. Also, isn't okay to run it rich for a while in the beginning to get everything lubed up? Thanks, James
 
OUCH.... too late....

The book IMO is wrong on using the brake when starting the saw. That is lawyer talk, so you won't get hurt. Doing this sure doesn't help start the saw any.

Doing this prevents the clutch from turning the blade, and that is all it does.

It tends to slow the starting of the engine, because no sooner does the engine start, it's RPM rises to throw out the clutch weights and lock them and that causes strain on the engine as well as wear on the clutch.

Once you are more familar with this saw and any saw you won't want to even bother with this safety technique.

The thing is, is that chain will be turning pretty good when the saw first starts, and if you come into contact with that chain, you will be hurt so fast you won't feel it, but the instant mess of gore will cause terror just the same.

The book says and my saw has screw limiters, which is a good idea in your case.

Do what JT78 says now.

What screws did you tinker with?
 
Mac Muz,
Thanks for the detailed post, if all the other stuff does not work I will pull the muffler, although if anything is wrong with anything that serious, I am just going to send the saw back. Since I already messed with the carb screws, what settings are yours on/ do you recommend? Does your 359 have the limiter caps? I did not mess with the idle screw though. I can't get home till later today to do all this and I have to pick up another spark plug on the way so I will update later tonight. Just to be sure, if I pull the plug and crank it over, that will clear out a flooded chamber and is safe to do? Thanks, James
 
Okay, I won't mess with the brake but I am still pretty sure I can start it safely still, I don't get near the chain and I am not letting it touch anything, so whether it moves or not does not really matter to me. I have started a chainsaw like this with the throttle on and the chain moving if it makes anyone feel any better..... The screws I messed with are the top two, the H and L, should the L also be set to rich? Thanks, James
 
Mac Muz,
Thanks for the detailed post, if all the other stuff does not work I will pull the muffler, although if anything is wrong with anything that serious, I am just going to send the saw back. Since I already messed with the carb screws, what settings are yours on/ do you recommend? Does your 359 have the limiter caps? I did not mess with the idle screw though. I can't get home till later today to do all this and I have to pick up another spark plug on the way so I will update later tonight. Just to be sure, if I pull the plug and crank it over, that will clear out a flooded chamber and is safe to do? Thanks, James

Lets worry about getting the saw to just run, before worrying about what mix is right and bubbling and all that...

The "H" screw has nothing to do with starting, but the "L" screw does, and I hope you didn't mess with that or the "T" screw.

With the ON/OFF switch OFF it is safe to pull the plug and pull the saw over all day long to clear excess fuel. Just pull it over 3 to 5 times though, so save your arm.

When you buy a new plug get a alligator lead with clips on the ends that will fit the hex on the plug. Use it to test both plugs...

Pulling the saw over with no plug stops any and all fuel flow, because the engine can no longer draw engine vaccum to the carb.. The carb will not function with the plug out.

Just so you know I am not a pro saw tech, but i was a pro foreign car tech and can find my way around anything..

I doubt you need to pull the muffler now as I don't believe this saw was ever run one time...

Other things you should know..

My system is sick and goes off line with no notice. I come right back if you are on line and we are talking. I am 58 years old and old school I will say bye bye if I must leave in a conversation.

The keys on my board are missing many letters and I don't type fer beans. I can't see what letters I am typing..

test SPARK
 
cont.... you are still here... brb

I don't know where my screws are. I didn't cut yet. I got this saw the day before yesterday, and used. The original owner passed away and i didn't know him. I bought this from his wife who has not one clue about anything mechanical.

This saw sat 1+ years with old fuel and some mung bar oil that looked like pink fur.

After i washed out the saw inside and out, I blew it out well, and pulled it over several times to blow out any safety kleen. Then with 10/40 car oil I oiled the rings via the plug hole as i had washed all the oil off the rings. Ring I should say.

With that I added new mixed fuel and new bar oil and started the saw. It ran. I have to file the cutters today and then set low and high speed mix via the H and L screws..

I will note these settings to relate to you this evening.

My settings may not match your settings. any 2 same looking engines are not always a dead match and I doubt they will match exactly.

The good thing is the limiter stops, stopped you from getting to far out of wack.

cont more:

Yes when you start the saw you need to be sure the bar and chain can not touch anything... Always have room.

I find this saw sits fairly close to the ground, and I may carry a board of waste wood as a starting platform, to keep the chain out of the dirt I have in the dooryard.

If that bar hits anything when you start the saw and the chain is not locked it can come up and bite you. Be sure ALWAYS that your footing is good and that saw is pinned down well. Don't kill it, but make sure you are not in harms way.

(I find in edit mode I can not review your text.)
 
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Ok Mac Muz,

When I get home, I will of course test the spark first, if that works then I am going to have to figure out the L setting, since I did mess with it... I gotta go now but will be back on in a couple hours, I really appreciate your help. Thanks, James
 
The L screw may be a problem. I would set that to far counter clockwise as well at this point.

The difficulty is getting the saw to run for the first time, and it hasn't.

This makes for a un-known, that a mechanic would set to a book spec and there isn't one.

The correct setting sequence now is to get the saw to start and run at high idle and let the saw warm up after it starts allowing it to run at high idle 2 mintes or so.

At that point you will install thew screw driver into L and release the trigger.

The saw must be controlled with the right hand and the heft hand must run the screw driver.

Quickly you would keep the saw running, but not at full throttle, only keep the engine running.

As you do you will adjust the saw to a lower rpm, getting the saw to stay running and also idle down.

When the saw will idle on it's own, then the correct L screw setting can be made.

The good thing is that screw lock has prevented you from going too far.

It limits the screw to apx 1/2 turn.

Now lets say this saw had no limiter, and a new carb was installed. The spec sheet would say about how many turns OUT (counter clock wise) the L screw should be.

That can vary from 1/2 turn out to 2 and 1/2 turns OUT, depending on things and what engine. That is basic book spec by a factory, and will most often need to be adjusted to this particular engine, what ever it is.

So this 1/2 turn limiter is already near the correct spec, but to find the correct place the saw must first run.

Setting the L screw to full max as limited is where to start.

The ORDER of all internal combustion engines to run is:

The first thing any engine needs is compression. If you want you can add 6 drops of any engine oil to the piston ring, so there is oil on the ring. A "washed" cylider looses compresson.. I am meaning drops of oil, and then to pull the engine over several times with NO Spark Plug.

This would be a wise idea and a the same time you can test the old plug and the new one for spark.

In this order the next item you need to run any engine is spark. This is a rule.

With out compression it won't matter what you do.

With out spark it still won't matter what you do.

3rd comes fuel, and normally this is last so long as the engine is sound.

4th comes into vacuum leaks, where one way or another un-metered air makes it to the combustion chamber.

Right now I believe the saw has compression enough.

I am not sure it has SPARK.

The fuel you tinkered with, at the incorrect time.

I have serious doubts this saw has any vacuum leaks, but you did mention something about a clip, and I diidn't understand well, and if that clip happens to hold the carb to the rubber engine mounting allowing air to pass between the carb and the cylinder that would be a problem.

I don't think so, because the plug would not get wetted with fuel if this was true.

Take a moment later and review my posts.

( I know you had to leave, and I have to go to work too..)

Review and do what you have been told by others as well as me.

I want to read you have spark next.... Just get spark!
 
Ok, an update, I just put in new spark plug, set the carb to as rich as it will go and pulled out the decompression valve. It started up on very first crank without even the choke on. It is smoking like crazy, which is I think because it is rich, I let it run for a min and revved it a bit, it is quite responsive. What is the advice from here?
 
Ok, I ran it some more and it isn't really smoking any more, will I be safe keeping it on the rich settings considering it is limited by the epa and I would think they would want to run it leaner?
 

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