Holzfforma MS388 hard start question

[Rocstar]

I have a brand new Hultz MS388 (Stihl 038 copy). I am a hobbyist looking to rip some softwood boards, so I couldn't justify a Stihl in the bar size I need.
I am having a really hard time starting the saw. If I remove the muffler, the saw starts easily, but sometimes revs too high, which I assume is due to lack of back pressure.
When I have the muffler on, the rope is really hard to pull, and if I start to pull at TDC, when it hits the next TDC, the engine fires once and the compression stops the rope dead, and hurts my hand. Then a little smoke comes out of the muffler. It seems like the timing is just a little off so it fires prematurely, but it only happens when the muffler is on.
Does this sound like a timing issue? Any other suggestions?

 

[medalist]

Unusual set of symptoms...not that I think it's the culprit but make sure you can blow thru muffler.
I'm kind of thinking a coincidence is implicating muffler.
If the saw has never been run in you might "run" it with a 1/2" drill for a while. Lube it first.
When a grip wants to pull your hand off I do think of preignition but also the pawl not releasing in the recoil.
I don't have much hair to scratch out but I'm curious as to your final results.
After scratching for a second I'd double check the flywheel and make sure it's properly indexed to crank.

 

[Deleted member 150358]

Prime it with a dribble of mix.
Chokes fussy on those and Chicom filters probably even worse then oem.

 

[Rocstar]

Prime it with a dribble of mix.
Chokes fussy on those and Chicom filters probably even worse then oem.

I removed the starter cover. The pawl and spring seem to move/release well. Pulling the string without the flywheel connected seems good. There is only 1 pawl, and the spring is only half of a spring. I'm not sure if that is normal for a MS 038. Seems like only having 1 pawl would make it harder to turn the flywheel.
If the piston ring is tight, and there is only 1 pawl, could the slower starter pull speed ignite the plug slightly early, causing the issue where it fires before I get to TDC and stop the flywheel?

 

[Deleted member 150358]

I am having a really hard time starting the saw.

Ignoring the rest of your post for now. Consider this. There are many posts on here where someone's bought an 038 and had a hard time starting them.

They don't have adaptive timing for easy starting. They pull over hard cold starting. Maybe I'm wrong but I think your chasing a problem that's not really there.

You could pull the flywheel key and retard the timing slightly. But it will effect the high end performance. Then file a key the opposite of a timing advance. To make it keep it from slipping.

Good Luck.

 

[TBS]

Ignoring the rest of your post for now. Consider this. There are many posts on here where someone's bought an 038 and had a hard time starting them.

They don't have adaptive timing for easy starting. They pull over hard cold starting. Maybe I'm wrong but I think your chasing a problem that's not really there.

You could pull the flywheel key and retard the timing slightly. But it will effect the high end performance. Then file a key the opposite of a timing advance. To make it keep it from slipping.

Good Luck.

What he said. That's how the 034 super I use at work is, when it's cool or has sat a bit after being ran you've got to grip it and rip it hoping it doesn't kick back.

 

[Rocstar]

It seems like if you rip it, and it kicks back, that's an issue where the engine fires before TDC? Does that point to a coil problem?

 

[medalist]

I would refer to it as a timing problem. Coil is fixed but the flywheel key times it. I'm not intimately familiar with the machine or how the flywheel is indexed to the crank...by way of seperate key or one cast into flywheel.
Yes, there are some other factors than can affect the ignition but on a new machine that's my guess right now.

 

[Rocstar]

I have a brand new Hultz MS388 (Stihl 038 copy). I am a hobbyist looking to rip some softwood boards, so I couldn't justify a Stihl in the bar size I need.
I am having a really hard time starting the saw. If I remove the muffler, the saw starts easily, but sometimes revs too high, which I assume is due to lack of back pressure.
When I have the muffler on, the rope is really hard to pull, and if I start to pull at TDC, when it hits the next TDC, the engine fires once and the compression stops the rope dead, and hurts my hand. Then a little smoke comes out of the muffler. It seems like the timing is just a little off so it fires prematurely, but it only happens when the muffler is on.
Does this sound like a timing issue? Any other suggestions?

SOLVED!
I did 3 things which resolved the issue. I’m not sure which one was the actual problem or a combination.
1. Replaced coil with good condition Stihl used coil.
2. Set coil gap to .2-.3mm.
3. Replaced spark plug.
The saw works exactly as expected. No hard pulls or misfires. The rope doesn’t get ripped out of hand. Starts consistently on 4th or 5th pull.
I believe it was a timing issue due to electrical system.
The saw worked great this weekend but the rope did break from all the previous hard pulls.

 

[Seamour Beavers]

squeeze trigger a little and hit intake w some starting fluid in winter , once its hot u r good.