It lives to cut anotehr day - JD's 025...

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Lakeside53

Stihl Wrenching
Joined
Dec 25, 2004
Messages
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Location
Woodinville, WA
It a started back on October 4th with a Post from JD

025 problem adjusted carb, changed filter still runs bad http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=25313


Then after much great advice from AS, and the best of intentions, JD has had enough

Fixing to burn it! Stihl 025 http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=26417



I figured I could fix the saw quicker than I could type so JD shipped it to me (Florida to Seattle – that’s a lot of Frequent traveler miles for a saw).


It arrrived in Seattle few days ago. Just a typical well worn 025.

One quick peak under the carb box and I could see the impulse hose end staring at me. Way way back in the original thread, the problem was "starts but won't rev up and dies". As many pointed out, the impulse line was one of the likely culprit. It was.

Off with the handle, twist the carb box to the side, and pop back on the hose. Gas it up, pull like crazy, and the starter rope breaks. Mutter ,mutter... New rope, pull again, no go. Pour gas in the carb hole, runs for a few seconds. Hmmm, that carb sure look bright and shiny...

Off with the carb....

Setting : both screws many turns out, not 1 as would be correct. I suspect it was left like that after failure to start in Florida.

Metering side - the metering diaphragm was 180 degrees off, but that's not fatal as the diaphragm is symmetrical around the screws. Diaphragm was correctly mounted on top of the gasket and up the correct way. Metering lever was a hair high, but that's not too bad.

Pump side - hmmm, that's interesting... The gasket was incorrectly against the body of the carb (rotated 180 which means it didn’t fit anyhow!) and the diaphragm was against the cover, so it couldn't pump. Wait, that’s NOT a pump diaphragm - the part used is a Backing Diaphragm with NO pump valve ears (part of the standard WAT kit that's not used on many carbs). NO matter how it was assembled, it would never run.

Dumped the carb into the ultrasonic cleaner (it was pretty clean, but what the heck) for a few minutes, new pump diaphragm and gasket, new metering side gasket (a bit mangled), 1 turn out on each screw, back on saw, 2 pulls and it roared to life. Took it out back and cut a bunch of wood. Nice strong little saw.

Other : The chain wants to run at idle particularly after high speed, so the clutch springs are bad (weak). I’ll drop a set in later in the week. The Recoil side was almost completely blocked with gummy muck restricting the airflow. On these 021-25, 290-310 and 390, it’s real important to keep the cooling path clear. The motor body is very small and can quickly get way too hot if there is no airflow. The saw has 145lb compression so it’s in fine shape. JD – you need to get he correct compression gauge – yours reads 90 as it doesn’t have a Schrader valve in the tip. The air cleaner needs replacing – gummed up with fine particles and it no longer grips the filter box tightly. I’ll try to clean it… The fuel line feels gummy, the impulse hose is hard, but they’ll last a few years more.

Why did the impulse hose come off? At some point in its tender life, the handle was bashed really hard near the bottom right side buffer. This pushed the carb box violently to the left popping off the hose. The handle has a crack on the bottom of the buffer, but still holds the buffer in place. The buffer is distorted and was actually pushed ¾ of the way into the handle mount (for a long time).

So JD, did all this start with some type of impact?
 
Andy, thanks for all your work on my behalf. I had wonderd if the carb kit was incorrect or incorrectly assembled, and it appears this was the case. The carb adjustment being out doesn't surprise me much either. I have told people I'm not too good at working with 2-stroke carbs, usually make a real train wreck out of them, get frustrated and go too far or timid and not far enough. Clutch springs....no surprise...it's been through several sprockests, the OEM spur plus 3 rims and the drum. You ask about an impact...there was an impact years ago...the front handle was damaged to the point of needing replacement a few years back when I was bucking a large magnolia for a neighbor and the tree rolled over on the saw after I cut the 025 out with my 009. Good to hear about the compression. I have always kept good 2-stroke oil at or above the OEM recommended ratio of 50:1. I'd like you to clarify what you mean by the cooling path that needs to stay clean...since I have this saw and the MS390 on which you say this is critical..., I'd like to learn how to maintain it better. Also, did you find that you could cut straight with this saw...? Over the last couple of years it's been wanting to cut very crookedly. Thanks again...I returned your PM so we can see about how much I need to compensate you,
J.D.
 
LMAO reading this part especially !!!

<ORIG QUOTE>
Why did the impulse hose come off? At some point in its tender life, the handle was bashed really hard near the bottom right side buffer. This pushed the carb box violently to the left popping off the hose. The handle has a crack on the bottom of the buffer, but still holds the buffer in place. The buffer is distorted and was actually pushed ¾ of the way into the handle mount (for a long time).
<END QUOTE>

This reminds me of the courtroom scene in the movie "JFK" with Kevin Costner... LOL The original poster should have repeated this part 3 or 4
times (like Costner did):

"This pushed the carb box violently to the left popping off the hose."

"Back... and to the left..."
"Back... and to the left..."
"Back... and to the left..."

LOL... sorry, I watch WAY too many movies..

:>
 
If you'll permit me another movie reference...

Could have been "Silence of the saws.."

"It puts the diaphram on the carb or it gets the hose again.."

HAHAHhahah

sigh... sorry...
 
wpbgent said:
If you'll permit me another movie reference...

Could have been "Silence of the saws.."

"It puts the diaphram on the carb or it gets the hose again.."

Bwahaha........too funny.
 
Didn't see any problem with cutting straight, but I wasn't really checking that. Most "cutting straight" problems are either the chain is not sharpened the same on both sides (yours was fine) or the bar is worn (needs grinding) or bent. Your bar looked fine.


It's important to keep the air path clean so the engine can cool. On this type of saw, the cooling is primarily by air drawn in though the recoil cover by the flywheel fan blades, then out through the cylinder fins to the chain cover side of the cylinder. It's really easy for the recoil cover to get wood chips and muck stuck in the cover holes, especially if you're cutting pitchy wood. If you block the intake, little air gets pumped over the cylinder fins. I warm an engine up real fast in the shop up by just blocking the recoil cover!

Blow out the recoil cover holes at the end of every day you see build up in the holes. Every now and then (yearly) take off the cover, clean it real good, and wash/scrub off the flywheel fins. I squirt a 2:1 purple cleaner on the flywheel and wash it off with the garden hose after 5 minutes. At the same time, blow out the cylinder fins and if they have pitchy buildup, use purple cleaner on these also. Wash out really well afterwards - never let the cleaner dry.


If the saw is covered in wet much at the end of the day, I just hit it all with the gargen hose, then start it and idle until warm to dry it off. Lot easier to get the junk of before it sets up
 

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