My hard to start but does start STIHL 211

[ZeroJunk]

The first words i hear when a saw comes in the shop that won't start."I run non ethanol fuel!. I proceed to dump the saw out into my glass quart jar. Over 50% of the time there will be a good amount of water in the jar. Yes I get very cynical when I hear that statement. Had three in the last two days.
Some of it was old. Some of it was one day old. Did it come from the pump or in the fuel can?
The other issue is tru fuel. Three in the last week that would not start until I put the shop fresh mix in them. Problem solved.
So when I here my fuel is good- prove it.

I get quite a few that start first or second pull. Just flooded. But, they have been sitting a few days. Have to go close the shop door to keep from stinking the whole store up.

Matter of fact, all and all, the vast majority of "won`t" start saws are flooded.

 

[Tobystihl]

It amazes me how people can use such a dangerous piece of kit without even understanding the starting procedure

 

[Treeman2021]

To the forum members who `tried to help me onderstand my 211s hard starting problem, you know who you are, i thank you for taking the time to give me the advice.

 

[coffeebrk]

OP does your saw have the Elasto start pull cord?

 

[Treeman2021]

OP does your saw have the Elasto start pull cord?

No.

 

[coffeebrk]

I see on Stihl's website that currently the MS211 comes with the Elasto start pull cord as standard fitment. A few months ago i added one to my ms251. Works great

 

[Treeman2021]

I see on Stihl's website that currently the MS211 comes with the Elasto start pull cord as standard fitment. A few months ago i added one to my ms251. Works great View attachment 1206642

Sadly mine did not include it but along with it STIHL should include a DEComb release like my ms 261 has, i can deal with the standard STIHL cord handle as i always ware gloves.

 

[sonny580]

quickest way to start saws is dump gas in the plug hole OR the air cleaner. Its the only way to start even sthils! No big deal just saves wear on the starter cord and your temper!

 

[Treeman2021]

Received a message from STIHL support in regards to my ms211 being hard to start.
There answer is fo me to take my STIHL ms211 to my STIHL Dealer and have them address the problem.

Problem is mySTIHL Dealer's Service Dept. deals with mostly lawn mowers and lawn care products, the only chainsaws they deal with are home owners not people really using their saw a lot.

If my STIHL Dealer was servicing loggers who use their saws a lot, they would have workers who really understood chainsaws and i would be getting some real help with the problem.

Since i don't use my cm211 a lot it's not a major problem it just piss's me off that when i want to use it i have to spend an hour yanking the starter cord getting it to start.

If i have something i realy need a saw for i use my STIHL cm261 it always starts quickly.

 

[ZeroJunk]

That is a homeowner saw. If it has been sitting for even an hour start it all the way in the choke position until you hear it pop. One time. Then take it off full choke and pull it a couple of times until it starts.

You can't start them in the non full choke position if they have been sitting for even a short period of time.

Once you hear the pop take it off full choke because if you get it flooded it will never start until it dries out.

If your saw does not work that way then you indeed have an issue.

To be frank, which pisses about everybody off, it is usually operator error.

 

[FXJenkins]

So...we've mentioned the "pop" a few times in this thread, which applies to a lot of threads...thats something that you would think is commonly discernable...but...to hear it, know it, and know what to do next, is far too often, chukerin about in the grey zone...

 

[stihltech]

There is nothing wrong with my saws fuel no water it's good to go and i understand now what has to be done.
Since there is no small fuel bulb to prime my saw you "MUST" get the fuel to the carb, STIHL has you pull the cord to draw fuel to carb but pull it all day without having the saw on "FULL" choke and your not going to get any fuel , you "MUST" use "FULL" choke and pull the starting cord until you smell gas.
Then the saw will start. Forget the STIHL manual use full choke smell gas saw starts it's that simple.

Even when the saw has been running you shut it off i find if you do not again use full choke saw will again resist your attemps at starting.
I again even as saw is warm i use full choke saw starts, problem is it was still not getting gas without using the full choke.

Famous last words about the fuel. Check it. That glass jar is one of my best tools.

 

[Old2stroke]

So...we've mentioned the "pop" a few times in this thread, which applies to a lot of threads...thats something that you would think is commonly discernable...but...to hear it, know it, and know what to do next, is far too often, chukerin about in the grey zone...

Yeah, and when they do hear it, they blip the trigger, which releases the throttle and then they are trying to start with a closed throttle

 

[VinceGU05]

Received a message from STIHL support in regards to my ms211 being hard to start.
There answer is fo me to take my STIHL ms211 to my STIHL Dealer and have them address the problem.

Problem is mySTIHL Dealer's Service Dept. deals with mostly lawn mowers and lawn care products, the only chainsaws they deal with are home owners not people really using their saw a lot.

If my STIHL Dealer was servicing loggers who use their saws a lot, they would have workers who really understood chainsaws and i would be getting some real help with the problem.

Since i don't use my cm211 a lot it's not a major problem it just piss's me off that when i want to use it i have to spend an hour yanking the starter cord getting it to start.

If i have something i realy need a saw for i use my STIHL cm261 it always starts quickly.

surely there is more than one stihl dealer in Houston

 

[Treeman2021]

surely there is more than one stihl dealer in Houston

I have just parked it for now i can get it started if i keep working at it so until it's really needed it will stay parked.

 

[sonny580]

The longer it sits the worse its gonna get to EVER start it! GOTTA start them every few days an run them a few minutes to keep them in the mood!

 

[Jonsereds621]

My dear little STIHL 211 has always been a really mean to start chainsaw, after maybe an hour of going through no choke to half choke then full choke, then i sit down about five minuets and give it a try again with nothing happening except me getting tired.

I am pretty sure i am flooding it as i can remove the plug clean it and sometimes it fires right up, but again many times it won't start like today i pulled the plug three times cleaning it and pulling the cord to clear any excess gas out.

Then after the last plug cleaning and clearing it fired up, any ideas what i am doing or not doing with my 211?

My 211 does not have a compression release and is really hard

Well, I have a Stihl 211 and it starts real easy with its ergostuart /easy start system and purge bulb, however it also has the easy adjust bar system which I do not like. This would be an easy fix if I could settle for the single bolt bar fixing, but I am old style and saws have two bolt fixing with side adjuster. It's simple enough to fit another stud and the side adjuster....however while the sprocket cover from a 025/250 or 170/017 does go on it does not actually fit quite as intended. Any one found something better ?
Regarding your flooding problem, you might try one pull only with choke on, then take choke off and go from there. I would also check the choke flap is actually moving to off position. After that I would take the carb off and put another on, or if you want to gain knowledge, take it apart and see to it that it gets a new diaphragm set and fuel valve fitted correctly............It is simple to remove !

 

[Old2stroke]

Even the few who read the manual can't seem to understand the relationship between choke and throttle setting. Stihl is fairly foolproof with their master control lever, but other saws have the throttle fast idle interlocked with a choke lever and to set the carb for fast idle, no choke, you have to pull the choke out and then push it right back in. To cold start, owner sets the carb to full choke and pulls until it pops, then blips the trigger (BIG NO) which opens the choke but also releases the throttle and he is now trying to start a cold saw with the throttle closed (maybe after 20 pulls), finds it won't start so repeats with choke on and soon ends up with a flooded saw. Same for hot starting, most saws that have only been sitting for a few minutes will start with closed throttle with 1 or 2 pulls but if they don't start, they aren't going to unless the throttle is set to fast idle so the owner pulls the choke out to get fast idle but leaves the choke lever out and now ends up with a flooded engine. Remember all the old saws with a the fast idle button on the rear handle? It's function was intuitive and everyone understood it.