Problems starting my MS440....As Allways!

[338RUM]

I am still have problems starting my 440, it takes me a good 20 mins or more to get the damm thing going... Fingers and black and blue from kickback, arms are dead! Once running, it's a great saw....I am tired before I start to cut anything, lol..

Duane

 

[skwerl]

Take it back to your dealer and ask him to set it up properly so it will start and run like it is supposed to. There are people who know exactly how to tune a saw and then there are the rest of us.

 

[Lakeside53]

If it has a bad coil that has failed in the FULL ADVANCE position, it could explain why you get the bad kickback. The coil either has a 5 year or lifetime warranty (depends when you bought it) for the original owner. Take it to a dealer.

This saw is usually dead easy, and easy on the hands, to start...

 

[cord arrow]

20 minutes?

 

[stump doctor]

I am still have problems starting my 440, it takes me a good 20 mins or more to get the damm thing going... Fingers and black and blue from kickback, arms are dead! Once running, it's a great saw....I am tired before I start to cut anything, lol..

Duane

How much use has this saw had? When they get used a while it is really important to clean the filter and make sure the muffler is not blocked with carbon. While your at it check the plug and adjust the carb screws to the factory settings. You can usally fine tune from there. If the fuel is not really fresh dump it and put high quality fresh fuel in it.

I have an 044 and it takes about 4 or 5 pulls to get it started when it has been sitting a while and is cold. It is seven or eight yours old and does not have all the choked up EPA mandated settings the new saws have. One thing you may want to add is a $20 Elastostart handle if yours does not have it already. Just put one on mine and it made a nice difference.

 

[TimberPig]

I believe you just bought this saw if I remember correctly, which means it should still be under warranty. If you are having problems with it, take it back to your dealer, have him check it out, and show you the correct way to start it. There may be a tuning issue, or you may be doing something incorrectly while trying to start it. A trip to your dealer should determine what it is, and resolve the issues so you can use the saw instead of breaking your fingers when it tries to rip them off.

 

[338RUM]

I bought this saw new about a month ago. It has had only 3 tanks of gas put to it. I get worn out before I start to cut wood. It has the elasto handle on it as well.. I put new gas in it today, same thing happens, 20 mins of trying to get her going.., Damm saw!

Duane

 

[skwerl]

I'll give ya $300* for it, just to take it off'a yer hands so's ya don't break a finger or sump'tin.














*plus shipping

 

[Lakeside53]

I bought this saw new about a month ago. It has had only 3 tanks of gas put to it. I get worn out before I start to cut wood. It has the elasto handle on it as well.. I put new gas in it today, same thing happens, 20 mins of trying to get her going.., Damm saw!

Duane

It's under waranty - take it back.

 

[Justin Garrison]

How do you go about starting it? The way I have found works best is full choke till it pops sometimes use fast idle not always. then hit trigger to advance it back to norm. Let it warm up and then cut. I was watching one of my friends trying to start my 290 today, He was ripping at the cord with no result. I know he had it ON atleast! After about 20 or so puls, I went over took the saw and had it running in like 3, That was clearly user error. Just take it to the dealer and let it be their problem.

 

[ontario026]

How do you go about starting it? The way I have found works best is full choke till it pops sometimes use fast idle not always. then hit trigger to advance it back to norm. Let it warm up and then cut. I was watching one of my friends trying to start my 290 today, He was ripping at the cord with no result. I know he had it ON atleast! After about 20 or so puls, I went over took the saw and had it running in like 3, That was clearly user error. Just take it to the dealer and let it be their problem.

I agree, with my 044, from cold I full choke it, after a pull or 2 it coughs, then I switch to 1/2 choke, normally fires up first pull then, then grab the throttle and it kicks the choke off, and she's going just fine then

 

[bvaught]

It never takes more than 4 pulls to start my 440. If it takes more than that something is wrong (no fuel, fouled spark plug, choke position).

My dad can never seem to be able to start his tools correctly, constatly fouiling plug, flooding, and he blames this on the equipment.

 

[338RUM]

With the choke on full, I pull untill the decomp pops up, move to half choke, keep pulling. This is where the decomp pops every pull, I only get about 10" of rope out and she locks up on me. If I do by chance get a good pull without it stoping the rope, it kicks back and rips my fingers off everytime.

Duane

 

[rupedoggy]

You are not leaving it on choke long enough. Pull with the choke on until it tries to start. It is kicking back because it is lean. The decompression valve poping out is not the signal I use to remove choke. If I pull hard and fast enough I can get the valve to pop out every pull. Mike

 

[338RUM]

Rupe, how many times should I have to pull it over on full choke? I have tried this and it kicks back everytime... My little ms260 was great, two pulls on full choke, she would fire. One pull on half, off I went cutting. But not with this damm saw. I spend more time trying to start it, than I do cutting wood!

 

[Patrick62]

Something is wrong with the saw. I like the timing idea, that would fit quite nicely. My 460 takes about 3 pulls full choke, and it fires. Pop off the choke, and 1 (maybe 2) pulls and it is running. No problem. It has NEVER kicked back on me. Take it in, and have them try and start it.

If it were not in warranty, I would yank off the side cover, and the spark plug. Mark exact top dead center. Then hook a timing light up and see where the spark is happening during crank.

-Pat

 

[ross_scott]

mate while it is under warranty get the saw in and ask the dealer to sort it out, do it now before you do some more damage to yourself

 

[rupedoggy]

Most Stihl saws will try to run on choke. As they stumble along you can usually flip the lever up and keep it running. I still think the kick back thing is a lean condition. Take off the air filter and look into the carburetor. Is the choke plate going fully closed when the lever is in choke position? Those new saws are lean anyway, for emission control, and the limiter caps on the carburetor don't help. If you squirt about a 1/2 teaspoon of gasoline into the carburetor and it starts fine then you know it is a lean condition. Anyway, stuff to try. Mike

 

[tek9tim]

I realize this topic is a few days old, but...

Sounds like you should take it back to your dealer. Here's what else I have to say though:

I never use the compression release on my saws. It takes more pulls, and if you can't yard hard enough to fire the saw without it, you should maybe consider if you're strong enough to safely sling the saw.

If a saw won't fire for me after an unreasonable number of pulls, it's usually either out of gas, or has way too much gas into the case/cylinder. If it's flooded, put the bar over a log, put your right hand on the rear handle, hold the throttle wide open, and with the switch in the on position, start yarding on the pull cord hard and fast until it starts up. Keep the throttle open, take the brake off, and let the saw rev out until it clears up.

What you're describing reminds me of my girlfriend trying to fire up my 460. She has to use the compression release, and it will sometimes kick back if she's giving it a weak pull. Yard on that son-of-a-. I've found that the first top-dead-center is the hardest to get past, so I pull lightly until I hit compression, let the cord back in, and then pull rope.

 

[338RUM]

I took my saw back to the dealer. He tried to start it, after about 8 pulls, he says, something is wrong, I say no Sh*t..! He takes the saw apart, pulls the plug and has a look. Plug is black as tar, he pulls the saw over while he has the plug held to the block, there was little to no spark. So he says, it's a bad plug, he puts a new one in... Saw starts first pull, and runs great now... Stupid me, I should have thought of that myself....!

Duane