stihl 025c locked up

[dhowell]

Bought this stihl 025c about 3 years ago for the random tree that might come down and need cleaned up. Yesterday I was helping a friend clean up after the savage ice storm we had in the St. Louis area. I worked with my saw for maybe 15-30 minutes with fresh gas mix and bar oil refilled and then it stopped.

Took the bar/chain off and still won't start - won't hardly pull. I'm guessing that for some reason the engine/bearing somewhere froze up. Are these things generally worth having rebuilt? I thought I was buying one that would last for years... but I was really hoping for more than 3 years

Any thoughts here. And by the way I'm new here and registered just for this question... so if I've posted incorrectly my apology.

Thanks.
Doug.

 

[timberrat]

lock up

pull muffler and look at the piston. then re post with that info . also also check the area around the clutch. make sure the chain brake is not activated and or gum up.

 

[dhowell]

Thanks

Thanks Timberrat. I'll see what I can do and get back soon as I can.

Doug.

 

[dhowell]

muffler off, now what?

I took the muffler off and I can see the piston moving when pull on the cord. I didn't notice today, but when this first happened I noticed that the sprocketed gear that drives the chain was not moving when the cord was pulled.

I don't know the rules for posting a picture here so I'll just post a picture on my website and if you can tell anything from the image maybe that will help.

http://www.doughowellphotography.com/d200/stihl.jpg

Thanks for any tips or suggestions you can make.
Doug.

 

[04ultra]

Need more pictures....
.

 

[sawinredneck]

Can you get a picture with the ring in it? Might be able to tell a lot more that way.
Andy

 

[Lakeside53]

Nothing unusual so far.. some scuff on the piston, but..

 

[dhowell]

rings - i think.

Here is what I think you're looking for... anything else?
http://www.doughowellphotography.com/d200/stihlrings.jpg
Doug.

 

[sawinredneck]

Well it's not real pretty, but I don't think I would be afraid to run it!! Lake?
Andy

 

[04ultra]

 

[Lakeside53]

Two choices - If it's over 140lb compression - run it. If not, or if you want somethig to do, hone the bore and put in a new aftermarket piston etc.

I thought it was supposed to be locked up?

 

[SawTroll]

Two choices - If it's over 140lb compression - run it. If not, or if you want somethig to do, hone the bore and put in a new aftermarket piston etc.

I thought it was supposed to be locked up?

I think he said it will not start - not a good sign, I believe.....

 

[cuttinscott]

Bought it 3 years ago for a clean up and now its been in storage since?? Did it still have fuel in it when you put it away 3 years ago? Did you install a new fuel filter along with the fresh gas? Was the saw running lean or Doggy when you accelerated? Sounds like a lean run and scored piston because of this.

just my .02

Scott

 

[ray benson]

Picture was pretty dark on my screen. Lightened it some.

 

[stihltech]

rotation

Will the crank turn a full revolution? How hard does it turn?

 

[dhowell]

what to do...

Two choices - If it's over 140lb compression - run it. If not, or if you want somethig to do, hone the bore and put in a new aftermarket piston etc.

I thought it was supposed to be locked up?

Well, if the piston is not locked up... does that mean there's a bearing that might need replaced? If you pull the cord the chain drive gear doesn't turn.

Is that something that can be easily replaced?

thanks guys. Obviously I'm not a master mechanic

doug.

 

[Lakeside53]

It's fine... your clutch won't engage (sprocket turn) unless you pull it over at 3300 rpm, which you can't. It's not locked up.

 

[Stihl here]

Does it have some chug when you pull it over or is it rather easy. I have the same saw and it has a good chug to turn over. It looks like the top end is leaking some compresion by the pics. Was the saw pretty hot when it quit? Your chain gear shouldn't move until the saw is running at a certain RPM.