Stihl 026 problem - no fuel

[newwoodburner]

I've been reading this forum for a bit, looks like a lot of good info and I hope someone has a suggestion. I have an older Stihl 026 in generally good condition but I ran it dry cutting some large oak and burned the piston. Cylinder didn't show much damage so I polished it and put in a new piston and rings. Compression is back up but I am not getting any fuel. It will run if I put some gas down the carb. I reworked the fuel system (new fuel and impulse lines, filter, carb rebuild kit and cleaned the tank vent) and still no go.
What am I missing?

 

[Lakeside53]

hmmmm.... running it dry probably didn't burn up your piston. It's more likely that you had a lean condition that did it and now you're experiencing the same but it won't start.

Check your fuel hose - it may have a small hole it in. If you can., dump the gas and just pressurize (just 8psi) the tank though the hose. That will definitely show any problem.


Change your fuel filter for sure. Take the top off the carb (the side with the one big screw) and check the inlet screen. It's likely plugged. Be sure to set you carb for exactly one turn out on both H and L screws. Fine tune from there if it starts.

 

[Lakeside53]

sorry, didn;t read your email correctly. You have rebuilt the carb.... I assume you did take out the inlet screen? The fuel path is pretty simple - if you're getting gas to the carb, and the impluse line is working, there will be gas in the metering side. If there is, then its just a matter of why it won't flow down though the outlet valve.

Did you set the metering arm?

 

[West Texas]

Crank the saw a few times, then simply remove the end of the rubber hose where it attaches to the side of the carb. If there is fuel there, then the clog is in the carb. If there is no fuel there, then check the fuel tank filter.

If its in the carb, then take it apart, including removal of the needle, and blow it out with an air hose. After replalcement of the needle and lever, check to be sure the end of the lever is even with the top sides of the carb, use a ruler, etc. to be sure.

 

[Lakeside53]

hey west tex - The setting for the meeting arm on the 026 is not level with the top of the casing, but level with the two little cast tabs further down in the bottom on both side of the arm...

 

[West Texas]

That's what I get for not having it in front of me; been working on a friends 036 Pro and that's the info for it; egg on me. Thanks for the correction.

 

[newwoodburner]

Thanks for the suggestions, I changed the fuel filter when I put in the new fuel line, put a new inlet screen in the carb when I rebuilt it. What's got me puzzled is no fuel at all is getting to the carb whe I crank the saw. Could this be caused by a bad cylinder gasket?

 

[West Texas]

Check the connections on the 'impulse' hose on the backside of the carb; and, the clamps on the manifold tube. These are the only two things are removed when you take the cylinder out as I recall. If they are both connnected properly, then you should be getting fuel to the carb unless the carb itself has a blockage. I say that; because, you said you had compression. If you suspect the gasket, spray soapy water around it and crank it, looking for bubbles.