Stihl 029 starts and dies

[Harshaw]

My Stihl 029 fires with difficulty, revs, then dies within a second or two. It has about 30 hours on it, but has set unused for a year. I've checked gaslines and can see no breaks or kinks. Cleaned gasline filter, cleaned carburetor and jets.
What else should I check?

 

[ricksvar]

Check the muffler,make sure it's clean and no flying insects have nested inside.

 

[Tony Snyder]

See if it will pee. Fill the tank 2/3rds replace the cap, take the fuel line loose at the carb, turn the saw on its side and see if you get a trickle of gas or a stream. If it streams briefly then stops your tank is probably not venting. Actually change the fuel filter unless it is mesh they sometimes don't clean very well.

Maybe stihltech will respond. He's responsible for the darn things on this forum.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

When it wont start pull the plug, touch it to the cylinder and pull the cord to see if there is a spark

Also pull the muffler and check to make sure the piston isnt scored

 

[stihltech]

029

Basics first. Clean fuel, good spark, clean filters. Look at fuel hose and pulse hose, been replacing regularly. Definitely check the muffler screen. Pick it up by the starter handle, does the rope stay in? If not, compression may be low.
The other people have good ideas too. Use them all.

 

[Fish]

See if it will pee?
I am intrigued! I thought this was a family forum!!

 

[tundraotto]

Another 029 - Jeez its funny that sithltech has only seen 2 apart from the new ones he has sold to unsuspecting customers.

harshaw - try the fuel tank vent like Tony Snyder said. If that does not work I would sell it on ebay for what you paid for it.

 

[ricksvar]

Harshaw,Please let us know how you solve the problem.

 

[stihltech]

029

Cmon up and check out the pile, you won't find any more than 2.

 

[JimL]

I looked through our pile tonight, 1 029 and 2 039's.

The 029 still had a good piston and cylinder, just got smashed by a tree.

 

[Harshaw]

Stihl 029 problems

I've tried all the suggestions except looking the cylinder and new spark plug. So far no luck. Will get a new plug today (we're 35 miles from a parts store). Then its new gas and check the gas line again. Seems I must have missed something.

 

[Tony Snyder]

Did you get a stream of fuel when you disconnected the fuel line at the carb and tipped the saw, in other word gravity flow from the tank?

If you have that then you will next probably need to disassemble the carb and spray it out with spray can carb cleaner.

My bet is this is fuel supply problem.

Next take off the muffler and look into the exhaust part at the side of the piston.

How old is this things? I've heard plastic Stihls only last a year or two.

 

[Harshaw]

Answer to Tony Snyder

The saw is about 3 years old but hasn't been used that much. Guessing 30 hours. I have disassembled and sprayed out the carburetor. It acts like fuel problem. Will start if fuel sprayed directly into carb. Runs a while then quits. I'm going back to the fuel line and see if I missed something. Thanks to all for the help, and I'll report, but may be a few days before I can work on it again.

 

[treeclimber165]

I have fixed two different saws with vapor lock problems lately. Both were caused by the impulse hose being pinched. That's the rubber line (just like fuel line) that runs from the crankcase back to the carb.

 

[Harshaw]

Feeling dumb, as ususal

Thanks to all who replied to my earlier post on the 029. I went back through everything and found a break in the gas line that I had missed first time over. The line looked so new that I didn't look at it real close.

 

[Fish]

So it didn't pee?
I have always classified the "vapor lock" as a wive's tale.
I will bring on a lot of abuse, but I said it anyway.
You posted your problem on a good forum though.

 

[stihltech]

results

Thanks for getting back on the repair. Alot of what you find will be simple things, just have to remember to start with them first. Good catch.