Stihl 08s, needing help

[Sprig]

I've had my little West German workhorse for about 15yrs, it was old and neglected when my dad found it at a garage sale for 35$. It wouldn't run at all but I checked the piston, carb, etc, and everything seemed to be in very good shape, lots of compression too. It turned out to be a collapsing pick-up in the tank and with a little imagination I removed the offending weak rubber and rejoined it with a copper insert. I have worked it hard as my prime firewood saw ever since with nary a problem (till now, I'll get to it in a sec) and year before last lavished it with a new 24" bar and chisel chain as reward for years of faithful service. Ya, a bit heavy, dangerous in the wrong hands(no safety brake), and sortta slow, but what a heart! I've used many saws over the years, this is my favorite (2-3 pulls anytime usually), I will not part with it.
My problem; Through another person's minor brain-deadness (and mine for not making sure the fuel was correct) it ended up with a tankful of regular gas that turned out to be almost 20% water. He brought it back "It won't stay running." Gee I wonder why? I flushed the tank out and there was soooo much guck in it I decided to pull the carb and give it a clean (it wasn't too bad amazingly), my low jet had a bit of crud coating it and there were a few wee flecks of oxide. So I replaced the tubing, cut a new gasket for the carb, cleaned the filter and put it back together again. I pulled the needle valves, this is my problem, I'd like to know what the best settings turn-wise are for the High/Low just to get it started so I can fine tune it from there, I don't think my guts will take any more extra pulling and it has been so long since I adjusted them I have forgotten where they were set (yep, I know, should have counted the turns, duh). It'll run with gas down carb, and it is pulling fuel out of the tank when I pull the startcord, the plug is fine and so is the new gas (premium @30:1), it sputtered and really wants to run. I need some advice before I end up with a hernia. Any advice on optimum RPMs would be a bonus, I run it fairly slow though.

I have quite enjoyed reading around this site too btw, very informative.
I thank anyone responding to this in advance.
Thanks!
Serge S.

 

[Mange]

Try to place the needles at 1 rpm from lightly seated, perhaps even H at 1 1/4.

 

[Sprig]

Thanks for the reply I shall give it a whirl in the morning (soon).

Serge

 

[cbfarmall]

ended up with a tankful of regular gas that turned out to be almost 20% water.

Are you saying you had mixed gas with a significant amount of water in it or was it straight gas with water in it?? Either way, take another peak at the piston/cylinder to make sure it isn't damaged.

Next time, don't loan out your favorite saw.

Chris B.

 

[Sprig]

It was mixed gas. The piston and cylinder seem be OK. The job it was to do will now be done by me once I get the poor little thing up and running again. I generally do not loan out power tools, my bad this time.

Serge S.

Quick edit here: Saw is up and running again, will eventually need a cylinder kit I think next year.
Settings to get it started again were L-1&1/4 turn out from seated, H-1&1/2, spark-gap 0.030. Adjusted the low idle till it sounded good then backed off the throttle screw till the chain stopped moving. All is good.