Stihl ms250-hard to pull start rope

[HarleyT]

Drain the tank completely and start the saw and run it completely dry.
The let cool completely.
Then come back and pull the rope and see if the condition is still the same.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Turning the spark off and pulling it can ruke out ignition timing

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[farmer steve]

I was leaning towards the hydrolock theory but have taken the carb out, removed the plug, pulled it through several times and replaced plug. Still hard as hell to pull. So that would disprove hydrolock, right??

So it was hard to pull with the plug out?

 

[toadman]

worth noting these saws start hard, even in perfect shape. I
I'm a fairly husky dude, 25 yo competitive wrestler, good gym lifts & running saws semi professionally since before I was old enough to be legally allowed to work here in the states... anyway, in 2016 I dislocated & broke my shoulder and 3 ribs falling as a tree climber.
I could easily start the Ms 440, 460, and the husky 372 right after getting back from resetting the joint & the surgery to clean up the joint where a piece of bone broke off, but I couldn't start the Ms 250 we had. I would fail everytime, and it wasn't the saw.
I just couldn't pull hard enough or fast enough... I can now, and since a few weeks after getting back to action I haven't had much trouble with any of them including the Ms 250.
Another thing that supported this in my mind was last week my grandpa (78 yo) called me couldn't start his 250 (new last year), but can easily start my husky 460 rancher he's borrowing now. I can easily start his 250 everytime & don't know how to fix this issue...

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

I don't know if the "easy-starter system" fits the ms250 but I just bought 2 ms251s with it for a couple of employees that had a hard time starting saws,( small women) .
You could certainly ask a dealer or if your handy put the easy- start on the saw yourself ,stihl redesigned the mechanism and its a bit more reliable now.

 

[SteveSr]

I don't know if the "easy-starter system" fits the ms250 but I just bought 2 ms251s with it for a couple of employees that had a hard time starting saws,( small women) .
You could certainly ask a dealer or if your handy put the easy- start on the saw yourself ,stihl redesigned the mechanism and its a bit more reliable now.

The 251 is a completely different saw so those parts likely wouldn't fit. I think that the may have made an easy start 250. However converting a saw wouldn't be cheap a a lot of expensive parts are needed. The Easy Start also makes the saw a bit wider and a bit heavier.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The 251 is a completely different saw so those parts likely wouldn't fit. I think that the may have made an easy start 250. However converting a saw wouldn't be cheap a a lot of expensive parts are needed. The Easy Start also makes the saw a bit wider and a bit heavier.

And a bit more expensive. I have a 251C with the easy start feature that a widow sold me for $200. Her late hubby spent close to $400 on it. Stihl saws never drop in price.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

Yeah on state contract they were 316.00 carb version.
I think the OP was stating that he believes that he is strong enough to start most saws so I don't think weight is a factor too much? And the cost of having a saw that doesn't saw is more expensive than the starter mechanism.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Yeah on state contract they were 316.00 carb version.
I think the OP was stating that he believes that he is strong enough to start most saws so I don't think weight is a factor too much? And the cost of having a saw that doesn't saw is more expensive than the starter mechanism.

Only problem I have run into with the 251C is that it easily floods. Dealer tried to fix it for the original buyer and billed another $100 but that failed. I've improved it somewhat. Others have reported the same issue. My solution is choke it once, pull, and then take it off choke. A prayer or two also seems to help.

I must admit that the easy start pull mechanism works fine and the saw has the same power as an 025 that I ran for years.

 

[Sprinter]

Only problem I have run into with the 251C is that it easily floods. Dealer tried to fix it for the original buyer and billed another $100 but that failed. I've improved it somewhat. Others have reported the same issue. My solution is choke it once, p;ull, and then take it off choke. A prayer or two also seems to help.

I must admit that the easy start pull mechanism works fine and the saw has the same power as an 025 that I ran for years.

All that works for me (age79 and light) is pull once with choke and drop start.

 

[Wood Doctor]

All that works for me (age79 and light) is pull once with choke and drop start.

The assist mechanism allows it to pull so easily that you can do it without a drop. Just set it with a slight lift, return, then hold, and pull. Once you get used to it, it's a piece of cake. No other saw I have performs like that, and I have a bunch.

 

[rupedoggy]

I remembered that I had a project 250 saw. I took a picture as it has the easy start. We know they made it at one time. Mike

 

[RED-85-Z51]

251C i will usually give a courtesy pull with no choke...just in case, then choke and pull once. Choke off and pull a few times. Some if then don't need any choke, if you breath on the choke they flood

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[farmer steve]

I remembered that I had a project 250 saw. I took a picture as it has the easy start. We know they made it at one time. Mike
View attachment 864503

I have one that came with the easy adjust but not the easy start. I bought it new back before i knew any better. My stihl mechanic says they only made a few in that configuration before going to ES/EA.

 

[Robin Rowley]

Farmer Steve--Saw pulls over smooth as silk with no plug in it.
HarleyT & irhunter--I started saw up and ran it out of gas and then let it cool down-no change in pull force required.
So....must not be hydro locking. I've decided to just man up and deal with the damn thing. And new pull ropes are cheap. It's pretty much just a backup saw to my Echo which starts easily, isn't finicky about how fresh my gas is and cuts fine. Thanks for all the help, guys!

 

[Okie]

I had a MS250 that was given to me because of similar hard pull problems.
It would start and run ok but hard to pull through.
I removed the spark plug and the recoil area where I could rotate the flywheel by hand. I could feel every once in awhile while rotating the flywheel it would get harder to turn, Accidently noticed if I turned the flywheel backwards it would turn over easier and as reversed and turned in proper direction could eventually feel a drag. Long story short. The plastic bearing separators on the crank bearing were broken into little pieces and the bearings would bunch together and slide instead of roll. I replaced the bearings with the steel cage type, re-sealed the crank halves with Yamaha-bond and all ok.
But as the others have pointed out, the 025 needs the proper size and length pull rope, and gently bring the saw up to the compression stroke then pull through because some will pull through hard and even worse if intermittent broken plastic cage crank bearings. I would also do as Harley suggested and make sure the flywheel key and flywheel key slot it ok. Might even see how it cranks leaving the spark plug wire off. (if slightly timed to fast as a hint)

 

[Robin Rowley]

Interesting!...I'll check this out. May be a few days before I have time but will report back what I find. Thanks!

 

[sundance]

I had a MS250 that was given to me because of similar hard pull problems.
It would start and run ok but hard to pull through.
I removed the spark plug and the recoil area where I could rotate the flywheel by hand. I could feel every once in awhile while rotating the flywheel it would get harder to turn, Accidently noticed if I turned the flywheel backwards it would turn over easier and as reversed and turned in proper direction could eventually feel a drag. Long story short. The plastic bearing separators on the crank bearing were broken into little pieces and the bearings would bunch together and slide instead of roll. I replaced the bearings with the steel cage type, re-sealed the crank halves with Yamaha-bond and all ok.
But as the others have pointed out, the 025 needs the proper size and length pull rope, and gently bring the saw up to the compression stroke then pull through because some will pull through hard and even worse if intermittent broken plastic cage crank bearings. I would also do as Harley suggested and make sure the flywheel key and flywheel key slot it ok. Might even see how it cranks leaving the spark plug wire off. (if slightly timed to fast as a hint)

@Okie any insight into the upgraded crank bearings you installed? I'm fixing to check mine out and if this happens to be the issue I'd sure like to upgrade.
Thanks

 

[Okie]

@Okie any insight into the upgraded crank bearings you installed? I'm fixing to check mine out and if this happens to be the issue I'd sure like to upgrade.
Thanks

I do not remember the steel cage bearing numbers. I have the number wrote down in a Stihl file in the shop. Maybe someone on here will give you a number. If not I'll go and dig it up for you.
The guys on this site gave me the part numbers for the upgrade.
The two bearings were readily available and reasonably priced and I seem to remember they both had same part number. Also replace the seals. I warmed the new bearings in the oven and had the crank in freezer for little while and they re-install easily. I had a small bearing puller when removing the old bearings. If they are the plastic type go ahead and do the upgrade anyway because a itty bitty piece of plastic will chip off and cause the bearing/bearings to slide in the race due to getting brittle.
I had never been into a 250 and it was easy to work on and re-assemble.

 

[sundance]

I do not remember the steel cage bearing numbers. I have the number wrote down in a Stihl file in the shop. Maybe someone on here will give you a number. If not I'll go and dig it up for you.
The guys on this site gave me the part numbers for the upgrade.
The two bearings were readily available and reasonably priced and I seem to remember they both had same part number. Also replace the seals. I warmed the new bearings in the oven and had the crank in freezer for little while and they re-install easily. I had a small bearing puller when removing the old bearings. If they are the plastic type go ahead and do the upgrade anyway because a itty bitty piece of plastic will chip off and cause the bearing/bearings to slide in the race due to getting brittle.
I had never been into a 250 and it was easy to work on and re-assemble.

@Okie: Finally found an old post of yours.

Nachi or Koyo 6202C3 have the riveted steel type ribbons.
New Nachi all metal bearings, new seals, Yamaha bond and pressure tested the crankcase BEFORE re-installing.

Does this sound right? Did you use Stihl seals or after market?