warranty service expectations?

[CedChop]

I've got a 4 month old MS250. I've had like 6 tanks of fuel thru it. Lately its stalling when I let it go back to idle. I suspect that all that needs to happen is a small adjustment of the idle speed or mixture. Is this kind of thing covered in the warranty? It still runs great at higher rpm. The air filter is clean.

BTW, fuel is good. Runs great on Echo wacker/pole saw combo.

 

[pioneerguy600]

Not warranty related but if the dealer you bought it at is any good at all they would tune it correctly for you.

 

[davhul]

If all it's needs is a adjustment it's covered. Just make 100% sure your fuels good before you take it in. Even if it need a carb it's covered as long as they can't blame it on your fuel.

 

[pioneerguy600]

If all it's needs is a adjustment it's covered. Just make 100% sure your fuels good before you take it in. Even if it need a carb it's covered as long as they can't blame it on your fuel.

Stihl will not cover carbs here in Canada, been there more than once,nor will they do adjustments on warranty but at the dealer I deal with they will adjust the carb if the saw was bought there. I am not sure what the dealers in the US will cover.

 

[davhul]

Wow. We'll cover a carb even if bad gas was involved. Carbs are almost always instantly approved on the online warranty. Pro saws or a new model saw are the only ones that usually gets called back.

 

[pioneerguy600]

When Stihl sells a new saw here the dealer starts and tunes the saw, once the saw leaves their dealership they do not know what type of fuels are run through them and if brought back a few months later they won`t replace a carb under warranty. I have even requested the area service rep to get involved and he did look into it but refused to cover carbs under warranty. I paid for new carbs and for labor on those saws to keep the rest of the saw under warranty. I even bought the extra case of oil at time of purchase to get the extended warranty but as far as Stihl is concerned here carbs don`t fall under warranty. I will check this coming week at the dealer when picking up my next parts order to see if this has changed since my last episode with them.

 

[davhul]

It may have not changed for you. A 250 carb is $35 here. And cost is about $22. So we don't argue much about it.

 

[CedChop]

When I bought the saw the guy said that they don't bother adjusting the carbs they just pull off and replace. That doesn't seem right. It seems like over a period of time of break in and usage that minor adjustments will be necessary.

I'll try running a fresher batch of fuel and then call.

 

[pioneerguy600]

That is very cheap, my last carb from Stihl on a MS440 cost me $157. and change, carb and labor. If I had changed the carb out myself I would have lost the rest of my warranty which with what I know now after more than one run around with Stihl PRO saws they can keep their warranty, I will cover any and all costs of repairs myself.

 

[Rockjock]

I can not comment on your dealership but here in Ontario carb adjustments are covered. We make the adjustment and if it does not cure the issue then we go deeper.

 

[HarleyT]

I can not comment on your dealership but here in Ontario carb adjustments are covered. We make the adjustment and if it does not cure the issue then we go deeper.

What happens if you find dirty water in the carb?

 

[davhul]

That is very cheap, my last carb from Stihl on a MS440 cost me $157. and change, carb and labor. If I had changed the carb out myself I would have lost the rest of my warranty which with what I know now after more than one run around with Stihl PRO saws they can keep their warranty, I will cover any and all costs of repairs myself.

A 440 carb or most any pro saw carbs going to be around the 80-100 price. Then the m-tronic will be alittle more than that. Dirty water would not be warranty but the dealer could help you out on a cleaning if it's possible but most of time that's going to cost the customer. The screw that holds the metering lever in is bare steal to rust and corrode to show moisture contamination.

 

[Conquistador3]

It's really down to the dealership which sold you the saw: some will go out a limb to make you happy and others will start blaming "bad premix" even before looking at the saw.
Generally speaking unless there's gross operator error (straight-gassing and the like) the local Echo and Stihl dealerships will cover everything for the duration of the warranty, including carburetor adjustments/replacement.

 

[Rockjock]

What happens if you find dirty water in the carb?

Dirty water? You got a magic saw that runs on water?

Now if it bad fuel they pay for the ultrasonic cleaning and a carb kit with a bit of labor.. it is only fair. You can not charge a customer $100.00 labor $20.00 for a kit on a $200.00 saw. A repair like that netted me a 50K ventrac sale. ( snowblower and cab attachment ).

 

[HarleyT]

OK, an MS170 with bad gas in it, 2 months old, how much would you guys charge?

 

[Gypo Logger]

What happens if you find dirty water in the carb?

Then you will be suspect for using the saw as a boat anchor.

 

[Rockjock]

OK, an MS170 with bad gas in it, 2 months old, how much would you guys charge?

Gas goes stale in 3 months.. I would in that particular case remove the spark plug, give it a compressed air bath then a new NGK plug and fire her up. so 5-6 bucks plus the local taxes.

 

[davhul]

Gas goes bad but damage probably not yet. If it's 6 months or less than no charge from me. That's half the warranty time.

 

[CedChop]

Ran the same fuel on my echo multi trimmer in saw mode, didn't miss a beat. That little echo 23cc thing and small chain has done severe damage to those cedar trees.

 

[HarleyT]

Yeah, how old is that fuel in the gas can? What if the fresh gas/blow didn't work, and you had to take apart the carb?