Any advice for a friend who’s chainsaw may have seized?

[tradergordo]

I haven't had a look at it myself, but he said it stalled a few times while he was using it, and then he could no longer pull the cord out at all to start it. Anyone have experience with this? Does it automatically mean its toast? I told him to take the plug out and if he still couldn't pull the cord, try adding some penetrating oil, and if that didn't help, take the muffler off and look for damage... I was just wondering if it could be anything else less serious? The saw is a 2 year old Husqvarna (one in the 3XX series). He says he used properly mixed gas/oil, since he has a special gas can just for his chainsaw I don't think he screwed that up - but the gas mix was probably from last year and this was his first time using the saw this year, but it had stabilizer in it... don't know, would be a disappointment for sure if the saw was ruined, he has probably cut fewer than 6 cords with it. As far as I know it isn't under warranty anymore. He bought it from Home Depot.

 

[burntime]

Next time mix oil in there Just kidding, a couple of the loggers here have rebuilt their saws, they should be along soon. I had a boat motor that had a screw come loose and lodge on the flywheel and stopped it dead. Same thing on a weed eater. If he is handy start pulling it appart. I bet that 10 minutes into the job you will know if you need to re-ring it or if its done with.

 

[sapratt]

Take the muffler off and look at the cylinder. If the piston is back you'll be able to see the cylinder walls. One thing you can try is take the cover with the pull string off. Then try turning the engine over by hand you can also try rotating it backwards if it won't turn over. If the engine won't turn over by hand then yes it is tied up.

 

[Eric Johnson]

You can burn up a small saw if you try to cut wood that's too big or hard, especially if it's a hot day and you keep the muffler up against a big stem while trying to cut with a dull chain. The Husqvarnas they sell at Home Depot are not the top-of-the-line models.

That said, it might be as simple as something jamming up the pull-cord.

If the saw has seized, it's probably not worth fixing. One thing to look out for is damage to the main crank bearing. If it's compromised, then the engine on an HD saw is basically toast.

 

[pinewoodburner]

As others have said, if it is seized, time for a new saw. Did the gas can get shaken well before use? Check what the others have said to make sure nothing is stuck.

Good luck.

 

[cmonSTART]

Homeowner saws have a 2 year warrenty for Husky, but that only covers manufacturer defect.

The 3XX consumer saws do ride the hairy edge of being too lean, and the slightest problem that goes on long enough can be enough to push it over the edge. Also, letting any fuel sit for long is a risky thing to do. The ethanol absorbs water easily (condensation) and then seperates from the gas/oil, so your saw will swallow a slug of ethanol (without lubrication) and then goes pop.

Check it out. Maybe it's something simple like others have said.

 

[myzamboni]

Did he ever get the saw re-tuned after the first 5 hours of use? My local seller will tune mine for free if I get the 5 hrs on it in the first month (supposed to adjust it so it is not lean once the saw is broken in).

 

[cmonSTART]

Home Depot doesn't service anything as far as I know.

 

[myzamboni]

Home Depot doesn't service anything as far as I know.

Home Depot out here doesn't even sell Husky. I guess I am glad to have a dealer that cares about its customers.

 

[trailblaster]

I've had several pull starts go but I have never come across a seized piston on any chainsaw or weedwacker. check the recoil because most of the non high end saws have cheap springs and weak plastic parts in the recoil. Even if its the piston, its a real simple engine and easy to rebuild.

 

[tradergordo]

Even if its the piston, its a real simple engine and easy to rebuild.

Anyone happen to have service manuals (PDF) for any husky saws? My friend tells me he wanted to learn small engine repair some day, so might as well be now. By the way, he now says he "might" have put straight gas in it by accident (doh!). At any rate, he is an engineer, so I can see him taking it all apart, but I would imagine he'd be lost without detailed instructions... you are the first person I've seen that said it was "easy".

 

[trailblaster]

Two stroke engines are "simple engines" compared to a four stroke engine. I have rebuilt many atv and snowmobile engines and a two stroke(two cycle) engines have half as many moving parts and can be done in a lot less time. I love to tinker with mechanical items and hate paying someone else to repair things I can do myself.