One tank of gas and the new stihl is dead

[KYrob]

Call me lucky I guess. Bought a new MS250 2 weeks ago and the store filled it up and out I went. Saw worked great thru the one tank of gas. Ran out and I was finished cutting for the day so I loaded up and went home. Filled it back up with 89 octane and the stihl oil mix and went to the farm and it wouldn't hit a lick. Came home and pulled the plug figuring I had flooded it. Hardly any gas on plug. I then checked to see if plug was firing and it wasn't. I had read about stihl having problems with the coils and guess I got one. I'm taking it back in the morning with the intention of getting a refund and then buying a husky or maybe another poulan. I know, I know, poulans are junk but I have a 25 year old poulan that has never frustrated me in that 25 years like this stihl has done in 2 weeks. If I was rich, I would have beat this saw into the dirt today and tossed it in the holler. Not rich so I guess I will see how well this store serves it's customers.

Frustrated in KY,
Rob

 

[ColdNH]

Speaking as someone who just bought a brand new MS290 this past wednesday and still havent used a tank of gas in it, your story doesnt bode well with me. Sounds like you got a lemon, hopefully the dealer will take care of the issue for you. let us know how you make out.

Good luck

-Chris

 

[KYrob]

My neighbors probably love me but I got it started. Runs fine. Not sure what the deal was but I never did see a spark but I read about having to take off the kill wire or some such and didn't want to get that involved with it being new and all. Anyway, I pulled the plug, dried it and cleared the cylinder and put it back together. I put the switch in the warm run position and it fired right up. Must have just been something I was doing wrong or in the wrong order and flooded the heck out of it. All I know is it's running, I'm happy and have wood to cut tomorrow.

Rob

 

[JustWood]

I think you flooded it having owned a Poulan, and pullon and pullon and pullon and pullon , it's no wunder. :coolsmile:

 

[ggans]

I've had my Stihl for 25 years and just serviced it for the first time last summer.. I love it .

 

[Tony H]

I had a poolan and I just can't see trading a Stihl for one !That's like trading in a corvette for a chevette people are going to be saving you a place in the "home" after hearing of that.
Just for the record Stihls will flood easily if you don't follow the instructions I did it the first 2 or 3 times after owning a poohlan n

 

[webie]

My neighbors probably love me but I got it started. Runs fine. Not sure what the deal was but I never did see a spark but I read about having to take off the kill wire or some such and didn't want to get that involved with it being new and all. Anyway, I pulled the plug, dried it and cleared the cylinder and put it back together. I put the switch in the warm run position and it fired right up. Must have just been something I was doing wrong or in the wrong order and flooded the heck out of it. All I know is it's running, I'm happy and have wood to cut tomorrow.

Rob

I really had almost the same exact thing happen with my MS 360 , I ended up swapping out the plug for a warm one out of another stihl and it fired right up with of course lots of smoke and unburnd gas . I could not see any spark on the plug at all that I removed , yet I put this plug in my other stihl saw and that saw fired right up ok . I still to this day have no clue why it didnt start and have never had the issue come up again , All I remember was the saw only had like a tank or 2 of fuel thru it when it happened , Now I am thru gallons of fuel thru the same saw .

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Call me lucky I guess. Bought a new MS250 2 weeks ago and the store filled it up and out I went. Saw worked great thru the one tank of gas. Ran out and I was finished cutting for the day so I loaded up and went home. Filled it back up with 89 octane and the stihl oil mix and went to the farm and it wouldn't hit a lick. Came home and pulled the plug figuring I had flooded it. Hardly any gas on plug. I then checked to see if plug was firing and it wasn't. I had read about stihl having problems with the coils and guess I got one. I'm taking it back in the morning with the intention of getting a refund and then buying a husky or maybe another poulan. I know, I know, poulans are junk but I have a 25 year old poulan that has never frustrated me in that 25 years like this stihl has done in 2 weeks. If I was rich, I would have beat this saw into the dirt today and tossed it in the holler. Not rich so I guess I will see how well this store serves it's customers.

Frustrated in KY,
Rob

Poulan/MS250 Same/Same

 

[thinkxingu]

I was leery about buying a Stihl because of the rumors they are hard to start. That's crap--follow the routine and they start EVERY time. Of course, if you don't read the manual or have a bad dealer, you wouldn't know the routine.

Cold: Full choke position, 2-3 pulls 'til it 'pops.' Run position, 1 pull.
Warm: Run position, 1 pull.


Redd, don't go dissing the 250--it's got an excellent power/weight ratio and, besides a few saw-snobs, it gets great reviews. I'd take it over that boat-anchor of a 290 you're pimping all the time!

S

 

[thinkxingu]

PS KYrob, you might want to change the title of this thread to: I flooded my Stihl and thought it was broken!

S

 

[smokinj]

PS KYrob, you might want to change the title of this thread to: I flooded my Stihl and thought it was broken!

S

that would be correct if you miss the burp you will flood them bad....250 will be harder to hear, I have done it a few time on the 361 just use to the 460 no mistake there.

 

[webie]

I was leery about buying a Stihl because of the rumors they are hard to start. That's crap--follow the routine and they start EVERY time. Of course, if you don't read the manual or have a bad dealer, you wouldn't know the routine.

Cold: Full choke position, 2-3 pulls 'til it 'pops.' Run position, 1 pull.
Warm: Run position, 1 pull.


Redd, don't go dissing the 250--it's got an excellent power/weight ratio and, besides a few saw-snobs, it gets great reviews. I'd take it over that boat-anchor of a 290 you're pimping all the time!

S

If what happened to him is the same that happened to me there was never a pop no indication of even a hint of ignition , even when I pulled the plug in the 360 it really didn't look that wet , And then when you went to test the plug to see if there was any spark none at all . I first put in a brand new plug and tried that and still nothing , I then put that new plug in different saw and fired that up and ran for a few minutes then took the warm plug out and put it in the 360 and it finally fired up , Never had the issue again , just happened when the saw was new . It was spooky .
I have had stihls for many years , and quite a few of them so I have figured out how to start them . the starting is always the same as you describe sometimes you pull 3 times sometimes 7 sometimes 1 pull to run on half choke sometimes 2 but they always start and run .

 

[webie]

PS KYrob, you might want to change the title of this thread to: I flooded my Stihl and thought it was broken!

S

that would be correct if you miss the burp you will flood them bad....250 will be harder to hear, I have done it a few time on the 361 just use to the 460 no mistake there.

Jay you use the decompression button when starting on the 361 ? I had the same issue of it flooding before it fired . I actually quit useing it if it sits for a while , same on the 360 seems to start better , yes harder to pull but starts better , I put elasto starters on both saws that helps a bunch .

 

[John_M]

My Stihl MS250CQ is less than one year old and has cut 3-4 cords of firewood. It has been an excellent saw for its intended use. The Quick Start feature is a marvel of engineering. I have nothing but praise for its performance, startability, and reliability. Best wishes, John_M

 

[smokinj]

PS KYrob, you might want to change the title of this thread to: I flooded my Stihl and thought it was broken!

S

that would be correct if you miss the burp you will flood them bad....250 will be harder to hear, I have done it a few time on the 361 just use to the 460 no mistake there.

Jay you use the decompression button when starting on the 361 ? I had the same issue of it flooding before it fired . I actually quit useing it if it sits for a while , same on the 360 seems to start better , yes harder to pull but starts better , I put elasto starters on both saws that helps a bunch .

yep I was wearing my radio head phone with the sound off brand new 361 wasn't thinking just had a few cuts to go and the 460 was out of gas..Pretty aggressive cutter pulling and just missed the burp being new to it.....I really wanted to throw that saw at that moment but it was my error by not knowing the starting deference between the too saws...op error!

 

[JustWood]

REDD u just commyitted one of the wurst cardnal sinns. Menshunning pullon and STIHL in the same sentance.

A good quick cure for a flooded saw is a butane/benzene torch in the cylinder head for 2 seconds to burn off the gas, and warm the plug while your at it.

 

[stee6043]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

 

[webie]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

 

[webie]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

Oh yea and the only way I can afford the high end woman is to burn wood

 

[smokinj]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

Oh yea and the only way I can afford the high end woman is to burn wood

+1 but I have save enough for 2

 

[webie]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

Oh yea and the only way I can afford the high end woman is to burn wood

+1 but I have save enough for 2

How do we say harem.
Or is it bordello

 

[smokinj]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

Oh yea and the only way I can afford the high end woman is to burn wood

+1 but I have save enough for 2

How do we say harem.
Or is it bordello

just one and a part-timeer gig I need a new saw....lol just kidding the wife would have killed here off by now....

 

[webie]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

Oh yea and the only way I can afford the high end woman is to burn wood

+1 but I have save enough for 2

How do we say harem.
Or is it bordello

just one and a part-timeer gig I need a new saw....lol just kidding the wife would have killed here off by now....

Lost the original , she ended up high ended because I burned wood , she went for the lazy guy whos heat comes from the end of a pipe , ( Still dont think he has a job )
Just have a part timer now part of the time. This one grew up in a teepee.
I keep getting told never seen scalp that color before , do you think its a clue to lock up the saws and axe's .

 

[smokinj]

One day of "hard starting" and you're frustrated and ready to call it quits? You must own a lot of very high end equipment and hang out with very high end women if you can get away with giving up so quickly!

oh crap I feel the need for electric start on a chainsaw .
Actually somedays I think I would welcome that at about 5 in the afternoon , when the arms feel like noodles and the legs are all banged up from falling over brush all day and you have about a 1 sgft spot to start your saw to start trimming out brush .

Oh yea and the only way I can afford the high end woman is to burn wood

+1 but I have save enough for 2

How do we say harem.
Or is it bordello

just one and a part-timeer gig I need a new saw....lol just kidding the wife would have killed here off by now....

Lost the original , she ended up high ended because I burned wood , she went for the lazy guy whos heat comes from the end of a pipe , ( Still dont think he has a job )
Just have a part timer now part of the time. This one grew up in a teepee.
I keep getting told never seen scalp that color before , do you think its a clue to lock up the saws and axe's .

lmao, and by the way my saws are always lock up and insured and when in the truck at least 2 eyes on them.

 

[webie]

Oh Crap :gulp: