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Stihl Chainsaw Won’t Start? (With Solutions)

Chainsaw is an important tool if you are a DIY (Do It Yourself) person. Stihl chainsaws in particular are one of the most popular brands of chainsaws in the United States.

Today, we are going to discuss and find out what the solutions are in case one has trouble starting their Stihl chainsaw.

Why Stihl Chainsaw Won’t Start?

Stihl chainsaw might not start due to several technical reasons. The important parts of a Stihl chainsaw’s engine can go bad which will make it difficult to start the chainsaw. Low temperature and flooded engine are other two major causes of starting problem in Stihl chainsaw.

You might find it difficult to start your Stihl chainsaw in different situations. Let’s discuss in detail and find out the reasons why your Stihl chainsaw might not be starting.

When hot:

One might face difficulties while starting their Stihl chainsaw when it is hot due to reasons below.

Problem with gas tank:

Sometimes the gas can become filled with too much heat and vapor. The gas tank needs to be vented correctly when this happens. Due to unvented gas tank, you might fail to start your Stihl chainsaw when it is hot.

Problem with spark plug:

The spark plugs can often become clogged up due to carbon build up. The clogged up spark plugs will make it difficult to start your Stihl chainsaw when it is hot.

Problem with ignition coil:

You will fail to start your Stihl chainsaw when it is hot if you have a faulty ignition coil. Using starter fluid might be helpful in this case.

Problem with fuel system:

The fuel system can often be the reason why you might find it difficult to start your Stihl chainsaw when it is hot. It includes faulty fuel filter, faulty carburetor, and faulty hose.

After refueling:

It might be hard to start the Stihl chainsaw after refueling due to the reasons below.

Flooded engine:

You should not put too much fuel into your Stihl chainsaw. Because you can end up flooding your chainsaw engine in the process. You will notice a smell of gasoline around your Stihl chainsaw if you have ended up flooding its engine.

Flooded spark plugs:

You can also end up flooding your spark plugs along with your engine. Flooded spark plugs is another major reason why you might fail to start your Stihl chainsaw after refueling

After running:

Your Stihl chainsaw might not start after running due to the reasons below.

Out of gas:

Your Stihl chainsaw might be difficult to start after it has run for some time. The main reason behind this could be that it is out  of gas and needs refueling.

Worn out parts:

Any important part of the stihl chainsaw can go bad in the middle of a task after you have run it for a bit. When this happens, you will find it difficult to start the Stihl chainsaw again.

After sitting:

The Stihl chainsaw might not start after sitting for a while due to the reasons below.

Problem with gas:

The gas you use in your Stihl chainsaw can often be reason why it might not be starting after sitting for a while. The gas can become stale when the chainsaw is sitting and can cause starting it again a problem.

Problem with carburetor:

The carburetor of your Stihl chainsaw can become clogged if you have not used it for a while. A clogged carburetor will make it difficult to start the chainsaw after sitting.

What would cause a Stihl chainsaw not to start?

There are so many reasons that could possibly cause a Stihl chainsaw not to start. First of all, lack of gas or old gas can be the primary reason why your Stihl chainsaw might not be starting.

There are many important parts inside your Stihl chainsaw that can cause it mot to start by becoming faulty.

For example, the carburetor and the spark plugs of your Stihl chainsaw can become clogged up or faulty and make it difficult to start your Stihl chainsaw. Faulty fuel filter can also cause your Stihl chainsaw not to start.

Other important parts of a Stihl chainsaw include ignition coil which can go bad can cause the chainsaw not to start. You can also end up flooding your engine after refueling which can make it very difficult to start your Stihl chainsaw.

So there is not one particular reason that can cause a Stihl chainsaw not to start. Rather there are many reasons that you need to worry about when you fail to start your Stihl chainsaw.

How to fix a chainsaw that won’t start?

Fixing a chainsaw that won’t start might seem like a difficult task if your have no prior experience. But there are some steps and methods that you can take to help you in this case. Let’s discuss in detail about them.

Change the fuel:

The fuel you use inside your Stihl chainsaw can often cause starting problem. First of all, you will need to inspect the fuel of your chainsaw and change it with new fuel if old fuel has become bad.

Bad fuel can clogged up different parts of the chainsaw’s engine.

Repair the carburetor:

The carburetor is one of the most important parts of your chainsaw. It can become clogged or faulty due to several reasons. The carburetor needs to be repaired or replaced if it is the reason behind the starting problem of your chainsaw.

Repair the spark plug:

Clogged and faulty spark plugs will cause starting problems in your chainsaw. When this happens, the current spark plugs need to be repaired or replaced immediately with new ones.

Repair the air filter:

The air filter can often gets clogged up and become faulty due to this reason. A faulty air filter is not able to maintain air-gas mixture and can cause starting problems in your chainsaw.

The air filter has to be repaired or replaced immediately to solve this issue.

Inspect the ignition coil:

Faulty ignition coil can often be the reason why your chainsaw might not be starting. You can take the help of a multimeter to test the state of the ignition coil. If the ignition coil seems faulty, it should be replaced without any delay.

Replace the recoil starter:

The recoil starter works with the starting cord to start the engine of your chainsaw. When the recoil starter goes bad, pulling the starting cord will not start the engine. This requires immediate attention and the recoil starter has to be replaced.

Use full choke:

If there is nothing wrong with the parts of your chainsaw, then the temperature might be reason why your chainsaw will not start. You can try the full choke position to start your chainsaw in cold condtions.

How do you start a flooded Stihl chainsaw?

You might find it difficult to start your Stihl chainsaw when it becomes flooded. But there are some steps you can follow to start a flooded Stihl chainsaw. Let’s discuss in detail about them.

Clean the spark plug:

The first thing you will need to do is to detach the spark plug from your Stihl chainsaw with the help of a wrench. If the spark plugs seem flooded, clean them with a rag.

Clean the air filter:

In the next step, you will need to detach the air filter and clean it properly if it is flooded.

Alter the master control lever:

The master control level of your Stihl chainsaw needs to be altered to clean the combustion chamber of the engine.

The master control level has to be set at the open position. After that, you will need to press the starting handle to clean the combustion chamber properly.

Following all these steps will allow you to start your flooded Stihl chainsaw. You will just have to start your Stihl chainsaw after you have managed to unflood it.

How do you start a cold Stihl chainsaw?

Starting a cold Stihl chainsaw might seem like a hard thing to do. But there are some steps you can follow that will make the task easier. Let’s discuss in detail about them.

Apply full choke:

The master control lever has to be set at full choke position when the Stihl chainsaw is cold. After that you will need to press the primer about three times.

Pull the starter cord:

Next, you will need to work the starter cord of your Stihl chainsaw. You will have to pull the starter cord. The engine should start running without pulling the starter cord pulling more than four times in order to avoid flooded engine.

Final Thoughts

Faulty spark plugs, faulty carburetor, faulty air filter, faulty ignition coil, and faulty recoil starter are some of the reasons why a Stihl chainsaw might not be starting. Gasoline can also cause starting problems in a Stihl chainsaw by flooding different parts of the engine.