[SOLVED] Chainsaw rope very hard to pull

[Vic Smith]

Copper tools work fine.

[Oren]

This guy used Lacquer Thinner:

[Wade Garrett]

I dunno about that. I'd think it would depend on the hardness of the particular alloys. Go with popsicle sticks....they're safer and you get to eat the popsicles first ;-)

[weeksira]

I know this is an old thread, but I just came across it when searching for a solution for a saw with a hard pull start. I found an ms 291 at a pawn shop that’s very clean looks almost new. The muffler is shiny and the guide bar which appears to be the one it came with barely has any scratches. I know doesn’t mean the saw is new but it’s just too clean to have had much use. They had it marked for $240. So I took it outside but I only got about one full pull and then I couldn’t pull it very far. I gave it all I had and again I got a very hard pull but all the way out and sort of a low load resonant sound which made me think it’s probably a simple fix, I just don’t know that much about saws. Or I would have removed the plug and tried again. Instead I was thinking mechanical issue like the pull start itself or flywheel. So after I got them to knock the price down to $200 I put it on layaway so I’d have a chance to figure it out. And after reading few a few things here I’m pretty sure I was just fighting the compression. Especially since the store manager said it was running fine when it came in but had been sitting on their shelf for the last 90 days. So when I go back I plan on bringing a can of wd40 and maybe some pb blaster removing the plug and spray some in the hole and I’m thinking that should do the trick. Would you have any other suggestions at this point? Side note. Just two weeks earlier I found an ms290 at a different pawnshop. This one looked rough there was oil and debris caked to just about everything and when I took it out to start it I couldn’t get to start but it turned over once and I could tell it wanted to. So for $110 I took it straight to an Ace shop. They opened it up and said yeah this thing has never been cleaned the vacuumed the air filter took the plug out and said the carburetor was pristine though I’m not sure if he actually replaced the plug or just put the old one back in but he fired it right up and charged me $5. And it runs great, I’m still working on cleaning it up and learning more about how it works and what does what. But when I saw that MS291 and it looked like it had barely been used, even at twice what I had just paid for basically the same saw I knew $240 was a good price and since it had just hit the sales floor that day it wouldn’t be there long. But $200 is an even better price so At the end of the day I should come out with an MS290 + MS291 for about $310. And if I’m not mistaken I could probably sell either one of them for close to that number

[Fred C Wiesinger]

replying to bob_villa, Fred C Wiesinger wrote: I have Jerry Tans problem. And with the muffler removed I still have the hard jerky pull. If I ever do get it started, then it starts nicely on warm start. To be sure it's not flooded, I pull 6 to 8 times with plug out. Fred in Bellville, TX

[Jon]

replying to Tekkie®, Jon wrote: Found this thread when Googling a solution for the exact same issue. Pulls freely with spark plug removed, but if I cap that it is extremely hard to pull. I took off the muffler, there was no clog. I took off the carb, fuel line and filter, and the fuel line definitely had a clog as did the filter in the fuel tank wasnt allowing anything to pass. So, I took it out, cut the fuel line, took off the carb and took it apart, blowing out everything with air, put back together, could draw thru the fuel line again, put it back on... and nothing. still cant pull the cord. I just got a new carb, line, and filter delivered today to see if maybe I just didnt clear it all the away from carb and line etc. However, I really dont think this is the issue, Ive checked the piston and it isnt scarred up. Im hoping the previous owner didnt use a bad mix and the rings are moved/shot. Anyone get their saw running from any of these suggestions?

[Cgray1521]

replying to Jon, Cgray1521 wrote: I’m trying to get my grandparents yard boss running but having the same issue. Hard to pull at first, feels like because of compression, then releases and spins over. I’ve torn everything down twice. This last time I noticed the gap on the spark plug was closed. So I looked at the piston and it has a slight surface rust mark that matches the shape of the bottom of the side electrode on the spark plug. So I feel the piston is just slightly hitting the spark plug. Thought maybe someone over tighten the spark plugs so I bought a new one. But the new does the same thing. If I install the spark plug by hand as thought as I can it will run fine. But if I put a wrench on it and tighten it literally a hair more it locks up. DONT GET IT!

[Ralph Mowery]

Maybe someone put the wrong spark plug in the chain saw. I would look and see. If not , find one that is slightly shorter where it goes into the head. Sometimes all things the same number by different companies will be slightly different. If it has a crush washer, maybe the washer is over flattened.

[Wade Garrett]

The reach of the park plug is too long and extends too far into the cylinder- and certainly not the correct one the manufacturer specified for that engine.

RTFM ;-)

[Clare Snyder]

Likely an extended tip plug where it is not spec'd. What model saw and what plug are you buying??

[Ed Pawlowski]

Just cut that hook thing off the end of the plug and you can snug it down.

[Clare Snyder]

Use the piston as the ground electrode?

[mulesandviolins]

[mulesandviolins]

[Ed Pawlowski]

Five years since the original post, I'd buy a hand saw if not running by now.

[trader_4]

Old thread, but in case anyone reads this, he was wasting his time and money with a new carb, fuel line, filter, etc. None of that has anything to do with being unable to pull the cord.

[Fred McKenzie]

Ed-

I wonder if [e-mail] is a more recent address for [e-mail]? He still needs to fix it.

Fred

[Clare Snyder]

Sounds like my high compression Remington. When you pull the rope it either starts or tears the rope out of your hand. REALLY a "snappy" unit but it screams like a banshee when you get it started. I WILL NOT start it while on a ladder - pretty much need to "drop" it to start it.

[Phil Kangas]

My Husquavarna has a knob on the cylinder that you push to open a relief valve to lower the compression to ease starting. As soon as it fires this valve closes to run as normal. pdk

[johnston0112]

I know this thread is old. Did anyone ever find a solution? I have older 025c, which is rarely used (but I run it dry when I do use it). I can barely pull the starter cord. If I remove the spark plug, can pull with one finger. Removing the muffler does not help. Removing the chain/bar did not help. No obvious scars on the piston/rings. I put a some oil on the piston/rings, no difference. I'm at a loss.